Meet Shayna Hiller | Yoga Instructor & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shayna Hiller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shayna, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Sadhguru: ‘There is no such thing as work-life balance. It’s all life. The balance has to be within you.’ This stuck with me and has radically shifted they way I perceive ‘work’. First of all, work is work… I do what I love which I am beyond grateful for, but it’s still work! And in order for me to be able to serve at my highest capacity, it is crucial to balance it out with self-care. I literally would NOT be able to do what I do without my nourishing myself first. So I guess you could call me a ‘self-care junkie’ ;-)… meditation, nature walks, journaling, sauna, yoga and eating healthy are staples in my life. They are not luxuries. I have learned to create gentle boundaries, such as turning the computer off at a certain time and reading in the evening, having at least one entire day ‘off’ per week, saying ‘no’ to opportunities that don’t feel aligned with my flow. These practices give me the energy, clarity, inner peace and inspiration to fuel me through my work. It’s all about balance.

What should our readers know about your business?
It’s interesting because for this question, I had the option to choose ‘art’ or ‘business’. I initially clicked on ‘art’, but here we are. I guess the two can be one! I consider my ‘business’ a form of art, as it is something that was once an idea in my head… a ‘gut feeling’, a ‘desire’… and now it is my reality. I used to journal about my desire to host yoga retreats, create online courses, teach yoga, and be a coach. And now that’s what I do. I help yoga teachers gain confidence and build a lucrative career serving others via YouTube and several online courses. I also support women who are on a journey to releasing old habits, getting ‘un-stuck’ and learning to love themselves and improve their health and overall quality of life. I run retreats, trainings, workshops and offer weekly classes. Going back to the ‘art’ part… I love writing poetry. It’s not technically a ‘business’. But it’s definitely one of my deepest passions. I’ve already written a book (not poetry) and envision another one in the not so distant future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh wow! A week in LA?! This is the best question ever! Here we go… Day 1: Morning Walk on the Venice Canals, Coconut Latte from Erewhon, Beach Day at Venice Beach, Dinner at Double Zero (the best vegan truffle pizza on planet Earth) Day 2: Drive up the PCH to the Pacific Palisades for a seasonal pumpkin spice coconut latte and sweet grain-free treat at Sweet Laurel Bakery, followed by a sweaty hike in Temescal Canyon, afternoon at Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica, dinner at Plant Food & Wine on Abbot Kinney. Day 3: Morning walk on the Canals (yep, again), bike ride to Gjusta for brunch (addicted to their sourdough), Abbot Kinney shopping day, dinner at Cafe Gratitude (cauliflower rice macrobiotic bowl?! Yes please! Add avocado and mushroom carnitas!) Day 4: Morning coffee from Menottis in Venice… Drive up the PCH for a beach day in Malibu and a stop at Aviator Nation to check out their new gear… dinner at Crossroads in West Hollywood (upscale vegan dining; best kale salad and truffle potatoes I’ve ever had!) <— Yes, I’m a truffle addict! There’s a lot more I’d add to this list, such as a sweaty class with Vinnie Marino at Yogaworks (if COVID weren’t keeping the studios closed) and a deep tissue massage at the Raven Spa in Santa Monica.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I truly see everyone in my life as a ‘teacher’ who deserves a shoutout! But that would probably take too long to type out. So for now, I’d like to send a shoutout to my first Yoga Teacher Training guides, Don and Amba Stapleton. They planted the seed which initiated my transformation. At the time, it felt like my life was crumbling… little did I know, it was a shedding of old layers of myself in order to bring forth a new version of me. I would like to send a shoutout to Joshua Rosenthal and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition for my education as a health coach… this program opened me up to embracing the ‘business’ side of a wellness career and helped me strengthen my confidence and find my voice. I’m a big fan of Ram Dass and his books. Even though they’re not technically ‘business or success oriented’, his teachings remind me to stay in a place of trust and non-attachment which has been a significant tool along my journey. My partner, Diego, has always believed in me and supported my dreams… same with my amazing loving parents… there are almost no words to express my gratitude for these people in my life!

Website: www.shaynahiller.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/shaynahiller
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayna-hiller-21757b90/
Twitter: twitter.com/shaynayoga
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaynaBrielle
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=nP36h0_yhNN8YePNioeePQ
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGon9sy2KtFwk7om8vHalfA?view_as=subscriber

Image Credits
Ben Scorah