We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adina Crawford a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Adina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

A defining moment in my fitness career came about when I began delving deeper into Yoga. The feeling may be hard to follow but imagine a cascading feeling of joy, purpose, alignment and mental wellness all coming together for the good of me and what I feel I was called to do. It is through Yoga I have found a better connection with myself and with that I can bring a full experience to others where they too can feel a gravitational force of energy, that can move you to what you love whether it be Running, Cycling, Yoga, Meditation or any active movement it is a beautiful feeling.

The pause moments between our inner focus, breath inhaling, and exhaling brings me to a sense of wellbeing. I have truly found my calling to share the gift of inner peace, breath and wellness with others. A purposeful feeling in the space of yoga allows me to honor ME so I can better connect with others in the space of Yoga.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Over the years I have been to many different yoga studios and feeling unwelcome is beyond disheartening. The barriers made me uncomfortable: diverse bodies were not seen, inclusiveness wasn’t present and I couldn’t find variety in body sizes and ages. I began to question myself – “Do I belong?”

I was often the only African American participant in class, an older woman, and a curvy girl, but I had just as much reason to be there and fortitude as everyone else.

I needed to shift my perspective and change the narrative of what I was experiencing to overcome this feeling. I found showing up authentically and creating a space for myself on the mat had a positive impact on my wellbeing not only mentally but physically.

It has taken me a long time to build a community, be seen, and be present in this space. After all of that, I could not be prouder to have chosen the path of teaching. It was beyond challenging to take the leap to become a yoga instructor, knowing that I’d lead classes where students didn’t expect to see me as an instructor. But I knew that it would be worth it to carve out space for people like me to feel like they belonged.

Teaching has led to the reward of sharing, showing up, being authentic, cultivating connections and showing that this experience of authenticity is fruitful in many ways. My journey has helped me to help others I connect with to overcome the feeling that they don’t belong, and to dispel the feeling that belonging is attributed to size, accessibility, shape, or race.

My advice after creating my own path and finding space where I belong is go where you feel welcome, and experience a great, authentic vibe. There is a place for you whether you decide to become an instructor or participant. Yoga is for every-BODY, it is a space where individuals can cultivate a connection with their inner self, a place for healing, a place to breathe and a place of inner peace.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

The most helpful to anyone trying attempting to succeed in the field of fitness is to find a Niche. Find, feel, share, and amplfy your voice in an area you LOVE. I found myself submerged in Yoga and Meditation where I found true love, happiness and moreover a space where I can empty my mind. Anyone who speaks to me about Yoga I begin to light up like a christmas tree because of my passion for it. Be able to walk the walk and talk the talk.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adinavcrawford/
• Facebook: facebook.com/adina.crawford.9
• Linkedin: Adina Crawford
• Twitter: adinacrawford19
• Other: Website: https://adinacrawford.weebly.com/ Articles: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/05/23/this-fitness-instructor-from-germantown-is-making-exercise-accessible/ https://www.livestrong.com/article/13772996-best-sports-bras-for-running/ https://www.fleetfeet.com/blog/11-black-led-organizations-and-influencers-to-follow https://runnersconnect.net/running-interviews/adina-crawford-yoga-can-make-you-a-better-runner/

Image Credits
Images by Photographer Everette Linton Jr