my story so far...

I first stepped on to a yoga mat in January 2008, when I moved to New York City to start my first ever job as a fashion PR assistant. At that point, yoga was nothing more than a form of exercise that I dabbled in every once in a while. I frankly didn't have time for yoga, because my life as a Type A twenty-something in the big city meant that I worked a lot, worried a lot, spent a lot and probably didn't party enough.  

I moved to London in September 2009 and continued my marathon run in the corporate hamster wheel. I got a masters degree in fashion business, and I continued to get jobs that looked pretty good on paper. Over the years, my CV grew, and slowly my pay check did too. And, in 2014, I was finally earning enough to afford a membership at a proper yoga studio. It was the right time too, as I had just broken up with the idea that I could be a runner. Enter Putney-based studio, The House of Yoga and Baptiste Power Vinyasa.

I'll admit it was not love at first practice. My first Saturday morning, 90-minute practice with Jason Pooley (The House of Yoga's founder) was "too hard", and I basically vowed to never do a "long practice" again. The first weeks were incredibly challenging, but I was determined to get my money's worth. I kept going back, and slowly it became less about return on investment. First, my body started to change, and I felt revitalised after practicing. Next, yoga became a stress reliever and a way to calm my mind after work. Then, I started to enjoy tapping into the studio community and meeting like-minded people. A couple years later, I was in a good place - I had a fitter body and mind, new friends and could stand on my head! What more could I want?

In early 2016, one of my favourite teachers approached me about teacher training.  I said I wasn't sure if it was the right time, I wasn't sure if I had the money, I wasn't sure if I was ready, I wasn't sure if I was good enough at yoga. All bullshit excuses. Luckily, I climbed over my pile of excuses, and I signed up for a 7-month 200-hour teacher training programme starting in June 2016 at The House of Yoga. I later went on to complete my 300-hour advanced teacher training with Lumi Power Yoga, and additional certifications in NuPower Yoga, Yin and Mandala Vinyasa.

The decision to train to be a yoga teacher not only changed my life, but I believe it saved my life. The programme woke me up. I became clearer on who I am and who I want to be. I began to accept my imperfect and flawed self. I realised what my true personal passions are. I woke up to the fact that this is my life, and I can either take a backseat or I can take the wheel and make my dreams a reality. With an awareness of my strong desire to serve others, my passion for yoga and my "newfound ability" to take control of my life, I quit my corporate job to devote more time to sharing a practice that ultimately saved me from blindly continuing to live a life I thought looked good.  

Is life sunshine and rainbows now that I'm a yoga teacher today? Nope. I still have ups and downs. I'm still as imperfect and flawed as I was before. I still encounter stressful situations. There are still a million poses that I can't do...yet! But, I'm now armed with a different perspective and a toolkit of things that help me approach life differently. As they say, yoga doesn't change what you see, it changes the seer. I am proud of the person that yoga has helped me become, and my transformation will no doubt continue. Work in progress, so watch this space.