How Yoga Changed My Life: One Student's Story Genia Deets Why did you start practicing yoga? I started practicing yoga about ten years ago. However, I got the "yoga bug" (that I never want to lose) last summer during the "Yogi's Just Wanna Have Fun" summer contest. What do you enjoy about yoga? I love the feeling of calm. I am a teacher and have four kids at my house. Everything except my time at the yoga studio is rush, rush, rush, now, now, now. I love when the instructors remind me to just BREATHE. What has been an unexpected benefit of practicing yoga? I love the feeling of accomplishment when I do a pose that I never would have tried before. The progress is slow and steady, but then one day I'm like "Wow! I can't believe I did that!” What is your favorite pose? I love fish pose! My dad was a commercial fisherman when I was growing up, so I love fish and I also love the feeling of being stretched out and relaxed. How has yoga changed your life? When I caught the "yoga bug," I was having a lot of problems with plantar fasciitis. I was an avid walker and suddenly that wasn't an option for me because of my foot pain. I started coming to yoga regularly because it was an exercise that wasn't painful. Over the next few months, I noticed my foot pain slowly, but surely, fading away as I built up and stretched other muscles in my legs. I am so excited to share that I am back walking, but I definitely don't ever want to give up yoga. There are so many mental and physical health benefits I could share, but this one is the most important to me. My kids are my world and when we go on vacation, we love to go to adventure parks. Usually, my role at these parks is as an official photographer, not participant. This year I was able to join my kids on a climbing apparatus because my arms had gotten stronger. This definitely did not happen overnight, but the progress happens and you'll see it when you least expect it.