Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cara Lemus. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Cara, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
In ancient Sanskrit the word dharma means – our souls purpose. Between working, family responsibilities, and social expectations, we often ignore that little voice inside that longs for purpose. Somehow it gets pushed away and even thought to not coexist in between “having it all” and “trying to get ahead”. But when nothing is promised and nothing is for certain, the possibilities are truly endless.
There was a time in my life when I felt lost. I would love to write a book about what I went through one day. It was a series of events that occurred in my life that led me to hit rock bottom. I often refer to this time in my life as a storm; it felt like I had a rain cloud over my head, just waiting for the next storm to hit.
This was also when I first discovered yoga. Yoga brought me the sunshine I was hoping for. The light that I now talk about in my yoga classes. I fell in love with it and within six months I was certified to teach yoga. Many people find yoga through the most challenging times of their life- I’m one of them. I can not say that change happened fast but something sure shifted. It was a gradual development of a growth mindset, and a decision to reinvent myself.
From eating healthy, working out, I also made better decisions about who I spent my time with. I started feeding my mind by reading inspirational books and autobiographies about the women who inspired me. I studied how they became successful, their mindset, and how they were resilient. I began living by the mantra: do more of what makes you happy and everything else will fall into place. So, I did more yoga and it’s when I made these changes for my mind, my body, and my soul that I began to see how in sync we can really be with the world. How the law of attraction works. I stopped blaming and started to shift my perspective. I began to believe that God had a bigger plan and I was motivated to explore that idea. What was my bigger plan?
Many yoga teachers become well-known for what they are doing in their community. What they specialize in. For example, they combine yoga with their career or partner with a cause. I honestly did not know where to begin but I was willing to try and figure it out. At this time in my yoga career, I decided there is no need to compete with any one. There is no need to copy or to be better than the next yogi. Instead, I began to ask myself, how am I different? What was my niche? What do I have to offer others? And it’s through my practice of yoga that I found a deeper purpose.
During the pandemic, I shared my practice on Instagram. I did not know it would inspire others in such a big way. I simply shared what made me happy, what was helping me survive, and what I have always loved to do. I wanted to inform others in the benefits of yoga and possibly even change their mind about yoga.
So, how did I find my purpose? I found my dharma in my passion, in building community, and in sharing what I love with others. I don’t believe there is an end point when you find your purpose. It’s more about your journey. What you believe you have been sent here to do, and how you are using your gift in helping others. It’s the stories of how yoga has made a difference in others lives that keeps me going. It’s become much bigger than just me, it’s how Vive is making a difference in the community. Can you imagine what our world would be like if everyone just shared what they loved, pursued their passions, and figured out how to make money doing it?
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Well, I am the owner and director of Vive L.A. Yoga, a mother of three, a wife, and an accomplished E-RYT. I have a passion for yoga and helping others grow and benefit from this practice.
Vive L.A. Yoga was founded in the midst of the 2020 Pandemic with a handful of men and women who showed up digitally every week to take classes with me. Vive was created especially for the community, in a time when community was needed the most. What started as ten people has now grown to 100 active members. It’s really special to watch not only my business grow but our community transform, together.
With growth comes more teachers, more classes, and more opportunities to share about yoga. We currently have 9+ teachers to choose from, a few different yoga styles (vinyasa, sculpt, yin & more), and over thirty classes in a week. We host monthly workshops, special events, and enjoy highlighting guest teachers from other studios. In the near future, I plan to host yoga retreats as well as our first 200-hour yoga teacher training.
In fact, our first 200-hour teacher training program begins June 3rd. The Vive Immersion + Get Lit 200-hour YTT is a registered yoga school with Yoga Alliance. Our program is a 14 week hybrid YTT so anyone who is interested has the opportunity to choose a schedule that works best for them. I’m so thrilled to begin this new journey and to be partnering with another amazing teacher in the yoga community to make this happen.
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?
Starting a business can be daunting. My advice to anyone is: GO FOR IT! I know it’s easier said than done but you have to take a chance on yourself. In your mind, you play all of the scenarios of why it won’t work, but what if you let go of fear and just believed in the one story that it will? Fear is what stops most from ever trying but if you take action and go for it, anything is possible.
Someone once told me “Do everything with love, and the right people will follow.” It’s true. When you do it with love, people can see the passion that goes into your hard work. Love is the highest vibration. People want to feel it, and they want to be part of it.
Of course, it requires work and dedication but something I had to learn on my own is to be consistent. Show up, consistently. Keep trying, consistently. You do not need to be better than the next. All it takes is being consistent, and your time will come.
Do not give up! There are days you will doubt yourself. There will be times you feel like quitting. There will be people who try to bring you down. There will be many challenges to face but keep going anyways. It is through the struggles that you grow and learn the most. Everything is a learning experience. Learn from the mistakes, remember why you started, celebrate the wins, and keep pushing forward.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My husband, Edson, says, “Life is a game, you just have to play it.” And now when I think of life in that way, it’s really not so hard. He has been the most helpful in helping me overcome any challenge as a business owner, wife, and as a parent. He believes in me more than I believe in myself. He is my biggest supporter and I can’t thank him enough for that. He is hardworking and always positive. We make the best partners in business and in life.
In the past, I had many jobs and switched paths of what I wanted to study throughout my education; however, I only found one passion and that is YOGA. It took me many years to get to where I am but everything has led up to this. Many of our encounters are meant to teach us something and I have so much gratitude for those experiences. They have shaped me into the women and business owner I am today.
There is one more quality that I take pride in having and that is good customer service. It goes a long way. Vive is a safe place, that feels like home, and the people around you feel like family. I love that many of our members text me and know they can reach out to me at any time. We interact on Instagram and share funny memes with each other. I enjoy being here for our community. Thank you for letting me share my journey with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vivelayoga.com
- Instagram: @vivelayoga.com
Image Credits
San Pedro Chamber of Commerce
