Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirsten Blair-Johnson.
Hi Kirsten, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path to yoga and holistic health was born from my own health crisis. I spent 10 years in Human Resources, working in manufacturing, corporate, public sector schools, and higher education. I started in HR during college, working in my college’s human resources department while obtaining my degree in Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources. But despite job hopping across different sectors, I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t loving HR like I did in college. During this time, I developed severe health issues – my hair was falling out in clumps, I wasn’t sleeping, I had migraines, dizziness, and heart palpitations among other infections. After countless specialists, MRIs, and blood work, I convinced myself I had some rare cancer or leukemia or lyme’s disease. Then I contracted C. diff, a nightmare stomach infection, and ended up at Johns Hopkins University for a trial drug. Finally, I found an Integrative Medicine doctor who told me to stop all medications, go home and do 10 minutes of meditation daily – I needed to get back to a baseline. I thought she was crazy after being sick for 5 years, but my husband encouraged me to try. We started with YouTube meditation videos, moving our living room furniture every night. After 30 days, my symptoms improved. She then added yoga classes, and I fell in love with it! Most of my symptoms disappeared over 4-5 months. Then my yoga teacher suggested I get certified since I really took an interest in the classes, and I decided to quit HR and teach yoga full-time! After getting certified, the same doctor who helped me opened her own office and told me about a studio space in her building. I toured it, signed the lease within 24 hours, and that’s where I am now. I sought my Holistic Health Practitioner certification because I saw the same patterns in my students – autoimmune disorders, anxiety, ailments that Western medicine only treated with prescriptions. I wanted to offer the same holistic approach that saved me!
Alright, 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?
Absolutely not! Leaving a full time job to take on my hobby turned passion was a huge risk mentally and financially. I have never started my own business before and didn’t know if anyone else would even believe in me or attend my classes – imposter syndrome is so real in the wellness world! However, I knew that I have the knowledge, resources, and drive to be successful and spread the practice of yoga and wellness to others. It’s my passion, I would find a way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Yoga with KBJ, LLC Studio is a boutique, intimate-sized studio that offers small Group Classes, 1:1 Yoga Coaching, Sound Baths, Guided Meditation, Destination Yoga Retreats, Holistic Health Programs, and other wellness themed pop ups. I, Kirsten, am the only instructor at the studio offering 13+ classes per week. I have my RYT-200, Sound Practitioner, Holistic Health Practitioner, and Adult Mental Health First Aid certifications. I am affiliated with the Yoga Alliance and Buy Local Coalition and am a Brand Ambassador for a plethora of yoga/wellness brands.
A genuine community sets my studio apart from others. I know my student’s families, friends, and kids. This community hangs out outside of classes, we stay late to chit chat, and we laugh together. The boutique studio size helps foster this environment where you will have hands on support by me, get to know your neighbor, and leave feeling like family.
I want people to know that there is no “perfecting” their yoga and wellness journey. It is a PRACTICE and every day will look different. That is the beauty – we practice to help us get through, not to reach a final destination.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My biggest supporter has been my husband, Dalton. More than just supporting me, he is living a yogic lifestyle – organic whole foods, taking care of his body, attending retreats, and showing up for himself (and me)! He has been there since I signed up for my Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) and through many drafts of the studio’s logo to now. We have built this together.
Another mentor I would like to mention is Dr. Priyanki Heidelberger. She was the Integrative Doctor I mentioned previously. I am proud to call her a friend and I learn from her every single day!
Pricing:
- $15 – $50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/yogawithkbj
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogawithkbj/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Yoga-with-KBJ-LLC-100071530298417/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-blair-johnson-517432151
- Other: https://calendly.com/yogawithkbj
