01/13/2026
During some of my usual sessions with people where I get to dive deeper into who they are and their journey, I get some of the most wonderful and intriguing feedback.
Here’s part of a conversation with my friend .davidov in her journey as an Olympic skater transitioning into her current life:
How did the sudden end in your skating journey impact you?
Anya: Because it ended so suddenly — almost overnight — at first there was this deep sense of freedom I had never felt before. For the first time in my life, I realized I could exist without skating. That my future could extend beyond the ice. But after those first few weeks, that freedom became overwhelming. I had spent my whole life building my identity around skating, and without it, I didn’t know who Anya was. I didn’t know how to answer the question, “What do you do?” because everything I had done was connected to the rink. Without it, I felt lost, unsure not just of what I could do, but of who I truly was.
In that moment, instead of exploring who I could become, I tried to protect myself by creating a new persona — something that would shield me from the uncertainty. But that only led to more confusion. Eventually, I had to face myself — to stop hiding behind facades and start doing the work to rediscover myself.
It took time to heal, but step by step, I started peeling back the layers, learning to reconnect with my true self. Even during the hardest years, I kept pushing forward — finishing high school at 19, getting into every university I applied to, and ultimately graduating with multiple job offers in a field I was told I wouldn’t succeed in.
Looking back, I realize the hardest moments were critical in my growth. Through the healing process, I found my true voice — a voice that I had lost for so long. Today, it’s woven into everything I do, both in my career as a software engineer and in my passion for helping others find peace through yoga nidra, meditation, and movement.