It’s no secret that my first love and passion is yoga. Practicing and teaching yoga has taught me so many things, almost daily lessons. Lessons that I have managed to interpret to the rest of my life.

Although I have learnt many things, here are 3 that I have translated from teaching yoga into my daily life.

1. Everything that is worthy requires effort and participation to work.

This is something that I have just finally understood, completely. As an optimist, dreamer and romantic, I used to believe that I am worthy of love, happiness and peace. Which is accurate. However, one thing that I have had to learn is that just because I am worthy of it, doesn’t mean that it won’t require work and effort. Love, happiness and peace come when we make the choices that align with such. Just like with the other things that I mentioned, yoga is something that is a gift and a blessing but still requires participation to reap the benefits of a practice.

2. Everyone is not meant to like me.

This is a lesson that I have had to learn over and over. I must say that I will probably have to learn again, which is okay. When I was younger, I was a people-pleaser and would say yes to people just to avoid conflict. Seeing people upset at me after disagreeing with them or saying to no them used to really affect me. Teaching yoga has taught me that there is a purpose for everything and if I say yes to someone while it sacrifices myself, it is not helping either of us. ‘Satya’ meaning truth in Sanskrit is a principle that I have been practicing lately. In Western culture, we have this concept that being a Yogi means being nice to everyone all-the-time. However, if saying yes now will make you resent the person that you are saying yes to, then that is not truthful. It is manipulation and deception. Sometimes standing in your truth might upset another, stand in it anyway.

3. Whatever is meant for me will find me.

Most of us are raised to believe the construct of modern society that is based on capitalism. In this system, there is always a winner and a loser. So, most of us spend our lives competing with those of us around us while forgetting that each of our lives belongs to us. It has taken me some time to understand and truly learn that life is not a race. Especially as someone who disliked school, I left with the mentality that I would show everyone how wrong they were about me and prove my worthiness through success. That mentality is exhausting because a life of resentment and bitterness only wears one out, from the inside-out. If I give my all, am the kindest person that I can be, self-reflect, enjoy my life and be proud of who I am, I am always headed in the right direction. Because I am headed in the direction that I am meant to be in, this I learn every time that I step onto my mat.