Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Lamansky.
Michelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My first yoga class was not love at first sight. It was slow, but incredibly difficult. I was confused by words like “chaturanga” and “take your vinyasa,” and I was convinced everyone else in the room somehow knew exactly what they were doing except for me.
To make matters worse, I arrived late to a crowded class and ended up squeezed into a tiny spot at the very front of the room, with my mat about six inches from the mats on either side of me. I was certain everyone was watching and judging me. I left that class thinking I would never return to yoga again.
But about a year later, a friend convinced me to try another class. I reluctantly agreed, fully expecting to hate it. This time, though, the experience was completely different. The class was slow, peaceful, and focused on breathing and grounding. For an entire hour, someone gently reminded me to breathe deeply over and over again—something I didn’t even realize I needed.
I started to notice how different I felt after class. My stress levels softened. I felt less frustration and more patience with myself and others. I kept coming back for that feeling, and over time I began to carry that sense of calm with me beyond the mat.
Eventually I realized I didn’t just love practicing yoga—I wanted to share it with others.
For a long time I hesitated because I didn’t think I fit the mold of what a yoga teacher was “supposed” to look like. But as I approached my late 30s, I had a realization: if this was something I truly wanted to pursue, it was probably a now-or-never moment.
So I decided to get certified.
Over time I worked my way up to becoming an RYT-500 yoga instructor and completed Mental Health Aware Yoga training focused on anxiety, depression, and trauma. That training deeply shaped the way I teach, because I strongly believe you never know what someone may have experienced in their life. I want my classes to feel like a supportive, welcoming space for anyone who walks through the door.
Today my work focuses on helping beginners—and people who feel intimidated by traditional yoga spaces—discover that yoga can actually be accessible, supportive, and empowering. I also work with many people who are returning to yoga after a long absence or reconnecting with movement as their bodies change over time. I teach locally, work privately with students, and write about yoga and wellness.
I’m also developing online programs designed specifically for beginners who want to learn the foundations of yoga at their own pace, build confidence in their bodies, and feel more comfortable stepping into a class when they’re ready.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple idea: you don’t need to be flexible, experienced, or perfect to belong in a yoga room. Yoga can meet people exactly where they are, and sometimes the most powerful changes begin with small, supportive steps.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Pursuing yoga as a second career later in life hasn’t always been a straight or easy path—but many of those challenges have shaped the way I teach today.
One of the biggest adjustments was simply starting something new in my late 30s. When you enter a field later in life, it’s easy to question whether you’re “too late” or whether you truly belong in that space. I had to work through some of those doubts myself while building the confidence to step into the role of teacher.
Professionally, another learning curve has been building a presence without owning a studio of my own. I teach at a couple of local locations that already have their own communities, so part of my journey has been figuring out how to reach people beyond the physical classroom. Over time, that pushed me to start sharing more online—through writing and social media—which opened up a different kind of community.
In many ways, that shift has been a gift. Online, I’m able to reach people who may never step into a yoga studio because they feel intimidated, unsure, or like they’re “not good at yoga.” Hearing their experiences reinforced something I had already been seeing in class: beginners don’t need harder poses or faster flows—they need reassurance, clear modifications, and permission to move at their own pace.
Those experiences ultimately shaped the work I’m doing now. My focus has become helping people feel comfortable and capable in their bodies so they can walk into a yoga space—or practice at home—and truly feel like they belong there.
We’ve been impressed with Balanced Yoga, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My work focuses on helping people discover that yoga can meet them exactly where they are in life — including the moment when their body doesn’t move quite the way it used to.
Many of my students are beginners, but just as often they’re people rediscovering yoga later in life. Maybe they practiced years ago and are returning after a long break, or they’re navigating changes in their body that make movement feel different than it once did. Flexibility, strength, and balance evolve over time, and yoga can be an incredibly supportive way to reconnect with your body during those transitions.
Because of that, I specialize in beginner-friendly yoga that emphasizes thoughtful modifications, body and breath awareness, and building confidence gradually. Instead of pushing people to perform poses perfectly, I focus on helping them understand their bodies and find ways to practice that feel safe, supportive, and sustainable.
I teach locally, work privately with clients, and write about yoga and wellness. I’m also developing online programs designed specifically for beginners who want to build confidence and skills at their own pace — especially those who may not yet feel ready to walk into a class.
What I’m most proud of is creating spaces where people realize they don’t have to be flexible, advanced, or “good at yoga” to benefit from the practice. Yoga can begin at any stage of life, and it often becomes most meaningful when people learn to approach their bodies with patience and curiosity rather than pressure.
How do you define success?
I used to think success meant building something big — a large community, packed classes, or some traditional version of “making it.” Over time, my definition has shifted.
Now I measure success in much quieter moments: when someone who once felt intimidated by yoga tells me they finally walked into a class and felt comfortable, or when a student realizes they can modify a pose without feeling embarrassed or like they’re doing something wrong.
Creating a space where people feel physically and emotionally safe to explore their bodies is something I care deeply about. When that sense of safety is there, people naturally begin to relax a little more. Their breathing slows, their shoulders soften, and they start to experience the deeper benefits of the practice.
Yoga has an incredible ability to help regulate the nervous system and lower stress levels, and those changes often ripple far beyond the mat. I’ve seen students become more patient with themselves, respond more calmly in difficult moments, and carry a greater sense of balance into their work, relationships, and daily life.
For me, success is helping people reconnect with their bodies in a way that feels supportive instead of punishing. If someone leaves a class or finishes one of my programs feeling more confident, more capable, and a little more at home in their own body, that feels like real success.
At the end of the day, my goal isn’t to create perfect yogis. It’s to help people realize they belong in the room exactly as they are.
Pricing:
- Belong in the Room – 6-Week Online Yoga Program: $97
- Beginner-friendly program designed for anyone who has ever felt intimidated or out of place in a yoga class
- Includes video lessons, guided meditations, breathwork practices, and bonus downloadable guides
- Lifetime access, so students can revisit lessons at their own pace
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.balancedyogatn.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancedyogatn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balancedyogatn
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Balanced_yoga
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@balanced.yoga
