When the name Sara Black had risen to A-list status in the fashion and beauty scene many years ago, it was because she had carved a reputation for being one of the industry's best photographers, producing cover photo after cover photo, editorial after editorial, fast becoming a favorite among celebrities, society personalities, and the media alike.

For 16 years she had thrived as a photographer and was unstoppable, or so it seemed, until a voice in her heart whispered that photography in itself might not be the be all and end all of her life; a path to discovering and practicing wellness in heart, mind, and body would eventually reveal itself to Sara, leading her to a life-altering journey to India where she would learn the ins and outs of yoga and meditation.

Her story of spiritual metamorphosis was not as easy one, as you might imagine.

After all, her trip to India required her to realign her thoughts, emotions and motivations with her past, present, and future in silence for an entire month, an experience that, very literally, took her away from the world she had grown used to and conquered. People had wondered about what she was up to, where she went, speculated about her reasons for leaving the country, questioned her decision to seriously study yoga, and ultimately asked what it all was for, but in the end, Sara described the experience as allowing a light from within to not only shine, but to burst forth and illuminate all that she was. 

In the process, Sara was reborn. 

Yoga was not a physical exercise for the artist-turned-yogi by the time she headed home to the Philippines, but more of an all-encompassing practice that nurtured compassion and calmness in her, that made her less resistant to change and more receptive to opportunities to grow, and most importantly, that opened her eyes to the value of self-care and self-love. 

How she moved from photography to practicing and teaching yoga and meditation—and how she had successfully married the two—are what she and Tricia Centenera focus on in the first episode of Talk With Tricia, a show composed of exclusive digital shorts that focus on influential women who have experienced much in life and wish to share all they had learned with others. 

In their brief conversation, we pick up some very important life lessons that everyone would do well to keep in mind. Here are some of the things that Sara shared with Tricia: 

 1. "We're all going to change at some point."

Sara reminds us that as human beings, we're not static creatures. When that little feeling, or voice, or intuition in your mind begins to tell you that it might be time to explore a new opportunity, listen to it. 

2. "No! I have no idea what's going to happen. But there's something really beautiful about just coming into acceptance [about that]." 

Live in the now, because every moment holds value no matter how small or how big, how sad or how happy. There is a purpose to everything, and we must never be too distracted or too anxious about what will (or should) come next to realize that.

3. "Gratitude is such a big value for me."

Be thankful. Beginning and ending your day with consciously finding reasons to say "thank you" makes a big difference. It invites positivity and wards off negativity with a simple gesture.

Watch the Part 2 of Sara and Tricia's full "Talk With Tricia" interview below to learn more about Sara's journey with yoga and how her fresh perspective on living life more gracefully and peacefully can teach you a thing or two about yours, too. 

And for their interview's first half, watch the video below: 

Watch out for new webisodes of "Talk With Tricia" every Saturday on Metro.Style's YouTube account and IGTV. 

Photos from "Talk with Tricia: Episode 1 - Sara Black | PART 2" from the Metro.Style YouTube channel alk with Tricia: Episode 1 - Sara Black | PART 2

Talk with Tricia: Episode 1 - Sara Black | PART 2