Paris James is the owner of Mindfully Fit Lifestyle and Your Yoga BFF. She is originally from Trinidad & Tobago, a small Caribbean island, and has paved the way for everyone to start their yoga journey. With a Hons. BSc. in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, she combines her knowledge of the human body and mind, with her passion for living, and encouraging everyone, to live a holistic life. Paris believes that bringing your mind and body into balance is the key component to being fulfilled. Your Yoga BFF is an institution where everyone is welcomed. The company has launched two books and two pre-recorded courses on how to get started with yoga. She has also launched a core program for those willing to take their practice to the next level. Mindfully Fit Lifestyle and Your Yoga BFF go hand in hand as a team ready and waiting to encourage this movement on a wider scale.
Tell us about who you are and what you do.
Hi everyone my name is Paris and I am Your Yoga BFF. Your Yoga BFF is a community where people can come together to learn more about how to bring their minds and bodies into balance. I currently offer a range of both online and in-person classes, as well as Mindfully Fit Lifestyle products to help you on your journey.
Currently, I offer:
1. Two E-books on how to get started with Yoga
2. 28 Day Beginner Yoga Program (Over 40 videos on the foundation of a Yoga practice)
3. 28 Day Core Control Program (Over 80+ exercises to get those ABS and that core strength!)
4. Monthly Live Zoom Classes (5 classes a week on Zoom with Your Yoga BFF)
5. Mindfully Fit Lifestyle products including PJ Yoga Mats/Blocks/Straps/Wheels/Massage Balls, Foam Rollers, ABS Sliders, and Resistance Bands. They’re all available on my @YourYogaBFF page
6. I also have an Instagram Page @theparisjames, with a tonne of free resources and tutorials that you can check out. I also host challenges to get you started on your Yoga journey!
Tell us how you created this brand and what was the sole idea behind it.
Three years ago, I moved back home to Trinidad, after pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Neuroscience at the University of Toronto. I felt lost when I returned, not certain of what my path would be. I started ous staring into the tunnel of what my future held, and I began questioning if I was really happy at that time in my life. I started scrolling through my IG feed and happened across photos of this beautiful girl practicing different yoga postures. There was something about the way that she moved and radiated sunshine, that entranced me. I thought to myself, “If I could do that same move, I’d probably feel the same way!” Needless to say, I tried to pop into that Wheel Pose, and it was ridiculously hard. I tried over and over again until my back was in pain the next day. I couldn’t believe that it wasn’t as easy as it looked. I was convinced that my body would be capable of doing it too, so I did what I did best as an academic – I started studying it. I studied the movement, the postures, and everything I needed to be able to move like that. I slowly got addicted to it and before I knew it, I would be practicing every single yoga pose when I woke up, before I showered, before I got into bed, while I was in bed, and pretty much every possible place and time. I noticed that there was a growing yoga community online, so I started posting photos of myself practicing and before I knew it, I was welcomed into the community with open arms. The more I practiced, the more I improved, and soon, friends started asking me to teach them. It never crossed my mind to be a Yoga Instructor but the idea slowly started to grow on me. I did tons of research and eventually the stars aligned for me to complete my Yoga Teacher Training so that I could continue to do what I love, and inspire others as well.
During COVID, my classes were all shut down due to the restrictions on the gyms. I had a lot of free time at this point, so I decided to compile a list of questions that people usually ask me with regards to starting a yoga practice. Eventually the idea came to me to write a book to help others begin their at-home practice. “So You Want To Start Yoga, What Now?,” and “I’m On My Mat, What Now?” were the first two Yoga E-books that were released on my website and the response was amazing! I was so happy to help everyone find their way and start their practice (something I believe everyone should do because the benefits of Yoga are LIFE CHANGING!). When writing the book, I’d never forget that in the last line of the first paragraph I said “Don’t think of me as some spiritual guru, think of me as Your Yoga BFF.” One night as I was sleeping, those three words kept playing over and over in my mind and when I woke up I knew that Your Yoga BFF was going to be the name I would use for the start of the brand. At this point in time, the ideas that I had were endless! I wanted to create an online platform where people can get pre recorded courses, live classes and more! The more people that were interested in yoga in, the more the demand grew for yoga equipment and before I knew it, things were lining up again for me to create my very own brand down here to supply the demand for the cutest supply of yoga accessories. I created the main brand Mindfully Fit Lifestyle LTD., which was designed to equip you with everything you need to not just be Fit, but to be Mindfully Fit throughout your journey.
Go in detail and tell us about how your brand works. You may keep this from the audience’s perspective.
