Meet Adrienne Whelan

We recently connected with Adrienne Whelan and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Adrienne, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience came from making mistakes and from my own failures. In the moments that feel the most uncomfortable are the moments that I’ve had to learn more about my own potential and capabilities. Allowing myself to be “bad” at certain things is some times the only way to really succeed. Being a solo business owner and not having anyone to share the stress with, will eventually show you what you are made of, if you don’t give up.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

It’s actually so hard to talk about myself, but if one person reads this and it clicks then it’s worth it.
I’m just an ordinary person from a small town in Georgia. Like most people I’ve encountered, life was full of ups and downs but in my personal experience the “downs” were pretty low and involved self medicating, toxic relationships and a lack of confidence. I allowed myself to be in unhealthy environments and taken advantage of just hoping to fit in somewhere. In my mid 20’s my father passed away after a history of alcoholism. Watching him lose his battle with cirrhosis flipped a switch in me that I’ve never really been able to verbalize. My mother suffered from an auto immune disease for over 20 years and a poor inner dialogue, eventually it took her life. I’ve watch friends and loved ones give their life to addiction. It’s been a sad lonely road but honestly, I’m grateful for the losses and the pain, it changed me right in time.
Since then I found mindfulness, meditation, herbal remedies, and the power of a positive mindset. I own 2 yoga studios, I teach training programs for aspiring teachers, host retreats, teach weekly classes, offer private holistic sessions, volunteer my time and knowledge in several under privileged communities. I live a modest life and teach from a beginners heart, I strive to remain compassionate and humble through all my achievements. I haven’t found anything more rewarding than witnessing others release the things that have been holding them back and now are able to live a joyous and purposeful life. There is no gimmick or tricks, just willingness and consistency.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Do not wait on your dreams, do not hold yourself to your past, do not wait for a friend or partner, do not wait until you feel prepared or financially stable. Do one thing everyday to move you closer to what you want. Take care of your mind, do not cloud your judgement, do not absorb others fears and worries, do not compare or compete with others. Take care of your body so that you have the stamina needed for late night studying and early morning meetings. Start small if you must but start. Find free resources like online courses or meet up groups. Surrounding yourself with like minded people will help keep you motivated. Always follow your gut even if the logical mind can’t understand it.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
You know the saying when you can’t remember where you put something or the name of something and they say “don’t think about it and it will come back to you” I follow this same rule when I’m feeling overwhelmed or not sure which direction I should go in a big decision.
I put it down, I reconnect to simple things that bring me joy. In my experience my intuition comes through the most when I’m not trying so hard. I will do something creative, write, paint or pottery. I will put my feet in the grass and my face in the sun. I will close my eyes, put my hands on my heart and breathe slowly and deeply. These little things will help me feel grounded and connected to myself. Almost 100% of the time the answer will find me and I will be able to move forward peacefully and confidently. I trust my own intuition over anything and I never make a decision or big moves in a frantic or rushed state of mind.

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