One look at Alicia Pan, the founder of Yoga Movement, makes you wonder how she does it. Sporting a golden-brown tan and a bubbly disposition, Alicia’s zest for life is nothing short of infectious. And with a thriving business and an EP in the pipeline, we can’t help admiring how much she has accomplished – and all before she hits the big 3-0.
We scored some face time with Alicia and picked her brains on how she keeps in shape, and what life has taught her:
Namaste, Alicia! What got you started in yoga?
I started back in 2006 as a form of finding personal space when I was living in Taiwan pursuing a music career in the Mandarin scene. A couple of good friends of mine were yoga teachers there at the time, and they persuaded me to try some classes.
What’s the best thing yoga has done for you?
I am a go-getter and I like to win. I have a lot of aggression in me and I rarely stop once I start and I definitely see this as both a strength and a flaw. Yoga has helped me to find that time where I tell myself that it is okay to slow down a little, and I’ve come to realise how good it is for my soul.
I am quite active and love the outdoors and sports – I am an MMA junkie and love to train – but we all know that too much extreme and contact sports can cause a lot of pain in the long run, so yoga has been great countering all that.
What are your thoughts about funky yoga variations and hybrids?
It’s amazing to see how many different types of yoga hybrids have sprung up over the last couple of years, including aerial yoga and even more recently voga (although not widely studied yet). I am still a fan of sticking to the original yoga movements (no pun intended) on a mat, and to be very honest I haven’t tried most of the newer variations. I would like to believe that they are not simply gimmicks, but have proper benefits linked to their inventions.
Are there any common misconceptions about yoga you’re sick of hearing?
I am sick of hearing people say they don’t do yoga because they are “so inflexible” or “can’t touch their toes”. First of all, if you are inflexible or can’t touch your toes, these reasons are exactly why you should be going to yoga.
Do you have any tips for yoga newbies?
Stop hesitating and just get down to it! It is human nature to create excuses for ourselves to procrastinate just because we feel like we are “not ready”. The fact is, we will NEVER be ready. We just have to jump into opportunities and deal with whatever speedbump comes along when they do. I guess I am applying this to general life rules.
How do you keep in such good shape?
You’ll be surprised, but I actually only do yoga once or twice a week apart from teaching. I train in boxing and muay thai, combined with some strength and conditioning and high intensity interval trainings.
Sounds pretty gruelling. Is there something about you that often surprises people?
I am actually quite a softie.
Life has really taken you places. What valuable lessons have you gleaned?
There is no such thing as “I’ve wasted my time”. Things happen for a reason, and as much as I hated pursuing my studies in accounting, that experience was invaluable. I spent four years in Taiwan only to come back realising that it wasn’t a dream that I was willing to chase, but in these four years I have met many amazing people and learnt so much about the entertainment industry that helped shape me into who I am today.
After my stint in Taiwan I came back to Singapore and continued on with education and pursued a Psychology degree. It served no purpose in my entrepreneurial pursuits, but it did help me gain a whole lot of knowledge and interesting facts about the human race.
Give us some hints on what we can expect from your EP.
Expect some serious rhythm, and a lot of soul.
Complete the sentence: If I had more time and money, I would…
Buy a beautiful beach house and live in a bikini. In that house I would also possibly build a big foster home for abandoned animals.
What or who do you live for?
I live for the moment. Morbid as it sounds, our existence has its potential to cease at any point in time. It could be tomorrow, or it could be in a hundred years. Who knows? I am thankful for a great family and wonderful friends, so I live each day like it’s going to be my last and be the best I can. I am not perfect, but as long as I know I have given my best, there is not much I can say I regret.