3 years ago today, I left my full-time career as a digital marketing manager to pursue a career of my design comprised of yoga and meditation, mindfulness and wellness, and the craft of writing. Teaching yoga and mindfulness, engaging in the wellness world, and writing were all deep passions of mine that I had been doing on the side part-time whilst working full-time in the marketing realm for nearly 6 years. Finally, I reached a point where I realized I would never be fulfilled being a full-time marketing manager or eventual executive. It became crystalline clear that in order to be fulfilled I profoundly needed to teach and to write and to see the direct impact of my work on other humans. And so, I leapt from the stability of my marketing career into the unstable, riveting gig economy.
Since then, I have taught thousands of yoga classes, led multiple yoga teacher training programs, taught hundreds of meditations and mindfulness workshops, written hundreds of articles, pages, and posts, become a ‘micro-influencer’ and a somewhat working model, and met hundreds of beautiful, inspired humans and have had greater opportunity to work with and befriend them.
It has not always been easy. Leaving my marketing career meant leaving a perfectly steady paycheck, employee covered insurance, perks, and more. I have still worked in the marketing world taking on consulting and project jobs as means of supplementing my income. (And to be clear, I am grateful for any marketing job I have had and have great friends from those jobs who I would still work with in some capacity!) Especially in 2020, having a career like mine has been incredibly stressful and continues to be uncertain.
Still, I would not change the last 3 years for anything. For in these years of doing the work that I love and building a life that is more on my terms, I have felt myself blossom into the best version of myself. It is this version of myself who has been able to help more people, learn and grow abundantly, and connect with so many wonderful humans. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of and supported my journey. Now, let’s continue forward together!
Johnny La Pasta 