We were lucky to catch up with Christine Anderson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Christine , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Taking a risk for me was leaving behind a career in 2013 that seemed set in stone. I went to college to become an art educator in Chicago. I spent 5 years at a prestigious program to quickly realize this was not the path for me. Within the first year of teaching art at a high school my stress skyrocketed, I was unfulfilled and knew I wasn’t walking in my alignment. That year I left mainstream academia and pursued my passion for yoga. I left Chicago, my career, my financial stability, all my friends and my communities and moved to Austin, TX. I became a yoga teacher and put all my energy into this pursuit. I quickly started teaching at schools, yoga studios, apartment complexes and continued to take more trainings. Doubt and uncertainty would sneak their way into my thoughts but I knew this is the path I desired so I didn’t stop. The more I invested my time and energy the more growth I experienced. Before I knew it I was teaching at more studios, senior homes, corporate offices, serving events, teaching athletes and privates and eventually began teaching yoga trainings. I hustled and worked my little butt off but I loved every moment. Fast forward and in 2016 I was managing a yoga teaching program for a local studio in Austin. I thought I landed my dream job but that was just a stepping stone. By 2020 I was onboarded to run trainings for an international yoga training program, East+West that hosts 3 week long intensives in Bali. By 2022 I was promoted to run the entire operations of the yoga school. I created the curriculum and certification for a 300hr advanced training and established new offerings in Costa Rica. The lesson: Don’t settle, don’t play small. Listen to the compass of your inner being. Walk hand in hand with the unknown and the courage to know that you are made for more.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My world of yoga is largely due to my life’s journey. I would have to thank my overall curiosity, troubled adolescent youth, my relentless pursuit for meaning, and my mom for the blessings yoga has had on my life. Professionally, I am most known for my work in the world of yoga. I wear several hats within this industry and I truly enjoy them all. Most of the time I am running an international yoga school (east+west). I also run a yoga retreat company (Good Wolf Retreats), teach in yoga trainings, host special events, teach public classes in town (Black Swan Yoga + YTX) and I serve up some yoga at a large financial firm. Personally, I love this ride of life and try to infuse gratitude, presence and connection within each day. The yoga school offers 3 week intensive 200hr yoga teacher certifications in magical locations like Bali and in Costa Rica with world class yoga instructors from both eastern and western walks of life. The training calls to individuals who are seeking a more holistic deep dive into the practice of yoga. You walk away certified to teach but more importantly you leave feeling restored, aligned, connected and forever transformed. The world of retreats is similar, however; retreats are generally 5-10 days long and explore other adventurous experience onto of a daily yoga practice. We retreat to surf on private beaches like Bali and Costa Rica as well as explore culinary and cultural experiences in Japan or Safari explorations in Burundi, Africa. My weekly classes are catered to the people and places I am teaching at, for example: in the studio I will teach more dynamic flowing based practice while at the corporate office I offer a class that is geared to mobility and releasing tension. My passion for all of these various projects is to foster growth, connection, expansion and equanimity for body, mind and soul.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Resilience for me goes hand in hand with mental fortitude. I was let go of a yoga school I was leading and running operationally. It was devastating, I felt like a rug was pulled out under my feet. I was deeply hurt and quite honestly felt lost. The yoga space that I felt like home vanished. During this period I had several friends offer me “corporate esq” jobs in various fields. The thought of that alone felt like a prison. Personally, I couldn’t fathom sitting behind a desk 9-5 doing work that felt empty and lacked meaning. These options were the easy way and I couldn’t bare to even explore them. I chose to stick to my inner compass and the work that inspired me and I put myself out there to new studios and opportunities. Some options came quickly but my schedule and my being were far from full. I chose to dance in the space of what I decided to call a sabbatical and focused on my own inner growth. I dove deeper into my yoga practice, meditation, inspiring texts and thought provoking podcasts. I took time for me and it was the greatest gift I could’ve given myself during that season. It was both through my intentional pause, personal practice, dedication to my passion and drive to stay open and connected that opened up new doors and incredible opportunities that eventually led me to where I am today.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
The discipline to the craft in regards to training and education was essential to my growth and yet only a part of my success. I would also say that my background in public education and curriculum development gave me the confidence to lead, teach and be comfortable with public speaking. My youth was full of athletics and team sports which gave me my love for movement. My background in art gave me the the eyes and mind to stay open, curious and creative with problem solving, and giving me unique perspective. My overall joy and openness to people and life is what truly led me to the doors and opportunities. If I have any wisdom to share is everything in life is transferable, nothing is a waste, and if you choose to see the lessons you will grow into the person and path you seek to walk.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @christine_anderson_yoga
- Youtube: Yoga with Christine Anderson
- Other: Company Websites: goodwolfretreats.com yogaeastwest.com
Image Credits
@mackbrb