The dot-com bubble did not last very long. It eventually burst (in early 2000). The economic downturn in the technology industry affected many businesses and the overall economy of the country at that time. It caused many people to loose jobs. The economic turnaround came slowly and many companies supplemented this by sending jobs out of the country. This was a difficult time. After the bubble burst it was time for tightening my belt. It was hard, and I made many sacrifices like most people. In addition, I began a dedicated course of study towards a master's degree.  In fact, I was working full time, attending master level classes, and continuing to particiapte in several community service projects. Sometimes the workload between the different projects caused a lot of stress.

I tried to maintain my visits to the gym (at work). But suddenly I was working from home more frequently and going into the office to work out at the gym was not as convenient as it had been previously. I walked a lot in the local park and worked out at home as much as possible. In addition, I meditated everyday. I still gained weight and had trouble sleeping. Over several months I developed a routine through a combination of meditation, physical workouts including walking, dancing and biking that helped my body remain strong and healthy. However, after a while these types of physical excercises  became more of a backup to my yoga practice. I became stronger mentally and physically using the techniques I learned in my yoga classes.

Eventually, my sleep became more regulated and the stress began to melt away. Although during this time the workload remained about the same. I think the combination of regular meditation and yoga helped with managing the demands of daily life.