As a 25-year-old figuring out adulthood in today’s day and age, you might end up being funnelled into a life of discontentment. For many people in their 20s, choices at school and socioeconomic pressures to get on the property ladder and gain professional security can impact the life you live as an adult. But 25-year-old Alexandra Poppy is one individual of this generation who has shunned the norm to live happily and purposefully. She largely credits this clarity of mind to her yoga practice.
From Folkestone in Kent, Alexandra was working as a holiday rep in hotels abroad when, like many, she lost her job due to the pandemic. Returning home, she set her sights on what makes her truly happy: Her yoga practice.
Alexandra has always loved yoga. She tells Centre of Excellence, “Yoga has brought so much goodness into my life, it keeps me grounded and has really improved my overall wellness and happiness. Yoga makes me feel calm, yet strong and able to face anything. If I’ve had a stressful or busy day, spending some time on my mat, listening to my body, eases any anxiety I might have felt and helps me to put everything into perspective.”
Alexandra added, “It’s not only the physical side of my yoga practice that has improved my life, but also the daily practices that I’ve implemented from reading texts and learning about the 8 Limbs Of Yoga. I am always trying my best to lead a yogic lifestyle – I have a lot more patience, I try to act with kindness and love and try to make healthier choices for my body and my mind.”
Yoga has already helped her connect with people and create meaningful relationships with both those around her and her own body. Alexandra added, “I have always struggled with body image, but practising yoga and noticing how strong and capable and magical my body is has really boosted my self-esteem and self-love.”
After going through job loss, she opted to train as a yoga teacher and this new job allows her great freedom. Alexandra told Centre of Excellence, “I have always wanted to be able to work from anywhere in the world. I value my freedom and the thought of working a 9-5 job that I’m not passionate about terrifies me!”
Alexandra now teaches beginners’ Vinyasa classes in her local area, in gyms, studios and on the beach. She also offers corporate, Zoom & 1-2-1 classes and shares tips and tutorials on her Instagram and Facebook social media pages. Alexandra is hoping to train as a meditation teacher as well, in order to run retreats around the country. “The most rewarding part of teaching yoga, to me, is being able to share my love of yoga with others and hopefully help them fall in love with it too!” Alexandra enthused.
She added, “I love being able to create a time and space for my students to completely unwind, relax and let all of their tension and worries disappear, even if it’s just for an hour! I love sharing the calming, grounding energy that yoga brings with my students. It’s amazing to see how relaxed and comfortable they feel at the end of a class.”
Indeed, many of Alexandra’s clients hold tension in their bodies, which can cause pain and discomfort. As a teacher, she finds it particularly rewarding to work with them and their individual needs to release that tension through bespoke yoga practice.
After realising this life path, Alexandra decided to develop and improve her existing knowledge with the Centre of Excellence 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Diploma Course. It has been her favourite course to date, she said, adding, “It was so in-depth, the videos were useful and it really helped me develop my yoga practice.”
Alexandra added, “I love being able to schedule my work week and fit my little business around my life. Yoga is my passion, so starting up a business that allows me to practice and teach my passion every day is so rewarding.”
Her other passions, which she has also studied with Centre of Excellence, include meditation, animal welfare — she lives at home with her cat — and crystal healing. The yoga teacher expressed gratitude to Centre of Excellence for inspiring her to embark on a new career after she lost her job.
Of her learning journey, she said, “I much prefer to study in the comfort of my own home and find the courses really helpful and easy to work through.”
Indeed, when asked about the most valuable thing her lifelong learning journey and yoga practice has taught her, Alexandra said: “It is always possible to go after the life you want and bounce back from hard situations. We can always change the direction of our lives by learning something new and taking on new challenges.”
