NoMiNoU Ambassador Profile: Kristen Stuart
NoMiNoU ambassador Kristen Stuart is no one-trick pony. Between hiking, rock climbing, skiing, biking and yoga, she is a highly accomplished athlete. Nowadays, she spends her time in nature, teaching women the power of yoga through her carefully curated yoga immersion program called The Yogini Path. Consider her the master of all things mindful!
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness is an overall feeling of clarity, vitality and steadiness. It means taking action towards living a fulfilled life and making choices that support health, strength and balance in mind, body and spirit.
How long have wellness and mindfulness been important parts of your life? Walk us through your personal wellness journey.
Wellness and mindfulness have been an important part of my life for much of my life. I have always been active and involved in athletic pursuits and adventure since I was young. But it wasn’t until I made my home in the Canadian Rockies in 2001 that wellness became more of a priority. It was around this time that I took my first yoga class and I immediately knew this powerful practice was something I wanted to share with others. This led to my first yoga teacher training in 2006.
I also began to pursue more hiking, rock and ice climbing, skiing and mountain biking and became certified as a hiking guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. I became certified as a personal trainer in 2005 to balance the seasonal guiding work and began to teach mind-body fitness boot camps and create training programs that took a holistic approach to wellness.
Fast forward to 2012 when I experienced a severe state of adrenal burnout. It took a while for my body and mind to recover from the depletion and this is when meditation became my key medicine. It made me realize how much of my energy was being leaked through self-doubt, fears, and what I call a modern-day epidemic of ‘not enough-ness’. This propelled me to start a coaching practice and create a specific program for women called The Yogini Path to guide them towards greater self-love and acceptance.
What does a day in your life look like?
I usually wake up between 6:00-6:30 am. I start off by drinking a mug of warm lemon water and then I do a 10-20 minute meditation. This is followed by a double Americano misto enjoyed as I sit fireside and listen to my favourite mantra music.
Depending on the day, this may be followed by a yoga practice or if I’m teaching early, I will try and get this in at some other time during the day. My daily work schedule is a mix of 1 or 2 yoga classes, private sessions, online coaching clients, emails, program/retreat development and marketing.
I will be sure to get outside at some point and on days I’m not booked with clients, I will plan to get out hiking, climbing, or mountain biking. I’ll have dinner between 6:30-7:30 pm and then like to spend time reading and writing before bed, which is between 9:00-9:30 pm.
How do you incorporate wellness into your everyday life?
By taking time each day to do some self-care, whether that involves spending time in nature, a yoga practice, a massage, a workout, an essential oil salt bath, reading or journaling. After experiencing periods of extreme burnout, I’ve learned to say “no” more often in order to maintain a better work-life balance and ensure my own self-care is a priority. When I stay full, I feel strong, grounded, clear and productive. My creativity flows, my business grows, and I attract people and opportunities that are in alignment with my values and commitment to well-being in mind, body and spirit.
What are your top three wellness tips?
1. Meditate every day.
2. Eat as close to the earth as possible. If you don’t know what the food looked like before, chances are that it’s not a great choice.
3. Do some movement every day, like yoga, cardio or circuit training.
Words you live by?
“I choose to live by choice, not by chance;
to make changes, not excuses;
to be motivated, not manipulated;
to be useful, not used;
to excel, not compete.
I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.
I choose to listen to my inner voice,
not the random opinion of others.
I choose to see my beauty.”
What are your favourite items in the current NoMiNoU collection?
My top three picks are: Steph Black & White Leggings, Wolf Teal Leggings, Eagle Gold Leggings
What or who is currently inspiring you?
All of the women out there who are lighting it up in business, consciousness, lightwork and sisterhood. Elena Brower, Brene Brown and Guru Jagat are the top 3 names that come to mind.
What’s next for you? Any exciting projects, collaborations, events, or personal milestones in the works?
I have quite a bit of travel lined up this year, with retreat offerings on sacred lands, including Bali and Mexico, as well as a few offerings in the Canadian Rockies. The Yogini Path program is gaining momentum and I am looking to expand its reach. I’m also in the initial stages of developing a couple of new offerings, which keeps me creating and evolving personally while supporting women as they awaken to their beauty, power and grace.
