"At 17 struggle was all I knew. Life hadn’t shown me much kindness or compassion. It had become a constant stream of pain. I managed to hold it together. I needed to for my son. Like a broken windshield one stone away from being shattered. A childhood riddled with dysfunction & sexual abuse left scars on my psyche & tainted what I now know, is the most valuable asset —my self-worth
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My name is @debbiedixon222 & this is my #yogasavedmylife story, although I also owe my life to an unlikely source— @madonna . As a child of the eighties, she was everything I wanted to be: strong, confident, beautiful & she did yoga. So, I decided I should do yoga too
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My 1st experience on the mat was Traditional Ashtanga, 23 years ago & I can say that was the day I stepped onto my Path to Freedom. My teacher had warned me that yoga had side effects she said, “Yoga will heal your body & your life & you won’t be able eat McDonald’s anymore.” I had no idea just how prophetic that statement was
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Having spent most of my life in survival mode, self-medicating just to make it through the day with drugs, alcohol. Anxiety & panic attacks were a part of life
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But, through yoga, I found myself. Yoga forced me to sit with myself. To find comfort in discomfort. To rely on my breath to get me through. The mantra "This too shall pass." would sometimes be the only thing that got me through. I found peace with myself & my circumstances. I tuned into the blessings in my life & started to change my story from victim to the person who overcame
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It wasn’t overnight. I but then, as if I had spent my whole life sitting in a dark room unaware that light even existed yoga turned on a light within me. About 12 years ago I realized how many other people were just like me. Stuck in the dark. I made it my life goal to shine the light of yoga & healing on as many people as I could
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Now I am the Author of “The Path to Freedom Your guide to living the life of your dreams,” a Life Coach, inspirational speaker & Yoga teacher. I guide people to their own self-discovery through yoga & meditation. I lead yoga retreats & because of yoga I can now say “I am living the life I love and loving the life I live 💚
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