Maria’s Story

I grew up in Bulgaria, Eastern Europe in a family of academics – both of my parents are PhD’s. From a young age, I displayed athletic performance. However, an athletic career was not in the cards as it did not align with my family’s values. I grew up with high expectations for academic performance which I properly satisfied.

Middle school years were rough ones for me. I was the bullied as the class nerd, due to my academic success, and the girl with the big butt, due to my newly-formed girlie curves. Aligned with societal expectations to what my body should look like, I joined a gym at 12, embracing intense workouts to change my appearance. That took an unexpected turn as it began my love affair with the gym and movement.

In 1992, when I was 15, my family moved to Athens, GA, USA. Amidst adapting to a new culture at an awkward age, my mom faced depression related to the transition taking us away from close family, and, in 1994, dad’s sudden advanced lung cancer diagnosis shocked us. Despite a brief remission, the cancer returned aggressively, spreading to his brain and skin. Dad passed away a year and a half later when I was 19, forcing me to mature quickly as I juggled caregiving, studies, work, and family responsibilities.

I graduated high school as a salutatorian and earned full scholarships for studies at the University of Georgia, where I obtained a BBA in Finance. After working for a few years, I pursued an MBA in Finance at Georgia State University while working full time. I completed both degrees with highest honors. Post graduate school, I continued working in the telecommunications industry until 2006, when I manifested a dream job with Merrill Lynch in New York City. I lived in the city for two years until my marriage brought me back to Atlanta, GA.

Despite meticulously planning for a baby, I faced a challenging 2.5 years of infertility. Eventually, a positive pregnancy test brought immense joy. During the pregnancy, I dealt with health concerns and a blood clot scare. Our baby was born healthy, and I made a full recovery.

My fascination with the body and movement led me to master trainers, mentors and literature which opened my eyes to the profound power of our bodies. Working with clients, observing and learning from their and my own experience, the Angelova Method was born.

I am a firm believer humans and our bodies have an innate capacity to heal when we prioritize and invest into our multi-dimensional well-being – body, mind and spirit.

Embracing self-care, especially intentional movement, mindfulness and mindset, have been essential pillars of my growth journey. I am now dedicated to sharing my experiences and insights to help others live their best lives through the power of awareness, alignment and authenticity fueled by a strong and flexible body and mind.