How 30 Days of Yoga Helped Me Heal in 2021
I spent the first month of 2021 doing something I had never done before: starting and completing a 30 Day Yoga Journey.
It was the first time in my 26 years that I had stuck to a fitness program, unrolling my mat each day to explore the 20 to 45 minute video that Adriene, of Yoga with Adriene, carefully curated. Unbeknownst to me, the "Breath" program would lay the foundation for a year in which I dove headfirst into my healing, the wake of which swirled with uncomfortable truths, sweet victories, pain, joy and freedom.
I rediscovered my love of yoga thanks to the events of the year 2020.
The practice was a form of physical activity that had always resonated with me, but one that I was warned to "be wary of," as the evangelical church had a hunch that the devil might slip into your soul while you assumed downward dog. A notion that makes me chuckle with pity at the sheer ignorance of such a worry.
But after realizing - and believing - that that opinion was utter nonsense, I began to reacquaint myself with the practice, something that felt like a combination of ballet class from my younger days and moments of serene prayer that my heart yearned for.
When we went into lockdown in March of 2020, I set a goal to learn how to do a headstand before restrictions were lifted. I met that goal in about a week, and as we know, lockdowns still had a while to go. Yet, the simple act of showing up for myself, setting a goal, sticking to it and seeing that end result lit a spark in me.
As 2020 unraveled, I would dip in and out of my yoga flows. Some weeks I showed up every day; other months, I went weeks between practices. But every time I would leave my Shavasana, I took a deeper understanding of myself off the mat, and started to recognize the impact yoga was having on my life.
So, when December 2020 rolled around and Adriene was advertising her annual 30 Day Yoga Journey, I quickly signed up. And I showed up, every day in January and consequently made the effort to unroll that mat as much as I could throughout the remaining 11 months of the year.
In 2021, I lost my grandmother, a woman whose presence loomed so large in my life and whose earthside spirit I miss deeply. After countless hours searching for a direction, I switched careers, leaving behind a skillset I adored but a toxic industry with which I couldn’t see a future. 2021 forced me to confront past traumas, shedding light on wounds I didn’t want to believe existed. And after years of unanswered questions surrounding my mental health and menstrual cycle, I was diagnosed with PMDD. The discovery confirmed the need to take care of myself holistically. All the while, COVID-19 remained a threat.
Yoga became my lifeline to reconnecting with myself in 2021. It grounded me and helped give me the strength to keep going.
But even more than that, yoga has been the doorway to finding God again. To rediscovering the faith I had as a child, taking delight in the natural world They have created. It’s as if I see the Adirondack Park with new appreciation each time I step outside, and I’m left in awe of the vacant, dazzling moon and all the phases in between. Yoga helped me curate a meditation practice, it piqued my interest in the Chakra system, healing crystals, and the intuitive practice of Tarot, which all solidified the desire to learn about and work with the Universal energy we have inside of ourselves.
While 2021 carried with it some of my deepest heartbreaks and complex struggles, I just can’t bring myself to condemn it. This year gave me the space to grow as a woman, and I did so alongside my partner, who has helped me learn how to be in a healthy relationship, standing by me throughout the highs and lows this year brought. His patience and steadfast belief in my higher self is something I will never forget and whose love I will always cherish.
As I sit here in reflection, I can see so clearly the value each moment provided this year, each hurdle and achievement bringing me back to my breath, and that 30 Day Yoga Journey was the key.
Looking ahead to 2022, I feel a lightness in my soul, hope in my heart and a belief that no matter what 2022 has in store for me, I will be okay.
And guess what? So will you.
This year’s 30 Day Yoga Journey is titled “Move,” which promises to “tell a story and create opportunities for experiencing and understanding what true health really means through the lens of yoga, movement, neuroscience, and mindfulness. Practice movement for processing, building muscle tone, releasing stress hormones, nourishing the nervous system, decreasing anxiety and boosting joy!”
“Move” aligns with my intention for 2022, making it the year of action, continuing to do the work of healing my core self, becoming the best version of me, enacting movement in all areas of my life.
And I’m eagerly anticipating Day One.
I’m thankful for this platform holding me accountable throughout the process. As the title of Mark Messier’s book reads, “No One Wins Alone,” I would be remiss if I didn’t thank each and every person who has continuously shown up for me as I share my stories and others through the written and spoken word.
I look forward to continuing to share your stories and mine.
Happy New Year, friends, may 2022 bring you an abundance of love and light.
