At one point or another each of us has rolled out a yoga mat for the first time. Every yogi comes to the mat at a unique and crucial point in life. We are inspired by yogis like Laura who show up, not sure of what she would get from the experience. Now she is a committed practitioner at our Highland Village location and has found the mat to be the perfect space for her to breathe, to connect, and to simply be.
“My name is Laura Richardson. I live in Flower Mound with my husband of 25 years and our four sons, the joys of my life. Let me start by explaining where I was before yoga knocked on my door. Our boys had all chosen to follow in their father’s footsteps to pursue the highest levels of the Dallas area’s competitive soccer leagues. For over ten years, aside from work, my life had been consumed with juggling multiple nightly carpools across the metroplex, marathon weekends of both in and out-of-town soccer games, and numerous volunteer opportunities to support our busy athletes. My husband had always coached or managed at least one of them along the way, and my role of “soccer mom” had left little time for other pursuits.
Thankfully, children grow older and learn to drive themselves, and my hectic pace had started to ease. Over that same period of years, I had largely ignored my incessant low back pain. I had sought chiropractic care which had helped some, but it still nagged at me and I never felt like I found the best way to manage it. My chiropractor had recommended yoga, but it had fallen to the back of my mind as I focused on the boys’ schedules. But one day a couple of years ago, my husband presented me with a gift that would change my life. It was a Groupon for a few classes at Inspire. I have to admit I had some silly preconceived notions of yoga and how it may conflict with my religious beliefs. This gave me a bit of trepidation as I wrestled with whether or not I would actually use that Groupon, but I’d heard enough about it’s possible benefits to at least give it a try.
Well, the people at Inspire were positively amazing and the genuine care of all the instructors embraced me with warmth and encouragement. Whatever concerns I had quickly dispersed, and I soon realized that whatever strange new world I had just wandered into was something I definitely needed more of in my life. For over two years now, I have found myself drawn to Inspire several days each week. And thus began my yoga journey.
To be honest, I am not sure exactly what it is I have found in yoga. It is difficult to express. It does not come easy for me. I had never considered myself graceful, strong, or balanced and I am in awe of those who so beautifully flow through poses. But in yoga, I have found so much more than what I was looking for. It is not just some exercise I do because it helps my back. Yoga truly encompasses body, mind, and spirit. It is a refuge that nurtures, calms, refreshes, and grounds me. It is a gentle instructor that heightens my awareness and strengthens me both inwardly and outwardly. It teaches me compassion, humility, patience, persistence, and light-heartedness. And it is ever a challenge that beckons me forward.
I am convinced that yoga is a wellspring I have but just dipped my toe into, and what started as something I thought I’d try for a week or so, now has me planning to roll out my mat for as long as I have breath.
I am grateful to God for bringing the wonderful blessing of yoga into my life at just the right time and also for bringing me to just the right place so that I could become a part of the wonderful community here at Inspire Yoga.”
