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Jessi Piha's avatar

I am so happy for you! Also so inspired by your journey. You look beautiful,glowing and simply perfect. I feel propelled to do a 365 yoga year now. I have similar experiences with being too judgmental about my own flexibility and “shoulda” conversation with myself because I’m a teacher. So that to me means I am supposed to be in better shape then I’m in, and not gonna lie this past year I have put a few inches on. How do I get that motivation back? How do I find a daily energy to practice yoga, because I do love it, sometimes even more then getting on my reformer sitting in the other room. You will remember me as Jessi the loud and lovingly bossy pilates teacher but as disciplined as I am with students I have A struggle with myself. Almost a rebellious like attitude when it comes to fitness now. I’d love to hear your thoughts since you kinda know me, a little. xoxo Happy New Year!

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Kathryn Romeyn's avatar

It’s so nice to hear from you, Jessi! And thank you so much for reading. I’m happy to hear you’re motivated to do your own yoga year — you really should! I won’t lie, it wasn’t always easy and even without as much going on in life during the pandemic it still felt like there were days that I didn’t really want to do anything. But I think pushing myself to commit even 15 minutes on those days was super helpful in so many ways. I totally get what you mean and I think my dance background is similar in being so judgmental with myself. I remember wanting to take my first ballet class, like 14 years after I’d stopped cold turkey, and I was so nervous to even do that with a bunch of elderly ladies… but once I finally did it I was like, Oh right! I love this. It felt great even if it was a ton harder than when I was a teenager, and I realized that these other women didn’t give a damn how good or bad I was, so why was I so worked up over if I could still do all the things I used to? It's so mental, these ideas of having to be in the best shape to do something or be able to do certain poses, and I think being pregnant has finally kind of erased those for me. Like, who cares if I’m not as skinny as I was before, I can and should still move my body because ultimately I know it’ll make me feel good. And perfect, as we know, does not exist. So we should just do what makes us feel happy and joyful—even more so these days when we’re so limited in other ways. Yoga’s one thing that you can practice in so many different forms and it can’t be taken away. I hope you do it! Also I think just the feeling that I got from promising myself I would do this every day was big motivation. I didn’t want to let myself down, and so even when I wasn’t so into it I would think, like ok I’ve done this for 75 days, for 200 days, I can’t stop now. And mixing it up between different styles and teachers and lengths was helpful. Just think of how good it’ll feel to have accomplished practicing something for an entire year!

You got this!!

Happy New Year, Jessi! xoxo

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