Hi, I’m Gillian Buckley.
I help women live their best lives using yoga and wellness education.

Let’s build confidence, create community and find space to reconnect with our passions, both on and off the mat.

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Attend one of my classes

Join me and other women from our amazing community in Durham Region by choosing to attend one of my upcoming classes below. Not sure which class to attend? Ask me!

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There’s been a trend among my entrepreneur friends to open up about the toll that self-employment can have on mental health. I am loving this discussion. And the timing is perfect, given that it is @bacd.sbec’s #doitindurham as well as #globalentrepreneurshipweek ⁣
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From the outside, working for yourself can look really glamorous. Set your own hours? Work from home? No boss? Yes, please!⁣
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But the truth is, in my case, I never set out to be an entrepreneur. Back in 2007, when I started working for myself, “entrepreneur” wasn’t such a trendy word. I fell into working for myself because the industry I was interested in (trade publishing) didn’t have a lot of full-time, traditional jobs available. Then I became a yoga instructor in 2013...the wellness industry has even fewer full-time jobs!⁣
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Entrepreneurship has mostly meant trying to cobble together a full-time income from a number of sources. And, man, that can be stressful.⁣
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But things aren’t as lonely as they used to be. I love the discussions that we’re having. I love that we’re talking about the struggles. I love that slowly but surely, supports are being set up. Government programs and banks are WAY more receptive to people who are self-employed than they were twelve years ago. Things are getting better.⁣
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So, self-employed friends and entrepreneurs, rather than talk about the struggles, let’s turn things around and talk about what’s awesome about working for yourself. ⁣
I’ll start: sweatpants!

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I gasped when I came across this photo this morning. Why? (Hint: take a look at my legs.)⁣
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This picture was taken in 2014. I had been teaching for about a year and decided that I needed to have some photos done. This shoot is filled with pics of complicated asana—way more physical poses than my recent photos. I look back on the teacher I was then and I know I was filled with feeling that I had something to prove. ⁣
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Back then I was so self-conscious that I couldn’t get my legs into a full lotus pose (looking back…🤷‍♀️). In this photo, my knee is way too high to have my ankle rest on my leg. My ankle is sickling (turning in). My hip is just not open enough to do this pose properly…and it’s negatively affecting my knee and ankle. ⁣
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Now, and even back then, I would discourage any student in my class from doing this. This pose is no better than a simple cross leg…or even a seat in a chair for the matter. But still, I felt like I had something to prove. We have this mistaken belief that twisting ourselves into shapes makes us a better instructor or a healthier person. That’s just not true.⁣
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I try to offer compassion to this version of me because the truth is that I see this struggle in yogis all around me. I see people muscling into poses that they are just not ready for. And I get it. I really really do. I’ve also let my ego get in the way. ⁣
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In the yoga tradition, we do these poses to allow us to feel comfort in our bodies during meditation. Don’t sacrifice your future comfort and your body’s longevity to get into vanity poses. Know that at the end of the day, no one will remember that you could get into a full lotus. But they will remember you being able to chase your grandkids around.

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I decided to try something new for the month of October. I decided that I needed a push to prove to myself that I have mental strength and stamina. I committed to completing 16 movement practices. ⁣
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I’ve been pretty regular with three workouts a week for the last year and a half, but I keep hearing that it is in the fourth workout where the magic happens. I’m not sure if it’s true, but I am starting to notice a difference in my strength and energy. ⁣
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Also, while yoga is still my boo, I’m falling more deeply in love with the gym. I just really like lifting heavy shit. ⁣
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It was a good month. And those 16 workouts? I actually did 17⁣ 💥

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Anyone else feel like they should have pinned a $20 bill to their kids’ backpacks this morning? My kids were miserable from last night’s extra sugar and late night. Thoughts and prayers with teachers today.

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I talk a lot about how much I love Early Childhood Educators. As far as I’m concerned, they do the Lord’s work and are paid 🥜. Reason no. 8537 I love them: no comments on the fact that, over the last two years, my contribution to holiday parties have devolved from individually decorated cookies to the tasty snack pictured above. I don’t at all think it’s a coincidence that my Martha Stewart phase also aligned perfectly with my PPD.
If you are a parent into creating a Pinterest-worthy holiday experience (I’m married to one), then I salute you. In my case, I’m just not that into it.
Shout out to all of the other parents calling it in this Halloween. Enjoy your glass of wine and pilfered fun sized chocolates tonight. You earned it too.

Hi, I’m Gillian Buckley. I help women live their best lives using yoga and wellness education.

Attend one of my classes

Hi, I’m Gillian Buckley.
I help women live their best lives using yoga and wellness education.