Did you ever pretend you had an adult job when you were growing up whether it was a doctor, veterinarian, firefighter, or the millions of other careers that looked so neat when you were little? I always had a passion for helping others and thought being a teacher would be the perfect way to inspire others and have the biggest impact. Fast forward to college and the teaching job market in Illinois was virtually nonexistent, so I quickly switched gears to PR and gave up my dream of becoming a teacher. However, sometimes your dreams can reveal themselves in different forms — you just have to listen.
When I was in high school my mom took me along to one of her yoga classes, and after just one hour I knew it was the start of something really special. After that first experience I took classes on and off at the local fitness center and did some at-home yoga videos, but it wasn’t until I stepped into my first yoga studio in 2014 that I really got hooked. I went from practicing occasionally to spending at least 4 to 5 hours a week on my mat. I took a few months off in 2015 during a crazy busy phase of life and instantly regretted it: I wasn't centered, and I mentally and physically craved time on my mat. When I returned to my mat after that time off I began to break my old patterns and started to let go.
I let go of the illusion of control and perfectionism and started to just live my life. The more time I spent on my mat alone with my thoughts, the more I learned that true meaningful transformation comes from within. If you don’t have genuine self-love, you’ll never be fulfilled. There’s not a magical number on the scale or size of clothes that will make you feel perfect. External things — money, jobs, houses, cars, or physical appearances will never make you happy. And guess what? I’ve gained so much by letting go and embracing what makes me different and focusing on enjoying my life. And no, I didn’t gain numbers on a scale or pant sizes, but self-confidence, self-love, self-worth, and a whole lot of grit and determination.
Yoga has truly transformed my life and I want to share what I've learned with others in a meaningful way. I’ve been feeling called to do yoga teacher training for a long time, but for years have been too terrified to stop making excuses for why I shouldn’t do it.
Fear is what holds us back from things in life, especially those that can really change us for the better. There’s something comforting in pretending that we’re in control, when in reality it’s all just an illusion — and one that will only hold you back. I’ve decided recently that life is far too short to not do the things that you truly want to do. Sometimes you just have to go for them, especially when it’s scary as hell — because that’s where the biggest transformations are bound to take place.
I'm beginning a new chapter soon as I officially start yoga teacher training next year. I couldn’t be more excited to finally share this journey with others and create that impact I’ve craved my entire life. So here’s to doing things that are totally terrifying, because life would be far too boring without them.
