I am SO excited to bring you this woman of the month feature. This is because November’s woman of the month is so so dear to my heart. She is a woman who I’ve known deeply for nearly eight years. We’ve been with each other through tears & laughter, losses & wins, successes & failures, and various relationships. We’ve not only watched each other grow, but have experienced together the things which have molded us into the woman we are now.

Kiley Schottenfeld is my best friend and sister soulmate. She is a yoga professional and entrepreneur. We met back when we were only 18 years old on good ol’ Facebook (lolz). We were both seeking a roommate to live with on campus during our first year at Cal Poly. We both were studying Animal Science and wanted to live in the agricultural dorm, Fremont. Long story short, we became best friends that year and were inseparable throughout all of college. To this day, I will still have college friends greet me, then immediately ask how Kiley is doing. We are forever a package deal.

But I promise you I’m not being biased for featuring my best friend. Kiley is one of the strongest woman I know. She has overcome the odds and is a daily inspiration. At the age of 19, her whole world flipped upside down. Amidst a challenging academic course, playing lacrosse, and being involved in many other extracurriculars, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

Since she was an athlete her entire life, a healthy lifestyle has always been a focus for her. But this diagnosis ignited a deeper passion in her for health and wellness. She had to begin to break down every bit of movement, every bite, to determine what may be causing these auto-immune flare ups. As Kiley immersed herself into the health community, she fell in love with yoga and became a certified yoga instructor. And in 2015, she launched her own yoga business, Kekoa Yoga. In Hawaiian, Kekoa means “The Brave One” or “Warrior”.

“My goal is to help people worldwide find freedom in their physical pain and strength in their unique stories through the practice of yoga and a healthy lifestyle.”

In only three years, Kiley has planted herself as a yoga instructor in her community, and has already had multiple contracts instructing yoga at schools and within business offices. She also does personal yoga classes online which cater to individuals’ limitations due to health and pain. She even writes weekly poems to inspire and encourage others on her blog. Kiley has truly taken a negative situation and turned it into so much good.

Kiley’s current aspirations for her business are to be an ERYT-500, to sell out on her teacher trainings and retreats, and to teach for Wanderlust Festivals. Right now, she is fine-tuning her yoga mentorship manual, which will be for teachers looking to take their teaching to the next level. “Most importantly,” she says, “I want to continue living my passion through sharing yoga with communities like chronic illness warriors, military warriors, students and teachers in school districts, and special needs populations.” She truly has a heart of gold!

Her personal fitness goals are a consistent balance between CrossFit and other functional movement practices. “I believe it’s important to have well-rounded fitness goals that cover strength, mobility, flexibility, and functional movement.” Of course, she aims to reach remission with Crohn’s disease one day. “I haven’t gotten there yet, but I have faith that one day I will be symptom free! For now I’ve learned to live in the moment, appreciate the good days without fearing the bad days.”

Kiley’s motto has truly been inspired by her personal story: “It’s not about living a pain free life, it’s about living in freedom with your pain.” To her, this means honoring each moment for what it has to offer and finding gratitude in the beautiful and challenging moments.

Her desire is to always live out the lessons she teaches and shares. “I aim to keep up a consistent yoga practice myself — one that consists of practicing all 8 limbs of yoga, not just the postures. When I have a consistent yoga practice in my life, every beautiful moment and every challenge feels more connected. My yoga practice allows me to trust that whatever comes my way, I’ll be strong enough to handle it with grace and grit.”

Currently, Kiley’s favorite TV show is Seal Team. She believes a girl can never go wrong with a good mascara, concealer, and light pink lipstick in her purse (I can vouch for her – she does always have these items with her). Her current favorite meal is Banza pasta with her mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce recipe. “So good and so easy on the gut,” she says. Her current read is “Big Magic” and she is re-reading the Yoga Sutras.

Kiley loves people deeply – whether it’s family or friends and loved ones. This love brings her through the challenges in life.  “I’ve been through enough Crohn’s flare ups, enough life obstacles, to know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It feels so far away at times, but I know it’s there and I have faith that I’ll get there. My family, loved ones/best friends, and yoga practice keep me grounded through those times and motivate me to always make it through.”

In the words of a true warrior, Kiley’s advice to women everywhere is to never give up on yourself. “Even if you’re crawling on your hands and knees, keep crawling. Find grace and grit in your heart and spirit and never ever stop trying. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to take it easy. It’s okay to slow down. It’s okay to press pause. It’s never okay to call yourself weak and it’s never okay to accept defeat. You are stronger than you know, remind yourself of all you’ve overcome in the past, and all that you still have to live for. Keep going. You’ll make it, warrior.”

I have been so blessed to call this woman my best friend. To know such a warrior. I hope you can be blessed by her too and get to know her some more by following her instagram page, @yoga_for_the_soul, and subscribing to her newsletter. Also, you’ll definitely want to like her Facebook page to stay in the loop on the upcoming yoga retreat she is co-hosting in Belize!

Namaste.