Yoga wasn’t always a part of my life. I have always played sports and participated in more physical activities. Full disclosure I thought yoga was just “sitting quiet or stretching.” Thankfully I was wrong.
I never realized how much I needed the practice of yoga in my life until I stepped foot into a yoga studio for the very first time in January 2017. This was the first step in this new journey (which has now become a lifestyle for me). It was at that time I realized I needed something different in my life and to be honest I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. I knew that I had to be willing to take that step. What I did know is that yoga continued to be placed in front of me in so many ways.
So I took a leap of faith and decided to see what yoga was really all about. Immediately I knew it was something that was outside of my comfort zone and to be honest that really intrigued me. As I began to practice yoga and read more literature about it I discovered how beneficial this truly was for me. I was encouraged to look within and discover more about myself in those quiet moments. I never thought that yoga could help me become more confident. I always thought that confidence came from achievements and ability to perform. I’ve learned that in order to grow it is important to be willing to let go of what you once thought and be open to a new way of seeing.
Along with confidence, I began to become more self aware and grounded. As that awareness grew I noticed more and more opportunities became available. The question was “am I willing to be open to these opportunities?” One of the biggest blessings is being able to share yoga with others. Whether that meant inviting a friend to come to a class to help them through a difficult season or sharing with others how the mindfulness of yoga can be helpful in all areas of your life. I was also presented with the opportunity to learn a new style of yoga called REFLEKSIV Yoga and eventually become an instructor with the ability to share this practice with so many people. Becoming an instructor has definitely “forced” me to get out of my comfort zone and caused me to grow leaps and bounds beyond anything I could have imagined.
The biggest lesson of all that I have learned from my yoga practice is “I am enough”. The beautiful thing about yoga is you can come exactly as you are and who you are is enough! This mantra has transcended any preconceived notions I ever had about yoga. Come as you are and who you are is enough has been the catalyst to this yoga journey turning into a lifestyle for me.
