What's Next?!

Hey, I'm Doris! Thanks for stopping by! I wanted to kick off this blog sharing a bit of how I got into practicing yoga and why I wanted to start teaching. Also to share, "What's next?" for me. The photo below is from the class I taught to finish my requirements to become 200hr certified yoga instructor. **Insert happy dance!**

I first started doing yoga about six years ago to help ease all the aches and pains from running. I started running to help burn off stress (aka the crazy). This photo below is my crew at a 5k fun run around April 2014.

Mid 2014 a situation happened in our family that caused me to stop working out all together. I'd rather not go into detail, but I have a daughter with special needs and she went through a terrible time. I just felt stuck physically, emotionally, and I was depressed. I knew for my mental health that I had to try to do something active. Yoga for me has always had this calming, yet energizing vibe. My yoga practice helped me get through a very rough patch. It wasn't super fancy, I just did poses that felt good at that moment. Some days my practice was 5 minutes, others 45 minutes. Over time I learned to be more mentally present. To not waste my energy on the past or stress over what has yet to come. It's still a challenge for me at times, but I can feel a difference in myself.

I realized that I love practicing restorative yoga the most out of all the styles of yoga. It balanced out my other workouts and helped settle my nervous system.

Although I'm introvert by nature, I knew that I needed to share what I have learned about restorative yoga with others. Especially to special needs parents/care-givers/teachers. My husband is amazingly supportive & encouraged me to seek out a yoga teacher training program. After a lot of research, I found a studio that was a perfect fit for me. Part of my graduation requirements included creating and leading a workshop of my choosing. I'm thrilled that I had the chance to create a 'Yoga for Care-givers' workshop!

Once I finished training, I was given the wonderful opportunity to start teaching a flow & restore class at the local USO. It has been the best learning experience and allows me to build my confidence teaching in front of a class. Plus, it feels wonderful to teach our military community! I'm currently seeking out more trainings to keep learning and build my resume. I hope later this year to attend a training specifically for restorative & yin yoga. I've also considered learning more about leading a chair yoga class. This summer I hope to get certified to teach yoga to special needs children/teens/adults. With all the benefits I am experiencing with yoga, I want to learn more how I can help my special needs daughter. My overall goal is to help people find some calmness in a sometimes chaotic life. As for this blog, I'll write about my journey and what I enjoy. You may see me post about writing meditations, what I'm reading, and pictures! The possibilities are endless, and I'm excited to see what is next!