You do not have a goal to score, you do not have a team to support, you do not have to think of anyone or anything else and you do not have a time to beat – it is about being yourself in your truest form with whatever version of yourself you take to the mat each day. We call it a practise for a reason.

The studio should be free of judgement and certainly free of ego.

When I opened the studio in Irvine, my main goal was to create a supportive community of people all investigating their limits both physically and mentally. I am consistently inspired by the people who walk through the door each day. At Empower Studios we have students from the age of 18 to mid 70’s, students, teachers, mothers, fathers, business owners, stay at home Mums and Dads and people who I believe have mindsets of kings and queens and hearts like warriors.

Let me briefly talk about Ann McAllister…

Anyone who attends our 10am week day classes will know Ann and can vouch that she is an integral part of our community. What a woman!! Ann was a cross fitter for most of her adult life and came to yoga due to a knee injury. I can’t even begin to explain the difference in Ann’s physical practise since day 1 but what I find most inspiring is her attitude and mindset. Whenever she achieves something new in class she will literally punch the air and celebrate her achievement. I love that! So many of us have been conditioned to keep our triumphs and successes on the down low but feel we need to broadcast our disappointments in order to either to make others feel better or to avoid looking egotistical which often we confuse with a positive attitude.

“I refuse to live as half of myself because other people can’t handle all of me. “

Rachel Hollis

Before I move on, I want to share a conversation I had with Ann last week. She was telling me about a friend who has issues with his knees and asked Ann “How do you it all? How do you do yoga and go to the gym so much?” Ann replied “Because I want to.”

Because I want to!

Attitude is everything. I know for a fact that I have allowed the ego to take over my brain in classes at times. The frustration of having a wobbly day, not being able to stand on one leg or not being able to take my body to the place the person on my left is taking theirs. Ahhh the comparison-itis again. The fact is there are so many reason as to why people practise yoga in the first place and I could bet my life on it that the majority do not have a yoga practice to perfect the art of one leg standing. It is easy to get caught up on the actual asana but it’s true what they say…… and yep, I’m gonna go there….. “It’s not about learning how to touch your toes but about what you learn on the way down”. Ahhh don’t you love a cliche yoga quote.

“Do you ever realise how much your body loves you? I mean it’s always trying to keep you alive. That’s all your body has to live for. Your body is making sure you breathe while you sleep, stopping cuts from bleeding, fixing broken bones, finding ways to beat illnesses. Your body literally loves you so much, it’s time you start loving it back!”

So the next time you are in class and your having one of those days where you feel like your body is not doing what you want it too- have a moment and think about what your body has allowed you to achieve in your life so far. Perhaps running a marathon? Perhaps carrying beautiful babies into the world, maybe overcoming illnesses or literally just even the ability to feel pure emotion. How lucky are we. It’s time we start to treat our bodies like it belongs to someone you love.

Steph xxx

P.S I trust all of you will keep me accountable to this also.