Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Mitchell.
Hi Monique, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello, thank you so much for having me! After giving birth to my first baby girl, I found myself in a dark place and began to feel like I didn’t know who I really was. I began researching ways to find inner-peace and looking for answers on how to just feel better.
That is when I learned about the power of affirmations, yoga, and meditation. After months of studying yoga, practicing self-affirmations, and meditating; my life began to change. I began to transform and truly love myself for the first time.
Once I realized that there were so many women like me, struggling with their mental health and not knowing what to do about it, I began thinking of ways of how I could share my journey with others like me. This is when Unapologetic Yoga, LLC. was born!
A mother-daughter duo made this all possible. Our mats are created with so much love. The beautiful Queens displayed on each mat along with the prints, were hand-painted by my extremely talented and beautiful mother. I then reached out to my co-worker at the time (who is the CEO of Binafsi Photography & Edits) to edit the image for printing. From there, I edited and added designs and the words of affirmation to create our beautiful yoga mats.
We also carry our luxury Cork Mantra Blocks created to inspire, motivate, and empower you. More yoga mats that represent greater diversity, to include men, and children, athleisure apparel, and more will be coming soon!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but I feel like anytime that you are doing something that is meaningful and worth doing, it isn’t going to be easy.
I am here to spread awareness about practices that can heal and lead people to a life where they love themselves unapologetically, allowing them to become the best version of themselves.
Before I decided to create Unapologetic Yoga, LLC., I was working as an IT Specialist. I did love my job and was very good at it, but it wasn’t fulfilling to me. Starting a business from scratch with no background in marketing, sales, or any of the things that you need to know as a business owner took me completely out of my element.
I spent hours and hours researching, reading, and studying books about what I needed to do to create a successful business. I also had to teach myself how to use Adobe Photoshop in order to finalize the images seen on my products. I had just given birth to my second baby girl four months before I launched my business. There were so many sleepless nights, working to keep my social media presence up, dealing with vendors, having to repeatedly start over in the attempt to create the highest-quality, sustainable products for my customers.
I learned so much along the way and am still learning every day, but for the first time in my life, I am fulfilled by my work and I have made the most amazing connections with my customers and people I have been introduced to since beginning my business. Needless to say, all of the hard work it takes has been absolutely worth it!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Besides running the day-to-day operations of Unapologetic Yoga, LLC., I am currently working for and managing my mother’s company. We have the incredible opportunity to care for two intellectually disabled individuals who literally make our lives better. It has been such a blessing caring for them and sharing our lives with them. I am also in the Air Force National Guard and have been for 11 years. I am very proud of all of the opportunities I’ve had in my life to be of service to others in need.
I believe that compassion, not only for others but for ourselves is so essential to living a life of fulfillment. Some people see compassion as a weakness, but I see it as my greatest strength.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was of the first time I was introduced to breathwork and “Om” meditation. It was the first time that I had ever consciously realized and experienced the connection of your mind, spirit, and body. There was this amazing teacher named Ms. Delanie that taught this practice to me and a group of my friends. That moment was such a great moment to me that it stuck with me all the way up until my greatest moment of weakness; suffering with my mental health and self-worth after giving birth to my first baby. I remembered that moment and how I felt so grounded and knew I had to get back to that.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@unapologetic.yoga
- Website: www.unapologetic.yoga
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/
Unapologetic_yoga - Facebook: www.facebook.com/
www.unapologetic.yoga
