We recently connected with Jessica Legrair and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, thanks for joining us today. How’d you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

I got my first job as a yoga instructor at Rogue Awakening in Fairlawn. I’m still there, it’s fairly new since I recently received my yoga certification in May of this year. I completed my training there, and prior to that I was a member there. It has felt like a home for me, coming from CorePower Yoga while living in Los Angeles just over a year ago. I took my time when finding a studio because I’m someone who values making people feel welcomed and comfortable, and where I am does that for its members.

My goals and aspirations at the time was to heal from a challenging 2022, and teaching wasn’t on my mind at all. I just needed to focus on myself and get back to the version of me I’d let hide away for a couple years. Rogue was offering Yoga Teacher Training in October of 2022, and I’d missed the deadline for the scholarship by a couple days, but I completed it anyway. If anything it was a great writing release for me since it asks some fairly deep questions. I only wanted to do it if I got a scholarship, so there was that opportunity missed…or so I thought. The training was pushed back a few months due to the yoga studio relocating, and at the same time I came into extra money and decided to invest that into yoga training. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

I’d been practicing for almost 9 years at that point, and for the last several years or so the instructors at CorePower would often tell me I should teach. Majority of them genuinely wanted me to teach as opposed to just wanting to make money, although of course that would come with me joining the training. But I felt supported and loved that they believed I could make an impact, but living in Los Angeles I was solely focused on creating a steady acting career for myself. Whew, that’s a GOAL. And a very challenging one at that!

Training was just over 5 months, and it was the most intense learning experience I’ve paid for. In the beginning I questioned if I made the right decision because it was so much reading and information on top of still being on the other side of a healing process and beginning to find my way again. But, at the same time it was a really healthy way to do so. I’m beyond happy I am teaching at Rogue Awakening. The ultimate goal is to teach privately to women and teach women’s sports teams, and I also want to own a yoga studio one day. Being able to learn in the studio from a different perspective, and connect with people is important for my goals. I know that I have a major ability to impact people in a positive way and influence greatness within them, and that’s part of the purpose of why I’m doing what I’m doing.

Jessica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was introduced to yoga in 2014 by a friend I met in acting class while living in Los Angeles. I always thought yoga was a boring type of exercise. As a former athlete I was used to intense workouts. Little did I know that MODO Yoga LA would show me I was completely wrong about yoga being boring. I walked into the heated room and thought ‘what in the world am I about to do?!” and I walked out of there thinking ‘I can’t wait to come back!’ and that I did! I moved to the valley, and Modo was too far, and I came across CorePower Yoga. And I practiced there from 2015 until 2022 when I left LA.

I just enjoyed practicing, so when instructors would mention teaching to me I would say no mainly because I didn’t want to lose the time I’d have for myself to practice. I didn’t know much, but to me it seemed like a lot of the instructors were always teaching and I rarely saw them, if at all, practicing.

As someone who has this inspiring and motiving way about them, teaching and being an instructor was a no brainer…in hindsight. I knew that I wanted to do something where I can inspire people and help people, but I didn’t know what that looked like. What sets me apart from a lot of people, and I value this in a new way now that I’ve worked my way through a challenging time in my life, is my realness. I am tough but gentle, and I hold space for people in a way that makes them feel like they are the only person in the room even if it’s a room full of people. I’m not sure where that came from, I honestly feel it comes from some sort of trauma but it worked out in helpful way so I’ll take it.

I created my business Tenacious.Femme for women. Specifically women who have had similar lives to me in any fashion. That thought came to mind in 2010 when I left my home state of Ohio to get out of an abusive and unhealthy relationship. I didn’t know what it would be or how it would look, until about 2017 and pieces started coming together…and still are, as life ‘lifed’. I’ve been molested for some years as a child, stalked by sexual predators or registered sex offenders, been in relationships with men who dont understand the value of going within so they can be better for themselves, which in turn allows them to be better for other people and treat others with respect. I’ve dealt with eating disorders, self esteem issues due to relationships in my 20s, and through all of that I use those experiences to continue to elevate myself and be victorious. It’s too easy to be a victim to situations and circumstances. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes being in that happens…but how long do you stay in it is the question. It can be so long that you’ve put yourself in such a hole you don’t have the strength to pull yourself up and out. My goal is to help women who want to get out of the hole, and are struggling to do so. Or maybe they need a bit of a push and can handle it the rest of the way. I personally know how hard it is, and while I’ve had beautiful and great support along the way, I’ve done the hardest parts on my own. Looking in the mirror is hard. It’s why there are so many people walking around projecting. If I can help women look in the mirror and be ok with seeing what they’re seeing, I would feel like I’ve done something beyond great for beyond great women. It’s just helping them to see that for themselves.

Yoga is tied into that as a means of moving the body. Moving the body is vital because it automatically boosts the mood and relieves stress. There’s so much stillness and silence that it can be a form of meditation, reflection, all while also building physical strength. Building mental, emotional, and physical strength all at once, gold baby!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As I briefly mentioned I’ve experienced some unpleasant things from people in my life. I don’t allow situations and people to keep me down. I fully own being a human being, so I’ll definitely feel the blows when life throws one, but I always have this voice of hope within me that does not allow me to give up. While there’s a part of me that’s hating that point in my life, there’s a bigger part that I spent over a decade strengthening, that chooses to using situations as a means to grow and learn better.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

It’s not too far to go back, but I would choose starting my teaching journey all over again. Changing not one thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tenaciousfemme.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tenacious.femme

Image Credits
Angella James Photography