Yoga is a practice I picked up in high school as a recovery to my time at the gym and playing sports. I was so gung-ho about the idea that I soon became a self-proclaimed yogi. After I began, I continued my practice for three strong years. It wasn’t until I moved to college that for the first time, yoga was not a priority.

Let me add, I do yoga at a heated studio. Nothing against non-heated yoga, it is strictly preference.

Side note: one thing I love about yoga is how it is all about kindness and gratitude, so all forms are accepted.

Three noticeably different things happened to me once I stopped practicing yoga:

1. I continued to workout outside of yoga. Cardio and light lifting, stuff I was doing before as well. Then, after a few weeks, my muscles started to feel funky. My shoulder was acting up and I pinched a nerve in my groin. Physically, I was hurt and couldn't do the activity I wanted to be doing. I realized the significantly lower amount of stretching I was doing since I stopped yoga, had started to take a toll on my body.

My physical therapist did some rehab, but nothing helped more than the pigeon poise. I knew I needed the deep stretching that yoga can accomplish.

2. This is the obvious difference. My skin will forever feel its best right after I get out of a hot yoga class. The feeling of release is the reason to do it in the first place. For some reason, on the days I visit yoga, I walk a little lighter on my feet. Here is where I suggest you try it.

3. Lastly, I was a lot more tense without yoga. By tense I don't mean in my muscles, I mean I was feeling emotionally anxious and overwhelmed. At first I blamed it on the move away from home and figured it would go away as I got adjusted, but I was wrong. The deep breathing and meditation in yoga is healing. Without it, I felt like I was going through some type of withdrawal.

Exercise has the ability to become an outlet for any and all troubles you may have. Releasing negative emotion is the first step to finding happiness.

All in all, my message remains - practicing yoga is a release and everyone should try it. Being a part of a special interest community is always a great feeling. Sharing interests with people while portraying no judgment is something you don't see often.

If you were wondering what I decided to do about these issues of mine now…

Luckily, I found a studio I couldn’t love more here, at school. I am back practicing different flows with a unique awareness of what my body and mind need again. I am proof exercise and meditation bread happiness.

My advice to you would be to find something you love and not let anything stop you from doing it. Breathe easy through life and find your happiness.