Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Lyman.
Michele, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I didn’t always want to be a yoga teacher or studio owner. I went to Babson College in Boston MA to receive my bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics and my master’s degree in Accounting and Entrepreneurship. I spent 18 years focused on climbing the corporate ladder, making a name for myself in the finance industry and working toward getting the fancy job titles. When I told people what I did for a living, most acted shocked and said something like “wow, corporate accounting doesn’t really fit with your outgoing, enthusiastic personality.”
Come to find out, those people were right, but it took me a while to realize it.
I took my first yoga class in 2000. I was pretty nervous since I loved aerobics and wasn’t sure what yoga would offer me. I was also very self-conscious and worried about what other people would think if I didn’t do the poses right. I was pretty surprised when I left class feeling calm and grounded. I also knew right away I wanted to go back for more.
I decided to become a yoga teacher in 2003 because I wanted to share my experiences with others. I opened Serenity in 2012 because I thought it was important to have a place in town where people could come together, share an experience and learn from one another. Balancing my full-time job and my passion for Serenity was pretty difficult. I didn’t think it was all that hard while I was doing it, but looking back I now realize how unhappy I was. So when the opportunity presented itself, I decided to make the switch, leave Corporate America and pursue yoga as my full-time profession.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been an interesting road. I thought the “right path” was to get a good paying corporate job and climb that ladder in order to make a ton of money and be happy. However, the more I practiced yoga, the more I realized that Corporate America really wasn’t aligning with what I was passionate about. I tried to find a good job fit in corporate where I could help people better themselves, but it only got me half the way there.
After about 4 years running the studio and working full-time, I started to struggle with what I wanted to do. I was extremely scared to leave the safety of my full-time job in order to grow the studio. I was extremely comfortable with my lifestyle and was scared to let that go. However, the pull to become a full-time studio owner was stronger than my fear and I took the jump.
In Elizabeth Gilbert’s Book “Big Magic” she talks about our relationship with fear. Her advice was to always have it by your side because it can provide important information for decision making. But never let fear drive the car – let your intuition be your guide. Making that decision to try entrepreneurship was the hardest but most rewarding decision of my life so far.
Serenity Yoga – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Serenity yoga is known for providing a yoga space where “real people can do real yoga with their real bodies”. We are not an elitist yoga studio. We are a community of “regular people” trying to better ourselves. The studio is a reflection of my experiences. I tell people I’m a yoga mutt. My training and my practices have included all sorts of yoga styles that end up being intertwined with my teachings. The offerings at Serenity are similar – classes range from alignment-based to flowing sequences and everything in between. There’s definitely something for everyone.
My goal is to provide a space in the pioneer valley where anyone will feel welcome to explore their own practice at their own pace. I am not interested in folding people into a pretzel and the studio does not promote a celebrity ideal of what yoga should be. All you need to practice yoga is a little time, your body, and floor space. A mat and some props are pretty helpful too. Anything else, such as new age-y music, incense, expensive fancy yoga gear or an understanding of the Sanskrit language is unnecessary. The media wants you to think yoga is only for the wealthy, vegetarian, young, skinny white girl. These awesome ladies definitely practice at Serenity. But so do the middle-class, middle-aged or retired, non-vegetarian, average sized men and women of the community.
The Serenity Yoga community means the world to me. A huge part of yoga is finding compassion for yourself and others. I’m inspired when I see you trying to better yourself, sharing an experience, and finding strength in each other. It’s the look on your faces, the smiles, the laughs, the tears, and the feeling that I’m part of something bigger that keeps me coming back for more.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, a successful day is when I can stay mostly grounded while the world swirls around me. I have spent many years practicing this in order to maintain balance in my life. And, when I can’t seem to keep my feet planted, another check is to catch myself and remember to breathe.
Another sign of success is when a student shares how the Serenity community has positively impacted their lives. I had one student tell me that Serenity was her safe space while her daughter was going through chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer. She said she had to be strong for everyone else “out there” but felt she could be herself at Serenity. Being able to provide that for people is also another marker of success for me.
Pricing:
- New Students – unlimited month of yoga for only $40
- Monthly Membership – only $80/month
Contact Info:
- Address: 15 College Street South Hadley, MA 01075
- Website: www.serenityyogastudio.net
- Phone: 413-563-3678
- Email: info@serenityyogastudio.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shserenityyoga/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenityyogasouthhadley/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shserenityyoga
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/serenity-yoga-south-hadley
Image Credit:
Bethany Haller, Amanda Jastrzebski, Rob Denza
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
