Self Love is #WhyIYoga

For CorePower Yoga Studio Manager Chelsea Gartner, yoga isn’t just something she teaches; it's a source of strength for living stronger - both physically and mentally.    

“I grew up with two very self-driven and successful sisters. It was tough – we were all competitive and I constantly felt like I needed to keep up with them.” For Chelsea, ‘second best’ was never an option. “As a kid, I was an athlete – sports helped me find a sense of accomplishment. As I got older and had moved on from team sports, though, I found myself getting anxious about my life and what needed to happen in order to be successful.”

The pressure of wanting her life to go a certain way left an unsettling feeling with Chelsea. “I was very hard on myself, especially when something I wanted didn’t happen, I wasn’t good enough or I had failed.” On the outside, Chelsea upheld a smile and her bubbly personality, but on the inside, her fear of failing was spiraling her into a battle with chronic depression.   

“It was hard to not focus on the future and feeling like I should be doing more and having more accomplishments under my belt. I knew I didn't’ want to feel that way, but I didn’t know how to get myself out. It was difficult to not analyze my failures and get down on myself for letting them happen.” It was then that Chelsea knew she had to make a change.

Chelsea knew about yoga, having tried it while playing sports as a way to cross-train. “At the time, yoga didn’t really resonate with me because I was so focused on wanting my workout to be something more high-impact. I didn’t think yoga could give me the physical challenge I craved.” She decided to give it another try, hoping that the meditative properties of yoga would help. What Chelsea didn't know, however, is that yoga would become her unwavering strength in her fight with depression.  

Chelsea discovered CorePower Yoga, and was surprised that she was able to take away both mindful and physical benefits from the practice. “I felt more satisfied with my hour of yoga than any other physical activity I had tried.” She began attending yoga classes regularly and soon came to realize the impact it was making on her life. “I started to experience shifts in my mindset. When I was first introduced to a challenging posture in class, I would back away in fear of failing. With each class, though, my instructors helped me work through those challenging postures until I succeeded. “

That experience is what gave Chelsea the confidence to do the same outside of the studio and in her own life. “Yoga taught me not to resist change and not to avoid challenges. When faced with a challenging situation or road block, instead of getting down on myself and worrying about the future, I slowly worked through the challenge, bit by bit – just like I had learned in class.”

Through yoga, Chelsea was able to make major changes in her life. She left behind toxic relationships and focused on those that provided her strength and love. She learned to accept herself and not focus on all the things she wasn’t or didn’t have. She learned to control her anxiety and celebrate her accomplishments, big or small.

By accepting and loving herself, Chelsea is now able to focus on giving back and teaching others – which is what she does each and every day at the CorePower Yoga studio in which she manages.

“We all experience pain, and its easy for us to become our own worst enemies. Yoga has taught me not to give into fear – but to instead believe in and love myself for who I am.  I’ve learned that in this moment, I’m right where I’m meant to be, and that’s all I need.”

Chelsea Gardner

Gold Coast Studio Manager