During the annual Gobblerfest, I came across a booth hosted by In Balance Yoga Studio, a popular and local yoga studio that loves supporting the Virginia Tech community. They company was looking for college students to work at their studio in exchange for a free membership. I saw this as an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. However, I knew nothing about yoga and was only really interested in the free classes offered.
I started working a couple weeks later, and I quickly learned how enriching the yoga world is. I was surrounded by individuals who have spent years incorporating yoga into their everyday lives. During my shifts, I would get to speak to teachers who had the incredible opportunity to teach yoga in different cities and learn from world renowned yoga teachers. What I found most impactful was how they use yoga to help them destress and ground themselves. Their experiences opened my eyes to what wellness is all about.
Prior to my time at the studio, I don’t think I understood what wellness was. I would relate wellness to physical and mental health. After being immersed in this new environment, I have been exposed to a whole new meaning of wellness: the balance of inner peace and harmony.
Yoga has taught me that wellness is a holistic concept that focuses on every part of our being—not just physical. Wellness should not entirely focus on a workout split or getting toned for the summer. Instead, it is about finding a balance between your physical, mental and spiritual health. One way yoga has taught me to practice this balance is by listening to my body’s cues and understanding my limits. I think a lot of girls make themselves feel guilty when they skip a workout, but sometimes our bodies need a break. We work out to be healthy and to feel good, but the meaning is lost when we are forcing ourselves to do something for the sake of doing.
Beyond the physical and mental practices I have learned, I also found a sense of community within this studio. The teachers and staff at In Balance are only a small part of my week, but we bring each other stories, updates from our lives, and, most importantly, endless support. In addition, they have shown me the true importance of prioritizing myself and taught me to focus less on pleasing others. Finding wellness starts with me. I have learned to let go of societal expectations from friends and family and to focus on what makes my soul happy.