12/29/2024
Recently, one of my followers asked me to share something I’ve never talked about before. So here it is.. ♥️
I often talk about my younger sister, but I’ve never shared that I also have an older sister who I love very much. She’s just a year and a half older than me, and growing up, she was perfect in every possible way. She was a straight A student, played the violin, and competed internationally. She was number one at everything. But when she was a teenager, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I’ve always believed that her relentless pursuit of perfection, the pressure to excel at everything was part of why this happened to her. Later, my father was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and these experiences shaped how I saw myself and the world. Growing up, I thought these mental illnesses had to be our darkest secret. In our society, it wasn’t something you could talk about. But now I understand that mental illness is just like any other illness. It can happen to anyone, and there’s no shame in that.
Moving to America at 19, I carried that weight with me for years. Therapy, medication, and breathing exercises helped, but it was Yoga that truly changed my life. It taught me to calm my mind, accept myself, and heal in ways I never thought possible.
That’s why my message to you this New Year is: let’s not try to be perfect. Let’s show kindness to ourselves instead. Start small-drink a glass of water, stretch for 15 minutes, or simply take a deep breath. Little steps matter, and they can lead to big change.
01/09/2024