"Growing up, I hated my appearance & couldn't love myself. In high school I was always dieting, weighed myself daily, never happy with the results" .
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Meet @maria.g.panda sharing her #yogasavedmylife story with us❤
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"I felt “stupid” due to issues with attention, depression, & anxiety. My grades were good but not amazing & I over-exerted myself, pulling all nighters & dropping recreational activities I was passionate about, such as dance, to keep up
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When prescribed various meds to deal with my issues, they'd work at first but spin me into a downward spiral, so eventually I decided to stop
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After getting off the meds rollercoaster there were years of feeling like a failure, lacking focus, depressed
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I got stuck again on a self destructive bender for years, hanging out with the kind of people I thought I deserved to be around, who reinforced my life choices. I thought I was good-for-nothing & that was that
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Eventually there came a period of embarrassing & awful situations I had stumbled into in my state of self-hatred, that made me feel like my only two choices in life were to grow & rise above my mess, or die
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I had been practicing yoga on & off for over a decade & it always made me feel good, so I figured I’d show up regularly, give it a proper go. I thought, why not take that class instead of buying a bottle of wine? Why not stay in & get a good night’s sleep to make an early morning class?
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My toxic relationships fizzled out, leaving room for me to get closer to those around me that I had been pushing away during my dark period
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Before committing to yoga I was suffering physically too, experiencing back & hip pain so intense I'd be immobilized for days. My health was tarnished by years of poor choices & being sedentary. Through consistent practice, I eliminated the pain that numerous doctors, medications, & chiropractors had failed to cure. The strength & flexibility my body has acquired doing yoga has stunned me
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Because of yoga I finally love and respect myself, love my body & life. A couple of years ago I completed my first 200 hour YTT & now committed to helping others find their inner power, truth & appreciation 🙏
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