We were lucky to catch up with Olivia Robinson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Olivia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had started sooner?

I began my healing journey in my twenties, around 2023. At the time, I had been working in corporate for nearly ten years. I loved getting dressed up each morning and heading into the office. That routine felt like stability, like success, like the life I was supposed to want.

Everything shifted after a car accident in Chicago while visiting family. At first, I brushed it off. “It’s just a car accident,” I told myself. I had no idea the impact would reach far beyond my physical body. The effects were mental, emotional, and spiritual.

During physical therapy, my therapist suggested yoga. I remember laughing and saying, “Yoga is not for women my size.” He gently told me that yoga is for everyone. That simple statement planted a seed.

I began taking small classes at a studio in Middleton, Wisconsin. While I was grateful to practice, I noticed something that stayed with me. There were no teachers who looked like me. That realization became a turning point. For the first time, I felt a pull toward doing something different with my life.

When the pandemic shifted my corporate role to working from home, I initially dreaded the change. Instead, it gave me space. Space to move. Space to breathe. Space to deepen my yoga practice and reconnect with my body in ways I never had before.

Two years later, my company allowed employees to relocate. I already knew exactly where I wanted to go. Florida. I moved with a sense of urgency and excitement, driven by the feeling that my life was waiting for me somewhere warmer, somewhere brighter.

In St. Petersburg, I was surrounded by entrepreneurs and creatives. I had never experienced that environment before. Back in Wisconsin, most people I knew were working traditional jobs. Seeing people pursue their dreams made me realize that I could too. I knew I wanted to teach yoga, but I didn’t know where to begin.

Then I saw an advertisement for scholarship opportunities at Beach Town Yoga. I applied for their 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training and was shocked when I was accepted. I felt anxious and exhilarated at the same time. I knew something was shifting, even if I didn’t yet understand how deeply.

After graduating, I auditioned to teach at the studio and didn’t get the position. I was hurt and disappointed, but something inside me refused to give up. I began teaching a weekly class called “Slow Flow with Liv” at my apartment complex. Some weeks were sold out. Other weeks it was just me and my partner practicing together. I kept going because my mission was bigger than attendance numbers. I wanted people to feel safe and comfortable in their bodies.

Eventually, I was invited to teach Yin Yoga at Beach Town. Yin felt like coming home. Slower, grounding, more introspective. It reminded me that yoga is not about performance. It is about presence.

During this time, I also felt called toward Reiki and energy work. I found a studio in Land O’ Lakes offering all three levels of Reiki training. Learning about energy expanded my understanding of healing and gave me new tools to support others on their journeys.

In 2025, I prepared to travel to Costa Rica for continuing education with my yoga community. Just days before my flight, my corporate employer laid off me and 200 others. I experienced a whirlwind of emotions. Devastation, anger, gratitude, fear, relief. But underneath it all was something unexpected.

I could finally breathe.

People often tell me they are sorry that I lost my job. In truth, that moment saved my life. I had been exhausted, depleted, and unable to fully show up for my students or myself. The layoff created space for reflection and ultimately for freedom.

Today, I teach yoga, sound healing, and energy work while also working in the cannabis wellness space. Every step of this journey has taught me that healing is not linear, dreams are not reserved for a select few, and we are never truly stuck. Sometimes the moments that break us open are the same ones that lead us home.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Olivia Robinson, also known as Liv, and I am a yoga teacher, Reiki healer, sound facilitator, somatic movement guide, and wellness creative based in St. Petersburg, Florida. My work lives at the intersection of movement, energy healing, nervous system regulation, and community care.

I entered the wellness space through my own healing journey. After spending nearly a decade working in a corporate environment, a car accident shifted my life in ways I never expected. What began as a physical recovery process quickly became emotional and spiritual as well. Yoga was first introduced to me through physical therapy, and although I initially felt like I didn’t “fit the mold” of what a yoga practitioner or teacher looked like, I decided to try anyway. That decision changed everything.

As I deepened my practice, I noticed there were very few teachers who looked like me or shared similar life experiences. That realization became a powerful motivator. I began to see yoga not only as a personal healing tool but also as a way to create representation, accessibility, and belonging for others. I later moved to Florida, completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Beach Town Yoga through a scholarship opportunity, and began teaching community-based classes that focused on inclusivity and nervous system support.

