Talking Yoga, Limiting Beliefs & Self Love with Olivia Hansson

I have endless energy, my Human Design is Generator. I love connecting with people, and most of all: bring people together. I adore action, living life, doing and creating. I'm addicted to reveal limited beliefs and to always grow. 

Sagittarius sun, Aries Moon and Leo Rising. My constitution is pure fire and Yoga helped me balance out my fiery nature. I’m not so sensitive, but my depth is endless. Yoga has helped me to come in contact with my spiritual perception of life. 

2. How did you find Yoga and what has practicing Yoga meant to you? 

I’ve suffered from every eating disorder there is since the age of 12 which naturally shaped my younger years, it was really bad. This combined with putting pressure on myself to be ‘’ perfect ‘’ naturally killed my own essence and life force. 

I was fed up with myself and felt an urge to change. I realised nothing needed to change in my external world, it was all me. I came to a point where I just sat down and started to meditate each night in my apartment, and I came back home. I let go. I finally let go of what I thought life was like, all the false beliefs and came back to connection, with everyone and everything. Self Love appeared for the first time. Like meditation wasn’t new to me at all. I could sit for hours, and my entire life changed. It was just a couple months meditating, before I booked a flight to India and the Himalayas for my first Yoga Teacher Training. 20 y/o alone, ha ha. Did I mention I’m a sagittarius always up for an adventure? Well, Yoga changed my life. 

3. How do you use Yoga on and off the mat?

I practice Ashtanga Mysore on a regular basis and find it so powerful as it really forces me to push my limits and go to unexplored places within myself and increase my strength. The practice mirrors where I am. When I avoid my practice I often see a connection that I’m comfortable with or have some fear of moving in my outside world, like I’m afraid of the unknown. So you can say I use it to measure where I am, to be self aware and find my power. As a teacher I love to give space, to give everyone the opportunity to take ownership and responsibility for their own time on the mat. Together with hands-on assists which is common in the Jivamukti Yoga Method, to encourage everyone to move more into their potential and not settle for less. 

Love, acceptance, limitlessness are affirmations I carry with me always. 

4. What advice would you give your 11 year old self?

I would hug her and tell her firmly, Please Olivia, start to FEEL. Don’t suppress your feelings. It is ok to be sad, it is ok to be angry. Feel it all. You don’t have to be the light in this world. Don’t abandon yourself. Speak up. Don’t be too kind. 

You have the right to be here.

Thank You Olivia for sharing your story and journey with us! We hope you enjoyed getting to know her better. If you are interested in finding our more about Olivia we suggest that you follow her account on Instagram @olivianiccolina