Notes from Niki: My Anxiety Story

It's World Mental Health Day and CorePower Yoga CEO, Niki Leondakis, shares her story.

Yoga saved my life. I’ve talked about this openly. I turned to yoga for grounding during my profound grief when my husband and I lost our home in the California wildfires, and a year later when I tragically lost him to a sudden heart attack. But the truth is, yoga saved me long before that, and it’s not a story I share as often. I first turned to yoga to manage my anxiety.

In my early thirties, I noticed the traits that had propelled me to success in my career – competitiveness, control, and the drive to always be the smartest person in the room – became destructive. I was addicted to work. If I wasn’t working, I was training for marathons or perfecting my technical skills. I went into overdrive to master my areas of responsibility. Constantly going and doing helped me avoid anxiety, but it wasn’t sustainable.

Discovering yoga and meditation in the 90s was a real turning point. These practices connected me to my spiritual self and anchored me in my authenticity. I became an observer of my thoughts instead of being consumed by them. I made a commitment to myself to find more peace in my life and quiet my mind. As with most transformational journeys, it’s had ups and downs, and it’s an ongoing practice of leaning into my other gifts and letting go of the anxiety. While I live more in the light now, it still takes work to be grounded. For me, that work boils down to three daily non-negotiables:

Meditate

Practice yoga

Get out in nature

Ideally, I love at least an hour of physical movement, 30 minutes of quiet meditation, and a full hike outdoors. But life happens. Instead of scrapping everything when time is tight, I’ve reframed these non-negotiables as a Minimum Required Practice (MRP). It’s not about duration; it’s about consistency. A 2-minute meditation and 15 minutes of Sun Salutations can do the trick. Five minutes of fresh air is enough to ground me.

My MRP helps me shift out of my head and into my heart. When I access the love in my heart, it negates my feelings of stress and anxiety. Love is the stronger emotion. I also fuel my heart through inspiration:

• I listen to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras on Audible while driving or traveling.

• I keep poetry by my bedside to reach for instead of my phone, to connect more deeply with myself.

• Art - whether online, or in a gallery – feeds my soul. I subscribe to museum and gallery mailing lists for a constant stream of beauty in my inbox.

• Watching the sunrise or sunset reminds me that nature’s vastness dwarfs my anxieties.

If you ever feel overwhelmed, anxious, or caught in the endless cycle of doing, you’re not alone. Yoga, for me, has been a lifeline—not just as a practice, but as a way of being. Even in the busiest or darkest times, we can find a few moments of stillness, breathe deeply, and reconnect with what truly matters. Whether it’s through movement, meditation, or simply stepping outside to feel the sun on your face, I believe there’s always a way back to yourself.

I hope you find your own version of this practice—something that grounds you, soothes you, and helps you live more fully in the present.