I’m a professional people discoverer and a yogi in progress. Originally from Kazakhstan, I grew up in the Soviet world of strict discipline and high expectations with the focus on comparison and the need to impress. When I moved to London in my twenties, I started to discover me. London was also the period of professional milestones - I did my MA in International Relations and became a qualified language teacher (still a big part of my life). It’s also when yoga found me. Being quite stiff, it was a huge challenge for my body. Being inflexible in my perceptions of the world, it was the start of a heroic journey of self-discovery. When I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia I had an extra reason to keep exploring a healthier version of myself. Today, I live yoga every day. And my focus is on finding balance. Each day, I strive not to take anything for granted, to live mindfully, and to remind myself — and my students — that our yoga journey is always evolving. It is a journey of a patient hero who always returns home transformed, knowing they have made a positive impact on their own life and the lives of others.