This article is reposted with permission from YOGAudacious.com from the 2014 series.

How did you find yoga?

I had a friend about 4 years ago that had fallen in love with the practice. At the time, I was an avid runner, and thought spending an hour on a mat was counter intuitive. I remember how nervous I was my first time entering a yoga studio because I had heard so much about yoga, but still wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Everyone in the room seemed so calm, and knew exactly what to do.

I, on the other hand, was incredibly nervous and awkward. I just remember thinking I wanted the peace and serenity these people seemed to have. That, and the fact everyone seemed to be doing these epic poses, and I was barely able to touch my toes.

I have a really competitive spirit, so I said: “Alright yoga, this isn’t over yet.”

I kept showing up, and my perception shifted, my physical body shifted, and yoga has become this beautiful journey that continues to evolve every time I make the commitment to show up on my mat.

How are you courageous?

I show up no matter what. In life, and for my practice. Sometimes it takes every ounce of my strength, but I know in doing so I’m guaranteed the gift of change. That’s what I’m looking for. Change means I’m continuing to grow and that’s the beauty of life.

What are the benefits of your yoga?

Yoga helps me show up with love. What really touches me most is when I see people embodying yoga both on and off the mat. I know people can be annoying, space can be tight, someone could be making weird noises (and that same person could have cut you off in the parking lot!) but we’re all here for the love of yoga and bettering ourselves. So I just try to be love.

Let go of ego!

My mental secret is practicing the mantra of “If I know anything, I don’t know.” The second I think I’ve got it, or I’ve mastered something, I tend to be humbled; and it’s not always pretty. When I let go of expectations, and am opened to anything, I have the most inexplicable experiences.

Also, God bless blocks! When I first started yoga, it was an ego thing. I thought that if I needed a block, I wasn’t good enough in my practice. But that is so NOT true. Now, I basically have an obstacle course of props around my mat because blocks serve as such a great tool to get deeper into poses; but in a way that’s sustainable for my body.

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