Career Change & Cannabis

Well, after a decade of teaching yoga, my body, my bank account, and my mindset have organically shifted me into a new direction in my career and life. Medicinal Cannabis.

For some, this may come as a surprise, for others who know me, this perhaps seems like a perfect fit. I’m feeling the latter of the two.

I find that yoga and medicinal cannabis align very much so from a career transition point of view. In the past I’ve worked with humans who were seeking a better quality of life via yoga, now I’m also helping folks seeking the same thing, but thru cannabis. In fact, many conversations I have with patients include how they can implement meditation and light yoga to amp up their self-care regiment to help treat daily mental and physical ailments. It’s actually a really beautiful partnership.

This change was a long time coming. After this past year of teaching fifteen classes a week, I was growing exhausted yet giving it my all. There was also a lack of inspiration and a lot of chronic pain and injury. I thought if I asked for a raise, it would fix my situation. When I didn’t get the raise I wanted, something happened. It’s as if a door with a welcome mat that read, Change is good, opened and I freaking skipped right on thru it.

Although not getting the dollar amount I desired felt shitty, it was a sign.

A sign to not stay put.

This is not a new feeling, however. Apparently, I like to change it up. In my past, I have worked in retail, hospitality, television, marketing, public relations, sales, yoga, blogging…and now, medical marijuana. Getting into the industry, via a hospitality associate (fancy name for budtender) at MedMen, seems like a well-rounded place to begin this new chapter of my life and career.

Every day I work with patients of the Illinois Medical Cannabis Pilot Program, learn how a dispensary is operated, how medicinal cannabis can help humans…all while using all the skills I have gathered over the past twenty years of work. It’s as if I gathered little nuggets of knowledge along the way to get me right here.

I suppose at this moment in time, everything I have done up to now has led me to this point. A bit of me feels like I am starting from scratch, yet I have many of the ingredients needed to bake (no pun intended) something extraordinary.

When I think of change, I think of all that encompasses it. Here is what I’ve gathered thus far for myself:

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I can really practice yoga again. One of the biggest things I missed while teaching yoga was actually taking yoga. I was lucky if I’d get in two classes in a week. My personal practice had disappeared because I was too pooped to practice. Now I know what the students feel like – walking into the studio to take a class is one of the best feelings ever.

Mistakes are made. With a new job (or anything new for that matter), mistakes happen. I made a couple impressionable mistakes when I first started in television and then again in yoga that helped me far more than hurt me in the long run. I anticipate learning from mistakes made along the way in this industry as well.

I’ve been hungry to learn something new. At 36 years old, my mind and heart needed something new to learn. Something to test me, teach me, use other parts of my brain. So far I’ve learned that starting something from scratch is exciting, scary, and worth it.

I love teaching yoga and always will. Which is why I kept my two Saturday classes. I am so freaking excited to put all my yoga and teaching love into those two weekly sessions and give my fellow students the best of what I’ve got.

Uncertainty is embraced. I don’t exactly know where this new career will take me from here or in which direction I will go, but I’m certainly excited to find out.

I was ready for change and apparently, my husband was too. Did I mention Anthony is in school getting his MBA in film? Trading to filmmaking. Yoga to cannabis. Buckle up!

To have compassion. Not only for our patients of course but for myself as well. I realize that I’m going to make errors, ask a lot of questions, become frustrated here and there, be annoyed I don’t know something  – it all comes with the territory. I need to not beat myself up over it too much.

I freaking love helping humans. I like when people help me so it feels good to give the love back. It’s not all sunshine and sparkles at the dispensary. It can be heavy. My hope is to give our patients an experience that makes them feel well taken care of and cared for. Just like in yoga.

More to read, learn and write about. I look forward to sharing what I learn about the world of cannabis with whoever is interested.  There is such a massive amount happening in this industry and the world of medicinal marijuana, I’m thrilled to be part of it.

I felt guilt and sadness. It’s sad to leave any job. It’s extra sad to leave students/friends you’re used to seeing and moving with on a daily basis as yoga is a very emotional, mental and physical practice. I’m grateful I hung on to a couple of classes I  could – they make my heart happy.

Making room for other types of classes. I taught a bridal shower a couple weeks back and it was a freaking blast! I think I may have a little side hustle yoga biz in mind. Thinking bachelorette parties, showers (baby and bridal), birthday celebrations, women empowerment, you name it! Cannabis yoga anyone?

Lunches! You better believe I nerd out with my lunch bag. Packing my lunch is one of my favorite perks of a full-time job. It’s therapeutic, money conscious, and healthy. My go-to: baked sweet potato, two slices of butter and a TON of Everything Seasoning from Trader Joe’s with a side of steamed broccoli. Filling and delightful!

Whoa, this is what 40 hours a week feels like. I’m not going to lie, the adjustment going from a yoga teaching schedule to an 8 hour-a-day schedule has been a doozy. But I like it. Keeps me on a nice schedule of making sure I get all my to-do’s done when I need to get them done by.

Change is constant. This we all know for certain.

If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.

       – Fred DeVito