Leadership and Yoga

In this episode, I talk about what it means to live addicted to the hormones of stress—constantly rushing, pushing, and chasing success instead of allowing life to unfold. I share how I learned to slow down, cultivate patience, destress, and trust the process of following my dreams without burning out. If you’ve ever struggled to find calm, balance, and faith while chasing your purpose, this conversation will help you remember that slowing down is how you truly speed up.Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Enter the TEND yourself & a friend self-care giveaway.artoftending.kit.com/shawnaFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created, code POD for $33.Ritual of Writing Journal Come on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat 00:00 intro01:00 music04:00 synchronicities08:40 one: jeju island mistake14:00 the meditation of patience17:30 gabriel garcia marquez and magical realism22:00 open gifts after dinner23:30 Mr. Beast’s first $10k25:00 two: patience protects you from your mind27:00 walk towards the storm29:24 don’t go fast32:30 true trust35:38 TEND 39:00 space for the unknown42:00 time is a construct 

Amy Newmark, publisher and editor-in-chief of Chicken Soup for the Soul, shares how stories can inspire, heal, and transform our lives. We talk about forgiveness, gratitude, synchronicities, and the kinds of stories the world needs most right now. The Chicken Soup For The Soul Website The Chicken Soup For The Soul Podcast Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Download your free SEO Checklist for yoga instructors & entrepreneursFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruCome on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Time Stamps:00:00:00 intro00:02:06 the power of stories00:04:32 where does your interest in human stories come from?00:06:35 finding chicken soup for the soul00:10:54 how did working on wall street shape your path?00:13:03 entering the publishing world00:14:57 change your habits, change your life00:15:58 the editing process00:18:31 the best stories will make you feel something00:19:59 you have a to-do list, but do you have a to-enjoy list?00:22:01 do you ever feel self-help overwhelm or advice-overwhelm?00:23:02 a gratitude practice can change your life00:24:22 the power of forgiveness00:25:37 if you’re convinced you have a good story: keep submitting00:28:11 what kinds of stories do you think the world needs the most right now?00:32:07 “pre-forgiveness”00:33:36 the freedom of letting go of resentment00:35:25 what do you think is happening when we read a story that sets us free?00:37:20 the chicken soup for the soul podcast00:39:55 consistency in creative work00:42:17 have you included any of your own stories in the books?00:44:21 a flat tire and the power of positive thinking 00:46:00 a synchronicity story: the family reunion 00:49:21 what makes an exceptional leader?00:51:54 what’s your greatest joy?00:52:58 billboard question

Join Shawna Krueger, Ben Kalra, Kimia Hajian, Marla Tortorice and Brand Bergado for a behind the scenes look into our self-created yoga teacher mastermind and friendship group. There are some absolute keys for finding authentic friendship in the yoga world, along with some good laughs.This episode explores what it means to grow in community as a yoga teacher and creative. Let’s talk finding aligned friendships, choosing collaboration over competition, and building accountability and honesty within relationships. We touch on the balance between playfulness and focus, and the importance of becoming the kind of person you’d want to be friends with. And, what happens when friendship doesn’t come easily — and how openness, trust, and consistency can transform that over time.Ben Kalra - @benkalraKimia Hajian - @kimihajianMarla Tortorice - @marlasyogaBrandon Bergado - @brandonberg_Shawna Krueger - @shawnkru Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Own a copy of the guided journal I created, code POD for $33.Ritual of Writing Journal Come on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat time stamps: 00:00 intro01:00 trust me, don’t skip the intro03:45 real friends are found on the mountain05:10 shawna’s letter to cactus club08:15 brandon’s cactus club origin story10:00 community as a yoga teacher15:45 brandon on where to find aligned friends 20:00 ben on collaboration over competition 25:40 marla on accountability in friendships30:00 kimi on honest feedback in friendships35:25 ben on balance between silliness & focus40:00 becoming the kind of person you’d want to be friends with45:50 kimi on when friendship doesn’t come easily at first

This roundtable episode brings together yoga teachers from across the country! Tune in to hear what’s inspiring their classes right now, unexpected teaching moments, personal stories, practical insights, and lessons learned on their teaching journeys.Do you want to be part of the next Yoga Teacher Roundtable? Sign up here! Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Download your free SEO Checklist for yoga instructors & entrepreneursFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruCome on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Thank you to the contributing yoga teachers! Camilla Fay (@camillawfay)Carli Tornetta (@catcowcar)Cassie Chechile (@theselfwithcassie)Bex Nghi (@wildbexs)Wren Heft (@flow_with_wren)Lisa Osorio (@lisaosodel)Bianca Cadiz (@biancavyoga)Time Stamps:00:00:00 intro00:02:29 wren’s story: double savasana 00:05:05 bianca’s story: the sequencing notebook 00:08:27 camilla’s story: teaching yoga is an expression of the love language of quality time 00:10:38 bex’s story: an unexpected visitor 00:12:48 lisa’s story: the serious student 00:15:52 cassie’s story: on people pleasing 00:17:47 carli’s story: the cat cafe00:20:38 shawna’s story: the foot incident22:30 about the yoga teachers  29:43 billboard messages36:50 what's been inspiring your classes lately?43:30 closing

