I didn’t discover yoga until adulthood, and even when I started practicing in college, it was nothing consistent. After college, I got a job as a veterinary technician at the city shelter (ACPS). Saving the lives of animals was extremely rewarding work, however, after a few years, the consistently crowded kennels, sickness, and cruelty cases started to impact my mental health, and I fell into the rut of compassion fatigue. I found my way back to yoga when I attended a community class led by Jess Stringer at Green Room Brewery–the donations were benefiting my shelter. After class she gave me some information about the grand opening of a new studio, Red Skies Yoga, and the rest is history. I found that my mat is the place I go when I’m looking for peace. When the world around me gets to be too chaotic, too heartbreaking, or simply too MUCH, I come to my mat. I connect back to my breath, move through the asanas, and somehow balance feels restored and I find myself at peace again. I completed my RYT 200 in 2020 because I wanted to be able to share this practice, and hopefully bring that same peace to others who may be struggling.