I used to be a gym junkie, now I’m a Bikram addict!

I started Bikram Yoga in 2004 at a time in my life when it truly saved my life. I had many health issues including severe pain from an injury in my shoulder and neck (car and boat accident), an eating disorder (I had battled with bulimia on and off for 10 years), very low immunity (partying too hard and was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and was spiraling out of control into depression from being in so much constant pain and being so anxious and unhappy.

I had a pretty hard childhood growing up as an only child with my single mum who suffered from manic depression (she often had nervous breakdowns). I became the adult in the family from as early as I can remember as I tried to help Mum stay stable and avoid her being hospitalized. At 15 I was lucky enough to escape and move in with my Aunty and Uncle who bless them had a troubled teenager on their hands!

At 19 I went travelling, and began my journey of self-discovery and healing (translation – partying whilst reading ‘How to heal your life’ by Louise Hay). It was on these travels in Thailand that while snorkeling I was run over by a long wooden boat – it hit me in the head and kept going! I had concussion for a year (nerve pain up through my neck into my head and debilitating headaches). I came home to university, studying Accounting and Tourism, and as I was finishing my degree I was in a car accident (rear ended while I was stationary and they were doing 80km). This left me with whiplash and permanent damagein my shoulder and neck – the same side as the boat accident injury. I spent so much time and money on physiotherapy, remedial massage, chiropractic and acupuncture for pain management, as it really was unbearable. I had begun my journey into the corporate world working for a stockbroking firm in Brisbane city and was spending lots of money on therapies, which only relieved the pain in the short term. I had always been into aerobics, the gym, running, yoga and pilates (since I was 15) and had tried many types of yoga. While I loved all of them, I soon became disappointed as I found most of them aggravated my shoulder and neck injury.

It was after a breakup that hit me hard that I lost total control and I knew I’d hit rock bottom when I was at fault writing off my car. Something had to change, so after browsing the Internet for yoga in Brisbane I stumbled across Bikram Yoga in Bardon (the first one in QLD). I caught the bus there after work, putting it out to the universe I would get home. The universe provided as the owner lived around the corner from me! I then went after work every day – 5 times a week, sometimes 6 as I knew it was what I needed to save myself. The cost to practice was a fraction of what I had been spending on alternative therapies AND I was taking control of my own life rather than relying on others to heal me. It was healing my shoulder and neck, clearing my head and giving me strength and clarity. It was helping me to release all my sadness, anger and self doubt and most of all gave me hope that I could live a happy pain free life. I decided to draft a short and long-term plan of where I wanted to be and I now have everything I wanted and more. I wanted my health back. I wanted to teach Bikram Yoga and help others to heal themselves, meet my perfect partner, have 2 kids and live by the beach. My Aunty always said to me ‘create your own reality’ and it’s through Bikram yoga that I’ve managed to achieve just that.

Practicing Bikram yoga can be very tough, challenging and possibly one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but if you put your mind to it, anything’s possible. My passion now is to encourage and motivate every body, young and old, injured and well, to improve their life through the ‘magic’ of Bikram yoga. Even after almost 7 years of practicing, I need to take class at least 3 times a week to be clear in my mind and be the person I like and want to be. If I don’t do my yoga, I don’t like the person I become and I’m grateful to get pushed out the door with my mat and water in hand! I’m still on my yogic journey as I’m finding balance in life as a working mum of 2 and enjoy the new challenge the advanced series of 84 is giving me! I’m learning to enjoy the journey, don’t focus on the destination. Life is precious and I have Bikram yoga to thank for giving me a second chance to enjoy it.

‘It’s the days you don’t want to practice, that you need to practice themost’