Laveca Avant, a.k.a. Vee_313, is a Detroit native on a mission to motivate others to live a life of purpose and find healing in the process. In this interview, she reveals more about her journey to becoming a yoga teacher and why it’s essential for people to live a life of peace and pursue the work they love.

Q: Tell me a little about yourself; what is your background and how did you get into teaching yoga? 

“I was born and raised in Detroit Michigan, but I also lived in Virginia for some years. I am a mother of two handsome young men. I love eating good food, traveling, reading, and dancing. I worked as a full-time administrative assistant then I was promoted against my will to office manager for a security company while in VA. I say against my will because I was also a full-time student, wife, and mother and didn’t think I would be able to manage, but the owner and God saw differently. I was a nursing major and before I started the actual program for nursing the following semester I decided to take a yoga class. After the first class, I wondered what the heck did I sign myself up for. However, I stuck it out and then eventually changed schools and I also changed my major from nursing to dance. In the dance program, we would use yoga and pilates to help strengthen the body and aid in flexibility. That’s when I believe I was bitten by the bug and my love for yoga grew.

I decided to look into teaching yoga, but the pricing was so high I could barely afford to look LOL! So that plan went all the way to the back of my mind.  Some years later I moved back to Michigan and one of my coworkers asked if I wanted to take a yoga class. I said yes. That’s when I found a home with The Trap Yoga & Massage Studio. They had just started yoga teacher training so after the class, I signed up for the training.“

Q: What or who has been the biggest motivator on your journey?

“Life as we knew it changed when Covid came into the picture and the training went from in-person to online. That March I lost my father-in-law and when May came, I lost my father. Neither were Covid related, but still. I wanted to quit but I knew my father would not want me to, so I kept going. So, I’m proud to say that my father has been my biggest motivator.”

Q: Which styles of yoga do you currently teach?

“I teach Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Yin. I also teach breathwork and meditation.”

Q: What are some benefits of practicing yoga?

“Some of the benefits to practicing yoga are better breathing, a calmer state of being, peace of mind, strength and flexibility, lower blood pressure, toned muscles, and many more. My belief is that when you practice yoga you get to really know who you are, better yet, who you have always been but due to life you may have hidden your inner beauty. We have trapped emotions within the body and when you begin to process them you learn how to take your practice off the mat and begin to apply it to your everyday life. Yoga has helped me learn to be still and most importantly, I learned to breathe. I have gained clarity and I’m no longer so quick to fly off/over the edge when someone tests my limits.“

Q: How do you think yoga can benefit ones creativity?

“Practicing yoga can help clear your mind, and with a clear mind, creativity can begin to flow. When we get our bodies moving things begin to flow and I think that we unlock or we gain access to different places of creativity.  We learn how to free the mind from distractions which aids you to be able to think freely and more creatively. Through the practice of yoga, we learn how to acknowledge the things that come up, but not hold on to them or become attached to them.

A good way to do this would be to ask yourself – ‘what did this thing come to show me or to teach me’? When we make the acknowledgment and do not hold onto it with judgment, we can begin to use it for betterment or just release it. Either way, everything we go through in life can be used to fuel our creativity.“

Q: In one of your social posts you reminded your followers to have grace for themselves. Why is giving grace to yourself (and others) important? 

“My belief is that God gives us grace and if I’m to be a reflection of God, who am I not to give myself or someone else grace? When I say this, it’s just a simple reminder that I’m human and not perfect – nor will I ever be. I may not always condone what someone does, but I give the grace of understanding because we don’t always get it right the first go around. This world that we live in can be so hard and very negative some days, so if you make a mistake have enough grace for yourself to start over. Grace is something that we get when we don’t even deserve it -yet it’s still provided. I’m so thankful for the grace of God because Lord knows I don’t deserve it. Yet, because it’s been given to me, I can freely give it to others.“

Q: Why do you think it’s crucial for people to do the work they love?

“I think it’s crucial for people to do the work that they love because they can better serve others. If it’s something that you hate and you perform it with a nasty attitude, it’s like why are you doing something that’s bringing out the worst in you? When we do what we love it will be work, but most times it won’t feel like work. I told my sons I don’t care if you want to be a clown; if that’s what makes you happy then dammit be the best clown that you can be. It’s all about being the best you for you because it is your life to live and nobody else’s.

People will tell you that you should be doing something else that can possibly provide you with better income and that may all be true, but money doesn’t provide lasting happiness. I believe we’re all called for a purpose. We’re all here to do something. But if you are not walking in your purpose and you are living a life unfulfilled – is that really living?”

Q. In your opinion, how can people work to have more peace in life? What type of things should they filter out or do more of?

“Honestly, in a world where everybody wants someone else to be their peace, we have to learn how to be our own peace. However, I do believe that we have to go to God for the source of peace because God can fill you in ways that no human can. God can give you peace that surpasses all your understanding and no person can do that for you and it’s not anybody’s responsibility to do that for you. You have to learn how to find that and sometimes that comes with letting go of people who talk negatively all the time, negative surroundings, and negative activities. When you do this it can look like listening to different music, watching different things on TV or not watching at all, not hanging out with certain friends as often or at all.

We are the guardians of our souls, so we have to learn to be mindful of what we intake and allow to come out. Words have power; so are you speaking life (words that can be affirming) or words of death (negative speech) to yourself and to others? Many times how we speak to others is a reflection of how we speak to ourselves. So we have to begin to find things that edify and help us grow in a positive direction. This won’t always be easy because it can be scary walking into the unknown and leaving the familiar. But if you think about it, at one point even the familiar was once the unknown, so set out to be your own peace and trust the process and the journey.“

Q: What are some of your goals for 2023 or beyond? (What are you currently working on, or where do you want to be in the near future)

“Oh, that’s a good question! I am working on several things. First, I would like to travel more with yoga and massage. When I say travel, I mean out of the country. I also have a podcast called “Just Vee” (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and Anchor) and I’m working on my first season. I’m doing my best to go where God is calling and leading me. Though it has been a scary journey and not always the easiest, I’m walking and working, taking it step-by-step. Through my company Tranquil Connections, I have started to develop a handmade skin care product line called “Away Body Care” offering shea butters and bath salts. My hope is to develop much more in the future.

I’m also working on being a better version of myself. I even wanna try acting since I do have a theatrical background as well, lol.  The thing is, I want to utilize all the gifts that God has placed inside of me so that when it’s time for me to leave this ball we call Earth – hopefully not anytime soon though – I want to go empty and knowing that I did all that I was called to do. In my mind, it sounds like a lot and probably is, but with God’s strength and grace all things are possible and I believe I can get it done.“

Q. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your journey?

“I would like to say that the journey to becoming who you truly are meant to be is not always easy, but possible. It is never about the final destination and always about the journey which is the process of getting there, so enjoy it. You’re gonna have your highs and you’re gonna have lows, but it will be worth it when you look back and see how far you’ve come. Don’t get so caught up on the destination and miss out on the view or the lessons of what it took to get there.

Many times, when we go through something it’s to help someone else get to where they’re supposed to be as well. When you know who you are, you become unstoppable and you can accomplish all you set out to do. Enjoy the journey and trust the process. Don’t fear stepping into the unknown; it will soon become your new familiar.”