Story Time: My Journey to Yoga
My story of finding yoga and becoming a yoga teacher
The first time I ever took a yoga class was in high school at a local gym near my school. I decided to try a group class after school one day, and I remember how challenging it was—the postures were difficult, and my body wasn’t used to them.
But then, during Savasana, I experienced a sense of inner calm unlike anything I had felt before. That feeling stayed with me, and it’s what kept me coming back to yoga again and again.
When I was a college student in New York, I really started to get into yoga and I enjoyed exploring different types of practices. I soon started to work part-time at the front desk at the local studio Shaktibarre in exchange for free yoga classes.
I loved quietly observing people as they rushed in for class. Tension showed in their bodies: hunched shoulders, worried eye brows, or just that hurried city energy.
But after class? It was like they were different people. Softer. Calmer. Sometimes even glowing!
These shifts mirrored my own experiences. Practicing yoga didn’t just improve my mental and physical well-being - it felt transformative.
As a psychology student, I was fascinated to see my personal observations reflected in research about the benefits of yoga and mindfulness. That connection inspired me to pursue my yoga teacher training, so I could share these powerful practices with others.
The selfie you see above is from spring 2020, taken in the early days of the pandemic. Captured right after I participated in a virtual yoga class. And my family’s dog Zack decided to give me Shavasana kisses.
Back then, the world felt chaotic and scary. And honestly, it still can feel that way, given everything happening in the world. Yet even in those moments, yoga has given me a space to breathe, let go, and reset.
Let me be clear: yoga won’t make your problems or challenges disappear. But it CAN be a resource. It can calm your nervous system, help you release stress, and bring clarity. Yoga can offer an energy boost and a fresh perspective.
Yoga can make you feel more prepared to navigate the challenges of being human. And that’s really meaningful to me.
Yoga is a gift I’ve been grateful to have since my late teens, and it’s made a profound impact on my life. Thanks for reading my little yoga story!
What do you think? How does yoga and other forms of movement make you feel? I invite you to reflect on how you can allow yourself time and space to move in a way that supports your well-being.
Want to dive deeper into your yoga practice? Let me help you! Learn more about 1:1 yoga sessions or check out my online yoga courses. Let’s get started!