Meet Trailblazer Sarah White

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah White.

Sarah, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I found yoga as a college student at the University of San Diego. I was a coxswain for their Division I Women’s Rowing Team and yoga was one of our requirements for training. I used to dread the sessions. Moving slowly wasn’t something I was used to doing, but, after weeks of practice, I grew a liking for yoga and came to appreciate the mental clarity I could find during our sessions. Fast forward to the end of my freshman year and I decided to step away from the rowing team.

Giving up a DI scholarship definitely wasn’t something I took lightly, but it was a decision I had to make. Since I had started coxing in high school my body had changed a lot — I had grown 3 inches and gained close to 10 lbs. For some people, that probably wouldn’t matter. But as a coxswain, we had weigh-ins on a regular basis. Although there wasn’t always pressure from our coaches/teammates to be a certain weight, the weigh-ins at races were based on the weight of 110 lbs. — meaning if you weighed more than that you were essentially adding “extra weight” to the boat. So, the number that constantly was haunting me in my head was 110. I’d spend hours doing cardio, calculating calories, researching weight loss methods… for what? To fit someone else’s image of what a coxswain should weigh? I refused to lift weights in fear that I’d bulk up. After my freshman year, I finally found the strength to make a change. Around that same time, I was introduced to Corepower Yoga by one of my college friends.

At Corepower, I found a community that was uplifting both mentally and physically. In this community, my thoughts about myself and my self-worth started to change. I decided to enroll in Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training in early 2016 and started teaching Yoga Sculpt at Evolve Yoga and Movement in Encinitas, CA while I decided where I wanted to settle down after graduating. Once the summer of 2016 ended, I moved back to Boston (where I grew up) to start my full-time job. I connected with Corepower Yoga in Boston and started teaching at our Comm Ave, Ink Block & Seaport locations. Having experienced the growth and community that Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training provided, I decided to immerse myself in our 200hr Power Yoga Teacher Training to deepen my connection to the Boston Corepower community.

One of the things I learned early on as a teacher is that it’s easy to fall into the trap of letting an organization do the talking for you. They post your schedule, your events, and your bios for students to get a tiny glimpse of who you are. I always felt this sense of wanting to share more of my story and my classes with people who maybe couldn’t make it to my class or didn’t live in Boston. I started my Instagram page @thecoastalyogi shortly after I became a teacher because I wanted to connect on a deeper level with my students. I decided on the name “The Coastal Yogi” because of my roots in Boston and San Diego.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Working a full-time job in addition to teaching, leading training, boot camps and retreats can present its challenges (not to mention eating, sleeping and having a social life). I try my best to give 100% to all of the things that I do, but I also have moments where I realize that things are out of sorts. Sometimes, I need to reevaluate what I’m devoting my energy to and I need to be honest with myself about what I’m capable of.

Being a new teacher in a new region was also something I had to navigate when I first moved back to Boston. I had to push aside a lot of self-doubt and trust that if I kept doing more and more of the right things I would see the results of my hard work.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Coastal Yogi – what should we know?
I started “The Coastal Yogi” as an outlet to express myself and my teaching style but I didn’t exactly know how to go about it. This page started out as a place for me to post my schedule and events but recently it’s become so much more than that. By connecting with students and yogis across the country, I have the opportunity to share the things I am talking about in my classes and the lessons I am continually learning on my own mat as a student. The second I started to tap into my authentic voice as a teacher, I noticed that people were more interested in following my journey.

One of the things I’m most proud of is my involvement in teacher training. For me, it’s important to give back to the community that has given me so much throughout my journey as a teacher. One of my latest training opportunities is to help coach a 200hr Power Yoga Teacher Training for Surf Yoga Beer (yes, it’s as cool as it sounds — https://www.surfyogabeer.com/products/yoga-teacher) in Mexico and Nicaragua with one of my amazing mentors Katie B (@katiebhappyy).

I think what sets me apart from others is that I do all things with purpose. My sequences, my intentions, my schedule — everything is carefully considered. I believe that when you do things with purpose you never have to question your “why”– it helps you stay authentic to who you are and what your goals are.

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
My message to anyone starting a new career is that it DOES all work itself out. I almost said it does “get easier” but I don’t think it does. I think that things start to fall into place, but that if you want to continue to grow and excel at what you do you have to be willing to put in the work.

Contact Info:

• Website: thecoastalyogi.com
• Email: thecoastalyogi@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoastalyogi/?hl=en
• Other: https://www.corepoweryoga.com/teacher/31731/100001292

Image Credit:
Alex Williams, Nick Cosky, Matteo Photography

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