Conversations with the Inspiring Lesli Lancaster

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesli Lancaster.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lesli. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a wife to an incredible man and a mother to three small wonderfully crazy kiddos. I needed to have a bit of time to myself and to free my mind up a bit. I was told to take a yoga class and that is where it all began. I went to my very first yoga class at my local gym. I didn’t know what to expect, I was walking in without a yoga mat and was weirdly nervous. But throughout that first class, I felt an instant connection with the grace and movement of yoga and I knew this was something I wanted to continue doing. Soon after, yoga became a regular part of my life. I grew so much physically and emotionally that I wanted to pursue this even further and share it with others. I wanted to progress my yoga practice and knew that I needed proper training for this to become something other than just a hobby. Plus, I wanted to be able to benefit others lives by teaching them what yoga can do for the body and mind.

I took the steps to become a Certified Yoga Teacher and have loved sharing my passion with others. I take part in social media to share my yoga practice, along with tips and advice for those who are seeking to become better or beginners just starting out. It has been amazing connecting with people who share the same interests as me. I am grateful for the doors that it has opened and how it has helped me grow in the yoga community.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It wouldn’t be a reality if there weren’t challenges and obstacles to overcome, but it’s also what makes it so great when those barriers are overcome and you feel that success.

I think the biggest challenge is myself. Getting over my own fears and my own insecurities. I was terrified of failure and doing something that would cause me to not be focused 100% on my family. I knew this was something that would take up more of my time and make me be a little bit selfish, I had to put that guilt out of my mind and go in knowing that all these small sacrifices would be worth it and it is something that is important to me. I truly wanted to follow this path of growing in my yoga practice and becoming a Yoga Teacher, so I needed to get out of my own head and follow my heart. I grew to understand that the rest of it would all fall into place.

I am so blessed with such a great support system that helped me overcome my own doubt and guide me to follow this path. I had to open up to the idea of failure and know that the risk I am taking is worth it and it will not just be benefiting my life, but the life of others around me.

My advice to women who are are starting out is to trust yourself and your instincts. Know that fear and failure are all part of the journey and to not quit or give in. Failure is how we learn the lessons that we need to succeed, so don’t get frustrated with yourself if you end up taking a step back or you struggle. It just makes the victory so much sweeter. I encourage others to write it all down. The good and the bad. Write down why you want this and read it often. Read it until you believe it. Write down the struggle and what your fears are and then follow that with how to get rid of those feelings and how you can work through the struggle. Laugh often and surround yourself with people who support you in following your ambitions. Be confident and be ok with who you are. Don’t get caught up in the game of comparison. Simply love yourself.

What should we know about your business? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a Certified Yoga Teacher who focuses on a Vinyasa style yoga. I teach yoga in my home and at local fitness facilities. It has been great to reach out to other’s in the community and help them learn the benefits of yoga and how it can impact their lives.

I share my yoga progress, along with tips and advice on social media, to help those who want to advance their yoga practice or for individuals who are just starting out. I love sharing the real moments of my practice and that includes the falls, the failures, the successes and all the in-betweens. It has given me the opportunity to share the knowledge I have gained and continue to learn with others. I am constantly striving for a better yoga practice and engaging to be a better yoga teacher in the community. My goal is to share my hard work and dedication to something that I love and to inspire others to challenge themselves, set goals and feel like you are making a difference in your own life and in the life of others. My work is not always perfect but it is me and I have learned how that is enough and just how I am reaching out and inspiring others to do hard things.
I believe that what sets me apart from others is that there is only one me. We may do things similar to each other but what makes us all so wonderfully unique is that there is only one. No one can replicate or replace what you bring into this world. I love that about people and about myself.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
I have so many incredible women in my life that as I think of those who have inspired me, I am so grateful to have such positive role models, who are there for me. A pretty obvious answer for which women inspire me is my mom. She is strong and independent and challenges herself. She has been so encouraging throughout my life and I am grateful for her leadership and love that I receive from her. Even though I no longer live close to my mom, I know she is always there cheering me on and wanting nothing but the best for me. I also learn a great deal about strength and independence from my sisters and watching them be strong women in today’s world is incredible. I learn so much from them in each of their unique different ways. They are always there with a listening ear when needed and they demonstrate so many positive qualities that I strive to live for in my own life. I have learned from these women how to lead my own path, to strive for what I want and be strong in stand up for myself. I’m inspired by them because they also show compassion and love. Grace and understanding and know exactly what I need to hear when I don’t believe in myself.

I am incredibly grateful that I get to call these women my family. They inspire me daily and I am blessed to have their example as strong women in my life.

Contact Info:

• Email: lesforyoga@gmail.com
• Instagram: @lesforyoga

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