Tell us a little bit about yourself :)
I'm a 20-year-old yogini and aspiring yoga teacher :) I have been practicing yoga for over 5 years. I'm half English and half German and I am currently at University, studying to become a primary school teacher.
How did you get introduced to yoga?
I have always had an interest in yoga and used to practice with my mum when I was a child, as she does yoga as well. At the age of 15 I started going to weekly Ashtanga yoga classes and haven't stopped doing yoga since!
When did yoga get “serious”?
About a year ago I decided to get more serious with my yoga and started my Instagram account @nataliee_yoga to document my yoga journey and gain inspiration from other yogis. While I always did a lot of yoga, I only started practicing yoga on a daily basis around this time. Ever since then I have been very motivated to make something more out of my yoga so I have applied to do my yoga teacher training this summer to hopefully make my passion into my job one day :)
Can you share your biggest challenges ?
One of the biggest challenges I always face is finding time to do yoga. During certain times of the year when it gets very busy with my degree I find it difficult to get motivated to do yoga or attend classes. Especially during teaching placements it's hard to find the motivation to go to yoga classes in the evening. Even though this is a struggle, I still try to make time for yoga because no matter how tired I am, I always feel better after doing a little yoga :)
How do you handle pressure?
To be honest I don't feel like there is a lot of pressure in regards to yoga. I think of yoga as more of an individual sport, it's about your own yoga journey. Everybody has different abilities and it's about pushing yourself to improve in the areas that YOU want to!
Can you share your thoughts on self consciousness?
I had thought about becoming a yoga teacher for about three years until I finally decided to go for it and apply for my yoga teacher training this year. Before that I always had doubts about whether I was good enough to become a yoga teacher. When I started getting more serious with my yoga I began to realise that yoga is about the journey and that there is no such thing as the 'perfect yogi'. So I finally decided to just go for it!
What was your most embarrassing moment (in regards to yoga of course ;)
Thankfully I can't remember anything too embarrassing although I am sure there will be many embarrassing moments to come as taking yoga photos in public for my Instagram has the potential for so many embarrassing situations ;)
How did yoga influence your life in other ways?
Yoga has definitely had a huge impact on my life. For me, doing yoga is like taking a break from everything around me. Especially when life is hectic, yoga really helps me relax.
What does your daily routine look like ?
On weekdays I usually have lectures or teaching placement during the day. Afterwards I usually go to different yoga classes. I never miss my Vinyasa Flow class because it is my absolute favourite! And my new obsession is Arial Yoga which I usually go to once a week as well. On days that I don't attend yoga classes I practice at home to make sure I always do at least a little yoga each day!
And what about your flexibility training ? Where does that fit in ?
I work on flexibility every day through my yoga practice. When I do yoga at home I like to work on my back flexibility, usually through various different backbends. I want to get more comfortable in my splits so I try to incorporate them into my practice as much as possible.
What keeps you motivated?
I gain so much motivation from other yogis on Instagram. Seeing their photos or videos inspires me to try out new poses and work towards my personal goals in yoga. One of my favourite yogis to follow is @coffeeandrainbows because of her incredible handstands!
What are your future plans/goals/dreams?
My goal for the future is to complete my yoga teacher training and start teaching yoga!
Any tips for passionate people starting out yoga ?
My advice for people starting out yoga is to keep at it and practice regularly. I'm always surprised at how fast progress can be made in flexibility and strength when you practice regularly :)
Anything else?
Thank you very much for reading my yoga journey :)
Anything you’d like to share?
@nataliee_yoga on Instagram
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