What If? Listening to My Calling

My journey as a mother began with my two amazing children, Carter and Jayda. I feel endlessly blessed to be their mum. Years later, I was given the gift of becoming a step-parent to two incredible young women. As much as I hope I have guided and taught my children along the way, I humbly admit they have taught me so much more. They taught me patience, resilience and fierce advocacy. They showed me how to love with my whole heart and how to believe in someone completely, without condition.

Motherhood walked alongside some of my greatest chapters of growth and change. I navigated the heartbreak of divorce, a pain that runs deep no matter how the decision is made. Together, we moved more than once, packed up our lives, changed cities, and bought and sold homes. Through it all, I earned my MBA while parenting and working full-time. We cried, we celebrated, and we weathered every up and down of this unpredictable, beautiful experience called life.

Professionally, after years of working tirelessly toward my goals, I landed an incredible role as a Senior Consultant in the tech industry, focusing on change management and people leadership. Yet right in the middle of achieving what I had worked so hard for, my true purpose quietly began to reveal itself.

As an avid yogi, I spent almost all of my free time on the mat, in deep practice and training. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a quiet voice spoke up: “What if I owned my own yoga studio?”

At first, it was just a gentle nudge. But soon it grew so persistent and so loud that I couldn’t ignore it. One quiet evening, while travelling to visit my stepdaughter, I finally listened. I sat down, emailed YYOGA and asked for more information. Only after they agreed to meet with me did I let Derrick, my most adored life and business partner, in on the secret.

Today, as the proud owner of YYOGA West Point Grey, I have the privilege of bringing all of myself to this space: my business acumen, my nurturing nature and every ounce of my passion. I get to live my purpose every day.

My path hasn’t been linear. I have known deep heartbreak, incredible joy and everything in between. Through each season, I’ve uncovered reserves of strength, resilience, courage and gumption I never knew I had. The lows and the highs both come from simply living, and I’ve learned to welcome them all.

In the quiet, still moments on and off my mat, all I feel is overwhelming gratitude: for this wild adventure, for the tender strength that motherhood gave me, and for the community we get to welcome home each day.

Paula A. Jerez, MBA

Owner, YYOGA West Point Grey

Website: yyoga.ca | yyoga.tv

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