From Crime Reporter to Yoga Teacher- Rethinking the Career Ladder | A Conversation with Sonia Azad
Sonia Azad did what a lot of people here dream about doing: she left a successful career to teach yoga full time.
After more than 20 years as a TV journalist and crime reporter, Sonia made the leap into becoming a full-time yoga teacher.
In this episode of Gift-Led, we talk about what it actually takes to make a leap like this, the fears and practical realities of leaving an established career, and Sonia’s advice for anyone considering doing the same.
We also explore one of my favorite ideas from the conversation: what if we stopped thinking about our careers as ladders and started thinking about them as lattices? After climbing the corporate ladder herself, Sonia realized there was “nothing up there” for her.
If you’re considering leaving a career that no longer aligns with your purpose to build one around yoga, I hope this conversation inspires you.
Chapters:
00:00 From TV journalist to yoga teacher
03:06 Sonia’s roots in dance and teaching
07:09 Why we’re taught to choose a “real” career
10:30 When traditional success stops feeling like enough
12:22 Sonia didn’t leave journalism to get rich from yoga
13:37 Your career is a lattice, not a ladder
16:00 Rethinking what a successful career looks like
20:31 Sonia’s 20+ year career in journalism and crime reporting
22:19 When her dream career stopped working
25:40 Choosing time, sleep, and freedom
27:55 Wanting to “let myself out of a cage”
30:58 The moment Sonia knew it was time to leave
33:45 Life after leaving TV
35:13 The financial reality of making the leap
37:29 Building a career without giving up your freedom
41:40 Creating your own version of work
43:19 Health insurance, money, and the “golden handcuffs”
52:58 What Sonia’s yoga career looks like today
57:12 Letting go of the perfect long-term plan
59:54 Building a life around your values
1:03:38 Do you need a big audience to succeed?
1:03:48 Building trust instead of chasing followers
1:08:00 You don’t need to build a yoga empire
1:10:13 Advice for anyone considering leaving their career
1:13:12 “Not right now” doesn’t mean “not forever”
Find Sonia:
@soniaazadtv
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