Yoga Asana pictures from my travels around the world 🗺️

But first, fun facts about me:

1. I'm from Canada - specifically Red Deer Alberta, it's a small industrial city in Western Canada...it's very country, we like country music, big trucks, rodeos & only some people are dressed like cowboys. The bars sometimes play country music and everyone line dances, we have to learn how to do that in school from a young age.

2. I went to university in Edmonton at the U of A, I changed my major within Biological Sciences a few times before sticking to Genetics, and then focused my studies on Cancer. I did an extra year in uni just because I loved it so much, and to earn my Honours Degree - I did an Honours Thesis and worked in a research lab.

3. I worked on Polynucleotide Kinase/Phosphatase in the lab - an enzyme involved in DNA repair. I am listed on a paper as one of the researchers and writers on small molecule inhibitors of this protein, you can google it if you want to read more on how nerdy I actually am. I love Science!

4. I studied cancer mainly because my Dad died of cancer (he smoked - I also hate smoking!), and several other close family members. I wanted to understand what happened to them and why. Genetics plays a part, but our environment play an even bigger part in most cases, this is why I’ve ended up with all the holistic education I have. The science around genetics and cancer is so important but my university studies did not cover PREVENTION - which is why I am now a yoga teacher and nutritional therapist - these are the two most powerful tools I’ve found to create healing and repair, and for cancer prevention.

5. This is why I still work in health and wellness teaching yoga & nutrition. Our environment plays such a massive part in our health and wellbeing. I didn't end up doing research because I thought it was quite boring day to day and I am much better suited working directly with people, I feel like I can create more of an impact.

6. I lived in Australia for 2 years - in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. I went to school there at Griffith Uni and also became a beach bum. It is too hot there for me and I was very happy to move back to Canada. I did not learn to surf because I’m scared of the ocean and don't like the idea of sharks swimming around, despite living on some of the most beautiful surf beaches in the world!

7. I have grown up skiing and snowboarding and one of my favourite things to do is to sit on top of a mountain just before I'm about to go down a slope, and take in the expansive view. That will set the world right every single time and make you realise how small you are and how much is out there to explore.

8. I've travelled the world and have been to 43 countries, I've been to every continent except Antarctica. I spent a good portion of my mid-late 20s backpacking the world and then only going home to make more money in the restaurant and bar industry, and then head out again (some solo trips too). I love living out of my back pack, it is so freeing being by yourself out in the world without many possessions.

9. I have worked a lot of random jobs in between research and yoga. I worked as a receptionist at a backpacker hostel and a counselling clinic, so many bartending and serving gigs (so much fun but a ton of work!), beer promo girl, administrative work, I worked as a cashier at a Pharmacy when I was thinking about taking Pharmacy in uni, in retail at H&M, I even worked at Fabutan (a tanning salon…eeekkk this is not somewhere I would step foot in anymore!) I worked at Swoon Editions in London doing admin work and a restaurant in Dalston when I first moved to London, as income sources while trying to create my dream career (somehow I’m here now?!)

10. I moved to London in 2015 and I'm still here. I didn't think I could teach yoga full time at home and wanted to see what opportunities lay here, I honestly didn't even know if people did yoga here (I’m not a big planner and just kind of wing it), yoga is quite popular in Canada - I make very random and bold decisions because I am one of those people who likes change. I'm glad I came!

11. I am not a good employee and thought I would not be able to achieve much in my career because I just didn't really care about work or listening to my managers. Turns out I just don't like being told what to do and very happily do my own thing, and work incredibly hard now that I'm able to do what I want, and find my work very fulfilling and rewarding.