A reflection on returning to your mat, releasing comparison, and finding steadiness through yoga in Downers Grove.
There is a quiet kind of courage that often goes unnoticed.
Not the courage of big, dramatic change, but the courage to begin again.
I see it all the time in the studio. Someone walks into class after time away. Someone tries something new. Someone moves more gently than they used to, and allows that to be enough.
Beginning again can feel vulnerable.
We carry expectations of where we think we should be. How strong we once felt. How flexible we used to be. It can be humbling to meet ourselves exactly as we are today.
But yoga has a way of bringing us back to what’s real.
Each breath is new. Each practice is new.
The body we meet on the mat is the only one that exists in that moment.
Kylie Grogan, yoga teacher at Yoga Among Friends
There is no catching up.
There is no falling behind.
There is only this moment.
When we allow ourselves to begin again without judgment, something softens. The pressure fades. The practice becomes less about performance, and more about connection. Less about proving, and more about listening.
If you’ve been thinking about coming back, trying something new, or simply showing up after a hard week, let this be your reminder: you don’t have to be ready. You don’t have to feel perfect.
You only have to begin.
Join Kylie for Mindful Flow, a gentle, all-levels class focused on breath, grounding, and steady movement.
Mondays at 9:30 AM at Yoga Among Friends
Register Here for Mindful Flow →
A gentle reflection:
Where in your life might you be ready to start fresh, without pressure or expectation?
We’d love to hear, if you feel called to share in the comments below.