How I Found My Inner Peace: My Personal Journey into the World of Yoga

Feeling frustrated with my body after having my second child, living from paycheck to paycheck without access to free childcare, and unsure of how to reconnect with myself, I discovered yoga on Instagram. Although I had always been flexible, I never had a passion for competition or sports. I noticed women online practicing yoga, which seemed to require little equipment and was affordable. I bought a DVD and a yoga mat at Target, each costing only $5-$10. My yoga journey started with Jillian Michaels' "Yoga Meltdown." At the time, Instagram was relatively new, and it gave me some extra motivation to participate in Instagram yoga challenges with prizes like a new mat, clothing, or blocks. Yoga offered me a home workout ranging from 20 minutes to an hour, ideal for my stay-at-home, budget-friendly lifestyle!

My first IG Yoga Challenge- #YOGAngsters

The Initial Realization

Like many, I believed yoga was solely about flexibility and balance. I had no idea it would transform my life completely. I was 23, a stay-at-home mom in an emotionally abusive relationship with two kids, before pregnancy I was a hairstylist who also worked at a bar and Chili's to afford rent. I felt trapped in more ways than just struggling to lose baby weight. Practicing yoga, I began to connect with my body, thoughts, and intuition without even realizing it. I never fully understood how disconnected I was from myself. Through yoga, I was starting to learn to trust and love myself!

The First Class

I soon realized that practicing at home was simply not enough. But being unable to afford classes, I wasn't entirely sure what to do. I started digging. I found community classes at Kindness Yoga and took full advantage of CorePower Yoga's free weekly classes. I became an expert on Denver's free or donation-based yoga classes, taking them as often as I could and absorbing as much as I could to take the information home and practice more! The studio time was even better than I could have imagined, always putting my home practice to shame.

Finding Clarity

The self-love, trust, and intuition I discovered through my yoga practice enabled me to view my life from a new perspective. I realized I needed to stand up for myself and my two daughters, unwilling to compromise my happiness or their safety any longer. It was time to do something unprecedented in my large Catholic family—aside from me getting pregnant before marriage—it was time to get a divorce. With my parents having recently moved to Colorado, moving in with them was the first step. The mental strain of the divorce and the court hearings to decide my daughters' custody was the hardest period of my life. My yoga practice was the only thing that kept me centered enough to fight. Some nights, unable to sleep, I would practice all night. Handstand after handstand, asana after asana, I practiced until I was exhausted enough to quiet my mind and find sleep. I was never great at meditation; little did I know at the time that ADHD played a role in that resistance, yet I found it easier to calm my mind after physically tiring myself. I was unaware that this was the purpose of yoga asana! But I digress. I saved myself by staying connected to myself through yoga practice.

"My girls wanted to help me with my practice tonight for Day 8 of #MYOLyogies " I was mid-divorce and living with my parents <3

The New Chapter

I got a great job at a barbershop downtown. I was a barber instructor for a few different schools, and I absolutely loved teaching. I continued to practice yoga, and eventually, my finances and timing were just right. A 200-hour teacher training at the studio that had given me the opportunity to practice via their donation-based classes, Kindness Yoga. Yoga impacted me in such a big way; I knew I wanted to teach yoga to help others discover the magic of this practice, especially moms. I received my 200-hour certification, then immediately took a kids' certification course. I started teaching kids' yoga at my girls' elementary school and rented a studio space in downtown Denver to gain experience with adults. Most of my classes were one-on-one or maybe a small group! The elementary school was fantastic, though, and I had to add two days after school to fill the long list of kids wanting to join. It was a magical time getting to share my love of yoga! I was still cutting hair, so teaching never took full priority. During this time, I met my husband, Josh. We got married right before my 200-hour training. When I found out I was pregnant, it just so happened that one of my 200-hour teachers was hosting a Prenatal YTT. Knowing this was what I wanted to teach, I, of course, signed up immediately. I got to do the teacher training pregnant with my third baby, and it was a hugely impactful time in my journey as a yoga teacher.

Great Things Await at the end of Challenging Journeys.

Its been a long journey of empty classes, studio closures in Covid times, self-doubt, many trainings, books and podcasts all providing me with immense growth. I could not be happier to be where I am today. The lives I impact on a daily basis through the practice of yoga bring me so much joy and peace. I followed my dreams, I grow with every class I teach, every conversation I have and every single one of my own personal practices at home. I could not be more grateful for the students who put their trust in me. I can only hope that I am bringing joy and awareness into my students' lives as well! I have 4 kids now, I teach 7-12 classes a week, I lead teacher trainings, and I will be certified in 2025 with a physical therapy certification. While I still cut hair for a few people out of my house, teaching yoga has taken the lead in my careers. All because of Instagram Yoga, I am forever grateful for the presence of Yoga in my life!