I want my brand to be the GO-TO brand for all things yoga. I found a deep love of this practice and I know that starting yoga can be so intimidating for everyone, so I want to really be that person people can come to with advice to live their best lives. The frontline marketing for the brand is my Instagram @theparisjames, where I share tutorial, yoga pictures, transformations and more. From here you can access my pre-recorded courses and my E-books. You can also book a private class with me online and in person as well. In this session, we can go over all of your goals and get you on the right path to align yourself. With regards to the products, the Mindfully Fit Products are available to help you get deeper into your practice e.g. Blocks, Wheels and more.
I want to be an inspiration to everyone on their yoga journey, encouraging them that it’s never too late to start, you’re never too old, and there definitely isn’t a restriction to start yoga e.g. body weight, age, size, flexibility etc.
What is your giveaway idea through this interview? Highlight something that may interest the readers on a one to one basis.
Besides following your dreams, I think that I want everyone to realize how amazing a yoga practice can be for you. It’s something I think that everyone should get involved with, no matter how young or old. Yoga brings your life into balance in way that you’ve never imagined. – it helps you align with your truest self. You will be able to have an outlet to clear your mind, bring yourself into balance, and pave the way to accomplish your goals.
If you’re feeling stressed, not sleeping well, or feel like something is missing from your life – then this should be your sign to start your yoga practice now!
Explain the challenges you went through while you were working on brand creation. What are the challenges you go through on an everyday basis?
Some of the challenges I went through revolve around self-doubt in the beginning. I thought – okay but there are a million yoga instructors, what makes me different? I debated whether I would be judged for sharing yoga online on my Instagram or doing things in a certain way. These fears disappeared because the moment I started doing what I love, everything fell into place. Other challenges I face would be how to branch off my yoga classes and products to an international level, and how to constantly encourage everyone to try yoga. In doing this, I realized that there are a lot of misconceptions around yoga e.g. Males feel like it’s not something that they would like to do, and other times, they think yoga is “just stretching.” It’s those blockages that I have to work around, that sometimes pose a challenge to the business.
Another challenge that I sometimes face is having time to practice for myself – with all the hours of teaching and organizing, my own personal practice suffers at times, but I want to make sure that I put aside the time that I need to improve, and clear my mental space as well.
6How do you manage your finances through the services you offer? Any funding etc. receive?
The Mindfully Fit and Your Yoga BFF business are only one year old and so far, so external funding was received. I am at the stage where I re-invest everything in the business, and perhaps one day the stars will align for me to receive the funding that I need to expand and grow bigger. At this point, I am grateful to be able to sustain the business on my own.
Tell us your future vision about the brand. How far do you want to take it? What is your dream about taking it to the next level?
My vision for the brand is to take it to the next level regionally and internationally. 1. I want to offer several more courses to help everyone get started with yoga.
2. A YouTube Channel for free content on how to start your yoga practice, and how to bring your mind and body into balance
3. Regional and international workshops
4. Expand my equipment regionally and internationally and have the Your Yoga BFF brand as the go-to brand for those wanting to start a yoga practice.
5. I dream of teaching workshops in Bali and Thailand and having everyone be excited and happy when they come to / leave my class!
6. Branch off into Yoga Therapy, where I will combine my knowledge of yoga and background in science to bring therapy to anyone who needs it.
I would love to be everyone’s Yoga BFF, to be honest, ��I am hopeful that the COVID restrictions will end and that the world would soon be a safe place for interactions again. I plan on hosting workshops in the wider Caribbean and internationally, and eventually selling my Mindfully Fit Lifestyle products throughout the region as well. I would also love my online classes and programs to be internationally recognized so that everyone can participate in the fun! I would dream of one day working with larger brands for brand sponsorships within my own practice, whilst making Your Yoga BFF a beautiful friendship, and welcoming global brand to help everyone find their strength. I would also love to set up a Yoga Therapy practice, and eventually try to see how it can
help in medical fields. P.S. Yoga is quickly becoming a form of prescribed medicine so who know what the future holds? I’m here for it!
What message would you like to give to anybody who has a plan of creating something of their own and making a living through it?
I would definitely say to everyone reading this, that if you have a dream or a desire, go for it. If you are unhappy in your current job, or you’re doing it because that’s what society said was what was the “right way,” then you will live your entire life unhappy, and always wondering “What if?.” To me, life is so short – you can be gone before you know it, so what really is the purpose? Do you want to spend your life working in a job or being in a situation that you hate, or do you want to take your passion and turn it into a profit? My advice would be to take it one step at a time and start planning what you want to do – if you like art, either start doing art classes, selling your art, hosting virtual paint nights and so much more! The possibilities are endless, so all you have to do is start! When you really look at it, our time here is short so let your passion lead you to your purpose.
Company name : Mindfully Fit Lifestyle – Your Yoga BFF
Email Address : theparisjames@gmail.com
Website: practice.theparisjames.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theparisjames/?hl=en