When One Door Closes, Another Always Opens (Part 6 of 6)

“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you.” – Rumi

We have arrived at the final chapter of my story of expansion over the past 22 years. The world continued to search for a sense of normalcy post-pandemic, but many of us continued to feel an undercurrent of fear. Fear that we would face another lockdown, fear of being out in community, fear of more loss. 

As things slowly began to pick back up, many still found comfort in practicing at home. We had to create a connected experience for both those in the studio and those practicing virtually. There were rough points and plenty of trial and error, but we made it work. The gift of being online, beyond offering our community another way to continue practice, was the expanded reach. Students who had moved away were able to return, new students joined us from other states, and we even found expansion in our training programs with participants joining virtually from around the world. 

We were slowly but surely recovering from the weight of the pandemic. As time went on, we hit another roadblock. The intention behind the expansion was to freely run training programs without worrying about space. But with the new virtual format, it became clear that the additional space was no longer needed. I was locked into a lease, so I had to make it work somehow. 

I decided to split the schedule between the two spaces. I believed it would be simple since the suites were across the parking lot from each other. I thought clear signs and notes in confirmation emails would help, but in the end there was frustration and confusion. It went against what we stood for. In November 2024, I made the hard decision to close suite 130. I could not make it work financially, and paying the penalty for breaking the lease was better than struggling to manage both spaces. 

I felt like I had failed and wondered if this was the end of the amazing growth I experienced with the studio. One of my biggest visions from the days at the Dojo was to own land and build a healing sanctuary. While I was grateful for the visibility of Brown Station Road, I wanted to create a space of peace, calm, and quiet. Was I fooling myself for dreaming that big? 

When I shared the news with my community, I feared their reaction. Would they also see me as a failure? I first told the yogi support team and instructors. To my surprise, I was met with understanding. Many admitted that things had felt disjointed between the two locations, but they trusted me and chose not to bring it up. The same was true with our students. They were simply happy the studio was still here and that they could continue to practice. 

Grateful and humbled by the outpouring of love, I turned in the keys and let the space go. I felt peace with the decision, realizing that technically I had still expanded, but keeping both spaces was not in alignment. My ego may have wanted two spaces, but my spirit was asking for something different. 

With one space again, I was able to focus and improve not only the offerings but also the way we support the studio. The intention was to ensure SEY continues to be thoughtful, welcoming, and aligned for all who visit. I felt freedom and excitement for what lies ahead instead of sadness for what had ended. 

Now, as I look to the future, I know what it will take for the next big expansion – faith, courage, surrender, joy, community, rest, and clear intentions. I know in my heart and soul that the perfect land to build on is closer than I imagine and that everything is lining up to make the dream a reality. 

Thank you for your time, energy, and attention as I reflected and reminisced. I hope you enjoyed this journey with me.

With love and gratitude,
Dana Andrea

Grow on your entrepreneurial path with me.
If you’ve been moving through your business feeling unclear, inconsistent, or out of rhythm or if you have an idea you don’t yet know how to structure into something sustainable, Join me for the Aligned CEO intensive. It offers the space to slow down, get clear, and shift into aligned action. Click here for more information and to sign up.