A brief overview
Can you introduce yourself ? My name is Carole, but people sometimes call me "Smooth" (because of my nickname "Smootheries" on my blog and social networks). I'm 32 (soon to be 33), a little girl and I'm more of a Parisian (in reality I was born on Reunion Island, to parents from Reunion, but they settled in the Paris region when I was old a few months!). I'm also a fan of vegan cooking, knitting and sports leader: my hobbies are quite varied! I have a double training as a translator and a lawyer and I have been practicing this profession for almost 10 years!
• When and how did this interest for yoga come to you? The story does not seem very cheerful, but I promise: it ends well! In 2008, I was 24 and diagnosed with cancer, a form of lymphoma. I had to go through 9 months of chemotherapy, and around the middle of the treatment, in March 2009, even though I was on the way to remission, I was worn out, depressed, insomniac... so I thought to myself that I was going to try doing yoga. I contacted a studio near my home and discovered yoga there, very slowly to begin with, of course! These Hatha Yoga classes, which ended with a very long relaxation (Yoga Nidra) brought me real well-being during this difficult period, and yoga has always been part of my life since then. Years later, in 2013, I discovered Vinyasa Yoga (as well as Ashtanga) and that's when my practice of "1-2 classes per week" transformed and became much more diligent and passionate.
What does yoga represent in your daily life? The place of yoga in my daily life evolved very gradually: at first I went there from time to time, to relax. When I discovered Ashtanga, I started to practice more regularly, between 1h and 1h30 of dynamic practice 4 to 5 days a week, at home or in the studio... Then I chose to register for a yoga teacher training (I graduated from Vinyasa Flow by the Expansion Freedom Voice school in Paris), and that's when yoga stopped being an "activity" for me and became a mode of life. There is hardly a day when yoga is not present in my daily life: when I am not practicing, I teach, meditate, write an article on yoga for my blog or organize workshops, events and courses. specials with my yogis friends, with whom I created the " Happy Yogis Society ".
Do you find time to practice during your travels? Yes always ! It's more difficult to practice when you're on the move, the rhythm changes, you often have more family obligations, heavy meals after which you don't have too much energy to move... But despite everything, I always pack a travel yoga mat in my suitcase and manage to find a little slot, even if only 15 minutes. I love this moment of refocusing and isolation in the middle of the tumult of the holidays. If I go away for a long time, I also manage to find at least 2 one-hour slots in the week (often during nap time) to practice a little more energetically! Traveling is also an opportunity for me to practice, outdoors, more inversions - which I love - without being afraid of breaking the TV if I land less elegantly than expected!
What is your favorite YUJ product? I had an instant crush on the Dotpant leggings . In addition to being hot, they are officially my most comfortable leggings, with their very wide waistband on the stomach: the cut is perfect for me. And also, if I have the right to choose two favorite products: YUJ carpets ! Most thin rugs that can be transported folded are not slip-resistant enough for me: this one folds, is machine washable, very soft and perfectly "non-slip"!
The world
What is your favorite country so far? At the risk of sounding chauvinistic... It's not a country, but Reunion Island is where I feel the best in the world! I've never lived there but spent many holidays there when I was a child, of course. Then I couldn't go back there for a long time and it was only last winter that I took my daughter and her father there for the first time. I instantly feel good as soon as I arrive there: the warm climate suits me perfectly, the "cool" atmosphere of the islands calms me down, there are fantastic walks to do there and I love exotic fruits ( as well as the samosas!).
For you "The place to be" is it? For a long time, I had the impression of not being in the right place at the right time: as a teenager, I often had the feeling of missing THE important party or THE great outing, because I was busy elsewhere. Thanks to yoga, I learned to let go of that. The place to be? "Right Here, Right Now" as the song would say. :)
indiscretions
In the cinema, which actors/directors make you dream? Confession: Since the birth of my daughter, I went to the cinema three times. That's about once a year! Although I love movies, what makes me dream even more are books. So I'm going to cheat a little and talk about reading. I read (or watch movies) above all to escape rather than to face the reality of the world in my face. So I have a big weakness for fantastic universes, adventures... Harry Potter, which I discovered quite late (I was 18) continues to make me dream (I regularly reread or review certain volumes of elsewhere !). Right now I'm immersed in Outlander, for the escape, romance and story side (I like the books as much as the series).
A quote that defines you? At the risk of not being very original, Gandhi's well-known quote "Be the change you want to see in this world" is the one that speaks to me the most. Sometimes doing yoga, practicing kindness, eating organic and vegan... Seems a bit pointless to me when I see the world around us. This quote reminds me that every (small) step counts and that it is at their own level that everyone can contribute to making a difference!
What does a day in the life of Carole look like? Except when I'm teaching in the morning or joining my girlfriends for breakfast outside, my typical day starts with waking up at 7am. I go to my living room on tiptoe (the floor creaks...) to practice yoga or gym (at the moment, I often combine the two in a practice that I call Hiit & Yoga, which I love!) for 30 minutes to 1h15 depending on the day. Then the house wakes up, I get dressed and prepare my breakfast while chatting with my daughter and my boyfriend. Head to the office. I regularly teach yoga during the lunch break. At 6:30 p.m., I pick up my daughter from the childminder, we play a little, we prepare dinner, then it's time for meals, showers, history and bedtime. From 9 p.m., I take advantage of one or two hours of calm: to read, watch a series while knitting, do gentle yoga before going to bed. Then a shower, 10 minutes of meditation and in bed! Once or twice a week, my daughter is looked after by our family in the evenings and I take the opportunity to give or take yoga classes... or simply go to dinner and drink a glass of wine as a couple or with friends!
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