Honestly, I was pretty close to that big, bad breaking point.  Insane hours at work, toxic relationship woes, really-could-have-been-better food choices, and definitely lacking exercise.  Definitely lacking what I later came to know intimately as "abundance" and "unadulterated joy," which were totally foreign concepts at the time.  I felt exhausted, unsupported, overwhelmed... and then, one night, after a really painful phone call, I simply got up, walked out of my office, and drove to a nearby yoga studio.  I arrived a few moments before class started. 

I'll never forget the teacher -- DC's own Kyra Sydofsky, formerly of "18th and Yoga," in those days -- as she opened the door, took one look at my face and said gently, benevolently, "you're in the right place."  Still in business casual attire, I quickly bought a tank top, borrowed a mat, and found child's pose (a favorite I'd picked up, having self-taught for the previous 4 years).  In that class, I moved, breathed, released, built up, shared a few tears, and gained a lot of hope.  In that space, I began to create and define my own personal practice and style. 

That first class also planted the primary purpose of my teaching today: intuitive, ethereal kindness, both in the student-teacher relationship, and the relationship each of us has with ourselves.  I encourage it in every class and, of course, practice it off the mat in my own life... especially by regularly sending wishes of kindness and gratitude to the ex-boss, the ex-boyfriend, and even my former sleepwalking self, for pushing me into the yoga studio that night. 

Kelly Newsome
Higher Ground Yoga
http://highergroundyoga.com