Today we are thrilled to announce our newest “Inspiring Yogi”, Kaitlyn Stoddart! Kaitlyn is a member at our Denton location since we first opened in August of 2015. Over the past year, her love for yoga and kindness toward others has shown through her time at the studio. We love her story for many reasons, but a favorite is the fact that she has a contagious joy that cannot be avoided. Having struggled with anxiety and depression, she has experienced the game-changing effects of a regular yoga practice. Read on to learn more!
“I took my first yoga class when I was 13 to ease my aches and pains caused by gymnastics. Three years, several ankle injuries and a back injury later I quit gymnastics completely and pursued my yoga practice. At the time, yoga served as a form of physical therapy. My back injury had left me with numbness and tingling from the waist down and certain movements cause me to lose feeling altogether. After I recovered from my injuries, I realized yoga is much more than the physical movements.
Quitting gymnastics left me without purpose. It had been a part of my life for nearly fifteen years. When I quit, I lost my entire circle of friends and all of my self-confidence. I quickly turned from a quirky and outgoing 16-year-old to a socially awkward teen struggling with major depression and anxiety.
Counseling and medication only seemed to make matters worse and it was when I finally broke down that I realized how important it was to find strength within myself.
I was in a small yoga class my senior year, practicing to stay in shape when I finally reached my tipping point. I’m not sure what pushed me over the edge, maybe it was the stress of work, school and applying to colleges. Maybe it was the exhaustion from carrying all of my emotional baggage, or just everything together, weighing me down. All I know is in that class, I broke down and began to cry. My mom was next to me, she touched my hand and we continued on with the practice. I cried every practice for the next six months and then one day, I was better. I hadn’t changed anything with my personal responsibilities and workload, but I had changed something within myself.
Namaste”
Are you ready to share your yoga journey? Email us at blog@inspireyoga.com to be featured!
Back in my home studio, although I’m no longer carrying two cameras and a media badge into my yoga classes, I do carry the lessons I learned as an on-mat photographer by drawing upon the collective energy of the group to enhance and inspire my own movements.