Meet Erika Maxie | Yoga Teacher & Flutist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erika Maxie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erika, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is a term often used today and reflects an intention to manage a busy modern lifestyle. What’s important is remembering that balance is not necessarily taking on a lot of responsibility or tasks with high performance but rather starts in the mind. Our mindfulness is authentically rooted in non-striving and being still, mind and body. Since the pandemic in 2020, I’ve been even more intentional about the things that matter most. What I learned, however, is that sometimes life gives us challenges that we cannot control. As a result, I’ve embraced spending time in daily meditation. This practice is a mirror on the mind and has helped significantly in being able to discern what’s most important.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started playing the flute at age (9) and played all the way through high school. During this time, I was honored to receive several awards including being inducted into a national music honor society, Modern Music Masters (Tri-M) and selected to represent my high school orchestra at DePaul University All School Catholic Band. I’ve always loved playing and over the years my continued practice has grown with gratitude. Today, my biggest challenge is finding time to practice in my spare time. What I believe is that challenges are opportunities to overcome and I’m up for the journey. There will be a performance when I’m ready.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take my best friend to Serenbe. It’s a beautiful getaway destination that myself and family have frequented over the years. We all need some respite in our busy lives and Serenbe is such a place to experience nature and nurture.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to Shoutout my flute teacher, Dr. Tia Roper! The story of how I was recommended to her is absolutely AMAZING! In my efforts to reignite my flute practice, I chose, “Free” to learn to play with a goal to perform it live. I heard a rendition by professional flutist, Althea Rene, while listening to Pandora one day for inspiration and immediately connected with the song. Originally performed by vocalist, Denise Williams, I was very familiar with the song and set my goals high to achieve a new standard of musical skill. I knew I’d need a pro to assist me along the way. After initially striving to learn the piece on my own, Dotti (Dorothy) Nita Taylor, another pro flutist from New York, not only expertly transposed the song for me to play, she also recommended Tia who had recently relocated to the Atlanta area. They’ve both been such a blessing. With their help and a never ending drive to see this vision through, I know I can do this! I’m so grateful for Tia’s continued example and guidance.

Website: www.thecorelifestyle.com

Instagram: @thecorelifestyle

Linkedin: Erika Maxie

Twitter: thecorelifestyle

Facebook: www.facebook.com/corelifestyle

Youtube: Erika Maxie

Image Credits
Simply Zee Imagery