If you had told me five years ago that, in the not-too-distant-future, I would become a mother, yogi, lover of pie, and have my life sort of figured out – I would not have believed you. I still struggle to believe it now: I’m an unconventional mother and yogi, and my love for pie might actually be an obsession.
Over the past decade or so, I have tried tons of different careers, trying to find the best fit. I was a concert promoter, an administrative assistant, a retail manager, a loss prevention officer, Missy Elliot’s backup dancer (I really tried to work it!), a Much Music VJ, a human resources assistant, a body builder, a professional taste tester, a graphic designer, and so much more. Some of these jobs worked, and others, as you can imagine—especially the backup dancing—flopped.
The journey really was, and continues to be, everything. The people I met, and the places I was able to go were so influential in finding out who I am, and discovering where I want to be. The journey enabled me to find good things (like my other half), and allowed us to settle into our roots. (That said, as I sit here writing this, I can only imagine his frustrations with my constant changes in career, and my newest craft phase involving papier-mâché and scrapbooking.)
Now, life is starting to piece together! My baby, Lincoln, is 5 years old and has the energy of the Sun. When he was born, I went through post-partum anxiety for quite some time, and used yoga as an outlet to stay present. As my practice grew, so did my interest in yoga. It was a great way to bond with my son, and it inspired the career path I have chosen today.
As a new mother, I found it hard to figure out if I wanted to stay home or return to work. When I finally made the decision to go back to work, I stuck with it for a few years, and got to spend my days with some amazing people. Outside of work, I continued to work on my yoga practice, and worked hard to obtain my yoga teaching certificate. I started to tour around within the Ottawa Valley, teaching yoga and Pound (an amazing workout using Ripstix).
It was invigorating and rejuvenating to be able to meet so many people, and to take pride in—and enjoy—my work. Still, I knew I wanted to take my practice a step further. A new and exciting stage in the journey came only a few months ago, when I was able to open up my own studio and watch my dreams flourish!
The choice to make my own career, and to push toward happiness and fulfilment, originated with one fateful afternoon’s events: Asking Lincoln what he thought, sitting through two slices of pie, and contemplating past, present, and future. My form of meditation came down to pie. When I mentioned before that it was a slight obsession, I meant it! It’s not that I eat pie daily with my meditation practice, but pie definitely plays a part in the tough decisions that require deep contemplation. Things like how to raise this child, be a good wife, daughter, friend and human – it’s exhausting, that’s why I just try to be a good ME!
Motherhood doesn’t always give you these amazing a-ha moments, and it doesn’t come easily to everyone. I’m still trying to figure it out if I’m doing a good job. I am not the kind of mother that believes everyone needs to have children to prove their worth. But I am the mother in the grocery aisle telling you to think about your choices carefully, and then pointing to my gorgeous son who is singing Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” while eating a Lunchable. The saying “life is short” is true. I never take those words for granted anymore. Being a good mom is hard, and the books and other resources out there are guides, not rules that are written in stone.
I’m excited to share my knowledge of being an unconventional mother to a wild child. I’m excited to show how moving is great for the soul, and why adventure, exploring and sometimes getting out of your comfort zone, is needed.
Join me on my wild journey through Instagram with #DoTheDaniel, and see how I try to handle life in the Ottawa Valley, running a business, being an amazing partner and being a yogi while raising this amazing child that has given me a new sense of purpose (and a few grey hairs!).
In Pie and Crust,
Yoga + Movement Teacher
Photos taken by Ro and Kelly Cobus Photography