I’m April, and I’d like to tell you a little about my journey to understanding the mind-body connection.
I was diagnosed with chronic depression and generalized anxiety disorder when I was 14. I’d been having a really tough time in school and in my personal life out of nowhere, so in addition to taking me to see a psychologist and counselor, my mom thought it might be helpful for me to try yoga. I was really intimidated, but thankfully, she joined me in signing up at a yoga studio. I couldn’t believe what a difference it made in how I felt! Although I was taking antidepressants and working with a counselor every week, yoga was a huge part of my journey to feeling better. The stronger my muscles got, the more flexible I became, and every time I was able to accomplish a new pose all made a huge impact on how I felt emotionally. I started to see that taking care of my body in a new way really made a difference in my mental health.
Fast forward a few years. I was in college, and although I was working out every day, I wasn’t seeing the weightloss results I’d hoped for. (The “freshman 15” was actually the “freshman 30” for me, and three years into college, I was still trying to work it off.) My beloved cat, Sadie, who lived a full and happy 18 years, died that fall. I was devastated. My grief was overwhelming, and although I didn’t change my exercise or eating habits, I lost 15 pounds in two weeks. It showed me the other side of the mind-body connection: our mental wellness plays a huge role in our physical health (for better or for worse). It was completely bonkers to me that my body felt so much “weight” from my distress over losing Sadie that it used up enough energy to drop so much weight in such a short period of time.
I’m happy to say that today I feel both physically and mentally well, because I try really hard to work on both aspects of my health. I’m currently working on becoming a certified yoga instructor so I can help others find their own mind-body health. I decided to start this site as another way to inspire people to think about their own mind-body health solution, and I’m really excited to see where it will go.
Thank you for being part of my journey, and I hope I can make a difference in yours!
P.S. I know, I know – yoga isn’t the answer for everyone. I believe it can help a lot of people, but this site isn’t dedicated to yoga.
