Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Maros.
Hi Michelle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m born and raised in South Floridian, grew up in Coral Springs and Boca Raton. I went away to college in Indiana, which led me to living in Chicago and New York to pursue career goals. After working in the corporate world just after college, I felt like I wasn’t fulfilled in my career and wanted to pivot my endeavors. I had always loved yoga and grew up with a mother who practiced meditation and mindfulness before they were trendy and buzzy. I enrolled in yoga teacher training to explore a new career path and moved back home to Boca Raton.
While in training, my mom, Barb Schmidt, was in the beginning stages of starting a non-profit organization, Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life, to house her meditation and mindfulness workshops that she had been teaching for 20 years at Florida Atlantic University. The timing and our interests aligned to start working together in the non-profit. I had studied Journalism while in school, and this new opportunity gave me an outlet to use my writing and creative skills. Since the inception of the non-profit, we have garnered partnerships at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Baptist Health, as well as establishing a social media presence reaching nearly eight million followers. What drew me to this work was the deep desire to help people establish a strong foundation inside themselves so that they can better tackle whatever life has to offer them. I had spent so many of my younger years confused, self-conscious, and uncertain, and the tools and practices I learned in my studies made a huge impact on my life. Since the pandemic hit in 2020, we have pivoted our programming and workshops to online, and I am in the process of writing my first book. We also will be launching a podcast later this year.
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 think that life always presents challenges and curveballs no matter what path we choose. Of course, I have had struggles in my pursuits in life, especially when I made the decision to switch careers and quit my job to pursue my work with the non-profit. Mostly though, I struggled with my own self-doubts and insecurities. For so long, I felt like my life had to fit into some sort of mold and that I had to tick all the boxes in order to be successful and feel fulfilled. I learned from this that I was chasing so much of that external success without really tapping into my deep desires and life goals. The struggles and bumps in the road taught me so much about myself, and I think of each chapter of my life as providing value, meaning, and lessons that brought me to where I am today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life?
Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life is a non-profit dedicated to furthering inner peace and wellness by educating and inspiring individuals and creating community through mindfulness practices, online resources, and programs. We offer free content daily to millions of people around the world through social media. We also offer paid workshops and online courses on topics related to mindfulness, self-care, and personal development. I’m most proud of our community outreach programs. One project that I’m particularly proud of and love is our participation in the Barb Schmidt Fellowship at Florida Atlantic University; This program is for high school students who are interested in community organizing, activism, and social change. We teach them meditation and mindfulness skills to help them feel centered, confident and connected to themselves. I also love our online presence and engagement. It’s incredible to see how far a positive message can spread and how impactful and meaningful it is for so many people, especially during this pandemic. Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life receives thousands of messages and comments every week, and we read them all because it’s really important to us to listen to what people want. Though we have a large following, it really feels like a special family-like community, and we feel so proud of that.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I think the best thing I’ve learned is to really understand that we all are here for a reason, a purpose, and hold our own unique life paths. It’s so easy to get caught up in comparisons and wanting to aspire to or be like someone else. But that way of life is exhausting, and it robs the rest of the world of your own unique magnificence. Spend more time focusing on amplifying yourself, your confidence, and your skills, and I believe that the right people, places, and opportunities will come your way.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.peacefulmindpeacefullife.org
- Instagram: @michellemaros @peacefulmindpeacefullife
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.maros.14/ https://www.facebook.com/peacefulmindpeacefullife
- Twitter: @michellemaros
Image Credits
Images 3, 7, 8 by Carlos Aristizabal Image 10 by Alex Rodriguez all other images property of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life
