Living Your Yoga: Beyond the Mat

Yoga is often seen as a physical practice—stretches, poses, and breathing. But for me, yoga has always been more than that. It’s a way of life, something that has saved me over and over again. My mom can actually tell when I haven’t been practicing!

In many ways, yoga feels like coming home. It’s about being fully present in all that I do, which has become even more meaningful after my stroke. With my very short-term memory loss, I can no longer lean on the immediate past or over-plan the future. Yoga teaches us to live in the now, and I see that as one of the greatest gifts I’ve received from this stroke. I have to be here, or I won’t remember. I HAVE to be intentional. Presence over presents (more on this in a future blog).

But it hasn’t always been easy. My stroke turned my life upside down, and there have been times when I didn’t handle it with grace. Yet through it all, yoga has been there, grounding me and guiding me back to the present moment (whether I wanted it to or not!). It’s not about being perfect or graceful—it’s about showing up as I am, embracing both the good and the messy parts of life.

That’s why I’ve let go of the idea of having a 'perfect yoga body' or acting a certain way. I will never have that perfect yoga body, and you know what? I’m perfectly okay with that. I love, love, love to use profanity, I eat too much, and yeah, I drink. I’m not perfect, but that’s what makes me, me (#perfectlyimperfect). Yoga isn’t about fitting into a mold; it’s about being present. That’s what makes it for everybody.

For me, yoga is woven into my daily life. Whether I’m standing in line at the grocery store, feeling stressed, or even overwhelmed, I go back to my breath, I calm myself, I live my yoga. And that’s where the real transformation happens—not just in the poses, but in how I handle life.

In fact, the more I teach, the more I realize how deeply yoga has saved me. One of the highest compliments I ever received was from my friend Jill. After attending one of my classes, she told me she sees yoga in everything I do. I’m not sure I ever told her this, but I will never forget it (and hopefully she reads this now too). Jill’s words reminded me that living your yoga is more than just asana (the poses); it’s about how you show up in every aspect of life.

As I’ve moved through this journey, one thing has become clear: staying true to myself is key. When I’ve tried to change the way I teach yoga to fit what I think others want, it never sticks. I’ve learned that your vibe attracts your tribe. The people who connect with me do so for some unknown reason. I know I’m not for everyone—and that’s okay. I’ve stopped trying to be what others expect, and instead, I’m focusing on showing up authentically. The right people will find their way to me, and that’s the tribe I want to build. And thankfully, I’ve been able to build it with lots of hard work and by the grace of God.

I’ll never be the perfect yogi (whatever “perfect” means) and I’m not aiming for that. But I will keep showing up, living my yoga, and letting it shape not just how I move, but how I live.

Now, your turn—how do you live your yoga? Check this out!