"#Yogasavedmylife . Not in the way that there was a sudden life-changing or life threatening event that prompted me to find my practice “or else,” but I was saved from an overall feeling of anxiety, depression and listlessness
I first found yoga in my early 20s, I had just graduated college & moved back into my parents house: essentially had no effing clue what to do with my life.I felt a total identity crisis, still partying too much but no longer in school, & no career or inkling of what direction I should be moving in
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This feeling of having a lack of purpose quickly snowballed into complete helplessness. A friend took me to my first class. I had no idea what yoga was. I thought it would be easy (it’s just stretching, right?); the class we went to was an advanced vinyasa class.The entire time, I went through a spectrum of emotions; lots of anger at myself for what I couldn’t do, annoyed at the people around me for what they could do, angry at the teacher, hating every moment
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But then at the end, something happened. All of those feelings went away, & I felt free....and alive & in my body, for maybe the first time in my life.I kept coming back to my mat, & while my practice would fall in & out frequency, it was always there waiting for me when I was ready to come back
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After almost a decade of practice, I still go through that entire spectrum of emotions; anger, anxiety, doubt, guilt, & at the end I feel lighter & free. Every time
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Yoga has given me the freedom to feel what it’s like to be in my body and to truly feel myself so that I know what I need & know what I want
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Yoga has been there for me through different careers, loss, breakups, friendships, as well as all the good stuff. There is a place for anything & everything on your mat, & it’s yours to keep and take with you
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I am lucky enough to say that since finding yoga, I made my way through a five years stint as a political staffer, & I am now a full time teacher. It gives me joy & motivation every day to see the power of yoga through the lens of those who practice with me 🙏"
