Leadership and Yoga

Join me, Shawna Krueger, and my guest, Brandon Bergado for an inspiring interview. After losing his direction and career due to a traumatic brain injury, Brandon reframed the question and created a new life. Tune in for a wake up call to take accountability, grow your relationship with yourself, tap into your creativity and experience deep happiness. This episode is filled with laughter, and the fire to grow.  Brandon Bergado is a hockey player turned yogi and software engineer. He’s the creator of the Recharge brand, Recharge Studio and the Recharge Retreat, and he’s also an ambassador for o_p__en.  IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE WITH BRANDON, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE MY PODCAST. Thank you!! Find Brandon on instagram: @brandonberg_ Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Time stamps:  00:00 Intro  02:45 Brandon’s story: Hitting rock bottom 07:30 Negative emotions can bring us change.  09:15 None of the successful people you see are any different than you.  12:00 How can we allow our perspective to be shifted? 15:00 Balancing ambition, expectations and detachment. 17:30 These are the best damn cards. 18:32 How has the treatment of your body changed since yoga and meditation?  20:30 The raisin meditation with Jonah Kest. 23:20 Finding Joe Dispenza 27:30 Inspired business as an entrepreneur 32:30 Brandon’s mission. 35:00 Finding balance in business and life. 36:45 Plant watering analogy 38:30 Avoiding instagram scarcity mindset. 40:15 Brandon’s creative process.  45:15 Learnings from Rick Rubin on Creativity. 50:45 How to get into a state of expansion. 55:20 Advice on connections and networking in the yoga world. 59:30 On trusting yourself. 1:01:00 An exceptional leader is… 1:04:00 Billboard message

Join me, Shawna Krueger, for a short podcast episode on taking action.  Let’s talk what kind of action to take, understanding the point, and how to actually execute and stick with the actions and habits we want to stick with.  This is not about taking action just to say you did. This is about taking action from a place of presence and alignment.   This is also not about setting such lofty goals that you keep proving to yourself that you cannot meet the mark.  This is about how to properly understand the point of the problem so you can avoid actions that are useless and take the ones that will move the needle. Things are always bigger in our head than they actually are. So let’s get them out of our head and into reality. Join me!!  Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Evolve with Inversions Retreat Feb 17-22: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Get a copy of my guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Timestamps: 00:00 Starting Imperfectly: The Power of Taking Action 06:06 Setting Realistic Goals: Avoiding Overwhelm and Falling Short 11:11 STORY TIME. The floating dock. 13:56 Understanding the Point: Aligning Actions with True Needs and Desires 17:04 Changing Beliefs: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs for Progress 19:34 Building a Supportive Community: Surrounding Yourself with Like-Minded Individuals 29:02 Allocating Resources Wisely: Focusing on One Goal at a Time 31:52 Taking Small Steps: Immediate Action and Setting Larger Goals

Join me, Shawna Krueger, and my guest, Lisa Neale, for an episode on religion and spirituality and why yoga can help us return to a sense of spiritual connection. We begin by talking about organized religion and a sense of shutting out spirituality or feeling like something is missing spiritually, and turn to how yoga opened the door for spirituality again.  Let’s talk religious programming, the sense of connection with the divine, the use of the word God, awareness of death, sexuality, obsession with purity, shame, loss, and deeper purpose.  Disclaimer: We welcome whatever religion you practice, I also welcome discussing how people really feel about things so you will hear our truths, not to make anyone question their own truth but to tell our story and for people who are questioning what to lean into in terms of religion and spirituality to accompany us as we walk through the journey.  IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE WITH LISA, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & DROP ME A RATING. Thank you!! Find Lisa on instagram: @chasingthesunyoga Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Get a copy of my guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Evolve with Inversions Retreat Feb 17-22: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:00 Disclaimer 03:30 Our journey with organized religion. 06:00 Lisa’s story 9:30 From a cult to YoungLife 13:50 Spiritual relationship building. 15:45 Understanding death. 17:00 The use of the word God.  21:30 Sexuality  23:00 Be careful who you take advice from.  26:30 Being empowered for the first time. 29:00 The urge to go to “church.” 31:50 How does this make me feel? 34:00 Advice for feeling connected to your spiritual nature. 40:00 On Leadership 44:40 Billboard message: It gets better. 

