I grew up with a gymnast and multiple record holding sprinter and pole vaulter for a sister, so I never really believed much in my own physical capabilities or imagined myself doing anything physically extraordinary. And to this day, she could still likely outrun me (I never liked running anyway).

But yoga has given me something different out of a physical activity or exercise; it’s connected my physical being with my much more dominant emotional and spiritual being, therefore strengthening and growing the physical.

So, while I still watch gymnasts and pole vaulters with awe – what they do is absolutely incredible – I don’t feel like that’s so far away anymore. It seems so much more relatable and understandable that the body is capable of such things.

I might never make a tumbling pass or fly 15 feet in the air, but at 30 years old, I can wheel and that was, at one time, unattainable for me. I’m closer to the splits than I’ve ever been and I can balance on my head. I couldn’t ever do that before. If you would have told me at 15 that I’d be more physically able at 30 then I was then, I would never have believed you.

And who knows what else I’ll be able to do if I just keep working at this!

I’m so glad I didn’t give up yoga when I received some Christian community push back. I’m so glad that I’ve decided to be more open about how much it does for me with my family and friends in the last year. Now, I actually get to talk about how much I love this and show people I love how much it’s benefited me and could for them too.

I saved the image at the top of this page a while ago because it reminded me of people who said you couldn’t do yoga and be a Christian (which, okay..? How do you explain my very existence right now?), and I want to prove them wrong. Them, along with anyone who ever told me I COULDN’T.

But you know what? If I’m totally honestly, I, myself, am the person who tells me I can’t most often. So, for that, I’d like to amend it a little bit to say “PROVE YOU WRONG.”

I don’t want to lose sight that there was once a time when things I do regularly now were not physically possible. So anything that discourages me now (I’m looking at you, hand stands and arm balances) can one day be that thing that I do regularly. I need to prove that voice in my head that says ‘I can’t’ WRONG.