My yoga journey

You hear these stories about life-changing, cultish, experiences with workouts or gyms like Soul Cycle or Cross Fit. I never thought I would be one of those people. It’s not that I dislike working out; it’s just that it’s always been easy for me to find reasons not to go. I am now one of those people.

Walking into my first class at Power Life Yoga in Des Moines was one of the most intimidating things I have ever done. I was fairly confident in my ability to do yoga. I had practiced it on and off since I was 13. Growing up in small town Iowa, I didn’t have exposure to a yoga studio or organized classes. All I had was videos, books, and the teachers my high school brought in from time to time. I loved yoga right away. I thought I would waltz into the yoga studio and fit right in. I was wrong.

Everything about the studio was beautiful – the people, the clothes, the yoga mats, even the floors. The whole place was very intimidating all by itself (also very intimidating when there are beautiful yoga bodies all around you). I suddenly became very aware of how big my body was. No one said anything. No one looked at me funny. But I didn’t notice that. To me, everyone’s eyes were all on me and my (probably see-through) yoga pants.

Despite all that I was hooked right away. I was exhausted and sweaty but I felt great. The following day I ached in places I didn’t even know existed. After my first week I still didn’t know what a chaturanga was or how to properly do one (still a matter of contention two years later) but I did know that I was going to come back.

And I did.

When I told my now husband how much I spent on joining a yoga studio (About $100 a month) he was appalled. I had purchased a few gym memberships during our relationship, none of which I stuck to. So this was especially shocking. What was more shocking however was that I didn’t stop going. I kept going. I was getting stronger. I could finally lift my huge boobs enough to sit and stand up straight. I was sleeping like a baby. I was constantly happy and positive, which I hadn’t been in a long time. My anxious mind was at ease and my focus was through the roof. Something inside had clicked.

I took more and more classes. Always struggling but always persevering. The very first thing that yoga taught me is that there is no end goal to yoga. My body is capable of doing amazing things even if I can’t hold plank, fall out of tree, or take chautranga from my knees. My body is not the same as the body next to me, and that is not a bad thing.