I am especially excited for today’s Small Business Spotlight feature, because it involves a whole bunch of my very favorite things!  Yoga, photography, and my sweet friend Melissa.  Melissa is a Certified Yoga Instructor in Columbiana, Ohio.  Not only is she an incredible yogi, but she has an amazing personality that she infuses into her teaching style, making her classes one of a kind.  I am so proud of her for completing her yoga certification this year, and it is so exciting to watch Melissa share her passion with others as she teaches!  I asked Melissa to share a little bit of her story with you today, and whether you’re a seasoned yogi or you’ve never set foot on a mat, I think you’ll find some encouragement and inspiration in what she has to say.  

I have been practicing yoga for over 6 years.  I fell in love with it right away!  I craved it, I felt the physical and mental benefits so quickly I couldn’t get enough and I knew I wanted to share my passion more than just dragging every friend I had to a class!  I knew I wanted to become a certified instructor pretty much right away.  

I went through nine months of teacher training at Studio Oxygen in Canfield, OH.  It was an eye opening time in my yoga journey.  I learned that becoming a yoga instructor is no joke!  Being in teacher training is very much like being in a relationship, after a little while your true self starts to make an appearance… It brought out a lot of strengths in me that I didn’t even know I had… it also brought out my shortcomings and weaknesses.  Even though it was a hard learning process, I think it really led me to be a better teacher and be able to relate to my students on a much deeper level.  I learned so much about myself, along with the history of yoga and how to coordinate a successful class!  

Yoga is for everyone.  No matter your religious background, body type, flexibility level, yoga is for you.  There is a type of yoga out there to meet every person’s need.  Yoga has not only strengthened my body and helped me become more flexible, it has also taught me to be calm and peaceful in the present moment.  When you are holding poses that are not so comfortable for a certain length of time, the only way to get through it and not quit is to breathe and just be.  Be uncomfortable, let yourself have shaky muscles and let your mind tell you that you can’t do it, and then you do, and it’s amazing!  They are really great lessons to take off your mat and into everyday life!  

 

A lot of people tell me they can’t begin a yoga practice because they aren’t flexible enough.  You do not have to be flexible to practice yoga, you become flexible from practicing yoga!  When I took my first yoga class, I couldn’t touch my toes!  And one of the best parts about practicing yoga in a class setting is that everyone else has been there!  Everyone was a beginner once.  You just have to take the leap.  Let yourself be vulnerable and awkward.  It’s OK to laugh at yourself, it’s even OK to fall down!  I always make sure my students know at the beginning of every class that yoga is not a sport, it’s not a competition, we are all there to practice together, to inspire each other, not compete with one another.

For the person who may be interested in yoga but is feeling hesitant… Give it a try!  It may be one of the best things you do for yourself!  I teach a power basics class (all levels welcome) at Generations Coffee House on Wednesdays at 7pm and will be adding a Saturday morning class in 2016!