03/11/2026
Funny the assumptions people make about you as a yoga teacher. One of the most common being that we are cool, calm, and collected all of the time. When really, it’s quite the opposite (at least for me). Last night, anxiety tucked me in. And this morning, it woke me up, too.
I wrote in Still Growing:
the day welcomed me with its sunshine
i thanked her for her arrival
hopeful
but anxiety stole the day
engulfed me
swallowed me
what is there left of me
I feel that way most of the time. Certain days are better than others, but some fits of overthinking, obsessing, and worrying feel like forever. Like they won’t ever go away.
That’s usually when my anxiety turns to depression. Wondering, “What’s the point?” And, “Why should I care?”
The first time I experienced anxiety (that I can remember) was on the bus ride home from elementary school. My head was buzzing with what felt like hundreds of voices overlapping in conversation. Kind of like this audio. I couldn’t escape them, or turn down the volume.
It was scary, loud, and isolating.
Yoga became a place where I learned to sit with what scared me, and release what was stuck.
It doesn’t work every time, but it’s a tool I need just as much as those I teach. Because I, along with every other yoga teacher, am not an exception to the noise and chaos of everyday life.
And navigating my own mental health is very much so an ongoing process.
Let this be a reminder that you never really know what people are batting, nor should you assume to know.
And if there is an assumption to be made, let it be that everyone is going through something, and everyone is struggling in their own way—even if they appear perfectly calm, grounded, or peaceful.
Life is hard, and we’re all just getting by the best we can.⛅️