One year ago, Katherine Joubert, a resident of Melbourne, Australia, was going through a rough patch. Joubert, then 26, was happily married and had a secure job in financial accounting, but somehow the puzzle pieces weren't fitting. As "together" as her life looked to others, she was struggling with an eating disorder and huge amounts of anxiety and stress.
Feeling lost and hopeless about the life she was leading, Joubert decided to give yoga a try, and she soon found that the yoga mat was the only place where she felt truly fulfilled. So Joubert took a major leap, leaving her finance job so that she could take her yoga practice to the next level and start her own healthy snack company.
STRUGGLING WITH REALITY
Joubert entered the world of financial accounting right after college. Although working for a big corporation had its perks, her job was a constant source of stress and anxiety. Worse, she had obsessive habits surrounding food and exercise.
"I was sitting on a lot of pain and suffering," Joubert told The Huffington Post. "So I started doing yoga, and it opened my awareness to my behaviors and what I was doing. I actually had an eating disorder subconsciously, which I later realized came from my mum passing away years ago."
Once she realized just how bad her situation had gotten, Joubert knew it was time to make a drastic change.
TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH
As she became more invested in yoga and self-care, Joubert started working at a health club and surrounded herself with people who would help her change her unhealthy relationship with food.
"I moved into a supportive environment around people who knew what I was going through so I couldn't continue the secret behaviors," said Joubert. "No more gyms, no more scales. And it really gave me courage to see it and change. Whenever I felt scared or unsure, I went back to my mat."
As time went on, Joubert realized her focus had shifted entirely to yoga and leading a healthy lifestyle. She decided to take the next step by parting ways with the finance world and enrolling in a yoga teacher training program.
"It's hard, it's risky and it's scary, but it was so liberating," Joubert said. "I've never felt so true to myself. I kind of knew that no matter where I went, I was on the right path."
BUILDING A BUSINESS
While she worked to complete a yearlong yoga teacher training program, Joubert started Fresh, a snack company that unifies healthy food and yoga philosophy.
"My life was a blank canvas. I started with Post-its on my walls about yoga and healthy food and I wanted to spread the message," she said. "I decided to take those Post-its off the wall and make them into reality."
These days, when Joubert isn't taking yoga classes, meditating or immersed in her advanced teacher training program, she's working to spread the word about Fresh.
"I'm always finding ingredients, talking to suppliers, managing orders, planning and managing social media," she said. "In addition to the website, I have four different stores where I sell Fresh snacks."
Although her life isn't as financially secure as it once was, Joubert said she's never been happier.
"An eating disorder is so consuming and controlled, I almost can't compare my life then and now," she said. "One day I hope to have my own yoga cafe where I can teach yoga. I feel like if I can guide one person or know [that] one person has taken one thing away from my product or idea, that's enough."
Joubert is currently enrolled in a yearlong advanced yoga teacher training program.
If you or someone you know is taking steps to live a life that's simpler, saner and more fulfilling, we want to hear about it. To submit a Letting Go nomination, email thirdmetric@huffingtonpost.com.