Phoebe Leona is the founder of nOMad always at OM, a collective global community of yogis, wellness practitioners, healers, travelers, and wanderers of all kinds.

In today’s episode, Phoebe shares a story about a vow that her husband made to her to always keep her smiling, and her journey experiencing her smile and joy, on her terms. While there were (many) smiles throughout their marriage, it also wasn’t without its challenges. Phoebe quickly realized that by putting herself aside to be of service to others, she was repeating old patterns, and putting her life’s work, passions, and own life to the side.

Phoebe comes from a strong movement background, and for a long time her identity was always wrapped around what she did. She received her BFA in Modern Dance from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she studied technique, anatomy, kinesiology, and pedagogy. As a professional dancer in New York City, her studies continued and she earned her Pilates certification from the Kane School of Core Integration, 500 hour Certification (ERYT500, YACEP) under the guidance of her mentor Jeanmarie Paolillo from YogaWorks and Restorative/Therapeutics training with Jillian Pransky from YogaWorks. She received her trauma informed yoga trainings from both Veteran’s Yoga Project, and Exhale to Inhale. Teaching at various studios/programs in New York City since 2002, Phoebe made the move to the Hudson Valley in 2010. She founded and directed the yoga program, Yoga at the Roundhouse as part of the boutique hotel, The Roundhouse at Beacon Falls in Beacon, NY.

As Phoebe shares, she was was questioning her purpose. After the death of her father, her world came crashing down, everything changed. Soon after, she found her sunshine again - until she found out that her husband wanted a divorce. She realized that she was ignoring the signs, because she was so happy her father was back in her life again, that she ignored the signs of her husband’s struggles. Phoebe began asking herself what she really wanted, and after a transformational experience in Costa Rica, in 2014, she founded nOMad always at OM that brings new experiences on and off the mat to yogis at nOMad's Online Studio, on yoga retreats, and at community events. Her mission through nOMad is to give her students the tools to live a fuller life with more joy, gratitude, confidence, and connection. She found her joy again, the sun began to shine again, and Phoebe now really knows who she is and she won’t stop smiling. As she so beautifully says, “let’s not put our smiles aside for others. Continue to beam and know that you are exactly as you should be.

“During those nine months in Costa Rica, I was cracked wide open. I was looking at the past patterns of my relationships, the choices that I had made, and I was looking at what do I want? Who am I? Who is this new Phoebe, and what does she want in her life? I realized that this is what I wanted for myself and for others, to see other ways of living and being.”

— Phoebe Leona

Tune in on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bZHrtjAzbksbLWNaak1NM

Tune in on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-of-inspiring-joy/id1510488632

To learn more about Phoebe and her work check out her website www.nOMadalwaysatOM.com and https://phoebeleona.com and on Facebook @nomadatom and @phoebe.kelly1, Instagram @phoebemiller.love and @nomadalwaysatom and you can find her podcast nOMad’s The Space in Between here

Stories of Inspiring Joy is a production of Seek The Joy Media and created by Sydney Weiss. To learn more and submit your story, click here.