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

Hi Karla, thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Living in Nicaragua, as a single mother of 2, I know in my heart my mother did the best she could with the limited resources and education she had. Relocating to the Unites States to seek employment, resources and a better education for me is definitely on the list of things my mother did right. While it came with years of hardship, sacrifices, and leaving behind loved ones and our home, it is something that taught me to persevere regardless of your limitations and abilities, to explore and follow your heart, even if it means starting over.
How empowering it is to let go and be open to new, life changing opportunities, regardless of our fears and limiting beliefs.
I had to learn from a young age, to provide for myself, to work hard and that having support is not guaranteed. Years later, this is still relevant.

There are so many ways my mother continues to impact my life and inspire me in my work as a Yoga Instructor.

Karla, 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 first introduced to Yoga at a local gym in my early 20’s. I had no idea what Yoga was prior to that and I felt so out of place being the only Latina in the class and unable to do most of the poses. As a young athlete, like many, I thought Yoga was just really stretching. I was curious to learn more so I would watch You Tube videos trying to keep up with no one properly instructing me.
I thought that Yoga was not for me, but in reality, finding the right class for me and the right teacher was the shift I needed. I allowed myself to truly dive into the practice with an open heart. After almost 2 years of practicing, I started romanticizing the idea of Yoga Teacher Training
At the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, after being laid off, all I had was my Yoga practice and I knew it was time.
I spent months training, attending and teaching community classes and learning from other teachers.

Fast forward to 2021, as a certified Yoga Instructor I created Buscando Vida LLC
Buscando Vida translates to Seeking Life in Spanish.
It is a phrase I often heard from my mom growing up. To her it meant to always move forward in life no matter the obstacles, to persevere regardless of your limitations and abilities, to explore and always seek the way forward. Years later, it still motivates me and inspires me.

Buscando Vida is still about perseverance, but it is also about embracing curiosity to follow your intuitions. It is about the exploration of the mind and body. It is about empowering you in your own journey, the quest of becoming and finding your magic in this world.

I created Buscando Vida as Yoga Lifestyle brand to inspire and educate, to embrace the curiosity and exploration of Yoga as a lifestyle. Through Buscando Vida you will find inclusive and accessible yoga offerings for functional movement, stress management, active recovery and building strength for practitioners with different abilities, as well as wellness content, workshops, retreats, tips and resources and coming very soon, products made with love that will compliment your practice.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As the daughter of an immigrant, and an immigrant myself, working hard is all I have known. I work hard in everything I am involved with, from school to work to my personal life.
Resting was my reward, and that is the lesson I had to unlearn.
Living in hustle-mentality is draining and only when we are exhausted we think we deserve to rest, when our bodies are literally shutting down and we are forced to take a break.

Rest is a form of joy, resistance and self care.
It took me years to understand and reprogram my brain and to allow myself to rest, not only when I need to, but all the time. Rest helps me think clear, improves my mood, energizes me and it is vital for mental health and a healthy immune system

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Leading with actions is not only helpful but important for me. We all have heard that “Yoga is for everyone” but not every studio or Yoga teacher is implementing real action to make yoga accessible for everyone. Collaborating with other teachers with the same values as you and working with members of the community is helpful. Giving back as much as you are taking.
Most importantly, being your authentic self. We hear this often, but it is easy to get caught up and compare yourself and try to be like other successful leaders in your industry. In reality, we are all unique, our experiences and walks of life impacts us all differently and that is what makes you, you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @buscandov.da
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Photos by Luz Rodriguez