This is not just a list of “stops” to regain energy. It’s a call to remember why you started teaching yoga in the first place.I have episodes on starting a meditation habit, getting clear on your mission as a conscious creator, and an episode called 7 keys for teaching yoga that changes lives that may also be of interest to you, linked below. :)October 28th Webinar on creating your homepageTry OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Follow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created, code POD for $33.Ritual of Writing Journal Come on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Time stamps:00:00 intro01:00 opening poem: teaching yoga like we play music03:00 let’s hang08:00 stop procrastinating your meditation 10:30 creating a coherent message in class12:30 stop thinking you need to practice exactly what you teach15:40 stop trying to do it all on your own17:55 the three S’s rule23:00 stop grinding & start creating art25:30 when u find joy in the process, others find joy in it28:45 stop saying i don’t have time to slow down30:00 laundry basket analogy 33:00 u are the seer of your thoughts, but do u remember?34:01 stop being scattered & ignoring strategy 40:30 stop losing all your great ideas42:00 how to define your mission43:01 if u want more ppl in your class, why?44:20 stop needing to prove anything about yourself46:30 graduation speech & homework

Guru Benny is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and creator working at the intersection of quantum physics and human psychology. In this conversation, she shares about the power of belief, how mental health and spirituality are connected, and how consciousness is the key to both personal and collective liberation. She also shares practical ways to align with your higher self and tune into the endless possibilities all around you. Find Guru Benny on her TikTok @itsgurubennny, Instagram @itsgurubennny, and on her website futureguru.co.Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Download your free SEO Checklist for yoga instructors & entrepreneursFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruCome on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Time Stamps:00:00 intro03:16 what sparked your interest in quantum physics/manifestation?08:05 how much do you believe we shape our own reality?12:40 what does it really mean to create your own reality?14:37 how do we change our beliefs?16:44 undoing beliefs from childhood 18:13 why are we here? We are here to become20:00 how does the quantum make you feel supported?21:39 what is quantum physics? 23:34 we influence everything we observe 24:40 we live in an infinite reality 27:13 spillover effect30:56 how to integrate this into your daily life?34:51 polarity41:59 when you close your eyes and think about what God means to you, what do you see or feel? 34:55 we are our own attraction point 46:11 what have you learned in your therapeutic work about human nature?47:56 mental health is spiritual50:32 suffering is detatchment from the true self51:52 what are the qualities of an exceptional leader? 53:57 what is your greatest joy?54:52 what worries you?56:35 book recommendations for continued learning?58:13 billboard: you are the creator

Welcome in for a sonic and poetic journey back to what’s real. This immersive special episode is for anyone who’s ever felt lost in life — lost in the vastness of it all — and needed a reminder that we are never truly separate, and we have nothing to fear. Today I blend story and music in hopes that you feel something deeper. It’s not about fixing yourself — it’s about remembering your power, your softness, and your mission in a world that often forgets what matters most.This is for the ones who want to believe in wild beauty, who want to have energy to live for what really matters in a world drowning in distraction. Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Follow me on instagram:@shawnkruCome on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Inspiration behind the show:This episode was written while listening to one of my favorite EP's right now, Lost Tales by Finnegan Tui. It was also written as I have been reading Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman thanks to the recommendation of one of my other favorite artists, Sophie Hawley-Weld from Sofi Tukker.

An episode on what makes the impossible synchronicities not only possible, but incredibly probable.I hope y'all enjoy this special late night session. Thanks for being here. :) The concept of spillover effect and parallel universes of self come from the author Frederick Dodson.

In this episode, I’m sharing my most powerful breakthroughs from living in Austin—along with structure to help you reflect on your own. I talk about how meditation, hot yoga, and conscious lifestyle choices have shifted my body, mind, and energy. I dive into reframing money as a tool for appreciation, breaking free from FOMO, and cultivating friendships and self-worth that feel truly nourishing.I also share stories from my travels, experiences with wellness practices, and the mindset shifts that have changed my life. My goal is to inspire you to notice your own breakthroughs, embrace what truly lights you up, and create a reality that reflects that. :)Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Download your free SEO Checklist for yoga instructors & entrepreneursFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruCome on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat

Laurentine is a filmmaker who is a contributor for Gaia, an author, and a nutrition & business coach. She has produced five feature documentary films, two best-selling books, a streaming TV channel, Food Matters TV that became part of Gaia.She has worked alongside hundreds of wellness and healing experts from around the globe including Joe Dispenza and Wim Hof. https://www.foodmatters.com/films Find Laurentine: @foodmatters @laurentinetenboschTry OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Download your free SEO Checklist for yoga instructors & entrepreneursFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruCome on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Time stamps:00:00 intro 01:00 who is Laurentine05:30 the role of media in raising consciousness10:50 how can we believe that love can heal12:30 first film, going out on a limb, learning to make a documentary14:00 not giving over power to medical world: nutrition & naturopath studies, taking health into their own hands18:00 sharing confronting truths with the public in a way that allows them to be heard and understood20:45 cinéma vérité: topics that need to see the light of day 22:45 opening the channel: 5am meditation mornings creative process25:30 we are hungry for spirituality 28:00 talking to Dr. Joe Dispenza, Wim Hof & others30:00 getting more people to say yes to speaking32:00 clean slate releasing low energy through breathwork34:45 Gaia flys to see them & joining Gaia process39:20 the clutter in the lower mind is not at all a reflection of what is possible in our higher mind. 45:00 if you had to do a 20 minute TED talk, homework!! 48:30 exceptional leaders: blessing emails & taking off shoes as a team52:30 rapid fire & billboard message