A self-described free spirit, Wellbeats instructor Jan Johnson has built a multifaceted life brimming with unique experiences—and she has no intention of slowing down.

“Life is so short, and why not experience everything you want?” Jan said. “There’s even more stuff I would like to [experience], but there’s just not enough time. So during the time I have, I’m going to just try everything that comes to me.”

Her winding career path has led her to stints as a radio disc jockey, a fashion model, a magazine writer, a flight attendant, and even a national champion powerlifter! She’s also a wife, a mother of two, and a dog mom. And she is a yoga instructor.

A Common Thread Emerges

At first glance, Jan’s many roles may seem disjointed and random. After a closer look, however, a theme appears—connection.

Spinning records connects people through music over the airwaves. Stunning photos reveal a deep connection with the camera lens. Magazine writing connects readers through words. Customer service in the sky safely and pleasantly connects travelers from one destination to another. And weightlifting connects the body and mind.

It should come as no surprise, then, to learn about the incomparable meaning Jan finds in her yoga practice.

“A lot of people go to yoga for the physical part of it, but for me it was more of a spiritual connection,” Jan said. “I just felt my heart found what I had been praying for, or looking for, or just something was missing in my life—and that was it.”

Yoga Offers Deep Connection

Though Jan has found meaning in each stop on her walk through life, the sense of connection in yoga is unlike any other.

“I enjoy it so much because it keeps me connected to my truth,” Jan said of her yoga practice.

Yoga provides Jan with connection to herself, connection to others, and—most significantly—connection to the divine. Her yoga practice allows her to connect with and share the voice of the divine.

“I don’t know what you see here, a Black woman—okay—but the divine is always the divine,” Jan explained. “It will speak through black, white, red, yellow—it doesn’t matter. Whatever you see, that’s okay.

“I’m going to speak the truth as it comes to me. That’s what breaks down barriers. Whoever comes into a space that I’m in, they’re going to hear the voice of the divine.”

Her practice as a yoga instructor for Wellbeats has been especially meaningful for her.

“At Wellbeats, I’m able to just teach ‘Jan Yoga’ if you will,” Jan said. “I can just speak my truth, and it’s okay. It keeps me creative. It keeps me giving back. There’s so much in here that I have limited time to give in a yoga studio class. At Wellbeats, I can create and give and generate and give all of me.”

My Black History Life: Jan Johnson

Watch as Jan shares her personal wellness journey in this video from Wellbeats’ My Black History Life video series produced by Perk at Play Productions and TreeTop Media.

Visit the Wellbeats for All Celebrates Black History Month web page to join Wellbeats’ Black History Month celebration and get to know fellow Wellbeats instructors Chance and Nate as new videos in the My Black History Life series debut throughout the month.

About Wellbeats

Based in St. Louis Park, MN, Wellbeats is a leading provider of on-demand virtual fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes for use in workplaces of all sizes, health plans, on college or university campuses, multi-family housing, the U.S. military, and fitness and health clubs. Wellbeats makes fitness accessible, affordable, and approachable for everyone. More than 1,000 classes and 30+ programs are available to help members stay on track and meet their goals. To learn more, visit www.wellbeats.com or check out a sampling of the company’s fitness classes during a Facebook Live class, and follow Wellbeats on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.