From anxiety to awareness—my journey 🌸

It may surprise you that I used to be a pessimist. I also suffered from crippling anxiety. I started therapy and began taking medication. Both helped tremendously.

But the icing on the cake was starting to practice yoga. The year was 2015. Moving my body, learning how to meditate, and practicing calming breathing techniques all worked together to help me deal with fear, dread, and anxiety in a muchcalmer way. Yes, I sometimes still tend to think the worst is going to happen in a given situation (welcome to being an American these days.) And yes, I can worry with the best of them. 

Buttttttt, I catch myself now.

This is key! Yoga has helped me not get stuck in those fearful thoughts or worries.

These days it's hard not to be pessimistic. And I'm not suggesting we all have "no bad days" or look at the world through rose-colored glasses. But rather than throw in the towel and give up, my brain now does a better job of acknowledging the bad and then tackling the things I can reasonably tackle. All while acknowledging and embracing the joy that is all around me. 

When I start going down the worrying path, it's always because of something that might happen in the future. It has taken years, but I am finally getting good at pausing those worries and asking myself, "Is this situation beyond my control?" If it is, I truly try to let go of the worrisome thoughts. I return to the present moment over and over and over again.

The practice of yoga helps me practice a better attitude towards life.

If you can relate to being a worrier or a pessimist, I'd love to ​introduce you to yoga​. I can teach you gentle movements taken in a chair or on the ground, lead you through a guided meditation, and demonstrate various breathing techniques. All of these can truly help you remain present, embrace joy, and take doable actions to improve your life and the lives of others.