June 30, 2022

Dedica: Deanna Di Carlo

Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get into yoga?

My name is Deanna but my friends call me Dea (dee) I am from Toronto, Canada, and I have been a yoga and fitness instructor for the last 13 years! I am a gemini, I love the sun, animals, espresso, the ocean, horses, good company and delicious food, red wine, seeing new places and meeting new people. I fell in love with yoga at the age of 17, it was the physical intensity of the practice that got me hooked. I used to experience daily panic and anxiety attacks- yoga allowed me to both shift and shed my energy, but with daily work and practice it helped me to see the root cause of my anxiety and gave me a safe place to rewire my mind.

Three good habits that you recommend to have more self love?

1. Show up for yourself: I think we are hardest on ourselves when we know that we are not doing what we know we need to do to be and feel our best. The more often you keep your promises to yourself the more you trust yourself. You feel confident and grounded when you know you're handling your sh*t !

2. Let yourself have fun and enjoy: We all have to work! But let yourself enjoy the things that you've worked hard for! There are times to work hard and there are times to let it goooo! When you have worked hard you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labour! You have created a new way for yourself, you have made the sacrifices, there will be a time to work.. but you are here now and you only get this once!

3. Create rituals: Setting an intention before you sip your coffee and start your day, meditation, breathework, your 10 step skincare routine..

Do you have one quick exercise that helps you go through a difficult day or situation?

I ask myself, will this matter in 5 years or 5 months and if the answer is no, I decide to leave that feeling there in that moment.

Favorite book or podcast?

My favourite book of all time is a fiction called Shantaram. It is about the author's life and how he escaped jail in Australia and lived at large in Bombay, India for over 10 years!

Best piece of advice for these rare times?

The only consistency right now is inconsistency-- so learn to be adaptable, be willing to pivot and leave it all at any moment. Meet the moment where it is.

What does #ShiningFromWithin mean to you?

It means living authentically. Following your heart and finding people and places that help you cultivate and move closer to your truest and more realized self