I come from a very active family. Growing up, I participated in many competitive sports like dancing, soccer, and hockey, both recreationally and as part of my high school. My parents were always rushing my siblings and I off to whatever game or practice we had that night (or morning). However, when I finished high school and moved on to university my participation in these types of sports all but stopped. I went from being a regularly active individual to being a virtually sedentary one - sitting in lecture, doing homework at my desk, watching Netflix in my bed. I could get into how bad this was for me, both physically and mentally, but I'm sure if you're reading this, you know! Part of me knew I needed to find activity again, and so I did. My aunt, a Phys-Ed teacher, pilates instructor, and introducer of yoga into my life, told me about Yogafit - a company that offered yoga teacher trainings in separate segments, rather than in one continuous episode. This worked great for me as a student, as it meant I would only need to commit days at a time whenever I had them. This gradually reintroduced me to a life of activity and eventually to a lifestyle change. What really spurred me onto a new path was a training I took that specialized in yoga for trauma. I really got to explore the physiological and psychological benefits of yoga; for example, did you know that 'OM' chanting in yoga can stimulate the vagus nerve, which in turn positively communicates with and calms the amygdala (aka our fight/flight/freeze centre)? Or that practicing yoga promotes bottom-up processing (working from the body up to the mind) which can help victims of trauma heal? I recognized that I had been introduced to a unique outlook on health that I wanted to share with others. I immediately began researching how I could turn this newfound information into a career. I enrolled into a new program that focuses on recreation as therapy and I believe that through movement I can offer the public a natural, holistic, and healthy way to work towards wellness. I one day hope to own a studio that offers yoga, not just as a recreational activity, but as a safe and informed way for people to seek treatment when other, more mainstream options fail to provide healthy or desired solutions. I recognize that more and more people are looking for opportunities to heal their bodies and minds in unconventional ways and I hope to spearhead a generation of healing that can come from within. #seewhatshecando