Hey, it's Shawna Krueger, and today I'm giving you a solo episode on self-love. This is how to tap into self-compassion in the face of having the habit of criticizing yourself terribly.  I give you 3 tangible steps and tell you my story live from my childhood backyard!! (Yes, this is my first outdoor episode.)  This is a “strong” approach because this episode is about taking back control. It is not about feeling bad for yourself. It’s about getting fed up with the self criticizer. It’s about speaking up and saying not another day, not another minute will I allow this to go on unchecked.  It’s okay to feel disappointed in yourself, but you also must comfort yourself and not punish yourself at that moment.  The more you let yourself feel, the more you’ll learn and you are extremely complex. You’ve got this. I believe in you.  Book I mention: Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Get a copy of my guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Evolve with Inversions Retreat Feb 17-22: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction. 05:00 Big announcements!!  8:00 Self-Compassion. 10:20 The inner critic causes what it hopes to avoid. 12:00 It’s not about hating on the self-critic. 16:00 There’s nothing wrong with you. The tendency to self-evaluate gets out of control.  18:20 How to take a strong approach to self-love. 20:00 Change your definition. Extraordinary does not mean perfect.  22:00 Start trusting yourself and not other people’s evaluations. 25:30 You are in control. 28:50 The drowning rat experiement. 31:40 Comfort yourself when you fall short. 34:10 Dealing with self-hate. 37:15 Nagging doesn’t work, not even with ourselves. 39:30 Reward yourself? 41:00 Judging others.  43:10 What yoga teaches. 45:20 Like water off of a duck. 46:45 The tangible: action for self-love. 48:30 How to be the “bigger person” with YOURSELF. 51:50 If you’re in the shit of the shit, you are getting stronger.

Join me, Shawna Krueger, for an epic interview with today’s guest, Sasha Jade Gabriel. This interview is close to my heart because Sasha is someone whose photos have shown up on my vision board representing adventure, connection with myself, being “tough” and freedom lifestyle for years. Her energy in this episode comes through even stronger than I imagined.  Today, I showed her my vision board and we talked about tapping into your creativity and enthusiasm, pushing your limits and finding deep presence. This episode is what it is all about. You don’t want to miss this one!! Online, Sasha shares from the heart and serves as a point of connection and inspiration for thousands. Out in the wild, you’ll find her skating, surfing, kitesurfing, climbing, painting, writing, dancing, at yoga, lost in nature… Sasha is a “creative pocket knife” and she works with entrepreneurs and startups to expand their vision. IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE WITH SASHA, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND RATE MY PODCAST. Thank you!! Find Sasha on instagram:  @sashajadeg Sasha’s website: https://www.sasha-jade.com/  Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Get a copy of my guided journal.  The Ritual of Writing Evolve with Inversions Retreat Feb 17-22: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:00 Sharing my dream board 06:00 Mountain kayaking dream? 8:00 On being tough and seeing what humans are capable of. 12:50 Stability and adventure are not opposites. 15:30 How Sasha Jade starts her mornings. 20:00 Preparing yourself to go beyond your comfort zone. 26:00 Dealing with injury and healing. 35:32 Where does enthusiasm come from? 41:41 Balancing expansion and grounding in life. 48:00 Sasha’s creative process. 1:01:00 Relationship with yoga. 1:05:00 Qualities of an Exceptional Leader: Integrity, Detachment, and Empathy 1:09:00 Billboard message: Trust your gut, silence your doubts.

