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::SHIFT+CONTROL I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur. My primary impetus for starting my own consulting firm was to have more control over my professional and personal life. Engaging in meaningful work is important to me, and I wanted to work with clients whose mission aligned with my value system. I also needed to establish business goals based on my own aspirations, and make more time for family, personal growth and self-care. I started Wandersee Consulting in 2010, thanks in part to the inspiration and practical advice offered at the WISE Conference, and the encouragement of my family. One of my priorities was to make time for a daily yoga practice. Although I have been dappling in yoga off and on since the mid-1990’s, I discovered the value of a regular practice in 2005 as I went through a divorce, a move and a career change. During this time, yoga helped me stay focused and grounded. When I practice yoga regularly, my life simply works better. Launching my own business has been exciting, empowering, overwhelming, frustrating and sometimes scary. It has never been boring. It takes a lot of energy and time to start a business, and it is not always easy to make yoga a priority. Last year, life handed me a not-so-subtle reminder that I needed to take care of myself when my son developed some health problems. As I walked back into the yoga studio after a long hiatus, I knew in my heart that yoga was not an occasional pastime or luxury hobby. It was an essential tool, a lifeline, to help me navigate all of the challenges life has to offer. On that very same day I decided to enroll Infinite Light Yoga’s 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (www.infinitelightyoga.com). By committing to teaching yoga to others, I would be obligated to a regular practice for myself. e logic may seem simplistic but it worked for me. As I thought about the reasons yoga was important to me, I began to draw connections to my coaching work. Infinite Light specializes in experiential yoga that can be adapted for anyone. e practice and philosophy is so clearly beneficial for individual growth, that I realized I could incorporate yoga into my coaching practice. As I went through the program, I saw connections to other areas of my business, as yoga can enhance leadership, teamwork, communication and organizational development. I plan to incorporate yoga into Wandersee Consulting, and teach multi- level yoga classes with Infinite Light Yoga. e owners, Tony and Mary Riposo, are currently expanding the studio to offer a wider range of classes and programming. eir energy and creativity provides an exciting opportunity for all of their teachers to collaborate with them, and I would hope to be a part of that. Life as an entrepreneur is filled with paradox. ere is control and chaos, freedom and pure accountability, independence and a need for others. Yoga allows me to balance these contradictions and embrace all of the uncertainty that is life. Learn more about Wandersee Consulting at www.wanderseeconsulting.com. BY ANDREA B. WANDERSEE, MPA, RYT-200 I PHOTO BY SEAN K. HARP ::FITNESS 46 SEPTEMBER 2012 :: SYRACUSEWOMANMAG.COM
