LOVE PROFILE: NICOLE BYARS

As we prepare for our June release of our print issue themed LOVE, we reached out to our amazing community to share with us a few thoughts on love. Our feature celebrates Nicole, owner of Honest Yoga in Plymouth, MN. Nicole describes herself as a struggling overachiever turned yoga educator and studio owner and shares: “Not to be dramatic or anything – but yoga saved my life. If we rewind a decade you would find me struggling with an eating disorder while balancing first-time motherhood and an unhappy marriage. Yoga was ultimately what got me through that challenging time. I ended up getting my teaching certification, started training other teachers, and built Honest Yoga to be a space for all of us to heal, evolve, grow, and thrive together.”

Share with us what you love about what you do:
There is so much variety in what I do, which is why I love it! I am a yoga and barre teacher, a studio owner, a trainer, a studio cleaner, a community builder…you get the picture! Every day looks different and each day keeps me on my toes. I love being able to guide a more serious and intentional yoga class, and then crank up the music and dance in high energy barre class. Some of my days are spent working in the studio which allows me the opportunity to tap into my creativity by creating blog and social media posts. Honesty, I love the energy of the community we have created at Honest Yoga. There is a vibe that I bottle up every time I leave. It’s a vibe of light, fun, and love. It’s my home away from home.

Share with us what you have learned about LOVE:
LOVE is a big word with a lot of depth, yet it is so simple. My journey with love has been through many ups and downs. In my 20’s I was at war with myself and was seeking love outside of myself. I was looking for love anywhere but myself. My yoga practice is what opened my eyes to loving me again, which was an ever-so-slow practice and a practice that ebbs and flows. I believe that we must love ourselves wholly and unconditionally before we can truly love those around us. Every morning I wake up I say, ‘I love. I am love. I choose love.’

What inspired you to support Yoga Love Magazine?
I love Yoga Love Magazine and the editor Iana and fully support their mission to celebrate diversity, to inspire, and create community. Who wouldn’t want to support that mission! And, I love their social media page. It always makes me smile. 🙂

Learn more: thehonestyoga.com