What Yoga Has Done For Me

Just watched an interesting video about the benefits of exercise, and it reminded me of the symptoms I had experienced before starting yoga on a regular basis. I was experiencing random sharp pain, starting on my right ankle, then my arms, then all over really. Sometimes it was dull or felt like pressure. I'd get pins and needle sensations in the fingers or toes. I'd feel pain on what seemed like the bones and joints of my hands. It sometimes felt like the vein in my arm would get stiff and would hurt to bend my arm slightly. The anxiety caused by worrying about my health caused palpitations and shortness of breath; I'd sometimes lay awake in bed afraid to fall asleep. I didn't have health insurance and fought myself on whether or not I should see a doctor. I knew the symptoms could easily be explained away by stress and anxiety, but the fear that it could be something more (MS, Lupus, thrombosis, Lyme, etc.) lead me to pay for a doctor's visit and blood work out of pocket. All tests came back negative *phew*. I wasn't totally convinced it was just stress, but knowing my blood work was fine eased my mind some, and the symptoms subsided right away.
I still had stress factors in my life, as I think many (or most) of us do: KIDS, financial problems, a job I didn't really enjoy, sedentary lifestyle, etc. but at that time I was also house hunting with the added stress of having to find something before the lease of our then apartment expired, or risk going month-to-month and paying an amount we couldn't afford. The symptoms came back twofold.
When we FINALLY moved into our new home (after going 2 months over our lease and paying ridiculous amount of rent, having to dip into savings that was meant for our new home, moving all of our stuff just three days after closing into a foreclosure that wasn't fixed up to my standards because we had no time, having to buy all new appliances, get new A/C, fence, i.e. spending more money we didn't have) I felt some relief. I decided to go to another doctor (this time I had insurance) because while my symptoms had subsided again, they were still there and I wanted a second opinion. This doctor did a full blood work, even doing a protein test and checking for indicators of Lupus. He said I was "the picture of health. I'd even say you're healthier than me". Okay great, but I am still experiencing pain, so what now?
I decided not to go back to the doctor but start working out instead. I figured, if the symptoms continue even when I'm not stressed out and sedentary, then I'll go back and demand answers. I got on the Instagram bandwagon and was inspired by my dear friend Susy who was posting pics of herself doing arm stands. I thought "that's fricking amazing! I want to do that!" I had also joined a mommy group and met a mom yogi who told me about her YouTube channel (link below) so I started doing some of her videos as my morning routine. At that time I was doing yoga maybe 3 times a week for maybe 1/2 an hour or less in the morning. After just ONE week of doing yoga my symptoms greatly subsided.
When I felt the difference in how I felt I REALLY got into yoga. I started following some amazing yogis on Instagram and doing their monthly challenges.  I bought a Groupon voucher for Bikram hot yoga and went with my new yogi mom friend Kate Victoria for a month. I do yoga every...single...day, even if it's only to do some sun salutations in the morning when I have too much work to get done. 
I'll still get the occasional headache or little pin prick pain when I'm particularly stressed out and the kids are driving me up a wall...but NOTHING like what I was experiencing before. I am so thankful for yoga and for pushing myself to stick with it.
*Other benefits I have experienced thanks to yoga: I'm stronger (never had much upper body/arm strength, but am much stronger now, and I WILL CONTINUE until I can do a hand stand), I'm more flexible, I have more stamina, I feel sexier, I'm pushing myself out of my comfort zone (ever tried Yogance? that stuff is crazy fun, but you risk looking the fool), and last but not least, I've made new friends. I feel all around better.
Now I'm not saying you have to start doing yoga. BUT if your health is lacking, you have mystery pains, you're stressed out, or you're just not happy with your life, DO any form of exercise! You may have a more serious medical issue and need real medical attention, in which case by all means get the help you need, BUT doing some form of exercise as well will do your body and soul some good :)

 September 2014

June 2014/September 2014

                                         

June 2014/September 2014

Some Yogis worth following:
Kino MacGregor @kinoyoga: YouTube Google+ Instagram
Kerri Verna @beachyogagirl: YouTube Instagram
Cuchira @cuchira: Instagram
Kate Victoria @katevictoriayt: YouTube Google Instagram
My lovely friend Susy who inspired me to start yoga: @susyloveskaila

*The video that inspired this post: www.upworthy.com

Priorities

I'm not the most social person in the world, so it took me a while to make some mom friends after the birth of my first son. We had just moved back from Puerto Rico and all of my high school & college friends had moved away, so I pretty much had no social life whatsoever.
Luckily, I lived in an apartment complex with many parents and one reached out and before I knew it I had a little solid group of mom friends. We'd call or text each other when we were going to the playground or pool,  or hang out at each other's homes, etc. But little by little some of the moms moved away ... and then I moved (we bought a house YAY!), so it became a little harder to keep seeing the couple mom friends I had left. I felt a hole in my life and I needed it filled, but being a person with shitty social skills I didn't reach out to my new neighbors.
Due to an unfortunate circumstance with my son's preschool I decided the best course of action was to remove him from that school. Because it was so close to the end of the school year I decided to keep him home with me, and since I wasn't sure if he'd get into the charter school I applied him to for Kindergarten (he has seen been accepted!) I started looking for homeschooling resources and came across Meetup.com.
During my search I discovered several Mommy groups, which I also joined. So far I have met some great people, the kids have made some great friends, we've been to places we've never been to before, and it's been an all around great experience and I look forward to consolidating these friendships I've made. And because these play dates (and much needed Moms-Night-Out) have been so great I've reached out to my old mom friends and new neighbors and am making the time to see them more often. I think it's so easy to get caught up in your routine, and make excuses like "I have to clean the house" that unless you carve out the time, you'll never have a social life. Mind you, I work from home so I have to manage my time more carefully to make sure I'm not falling behind on my work. Some days I find that between play dates and work I sometimes fall behind on cleaning the house, but it is so worth it. I'm not the most social person, so putting myself out there, making the effort to have conversations with people and form friendships is good for my well-being, and that is more important than having clean dishes. I can always clean up later (like when the kids are asleep), but if I don't make the time and effort to have a social life, days, months, years will fly by, the kids will grow up, move out, and I'll look back and wonder what I did with my time (other than raise some great young men). Do I want to look back and realize I spent all my time working and cleaning? Hell no! I want to look back and remember all the great outings I had with my kids and great people I've met.