It was the summer of 2007. The saying “When it rains it pours” is an understatement when describing this period of my life. It was the most challenging time in my marriage for several reasons. I discovered I was pregnant with our third child (a complete surprise) at the same time my husband was laid off from his lucrative corporate position (our main source of income). These challenges, we soon learned, were in fact a blessing in disguise.
While a well-paying career presents stability, it comes with long hours and heightened stress. My husband took this career shift as an opportunity to pursue a job he was passionate about. Unfortunately, this shift also came with a significant pay cut. We decided I would work more to make up the difference.
As my husband took a leap of faith toward a new career, I too decided to further invest in something I was passionate about. I decided this was the right time to create an LLC as Sirrine Studio. To learn more about Sirrine Studio, go to www.sirrinestudio.com. This enabled me to combine my two passions in life, massage and yoga, to build a wellness studio. This was always a dream of mine, but pursuing your dreams is no easy task.
In the process of growing my business, we lost nearly everything, including our house and car. We filed for bankruptcy, relied on food stamps and government health care, and humbled ourselves to accept help from others. Once we had these material things stripped away from us, I learned that it wasn’t these things (what kind of car we drove, how big our house was, or what type of clothes I wore) that defined me.
I had to dig down deep inside and find the strength to get through that difficult time. I had to discover what qualities I have within me that enable me to persevere and adapt to change. You really don’t know what you are made of until you are put to the test in many areas of your life.
There were times when my husband’s attitude was far better than my own. I remember him saying “Who cares if we lose our house. I don’t care if we have to live in a cardboard box. As long as we have each other and stay together as a family that is all that matters”. He was definitely my ROCK through those struggles and continues to be my support to allow me to make dreams become a reality.
I often could not hold back the tears of gratitude for those who stepped up and helped us. We realized that this was merely a phase and something bigger and better was around the bend. At times it seemed like that was so far away and I had to keep relearning what the word patience meant. I continually worked at finding the little things in our lives to have gratitude for and stayed positive that we could get out of this extremely low valley we found ourselves in.
When our daughter arrived that fall, we received an amazing gift. She came into our lives when we needed her the most. When seeking a middle name for our newest arrival, we gravitated toward “Sirrine” … it was peaceful in nature and was precisely what we needed in our lives at that time.
Her spirit truly lives up to this name. She is sweet, happy and loving. I could not imagine our family without the serenity and joy that she continually brings to us. It is because I always want to be reminded of the “sunshine” that came out of the rain that I chose to also use her middle name as the name of my business.
It is amazing to see where we are today and how truly blessed we are. I would not be able to see and appreciate this unless I had experienced what I have these past 6 years. My business is such an asset to our family. I had to be patient in the process of building it. I am fortunate to have the assistance from others who saw my vision and were willing to trade services when times were tight to help build my business. We can now pay for all of our bills, groceries, dance classes, piano, and gymnastics on our own.
Now, it is the year 2014. I decided it is time to make another dream of mine come true…to create online yoga classes. For years I have heard students that move away state “I cannot find another yoga instructor like you, especially one that explains alignment like you.” I want the opportunity to be their instructor wherever they may be.
In addition to this, I want to capture my love of the outdoors and real, everyday people in my videos (my students) to show how yoga is truly for every BODY. You simply need to know where to start and what it is you want to get out of yoga.
Looking back at the series of events that happened in our lives, I whole-heartedly believe that everything happens for a reason. You may not see the reasons “why” when you are in that dark, deep tunnel with no glimpse of light. But there will come a time when you are able to realize that all of your struggles led to the place where you are now standing. I am forever grateful that my dreams are becoming a reality. It is my hope that I can continue to make a difference in the lives of others.