Today, I offer a variety of services including Yin Yoga, Slow Flow Yoga, somatic movement sessions, sound healing experiences, Reiki energy healing, guided meditation, and collaborative wellness events. I also create digital wellness content and lead workshops and retreats designed to help people reconnect with their bodies and inner awareness. My work is rooted in the belief that healing is not about perfection or performance. It is about presence, compassion, and creating safe spaces for transformation.

Many of the people who come to my classes or sessions are dealing with stress, burnout, emotional overwhelm, or feeling disconnected from themselves. I focus on helping clients regulate their nervous systems, release stored tension, build confidence in their bodies, and develop sustainable self-care practices. My teaching style is gentle but intentional. I aim to meet people exactly where they are, whether they are completely new to yoga or have been practicing for years.

What sets me apart is my lived experience and my commitment to authenticity. I understand what it feels like to navigate healing while balancing real-life responsibilities, career changes, financial stress, and personal growth. I am passionate about making wellness feel approachable rather than intimidating. My classes often blend traditional yogic principles with modern somatic awareness, music, cultural influences, and energy work, creating an experience that feels both grounded and expansive.

One of the things I am most proud of is building community from the ground up. From teaching small donation-based classes in my apartment complex to facilitating full sound healing experiences and collaborative wellness events, I have remained dedicated to serving people in meaningful ways. I am also proud of continuing to follow my intuition, even when the path felt uncertain, including transitioning out of corporate work to fully embrace my purpose-driven career.

What I want potential clients and followers to know is that my brand is not just about yoga poses or aesthetics. It is about healing, empowerment, representation, and growth. I want people to feel seen, supported, and inspired when they encounter my work. Whether someone attends a class, receives a Reiki session, or simply watches one of my wellness videos online, my intention is that they leave feeling more connected to themselves and more hopeful about their journey.

Ultimately, my mission for Yogiliv22 is to remind people that they are not stuck, they are not alone, and they are capable of creating meaningful change in their lives. Through movement, breath, energy work, and community, I aim to help others rediscover their inner strength and sense of possibility.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I truly believe I built my audience by choosing to be authentically myself both online and in real life. Social media played a role, but the real foundation was created through community. I started showing up to events, wellness meetups, classes, and creative spaces where I could connect with people face to face. Those in-person interactions created genuine relationships, and naturally those relationships extended onto social media.

In the beginning, I honestly wanted to stay inside my comfort zone. There were moments where I felt safer staying home and just posting online, hoping people would find me. Over time, I realized how powerful it is to be seen and to see others in real life. Community has supported me in ways I could never have predicted, and that support has been one of the biggest blessings in my journey.

One piece of advice I always share is that building a presence takes consistency and energy. Making one post and expecting immediate traction can feel discouraging. Social media is not just about posting, it is about connection. Video content especially has helped me grow because people can feel your energy, your intention, and your personality in a way that photos or text sometimes cannot fully capture.

For anyone just starting, I would say focus less on perfection and more on presence. Show your real self. Share your process. Go outside, meet people, collaborate, and allow your online space to reflect the community you are building in your actual life. When your energy is genuine, people feel that. And when people feel that, they naturally want to stay connected.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

One thing I believe many non-creatives may struggle to understand is the energetic responsibility that comes with being a creative, especially in healing and wellness spaces. Our work is not only physical or logistical. It is deeply energetic and intuitive.

Before I host a class or event, I spend intentional time alone. This is not isolation, it is preparation. I am grounding myself, setting intentions, and becoming aware of the emotional and energetic state I am bringing into the room. The environment matters just as much as the sequence or structure of the experience. The music, the lighting, the pacing, the silence, even the way the space feels when someone walks in all of it contributes to how safe and open people feel.

I remember someone once saying to me, “It doesn’t take much to host an event.” I didn’t have the words at the time, but what I know now is that holding space is sacred work. When you are guiding people through movement, breath, or energy healing, you are also holding their stories, their stress, their hopes, and sometimes their pain. That requires presence, sensitivity, and a willingness to continually pour back into yourself.

Creativity in this field is not just about expression. It is about energetic stewardship. We are constantly sensing, adjusting, and responding to what is happening in real time. This invisible layer of work is what allows transformation to happen. It is why rest, solitude, and personal rituals are not luxuries for creatives they are necessities.

My journey has taught me that the more I honor my own energy, the more authentically I can serve others. And I hope that insight helps people better understand that what may look simple on the outside is often the result of deep inner preparation and devotion to the craft.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yogiliv222.lovable.app/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogiliv222
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liv.robinson.315/

Image Credits

Leigha Hoffman
Veronica of theyogalens