What's My Story?

I was born with a hole in my heart. Yes, literally a hole between the bottom two chambers of my heart (ventricular septal defect). Talk about a core wound! Initially surgery was suggested but my parents declined as it was a risky open heart surgery at that time in the 1970’s so I was just monitored closely by my cardiologist. When I tried to play with my friends outside, or participate in recess at school, I would get chest pain, shortness of breath, and my face would turn bright red. I also suffered from asthma and allergies as a child, which further complicated by ability to be active.  

My doctors gave me a note to excuse me from PE and recommended that I avoid organized sports.  I still remember sitting with my teacher during recess time wishing that I could play with the other kids. Since I was unable to enjoy physical activity or sports, I learned to excel at academics and become a “teacher’s pet” instead. I tried to be the best student to compensate for my physical limitations and I became an overachiever.

This pattern continued throughout my adolescent, teenage, and young adult life. I made straight A's, joined every academic club possible, volunteered at the Humane Society after school, worked as a waitress on the weekends, and eventually I graduated as Valedictorian of my high school. I attended the University of Florida and obtained my bachelors degree and then returned there 4 years later to complete my masters degree.  It is not surprising that I became a health professional with both of my degrees, perhaps out of a subconscious desire to learn how to help myself in the process of helping others and to mitigate my discomfort with those less fortunate.

Then all in the span of one year between 2004 - 2005, I got married, finished my masters degree, moved to a new city, bought my first home, gave birth to my son, and started my career. Talk about a stressful year! I spent years trying to keep up with the momentum of the fast paced, jam packed life that I had created for myself - taking care of my son, husband, patients, friends, and my home, but in the process of doing all of that - I wasn’t taking care of myself!  I ignored my heart and plowed through life head first, always pushing myself forward, never enjoying the moment, always doing for others (people pleasing) but not seeking pleasure for myself.  All of my energy was going out and I had no source to bring it back in.  I felt stressed, tense, depleted, and overwhelmed!

Then yoga found me and my life was transformed!  I was shopping at my local natural health food store and I saw a coupon for a free yoga class at a local studio.  I went to that studio the next weekend and took my first yoga class. It was an amazing experience! The teacher's words were so kind, calming, and empowering.  Through practicing yoga with her, I gained greater confidence, clarity, and self-compassion.  I learned how to relax and BREATH, which was a tremendous gift due to my heart defect and asthma. I learned to stop worrying so much about the future and start slowing down and enjoying the present! Five years later, while again shopping at the same health food store, I picked up a magazine at the checkout. As I was reading through that magazine, I saw an ad for a yoga teach training program in my area. Immediately, I felt a calling to sign up to for the training as I knew that being a yoga teacher would allow me to integrate all of my talents and training to help others.

Through the practice of yoga, I moved from having a "hole" in my heart to feeling "whole" in my  heart!  I realized that the “hole” in my heart was not an flaw but a gift. There is a quote by Leonard Cohen that I love that summarizes it perfectly, "There is a crack in everything - That's how the light gets in." 

Now you may not literally have a "hole" in your heart like I do, but maybe you feel like you have a hole in your life? Like something is missing? How are you currently filling that hole?  Do you eat too much? Do you drink too much? Do you shop too much? Do you spend way too much time on social media?  Do you need help finding a more constructive and healthy way to fill those holes? There are many ways to cope with the stressors of life, some are short lived and destructive, and some are healthy, fulfilling, and enduring - like yoga.

So, I welcome you to contact me to book a consultation or join me for a class to discover how the amazing practice of yoga, good nutrition, and health coaching can help "fill the holes" in your life to improve your overall health and happiness!