Liz has an amazing story about how she used to follow us on Instagram, and is now a YESyoga Teacher! Read more about her story below...
I don’t think I am alone in this vicious cycle, we all have intentions to do things that are better for our body, mind and overall well-being and health. Or course, we all have great ideas. I say to myself, “hey, I am going to finally do this for myself, I going to start a workout routine and eat heathier, “the list goes on and on. But what is the first thing we do? We make ourselves comfortable and start scrolling through our phones. To check what is potentially out there for us but end up getting sidetracked and our exploring new dinner spots. Unfortunately, that doesn’t get us much closer to our true end goal, but at least it gives us some ideas, right?
Luckily for me, around the time that YESyoga was opening, I saw the grand opening information and decided to “follow” the Facebook page. That is the easiest part. Everything and everyone looked so inviting. But I didn’t step out of my comfort zone and make the commitment to physically go and try it out. That is the hard part, but why? All the same thoughts went through my head, do I have time, is it in our budget, will I fit in, will a make a fool of myself? The endless self-doubt. I felt stuck and could not just do something I knew would be a positive change.
Looking back, I wish I had started sooner, the community and happiness that I receive from just attending classes and getting out of the house is unmatched to doing nothing. Getting through my post-partum stage and beyond was extremely challenging for me. I remember seeing posts and thinking that could never me, again. Going through life changing events, I finally built up the courage and strength to test out some exercise places in Sugar Land. It was well beyond time; my mental health needed it. In order to be a supportive wife, mom, daughter, friend, I knew I needed to support myself. I was concerned and felt intimidated about walking into a new studio. Since I tend to overthink things (which I am working on), I had several questions flooding my brain. Are they strict? Will people judge me? Will anyone talk with me? Will I look ridiculous? To my surprise, it was exactly what I needed. Very relaxing and mindful. It gave me a sense of purpose, something to work towards and helped me feel accomplished. I instantly felt connected to yoga because it has more to offer than just building up a sweat. I had done some yoga on DVD and a few Bikram classes years before, but never felt as connected. YESyoga got me hooked.
Then, a new opportunity was presented (thank you, Erin!) A teacher training at the studio I had just joined? Exciting! I knew I was not interested in going back to 12 hour shifts and working as a Nurse at this time, but I was itching to do something. I knew I wanted to learn more about yoga and all the different varieties and start something I could expand upon for the rest of my life. I love teaching, especially things I am passionate about, so this seemed like the right decision.
I decided to take a risk and say YES to the teacher training. As always, I continued to have my doubts, allowing thoughts to creep into my head that included what other people would say or think. Also, would my application be accepted? But I remember that only my voice matters for myself and I must stop and do what is best for me now and for my future. You never know unless you try. What is better than building a community with people that are not only looking for the same things as you, but are going through same life experiences and are here to be supportive and help destroy the judgment cloud that we all continuously fight.
What a joy the training was for me! I built relationships, learned lots about yoga, was able to practice a ton of yoga, started a meditation practice and landed a sweet gig as an instructor at the studio I have been following on social media since they opened. The effort was well worth the outcome.
I promise to continue to learn and share to help bring overall well-being both physically and mentally. I want to live in the present moment, love what I am doing and let go of all the what ifs. Investing in my own life, taking on challenges that are not just a click and a follow.