Adrien’s Story

I’ve been a writer and storyteller my whole life. The moment I learned to read, I was hooked. Not only did I want to read more, but I also wanted to share more. In 1st grade I was sitting in the teacher’s rocking chair, mimicking her with the picture book turned outward so the other kids could see the pictures and I read out loud with relish. The teacher asked if I was reading the words upside down.

I said, “Of course, how else can everyone see?” as if it was the most natural thing in the world for a new reader to be able to read with the words turned upside down. I loved sharing the joy of this newfound gift with the world. I feel that same way about writing and leading yoga classes.

As a freshman in high school, I was walking to class and there was a group of students sitting in the walkway. One girl was reading something out loud to the others. As I approached I realized the familiarity of the words- they were mine! It was a short story I wrote and gave to a friend. Now it was being shared. I was too embarrassed to stop and say, “hey, I wrote that!” I was only a freshman after all. These days I’d probably stop and ask, “What do you think? Do you like the story? How did it make you feel?”

I still remember the lightness in my step and the smile of my heart all the way to this day. It was confirmation that I was talented and writing wasn’t a waste of time.

I’ve fluctuated between honoring my craft and neglecting it. I worked at a local family publication writing articles, published a book when I was nineteen (before self-publishing was what it is today), and written an e-course titled Exercising For Profit (again before its time). I’ve feverishly started a number of novels and stories, and I’ve turned my attention elsewhere before completion. I put my writing aside while I was busy raising my four children and helping my husband grow his woodworking business. No matter how busy, I always had a journal entry or a story written on the back of an envelope. 

In 2013, our family was reeling from the loss of our oldest son. I was failing to balance my mourning, caring for my husband and three children, and running a growing business. Then, I found yoga. The yoga mat provided me a safe place for me to grieve, process, and heal. 

Several years into my practice I embarked on a life-changing journey. I joined my mentor in Northern Spain for a Yoga and Hiking retreat. It was there that I was inspired to embark on my yoga teacher training program YTT. I had no idea what I was going to do with the training. My plate was already too full and my heart was fragile.

During the training, something unexpected happened. My desire to write was sparked again. I denied the urge at first, because I was too busy! I also had YTT on the weekends. I had no time to write. 

The urging was insistent! The only time I really set up ‘me’ time was my at-home yoga and meditation practice early in the morning. Was I going to have to sacrifice my yoga to return to writing? So, I did what I’d done many times before- I wrote about it after I finished my practice. And I wrote about it some more. And, after writing about it some more I realized I was finding time to write and I wrote fluidly after some movement and meditation. My mind was clearer and I was more open to the page after I got out of my own way.

Since that revelation, I’ve found so many ways to incorporate the discipline and the creativity of my yoga practice into my writing. I have found so much joy sharing yoga and sharing writing with people as well as work on achieving my personal goals of finishing my novel.