I realize that at 20 years of age, I am by no one’s definition old. However, I often find it difficult to even consider that by societal standards I am an adult. There are probably multiple reasons for this, but I’m sure one of the largest is that I’ve made very few major decisions for myself. That’s not to say that my life is completed dictated by the will of others, but it could be said that I’ve never truly made a choice without first consulting someone else. That trend probably would have continued until I decided I wanted to become a certified yoga teacher.
Yoga grew to be a passion for me at a slow pace. I had dabbled with the practice slightly throughout my high school years, but I never practiced regularly until my freshman year of college. I was alone at a huge school, I had very few friends, and there was little to keep me from sinking into a cycle of depression and constant anxiety. I won’t say yoga saved me, because mental illness is so much more than that, however, it certainly gave me an outlet… a way to cope and process everything I was feeling. I began taking classes regularly, and practiced in my cramped dorm room. That was when the simple hobby began to grow into a passion.
Fast forward a few years, and I’m facing my second to last summer as a college student. I had been toying with the idea of getting my 200-Hour certification for a while, but was afraid to take the leap. It was expensive and most studios’ certifications lasted months. As a full time student, getting my certification seemed completely out of reach… until I found a studio local to my hometown. It seemed almost too perfect. The certification was so short; I could easily complete it during the summer. And yet, I hesitated. Yoga was something that was purely me; I never shared the passion with friends or family. Doing this would mean doing something that I have decided on for myself, by myself, and that terrified me. What if it was a mistake? What if I got there and didn’t feel as passionately as I thought I would? There were a lot of apprehensions, but without the approval of anyone I submitted my application. And I was accepted.
The process of going through my yoga teacher training easily merits its own story. The amount of soul searching, bonding, and introspection I experienced made me feel like a new person. But there is no ignoring the fact that by simply allowing myself to be there I had taken a step towards a new me. I jokingly told my fellow trainees and instructor that deciding to get my yoga teacher certification was the “first real adult decision” I had ever made, but it wasn’t a joke. Not really.
At the ripe age of 20, it was the first step towards not being afraid to create a life for myself.
Author: Sydney Seymour
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Sydney is a student of The Ohio State University, where she is pursuing a career in Public Relations and writing, as well as yoga-ing her way through life’s problems.
Link to social media or website: https://www.instagram.com/sydneybean__/