Join me, Shawna Krueger, for a solo episode on the power behind slowing down. I am incredibly passionate about this topic because we all know it’s good for us, but why can’t we do it? Relax and let today’s stories sink in, it might be helpful.  I discuss how you can’t shift up a gear without taking your foot off of the gas pedal, how slowing down does put you behind, and the benefit to leaning into planting and harvesting seasons in our work, creativity and life.    Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&Y news.  Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Purchase a copy of my guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  EVOLVE WITH INVERSIONS RETREAT - FEB 17-22, 2025: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Person I mentioned: Cameron Rosin Experimenting with a little keywords approach for my show notes so today you can expect: pausing, feeling better, productivity, success, shifting gears, taking breaks, reflection, intentionality, trust, storytelling, quick fixes, shortcuts, injuries, physical limitations, redirection, opportunities, slowing down, reflection, planting and harvesting seasons, direction, true North, focus, progress, quality presence.  Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Slowing Down to Speed Up 16:22 Chapter 1: You can’t shift up a gear without taking your foot off the gas pedal. 21:26 Chapter 2: Slowing down does not put you behind. 25:35 Chapter 3: Planting and harvesting seasons. 27:30 Embracing Crisis and Discovering New Opportunities 31:24 Planting and Harvesting Seasons: Balancing Speed and Contemplation 34:41 Finding Your True North: Focusing on One Pillar of Interest 49:55 The Power of Presence: Igniting Growth and Success 51:46 Embracing Confusion: Allowing Time for Contemplation and Insights

I sat down with Bree Poort to discuss her Mojo Retreat that I attended in Hawaii. We talk about art, synchronicity, self-love, teaching yoga, magic, home birth and more. Tune in to feel inspired to tap into your own inner artist and creativity.  Bree is the author of the Mojo Book and founder of Mojo Retreats & Events. She is an artist and entrepreneur consultant by trade, and a yoga & meditation facilitator by heart. She is also a mother of two.  I adore Bree’s emphasis on the importance of staying present, embracing vulnerability, and following your intuition, along with her mention of the concept of expanders and the importance of having mentors and role models.  If you enjoyed this interview with Bree, please SUBSCRIBE and drop me a rating. THANK YOU!  Find Bree on instagram: @justbree @justbree.yoga  The Mojo Vibe: @themojovibe https://themojovibe.com/  Bree’s website: https://www.justbree.com/ Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Plus, get immediate access to the free week-long 6am Club training: Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Purchase a copy of my guided journal.  https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Upcoming Retreats: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction 08:22 Embracing Synchronicities and Magic 14:07 The Journey of Creating Mojo 25:12 The Energy of Nature in Yoga 31:22 Confidence and Nerves in Teaching Yoga 33:46 Expanders and Mentors 40:08 Motherhood and Creativity 46:35 The Joys and Challenges of Motherhood 48:34 Leadership Qualities 56:44 Doing What You Love and Practicing Self-Love

Join me, Shawna Krueger, for a solo episode on what to do when anxiety holds you back. I share my only story with anxiety, and tangible tips that feel actionable. I’m not here to treat or cure anxiety but rather to talk about the effect of when it holds you back and hijacks what you want and even your personality. This episode is not just about our ability to go outwards or put yourself out there. It’s also about your ability to go inward. It’s beyond stage fright or imposter syndrome.  On the agenda for today is addressing anxiety about self (also your message and your creations, sharing), anxiety about progress (starting and also feeling stuck), and anxiety about distractions (other people and things holding you back, other directions you could be going and feeling like you wish you were in another life or reality.)  It’s my hope that you leave today with a sense of renewed hope about what is possible for you, and a deeper desire to love yourself.  Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Plus, get immediate access to the free week-long 6am Club training: Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Purchase a copy of my guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Upcoming Retreats: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 04:00 When our anxious nature blocks our ability to show up. 07:00 Agenda and NEW RETREAT: Evolve with Inversions. 11:00 Anxiety about self. 14:00 It’s become commonplace to say “this is anxiety-inducing”  17:00 Getting sucked into competition and fear of “mediocrity.”  18:30 Even as a state champion, anxiety wears us down. 20:00 Only thinking about meeting the mark, not who I wanted to be. 22:10 Feeling is healing.   23:15 Imitation when authenticity is cut off.  24:30 Social anxiety. Being a rebel is still a reaction.  26:00 Our anxious nature shapes our personality without us realizing it.  27:20 What I’ve learned about moving beyond our anxious nature so that our true nature can show.  28:30 Buffalo walk towards the storm.  30:50 The diamond sutra. 32:00 Shake like a gazelle and feel lighter.  33:00 You are the seer of your thoughts, you are not your thoughts.  35:00 Baby photo 37:30 Do one thing that works. 38:00 The tangible: breath retentions, apnea training: correlation between anxiety and asthma.  41:30 What to do with your body when you have stage fright.  44:00 Anxiety about progress. 47:30 The whole weight of inertia. 52:15 Anxiety about distractions. 55:00 Take more accountability than anyone else.  57:00 Broken promises, especially to yourself, cause anxiety. 59:00 Give yourself grace.  1:00:00 Discussion of a relevant reel from Victoria Hutchins - The Daily Victorian on instagram.  1:01:00 If the perception doesn’t change, changing things you can control will ultimately change nothing.  1:03:00 Offering of final advice I wish I had 10 years ago.

