My life completely changed in 2015 after my sister got diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma brain cancer; in the most positive way possible. My hope is that once you get to know me, you find me to be confident, kind-hearted, and at peace with what is. But it wasn’t always this way. Once I realized I was the one causing all the suffering in my life, I was able to transform into a completely new version of myself. I started to feel grateful. I started seeing beauty in things that I’ve seen a million times before. I started to appreciate my life, all that I’ve been given, and all the people that I had in my life. I’ve always loved to cook, but that is when I started to only cook with whole, organic, source ingredients. I started to research how to avoid harmful, toxic chemicals and started using healing home remedies. My health, energy, and happiness all started to shift as I made these simple changes. I believe that you can heal your body by making shifts in your eating habits, incorporating mindfulness, and movement into your daily life. To be conscious of what we surround ourselves with because food, thoughts, and energy have a direct correlation to our physical and mental well-being. And this is the foundation behind everything I stand for.
I was in college at the time finishing up my bachelor’s degree in marketing (2015), but I had this deep-rooted dream to create a business where I could help spread this new perspective on life. Hoping to share healthy recipes/tips to nourish the physical body. But just as imperative, teach how important it is to take care of your mental wellbeing and to find the connection with your soul. I held off from getting a corporate job for a whole year after graduating because I was working on creating this. I had a website and content ready to go for a YouTube channel, exactly like this. But the fears and self-doubt is what stopped me from actually launching. Time was ticking and bills didn’t stop coming in, so I ended up putting my degree to use. I learned so much and built many great relationships; but that dream I had weighed in on me every single day with regret for not following my dreams/passion. Nothing that had to do with corporate marketing aligned with my soul.
At my last company, I was being overworked and I was completely burnt out because we were just approaching IPO, so the workload was truly unmerciful. Just 7 days before this “great day in my career,” my sister got hit with the news of a 3rd recurrence of her stage 4 brain cancer. But this time, it was inoperable, she couldn’t receive radiation, and the tumor stopped responding to chemotherapy. And in that moment I knew I couldn’t do this anymore, not only was the money not worth my unhappiness, but I had bigger things to take care of. It had been 6 years since I let go of that dream of mine, and I knew I couldn’t keep lying to myself. I ended up quitting my corporate job, leaving all the “security and stability” that it provided behind.
My plan is to finally go after that dream of mine from 2015. But this time, with more knowledge, more strength, and wisdom. I want to inspire others to live a happier and healthier lifestyle and let them know that change is possible.
I had been wanting to do the 200 HR YTT since I started doing yoga with my sister in 2015 while she was recovering from cancer. But of course, “life” got in the way. But I decided it was time to do this for me. I reached out to one of my favorite yoga instructors and asked her where she took her YTT. She said that the school she went to was no longer open, but the teacher who taught her, still does 200 HR YTT. After looking her up online, it came to my surprise that the studio was right around the block from my partner’s current home. It all felt synchronistic.
I took a chance on myself, left all my security behind, with no outside financial support, relying solely on my savings and my dream/vision to take me exactly where I am meant to go. During the 200HR YTT, I felt so at peace, I truly felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. Everything that was taught just made sense on a deeper level than the surface. I decided I was going to go for the 500-Hour not only to deepen my yoga practice but more importantly deepen the connection with myself.
Here on this blog and on YouTube, you can find recipes, home remedies, and lifestyle tips, highlighting the importance of taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing.
The 200-Hour led me to find myself again, it helped me build the confidence to finally put myself out there, which is what stopped me the first time around. Deepening the connection with my breath, yoga, and my true being is what is fueling me to take the necessary steps to make this happen and never look back. My hope is to help inspire others to find themselves as well. To learn that they are the most important person in their lives, and to take action to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing. It was no surprise to me that my own personal way of life/philosophies on life all tied into what the true meaning of what yoga actually is. To inspire peace and stillness in the ever-changing mind to find enlightenment.
If you would like to follow along with me on this journey, then please subscribe, follow, and spread the word! I appreciate all of your love, support, and kind words. I can’t wait to see what is created in the next year!
With love,
Yuka
p.s. in case you were wondering, yes, my sister BEAT stage 4 Glioblastoma brain cancer for the 3rd time in 2021! It has been one god damn hell of a journey! But we are thankful.
To read more: The Cancer Came Back
Where there is a will, there is a way.