Namaste

The past 30 days have been very rewarding. Abby asked me to join her along on a 30-day yoga journey called “Center.” It was created and led by yoga instructor, Adriene Mishler. This was my first exposure to yoga, and it was a bit daunting from the outside looking in. However, I trusted Abby’s judgment as she has practiced and followed Adriene’s yoga channel for a while now. Click this link to access Adriene’s YouTube channel, Yoga with Adriene: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene I encourage trying out some of her videos. I am a true beginner, and highly recommend her channel to anybody!

Daily intentional movement is a 2023 goal of mine. I dove in unsure of what to expect, and I ended the month-long journey feeling so proud of Abby and I. Pictured below are Abby and I after we completed the entirety of the “Center” 30-day yoga journey, and our daily ambiance and set-up. Adriene has such a calming presence and voice and non-judgmental approach. Each day is a different theme with different moves, which was exciting because I never knew what to expect. Each day would build upon each other and I would become more familiar with different poses and their respective names. Adriene makes room for modifications because allowing your body to endure movements that feel right is much better than over-doing it and hurting yourself. Some positions were difficult to hold in the beginning, but I improved each and every day, became stronger, and I did in fact grow more centered.

Adriene is such a light on the mat. She speaks out positive affirmations throughout the sessions. I especially love that she praised her audience for simply showing up each day. That is truly half the battle. Abby and I fit the yoga sessions in at all hours of the day, but that was the beauty of it. There were days where we were tired after work, but still made it to the mat. There were days where we were in the middle of preparing dinner, but we still made it to the mat. There were days where we took up our full lunch break for yoga knowing the night ahead of us was busy, but we still made it to the mat. We prioritized it together, and it became a part of our every day routine that we greatly looked forward to no matter what hour we rolled out our yoga mats. “Meet you on the mat” became a consistent phrase between us. After each session, we applauded each other for showing up, putting in the effort, and being present. Accountability buddies make the world of a difference, but I also believe that no matter what distractions are in your life, you have the power to make it to the mat at some point within the 24 hours in your day. Do it for you.

The final day of the practice threw me for a loop in the best way possible. Abby had completed one of Adriene’s past 30-day yoga journeys. She had a hunch of what to expect, but wanted to see my reaction in the moment when I realized what was about to happen. Adriene was muted in the final session. Music played in the background, but the final day was all about leading yourself in your own yoga practice. Adriene taught us so many moves throughout the journey, and I built up my yoga vocabulary bank throughout the month. She opened up the creative gateway for us to tailor our approach to what our bodies needed that day. Abby and I dialed in to our individual routines. We were in tune with our own breath work, moving and stretching, and fully immersing ourselves in a euphoric state that just felt so uplifting. The final session left me feeling beyond empowered.

Although this journey has come to an end, I am thrilled to embark on another yoga challenge with Abby. Meditation and yoga led by Adriene along with consistent chiropractor visits for my scoliosis have done wonders for my body. Tension in my muscles and bones have lessened, and I truly cannot thank Abby enough for introducing me to yoga in general, and especially to Yoga with Adriene. This is not the end, but instead just the beginning.

Namaste.

Remember to stay humble and kind, always!

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xo –Jess