Join me, Shawna Krueger, and my guest, Amber Parucha for an episode on community building and events in the yoga and wellness space.  Amber is a photographer, event producer and a creator of the viral Seattle yoga in the park series which is that massive 500 person class that you may have seen on my instagram.  In this episode, Amber gives a roadmap for building and scaling an event like Yoga in the Park. For even more details on growing a large-scale community yoga event, take a look at this checklist.    Amber has always been not only a friendly face and energy in the wellness world, but she’s also been someone who has thought of me for a lot of opportunities and seen value in my teachings even when I am not the most well-known yoga teacher.  Find Amber on instagram: @amberinwndrlnd  Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways and L&S news. Plus, get immediate access to the free week-long 6am Club training: Join the fam. Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Purchase a copy of my guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Upcoming Retreats: https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:45 Thank you 2:55 Agenda 04:20 What is community? Belonging.  10:00 How community shifts the paradigm.  12:50 How to find your people.  18:00 Natural tendencies and growing beyond them. 21:30 Finding clarity on your why & Amber’s why.  23:30 Accessibility in yoga and wellness. 27:00 Pushing through vs pivoting.  29:58 Creating Yoga in the Park, large-scale community yoga event 41:00 Doing whatever it takes, not the quick fix. 42:30 Dealing with rejection 49:30 Entrepreneurship and untraditional work 52:00 Events  54:00 An exceptional leader. 56:00 Billboard message. 58:39 The eggplant emoji. Today's episode was made possible by a kind guy named Daniel who helped me get strong enough connection to upload while here on Orcas Island. Thank you!!

Welcome to a solo episode on how to find focus and how to stay focused with me, Shawna Krueger. I have found that one of the antidotes to fear is focus. Yes, familiarity beats fear, but focus is an element that helps us transform. And FOMO is the enemy of focus.  Fear needs something to feed on. Use focus to connect to your why and to tame your mind and actions in the face of fear. I tell a story of how my focus on growing my podcast helped me face a fear. Plus, I give some funny stories from my last retreat and travel, and some personal stories that’ll give you chills.  BY THE WAY. We are giving away a spot in our upcoming retreat next February 17-22 in Río Chirripó, Costa Rica! This is an inversions focused retreat with Ness Baker - Inversioness and Katie. All levels are welcome! Maybe you’d like to try your very first handstand, or you’d like to learn to press. Check out the retreat details and sign up below. Giveaway post is on my instagram!  https://shawnakru.com/retreats/ Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Join the Leadership and Yoga Fam email list to stay up to date on giveaways: Join the fam. Purchase a copy of our guided journal. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/  Richard Rudd playlist I mention: https://spotify.link/3gvw7KFFdKb  Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 03:30 Retreat giveaway!!  05:15 What used to scare me 09:09 If I can teach with no stomach, I can teach anytime 10:30 Fear needs something to feed on. 16:20 Why focus? Agenda. 19:45 Human condition on the plane: we’re all just going somewhere, but where?  22:50 Why get focused? 24:45 Identify pillars.  28:00 If you don’t choose, someone will choose it for you. 31:30 How to find your focus. How to choose.  32:30 Pause first. 35:00 Where the river divides. 37:00 Rehearse the first five minutes until you cannot fail. 39:45 Get inspired: rigid or relaxed?  42:40 Storytelling exercise.  45:05 From numbness to inspiration, from inspiration to focus. 46:10 FOMO vs passion. Trim away distractions.  51:00 How to stay focused.  56:15 Take actual rest, not a distraction disguised as rest.  58:25 How badly do you want it? Be resourceful.  59:30 Crunchwrap. 1:03:40 Work fully, rest fully beats stagnation.