Make Time for You
Meet Jason: Yoga has been a goal of mine for several years. I led a very stressful life and never developed the coping mechanisms to manage it. I kept piling more responsibilities on and being the “yes man” both at my job and with those around me. It felt as though I had the weight of the world on my shoulders and that burnout was imminent. Couple this with being someone who grew up with body and self-esteem issues and a general lack of self-love as well as personal drama with family and life in general, and I was a breakdown waiting to happen!
A couple of years ago, the school district leadership team on which I served made a pact that we would stop letting our job responsibilities rule our entire lives. Each of us made some sort of promise to ourselves that we would do something to allow ourselves time with family or to do something for ourselves. I stopped taking piles of papers home to grade every day to free up some time. Guess what I filled it with….more work (house, projects, doing things for my sick grandparents, etc.). I still had not gotten to the place where I was able to let go and love myself enough to do something strictly for myself.
This past summer, I moved to Greenville after getting a new job. Normally, one would think that this would be a high stress situation, and that habits might wane. It was stressful, but it was at this juncture of massive changes, and with the support of my wonderful partner, that I took the leap that I had been wanting to do for years! I went to my first yoga class not knowing what to expect! I had never even stepped foot on a yoga mat. I spent most of the time those first few classes looking around, but felt a pull to keep coming back! That experience opened up the door to a life changing new practice!
Greenville Yoga has been such a blessing with superb, supportive instructors and a variety of activities, classes, and workshops! I have learned so much and it has affected my life in so many positive ways! First, I have learned to truly take time for myself every day of the week, even if I am not in the studio taking a class. I am learning to give myself that love and attention that I ignored for so long! I haven’t been able to make the stress disappear, but I am learning how to deal with it in a healthy way. Second, I have lost weight and feel stronger and healthier! Third, I have been able to reduce some of the diabetes treatments I was on! Fourth, I have developed a desire for more knowledge and practice! I could go on and on about the positive effects I have experienced!
My experience is not over! I see it as a journey to learn more, push myself, and most importantly, to love who I am, how I am, and what I am without judgment, and to see myself as a beautiful work in progress! My personal goal is to spread kindness, love, and positivity and each day I begin my practice with the meditative goal of allowing the love and light within me to be seen and felt by everyone with whom I come into contact.
I have only been practicing for three months, but it has been one of the best decisions of my life! I look forward to learning more, improving my practice, and meeting fellow yogis as our journeys intersect!
