Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Cannon
Hi Dawn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story is one of transformation and rediscovery. For over two decades, I thrived in the structured, high-stakes world of banking, climbing the corporate ladder to serve as a COO at a local bank. It was a role that demanded precision, leadership, and resilience—but also one that often overshadowed my personal well-being.
In 2018, I took a leap that would change my life. I stepped away from the corporate world, enrolling in a 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training program. What began as a sabbatical became a deep dive into healing—both physical and emotional. On my mat, I began to confront the stories I had told myself for years, learning to soften and breathe through them.
After my divorce, I returned to the corporate world, newly equipped with tools like mindfulness and self-compassion. These weren’t just personal practices—they became the cornerstone of how I led my teams. I was struck by how much more effective I could be when I approached challenges with clarity and a sense of balance. But over time, I realized that while I was good at my job, it didn’t light me up. The long hours and relentless pace left me longing for more joy and alignment in my life.
A year ago, I made the decision to walk away from corporate America for good. It was a bold choice, but one that felt right. Today, my life looks very different. I co-own Sunflower Yoga Studio in Taylorsville, where I teach yoga classes and lead workshops, helping others find the peace and grounding I once sought for myself. I also serve as Board Chair for the Wellness Farm Foundation, a nonprofit care farm in Bluffdale that helps people heal through grief. Being part of an organization that brings so much light to others feels like a privilege.
Most importantly, I get to be fully present as a mom to my youngest child, Ashe. We spend our days creating, learning, and exploring life together. The slower pace I’ve cultivated feels like a gift—a season of reflection, creativity, and intention. At the same time, I know that one day the pace will pick up again. As my savings begin to dwindle, I’ll need to refocus on how I can sustainably earn enough to meet my minimal monthly needs while staying aligned with my values and purpose. That question is always in the back of my mind, though for now, I am grateful for this moment of stillness.
Recently, I’ve also turned my focus to writing, a long-held dream that finally feels within reach. As of this month, I’ve written over 50,000 words of a nonfiction memoir, capturing the lessons I’ve learned on my journey from chaos to clarity.
Life now feels like a blank canvas—vibrant, open, and full of possibility. Every day is an opportunity to choose love, presence, and intention, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth roads rarely make strong travelers, and my journey has been anything but smooth. My childhood was shaped by instability, growing up in a home shadowed by alcoholism. Safety often felt like a distant dream. As I grew older, life continued to test me in profound ways. In 2004, I endured the devastating loss of my full-term daughter, an accident with the umbilical cord stealing her before she could take her first breath. Two years later, I moved across the country to Utah, hoping for a fresh start, only to find myself divorced within 18 months of arriving.
Then, in 2016, I hit rock bottom. On a business trip, I was sexually assaulted—an event that shattered me to my core. For a time, I felt lost, as though life had handed me more pain than one person could carry. But it was in that darkness that a spark ignited. I remember sitting in silence on a retreat, feeling the faintest glimpse of hope. I began to wonder: What if peace and ease were possible? What if I could rebuild my life, not around my wounds, but around my healing?
That realization was the turning point. I stepped onto the path of self-discovery and healing, one painful but purposeful step at a time. Yoga became my sanctuary. Meditation helped me find stillness amidst the noise. Therapy gave me tools to process the layers of trauma I had carried for so long. Slowly, I started to believe that life didn’t have to be defined by struggle—it could be a canvas for something new, something beautiful.
So no, it hasn’t been an easy road. But every challenge, every heartbreak, has shaped me into the person I am today. The pain taught me compassion. The loss taught me to cherish what matters most. And the healing journey taught me that joy, connection, and purpose are not just possible—they’re waiting for us when we’re ready to claim them.
Would I change any of it? It’s hard to say. But I know this: the life I’m living now—a life rooted in intention, love, and presence—wouldn’t have been possible without the struggles that paved the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work feels more like a mosaic than a single path, and that’s something I deeply value. At Sunflower Yoga Studio, I guide students through hatha yoga classes, gentle flows, and deeply restorative yoga nidra sessions. Watching someone settle into stillness during yoga nidra—perhaps for the first time in years—is a powerful reminder of how transformative these practices can be. I also create corporate yoga experiences, where employees can pause, breathe, and reconnect amidst their busy days, often discovering a sense of calm they didn’t realize was possible in their work environments.
At the Wellness Farm Foundation, my role as Board Chair brings a mix of leadership and heart. I help coordinate board activities to keep our mission moving forward, but my favorite moments are the ones spent with people—offering yoga, co-leading retreats, or sitting in a circle as we navigate grief together. There’s a palpable magic in those moments, watching individuals find courage in their vulnerability and begin to heal.
Through all of this, my true work lies in connection. Whether I’m teaching yoga, leading a small group at the farm, or writing my first book, it’s always about helping people reconnect—with their bodies, their emotions, and the parts of themselves they’ve been afraid to face. There’s nothing more fulfilling than witnessing someone discover the wisdom within them—a wisdom they’ve had all along.
What sets me apart is the depth of empathy I bring. My own life hasn’t been easy, and the struggles I’ve faced have shaped the way I show up for others. When someone steps into a yoga class, a circle, or a healing space I’ve created, I want them to feel safe, seen, and supported. That’s what I’m most proud of—that I’ve taken the hardest chapters of my life and transformed them into tools to help others.
Every day, I’m reminded that this work isn’t just about offering services; it’s about being of service. It’s a privilege to walk alongside people as they heal, grow, and remember who they truly are. And for me, that’s the greatest reward of all.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is living with awareness and authenticity. Awareness is like the light that helps us see clearly—it allows us to notice the patterns, beliefs, and stories shaping how we experience the world. Without it, it’s easy to move through life reacting rather than choosing, living through a distorted lens instead of in alignment with truth.
For me, mindfulness is the practice that keeps that lens clean. It’s not about striving for perfection, but about being present enough to notice when I’m off track and gently guiding myself back. When I’m aware, I can meet life with honesty. And from that honesty comes authenticity—the ability to live in a way that feels true to who I am at my core.
Authenticity isn’t always easy. It has meant making choices that others might not understand, like walking away from a successful corporate career or creating a slower, simpler life. But it’s the only path I know to feeling whole. When I live authentically, I feel aligned—like my thoughts, actions, and values are all moving in the same direction.
Ultimately, awareness and authenticity matter to me because they’re the foundation for everything else—connection, purpose, joy. They’re what allow me to show up fully, both for myself and for the people I serve. And for me, that’s what makes life meaningful.
