Back To Life At Age 21

Where do I start? My journey of yoga started not to long ago. It was early 2011 when I tried my first class. I was 19 years old. My mom was the instructor and she encouraged me to come try it. I was so hesitant at first. You know those first thoughts of yoga running through your head; what is this? It’s too odd. I won’t be good enough.

The stereotype of yoga – weird, spiritual, gentle. At least that was my perception of it. So that being said, I went ahead and tried it. I was awful, didn’t understand anything. But something made me want to go back and do it again.

In late 2011 my mom, Fay Chapple, opened a Wellness Centre and Yoga Studio called The Clarity Centre. Being a website designer, I decided to do all the marketing for Clarity; the love for being creative is always with me. I eventually took some classes and there was something about this studio my mom created that I absolutely fell in love with. The environment, the teachers, the community. My whole perception of yoga was wrong. This was something cool, fresh, life changing.

When I was in my last year of high school, 2 months before graduating, I got a call from my mom saying my dad had a brain aneurysm. At that time, I had no idea what it was. As my dad continued to be in the hospital for days after days and weeks after weeks, I knew something wasn’t right. I eventually had learned what it was, and that unfortunately it has left him disabled. It’s hard being 17 years old (and having a 15 and 2 year old brother at the time), and realizing your whole life has changed within seconds.

It’s been almost 4 years since my dad got sick. He is still fully disabled, my mind can’t seem to figure it out. That being said, he is still here with us.

So where am I now? Believe it or not, I am almost finished my journey to becoming a certified yoga instructor. I don’t believe yoga changed my life, I believe it brought me back to life. When tragedy hits the family, there’s not a lot in you to be motivated to do anything. Yoga has made me stronger both physically and mentally. It has challenged me through the mind and body. Healed me and made me smile. Yoga is not about self improvement, it is about self acceptance, which is a beautiful thing.

I hope to inspire people through my story and lead them on this fabulous journey to healing. I specifically want to reach out to those who are very hesitant on starting yoga, and prove to them that is is unlike anything they have tried before. No matter your age, young, old or just young at heart, Yoga can help you feel better and more alive.