Throughout our lives, we all struggle with balancing our professional with our personal life. Some will say that there is no such thing. However, I believe the future is not about balance, but work-life integration.
Today, more than ever, people are playing many different roles in their lives: workers, parents, spouses, friends, caregivers for elderly relatives, and volunteers in their communities. They must also make room in their lives for taking care of their own physical and mental well-being.
Indeed, with all that going on, it’s tough. When people spend time in their business, they often feel guilty about not being with their family. Conversely, while with family, they feel guilty about not looking after the business.
Karen Murphy is no different, but may have the answer for you. She is building a prosperous business while at the same time raising two children with another on the way. Karen and the staff at Moksha Yoga address this issue by providing a place where people can achieve peace and strive to be their best self.
They enlighten others to the possibilities of living a holistic, balanced, healthy (both mentally and physically), and productive life. A “balanced life” consists of prioritizing what is most important to you, making the right choices to accomplish that, and staying connected to the ‘why’ of what you do every day.
Karen, like many Island entrepreneurs, traveled and worked in various places and fields before realizing what she really wanted. She discovered her passion while working with PepsiCo in Calgary, Alberta. She was in sales, exceeding all her targets, and on her way to great success in the corporate world. During this time, she was introduced to Moksha Yoga. Originally drawn to the physical aspects and cardiovascular workout, she quickly realized it was more than a great way to stay in shape. She saw the benefits of mindful breathing, reduced stress, and an incredible blissful feeling post workout.
In fact, the experience was so great she wanted to share it with others. So, Karen went on to complete her Moksha Yoga training in Toronto, traveling to Costa Rica in 2010 for Moksha Level 2. Moksha means pure, and the great part of Moksha Yoga is that it is accessible to everyone, regardless of age or level of ability.
While in Calgary, she and fiancé, John Arch MacDougall, began to miss home and family and got the idea of bringing the Moksha concept to P.E.I. But, would people embrace it? Taking a big risk, she opened in a large salon near the Charlottetown harbor. She started with a team of two yoga instructors (including herself) and seven spa staff. They did not know what to expect, but for the first class at 6:00 a.m. on opening day – 17 people showed up. She now has 16 Yoga instructors, 23 spa staff, and the business continues to flourish.
Moksha Charlottetown is growing for many reasons: the products are all organic (free of chemicals), she hires top-quality people, provides on-going training and personal development, treats her workers like family, and ensures each customer has a positive experience. As part of the international organization, she provides a more affordable Karma option costing $5. All of which gets donated and has raised over $5 million for human rights and holistic health charities.
Even with all this, Karen maintains a balanced life. In fact, just setting up for this interview was challenging as she did not want to take time away from her kids. She practices what she teaches.
My question for business owners:
Are you just in it for the money, or do you truly have a desire to help others and provide a healthy balanced workplace for your staff?
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