We recently connected with Jennifer Ludwig and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the biggest, and most rewarding, risks I have taken was moving to Thailand to teach English. I am from a small country town in the Midwest and the idea of traveling to a foreign third-world country was something that never crossed my mind, but I knew I LOVED to travel, and staying in the Midwest was not the path meant for me. I started to venture out by moving to Hawaii. I graduated college a year early, packed my bags, and made beach and ocean life for me. The travel and exploring bug were still there though, so after three years, I decided to move again. This time by myself in a foreign country where I did not know the language, culture, or anyone else.

This was the most life-changing experience I have had. Learning Thai, communicating and earning respect from the locals, learning the culture, and getting so uncomfortable every day that I had to learn to fully trust myself to listen to my gut and put myself out there. I also feel even more in love with yoga and the mental and spiritual practice.

This risk and adventure have shaped the person I am today and my values, lifestyle and how I view the world. I will always have a special place in my heart for Thailand and would encourage anyone to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a yoga instructor specializing in vinyasa, power vinyasa, yin, restorative, kids, and prenatal yoga. I also teach and guide breath work classes and meet-ups. I am currently Reiki Level 1 certified and will be a Reiki Level 2 practitioner by the end of this year. I have recently been facilitating weekly breathwork and ocean plunge meet-ups in La Jolla, CA where I live.

I was first introduced to yoga when I moved to Hawaii in 2010. I fell in love during my very first class. In 2013 I moved to Southern Thailand where I was able to get deeper into my practice and learn more about the mental and spiritual benefits of the practice. In the summer of 2018, I took my 200 hr Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher Training through REach Yoga in San Diego, CA. I started teaching vinyasa right away and over the last four years, my offerings and training have extended to kids, prenatal, yin, restorative and breathwork, and mediation classes.

I am also an ocean lover and I find healing, motivation, guidance, and strength from just being around the ocean. I truly believe it can heal us all, and I love sharing that with others. I love scuba diving, freediving, surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, and the list goes on. I would say what set me apart from others is this love I have for the ocean and the calming effects that it has on me and my personality. I exuberate calm and peace when I am around others and elicit and sense of relaxation in their own body and space. I have found that this is my calling and the tool and service I am able to provide to help heal the world.

These are my current offerings:
Mondays, 7-8 pm Yin Yoga at Buddhi Yoga in La Jolla Village
Tuesdays, 9-10am Power Vinyasa at Reach Yoga in Pacific Beach, San Diego
Tuesdays, 6:45-7:45 pm Breath work and Meditation at Buddhi Yoga in La Jolla Village
Thursdays, 7-8am Ocean Breathe: A breath work, meditation and ocean plunge meet up in La Jolla, CA

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would choose the same profession. My calling and purpose are in the health and wellness field and helping others to heal and live their most full lives by teaching them, guiding them, and supporting them through their own health and wellness. The only thing I would change is to dive into the health and wellness field sooner. I have been steered off course a few times because I had limiting beliefs that this is not what I was meant to do, and this could not be something I chose to do full time. The health and wellness industry is booming and I am so thankful that I am a part of it. I am looking forward to furthering my education and offerings for the rest of my life. This isn’t just a job for me, it’s a lifestyle and a lifelong journey.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Over the past ten years, I have constantly been pivoting in business, career, and life. I have been a teacher, a swim coach, a sales coordinator, and sales and marketing manager, a director of community relations, and a director of business development, and in a variety of industries including hospitality, education, travel, health and wellness, sports, photography, finance, technology, and the list goes on. I have been constantly pivoting in my life because of a few reasons I believe. I love learning and trying new things and proving to myself that I can do all of these things. I also find that I grow the most in my life after I change things up, challenge myself, and step into uncomfortable and unknown territories. I also believe this was the case because I did not find my true calling and path, and even when I did start to find my direction and the thing that felt most aligned, I did not believe it. It has been a journey getting to this point, and now that I am fully committed to health and wellness, I am excited for the new up-leveling and expansion in my journey to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jennjourneys.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenn.journeys/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennjourneys
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferludwigpr/

Image Credits
Lexi Haslem