Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Yu.
Danielle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hello everyone, my name is Danielle Yu or Danii for short and I’m from Queens, NY. I now reside in Orlando, Florida for over 7 years and I’m happy to call the sunny state my home. I wear multiple hats to fulfill both my professional and creative passions. I have been modeling since I was 17 and absolutely loved the creativity behind the art. I also pursued acting alongside. The talents that I’ve worked with are some of the most amazing people. It brings me so much joy to create and be a part of the art. One of my most proud moments is when I booked my first SAG national commerical for Experian with John Cena! It was such an awesome experience to work with talented individuals and see all the work behind the scenes!
Over the years, I have also found a love for yoga and wellness. Your body is your temple and the amount of energy and love you give yourself is extremely important. I finally committed myself into teaching and completed my 200hour YTT training in my dream location, Bali, Indonesia. I lived on the island for a month, and it was life-changing. Yes! Eat Pray Love vibes! Haha. I been practicing for over 8 years and teaching for 3. I value health and wellness and want to spread positivity to all those around me. That led me to then further a career in healthcare where I am currently.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I can say that it has been a smooth road, but we all know that success doesn’t come easy. Especially in the modeling and acting world, daily rejections are common. You can go on many auditions and not hear back. You learn to grow thicker skin and try again. Eventually you will book a job, sometimes more, sometimes less. The key is to follow your passion and don’t give up. The struggles and hardships are what makes it worthwhile in the end.
A quick story of how I ended up in Bali- I was at a job where I thought would be a lasting career, but I ended up losing trust and belief in management. I was not content and contemplated changing jobs for almost a year. I was also not in a good mental space in my personal life and was lost and confused as to what my purpose was in life. I tried to apply for other jobs but really didn’t want to. So, I did something for myself for the first time and invested in my health being- going for a dream and making it a reality! I quit my job with no backup plan and took my mom to travel to Asia for 2 months. We have family in China where we stayed, and I traveled to Bali by myself for my yoga training. I didn’t realize it at the time but that’s when my soul searching began and I felt real happiness for the first time, without all the burdens that I was carrying on my shoulders. I came back with more clarity and was in a better place. I started being more active with my model/acting agencies, I began to teach yoga at studios and at the community parks. I landed an amazing position in healthcare. The universe was taking care of me because I was open and willing. I am forever grateful in my journey to be where I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As someone that wears many hats, I am most proud of being a yoga instructor. I am grateful to be able to share my knowledge and passion to others. Through yoga, I’ve learned to be more mindful of not just physically but mentally. Yoga is a way of life, asanas are just one part of the practice on a physical level, but the mental awareness to the body and the environment is even more valuable. I know that my purpose in life is to shine and to spread positivity in all forms. The best feeling of fulfillment is when students walk away from a meaningful beautiful practice and are in a happier, calmer place than when they first walked in. It makes me so grateful and content that I can make a difference. I love when students come to me for advice and knowing that I might be of service and to share some knowledge. I specialize in Hatha, Vinyasa, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, Yin, and Restore.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’m super excited for my upcoming event where I will be modeling in the Tampa Fashion Week in September. Runway shows my favorite and I love trying on beautiful designs to showcase to the audience. Who doesn’t like playing dress ups right?
It may seem like a clique quote, but life is too short to wait around and ponder. Live it to the fullest the best you can. Find your passion, find what fuels you, and go for it. You can have both a professional and a creative life. You can be fulfilled with everything you dreamed of. Don’t give up when it’s hard. Persistence and consistency is key to success. Even if it may feel like a dark place, just know there will always be light at the end of the tunnel. Just keep going. You got this! Let’s all win together!
Contact Info:
- Website:www.myblueyogamat.com
- Instagram: @myblueyogamat /@litofoodie / @litodanii
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/myblueyogamat
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=dWCgdYPcafVOeCK0Tnc00Q
Image Credits
Ehsan Ababafha
Trung Nguyen
