In 2011 I was attending college at Ohio State University, Wooster campus. Somewhere between the class overload and leaving home, anxiety and stress began to run my life. I was unable to sleep, I barely could eat, and my stomach had this huge pit in it that would suddenly cause a mass amount of pain every time I laid down. After several doctor visits, and a run to the hospital, I decided to do something about it since medicine was not helping. My mom has practiced yoga for as long as I can remember, so I did something any 18 year old girl does not want to do; I listened to my mom. I started doing yoga.

 

I started out with YouTube videos in my tiny dorm room, and then after moving in with my boyfriend (now husband) I continued. Poses got easier for me, breathing became a little more manageable, and my stomach issues disapeared. I never thought about teaching. I just loved the way moving and challenging my flexibility, strength, and balance felt. At the time, meditation was not part of my practice. I was using yoga as a form of "working out".  Fast forward to summer 2014, my husband (who had mentioned it several times by now), my mother, and my best friend asked me if I had thought about teaching. My answer was still no. I hadn't, but I took it as a sign from some sort of higher power and started looking for a teacher training program.

 

My husband and I were both working full time (barely making ends meet) so taking time off work to knock out a program in 3 or 4 weeks was not an option. I lost a little hope finding that any program would also require me to travel at least 2 hours or stay in that area. I took it as a sign again, and wrote off the idea of teaching. In the months that followed I started to become more public with my yoga practice. I started doing Instargam challenges and furthering my practice. Then one day, someone asked me about Open Way Yoga. I had no idea about this place, and they infromed me it was a studio only 15 minutes away! What!? Why did I never hear of this!? So I went online, and there, the very first thing that came up on thier page was thier Fall teacher training, so I went for it. I emailed and filled out the application, I visited the studio and that very first class I took (was yin, which I was new to), I had the feeling of "yes, this is it" come over me.

 

In February 2015 I started subbing at Zen in the District in Toledo, Ohio. I became certified in April 2015. Since then I have expanded my teaching to Rossford Recreation Center, and Illuma Studio. I have also expanded my own practice. Meditation is a huge part of it now.

 

My yoga has allowed me to overcome injuries, mental and physical. My anxiety is very much alive, but most days I feel it is manageable due to my yoga. I have a stronger connection with nature, and people around me. I feel more confident and I have no trouble speaking to crowds. My yoga has allowed me to gain so much, and heal so much of myself. My goal now, is to share more depth to my story, share how I have utilized yoga to help me relax, to build me up. I know for sure I have one student who has had her life impacted by yoga. She started with me, and every class, I see the light in her eyes. The excitment of learning something new. Of finding something new about herself. This is the same student who left five minutes into her first class with me.

 

I could not express how happy that makes me. I have impacted someones life, and that makes everything, EVERYTHING I have done, and will do, worth it.

 

Thankyou for taking the time to read my story. You can reach out to me any time about anything. Questions, comments, concerns, just someone to chat to? I am your girl.

 

Namaste.