For over five years, Alicia VanderGriend worked as a marine biologist in Squim, Washington. On the surface, it was a dream, working with whales at the base of the Olympic Mountains.

But behind the scenes, the reality was different. The environment was competitive, mentally draining, and filled with the kind of trauma that comes from high-pressure scientific funding and professional friction. She taught yoga on the side just to keep her sanity, but she knew she was meant for more.

The turning point came from a literal break. Alicia broke her leg stepping off a horse just 12 weeks before a major competition. Instead of giving up, she sat in a chair and started "Horse Girl Yoga" for other injured riders.

That spark of helping her community heal, combined with the realization that she didn't want to go back to the lab, led her to make a bold move. In October, she left her career as a scientist behind to build her dream: The Yoga Stables.

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When Alicia first found the Empowered Yoga Teacher training, she was the ultimate skeptic. Coming from a world where she’d been "beat down mentally," she was terrified of being scammed or failing.

She even gave a business number that couldn't receive texts just to keep a distance! But as she went through the program, something shifted. She realized that building a business isn't just about tech or marketing, it's about the internal work of believing in your own offer.

What Alicia learned quickly:

• Integrity is the best marketing.
In a world of "bro marketing" and empty guarantees, showing up as a real person with a real heart for your students is what actually converts.

• Data beats doubt.
When she was unsure, she followed the simple advice: post twice a day for a year and look at the data.

• Vulnerability is a strength.
Sharing her journey, from the broken leg to the skepticism, is what built her community of "horse women" who felt seen and understood.

She didn't just build a course; she built a proven, viable offer by following the directions and putting in the "gusto" that most people are afraid to commit to.

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The result of Alicia’s hard work is Cowgirl Calm, a program specifically designed for the wellness of horsewomen.

Unlike "gym bro" programs that don't translate to the barn, Alicia created something repeatable and usable anywhere, from your living room to your truck.

The framework of Cowgirl Calm is built on three essential components:

1. Yoga for Rhythms:
Not about flexibility, but about organizing the body to travel, eat, and move well as a rider.

2. Ayurvedic Practices:
Listening to what your body is telling you and finding steadiness through daily habits.

3. Guided Hypnosis:
Using Alicia’s background as a certified hypnotherapist to clear subconscious fears and anxieties that affect the horse-human partnership.

Alicia embodies the principle of "massively over-delivering." Her course provides ten times the value of its price because it’s rooted in a lifetime of passion and a deep understanding of what horse people actually need.

Your life can change in one year. If you’re sitting where Alicia was, feeling stuck in a job that drains you but holding onto a passion that lights you up, you might be exactly one consistent year away from your own "Cowgirl Calm."

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Empowered Yoga Teacher Course: https://www.angelicagovaert.com/training 
Follow Angelica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogalebrity/
Get the Cowgirl Calm Program: www.aliciavandergriend.com/cowgirlcalm-m
Follow Alicia on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cowgirllifeco
Yogalebrity Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yogalebrity​
Get the Software I Use to Build my Online Yoga Business: https://www.angelicagovaert.com/click-funnels