In September 2016, a partnership between Phyllis Smith and Tida Chambers was formed in Dallas, Texas and Live Free Yoga (LFY) was launched.
LFY was originally created from a common heart’s desire to guide and empower youth and an opportunity to impact student-athletes in Dallas Independent School District (DISD).
Between Tida and Phyllis, there was a wealth of business and yoga for youth wisdom and experience, and a passion for teaching youth of all ages in schools as well as athletes, and at-risk youth.
In 2021, Robin Pusateri, soon to be joined by Charlotte Rose in 2022, were added as full partners.
Their business and life experience expanded the diversity of LFY, as well as the company’s capabilities in business and wisdom.
Both are certified yoga instructors but also brought needed skills and a shared passion for the growth of mindfulness for meaningful cultural change physically, mentally, and spiritually for a healthier and more tolerant citizenry of all ages.
In 2022, understanding the mission of the company had expanded, LFY adopted a dba: Live Free Mindfully (LFM).
It is believed that the new name better represents the planned expansion and services and mission.
History-Our Roots
From the very beginning, the company developed and grew from the shared passion to empower youth to overcome life’s challenges with greater ease.
Empowerment is accomplished through the cultivation of self-awareness, self-care, compassion, and confidence.
LFY continued its integration into DISD by expanding beyond athletics into physical education and community “social-emotional learning” programs.
LFY has also expanded to deliver professional development to additional yoga instructors, to enable them to teach to LFY standards, and to educators to expand their personal and classroom skills in mindfulness.
LFY has been in DISD since 2016 and has begun to integrate in other Texas school districts with staff wellness programs, STEM camps, athletics, and physical education.
LFY’s original delivery method was in the classroom, face-to-face with the students.
This method continues, but during COVID, LFY shifted to accommodate the changes in school culture by providing virtual live-stream and recorded delivery.
LFY is now expanding with classes, curriculum, and professional development on a national and global learning management system platform.
Service Expansion
LFM is now providing training in the areas of yoga, mindfulness, self-care, trauma-informed classes, virtual meditation sessions, and wellness workshops.
LFY has an online mindfulness series Lighter Being ™ that provides professional development originally intended for busy educators, but it also serves as a mindfulness introduction to the public.
It is LFM’s business intention to mainstream and integrate meditation, mindful movement, and other mindful practices into school curriculums to improve the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of the students, educators, and administrators.
It is also the intention to expand this out to communities, businesses, and at-risk populations, such as first responders.
LFY delivered its first national interactive and direct experience webinar in 2022 with over 1,300 participants.
