How YTT Changed My Life (And It’s Not What You Think)
Our Lead Teacher on Finding Clarity and a Whole New Path
Let me start with this: I didn’t sign up for Yoga Teacher Training to teach at a yoga studio.
I signed up because I was a high school teacher—exhausted, emotionally drained, and desperate for a way to help my students and myself navigate the chaos of modern life.
Selfishly, I also figured it might help my running. As a running nerd, I was craving more - more speed, more consistency, but how? I knew yoga could increase my flexibility and mobility, but could there be something I was missing.
But spoiler alert:
YTT didn’t just improve my flexibility—it changed the entire direction of my life.
From Burnout to Breakthrough
I was 20 weeks pregnant when I started the training here at Radiance. Not only did I learn new ways to move my body safely, I learned to slow down, breathe deeply, and meet myself where I was. Without this program, I would not be where I am today – educating others how to do exactly that. Be with the present moment and learn from it.
I joined the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Radiance Yoga just to get some tools. What I got instead?
A whole new path in life.
✨ What Shifted
There was the physical piece—sure. I was finally giving my runner body the mobility it had been begging for.
I unlocked a new level within my own distance running.
I stopped skipping recovery days because yoga made them feel like a reward.
I discovered new strength, especially in the tiny muscles I didn’t even know I had.
I now share this knowledge with high school athletes to start the control now.
But it wasn’t just the physical. It was the internal stretch that surprised me most.
🌀I slowed down and was able to appreciate where I was.
💬 I got honest about what wasn’t feeling 100% me in my life.
💡 I realized that holding space for others meant learning to hold space for myself first
The Door I Didn’t Expect to Open
Somewhere between learning asanas (poses) and exploring the philosophy of Svadhyaya (self-study), I found something I didn’t know I was missing: permission to choose a different path.
By the end of the training, I knew something in me had changed. I loved my students, but I couldn't go back to a life where I couldn’t be 100% me and 100% there for my growing family .
So…
I left teaching.
I took a leap I never thought I’d take.
And I pursued yoga full-time.
Now I get to lead classes, support others on their journeys, and yes—even bring yoga into schools and running groups on my terms.
Why I Recommend YTT (Even If You Never Plan to Teach)
I didn't enroll in YTT because I had a dream of being a yoga teacher. I enrolled because I needed something for my students but in the end I actually needed it for me. It gave me clarity, confidence, and a complete reintroduction to who I really am and the life I want to live.
Whether you’re a runner, a teacher, a parent, or someone who just knows they’re meant for more—this training could be your next step.
🌟 Ready for your own self study?
The next 200-hour Radiance Yoga Teacher Training kicks off this fall, and there’s a spot with your name on it.
→ Learn more + join the waitlist here
Say yes to yourself. You never know where it might lead. 🧡