9/23 Hot in the Press!

I did a little extra long writing for Voyage Denver! Read below for more information regarding why I do what I love to do.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sal Albert.

Sal, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The Improbable Reality started to surface back in 2014 when I became increasingly interested in the conscious community, energy work, and mindfulness practices. As a typical East Coast transplant to Colorado, I slowly shed my old assumptions about what success looks like, both personally and professionally. Meeting different groups around Boulder, Denver and Steamboat Springs who were actively pursuing spirituality and business helped me shine a light on my own curiosity to serve mother earth and her people. Letting go of the need to work long hours for others was a gradual process; like most mountain town babes, I thought to rotate through multiple jobs was the norm. But the temptation to drain my batteries with the excuse of “busy season” quickly subsided. I realized that my strong passion for productivity needed to include creative and athletic outlets, which is why teaching yoga and making crystal necklaces became my calling. Over the years, my business has included event planning, all kinds of positions at festivals, international study, and facilitating meditation workshops. My partner and I have since moved into a van, so we are now a nomadic pair on the road, and I still make time for my jewelry and staying a student of life.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This road is smooth, curvy, bumpy, scenic, fast, and all things in between! My biggest advice for other young women pursuing their dreams is this: Trailblazers don’t use maps. Let trust be your superpower, such that you take each step with confidence, even if what you’re doing isn’t rooted in tried and true methods. You’re going to want to throw a fit every time it seems like you hit a wall (I did!), but that’s when you construct your own doors and windows to pass through. When you are creating a path for your soul, there is truly no one out there who knows what you need more than YOU!! So take time to drop in with your own heart. Get honest about what lights your internal fire, and stoke that flame with self-care and love. Yes, absolutely take advice from role models and mentors–this is invaluable. And at the end of the day, don’t forget to compliment your beautiful dreams with journaling, vision boarding, prayer, or whatever else resonates with you. I believe the universe really does conspire in our favor, and when we get specific about what we want to attract, opportunities which resonate will appear all over. Sometimes, your compass will point true north; sometimes, you will feel like a particle spinning infinitely in all directions. Know that this is still the path. When you have moments of doubt, let your witness mind question the negativity, allowing it to be recognized so that it has space to flow away. At the beginning, rather than feeding my inner critic with ideas like, “No one wants to buy your necklaces,” or “There are so many other yoga teachers out there, why bother?” I let myself say those things out loud AND say the exact opposite of that deterring thought: “I open my arms to clients who will benefit from my guidance and seek my expertise in crystal healing.” Giving your ego a task, like stopping a limiting belief with a new, fresh perspective, will keep it from finding evidence for your demise.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Improbable Reality – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
My biggest passions are creating customized crystal mala necklaces and guiding students in movement, meditation, and wellness education. I facilitate Conscious Breathwork sessions around the globe and travel with my partner and our Australian Shepherd in our Ford Transit converted home. We dedicate our days to playing outside in nature, connecting with various communities, spending time with friends and family, and participating in retreats. I am exploring new avenues to become location-neutral, but Colorado is our favorite home base. This year, I have refocused my diet to promote a vegan, alcohol-free lifestyle, making kindness and eco-friendly choices a priority in all aspects of my life. I use the mantra “May I release what doesn’t serve me, that I may feel served, and be of service to others,” as a way to not get caught up in setbacks, stay grateful, and keep my mind on the bigger picture. I love to dive into culturally diverse classrooms, restaurants, places of worship, and homes. Becoming a resident of the planet instead of one tiny corner is my lifelong pursuit!

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
My best advice for finding a mentor is to gravitate towards businesses and successful people that you already love. I figured out that I could trade my time and experience in web design, marketing, hospitality and more in turn for services that I was formerly paying out of pocket to indulge in. Have a favorite massage therapist? Take her out to lunch and pick her brain about what her methods are. Visit a store regularly? Ask the manager if you can help out with part-time shifts to enjoy discounts and learn what happens behind the scenes. Think about what you can offer, and present yourself as someone that will benefit the greater whole. I’ve spent happy hours doing what others might deem dirty work (housekeeping, general maintenance, volunteering) in order to capitalize on services and goods that I would have spent a lot of cash on. Chances are, someone needs a hand doing inventory, and you’ll go home with a bag full of goodies and lots of answers to questions! I also think networking means working with a range of different social groups. The contacts in my phone are mostly my age, but I spend many days a week with people older and younger than me in my business world. It is inspiring to learn new tricks and valuable to know how you don’t want to run things. You’ll find both the more you rotate around different people.