I came to Bikram Yoga Tempe in April 2012 in the midst of struggling with an incredibly frustrating job search. I had survived my third round of layoffs in recent years and was exhausted, stressed, and disgusted with my job. As each week went by, my stress, frustration, and depression grew exponentially at my inability to make the changes in my professional life that I so badly desired.

After several months went by, I knew I was in dire need of a positive change. I had basically become tired of feeling awful and negative all the time and began looking for ways to improve my life. I turned to Bikram Yoga after recalling the first time I tried it at BYT a number of years ago with my then-girlfriend (now my wife) and remembering how good I slept after taking just one class.

I arrived early for my first class, and the first thing that struck me upon entering the lobby (other than the supremely friendly and helpful staff) was the sign on the front desk that read, "You are exactly where you should be; You are doing exactly what you should be doing." I had spent the last 7-8 months of my life fighting relentlessly against the status quo. Being present in my life was never an option for me, because I hated the present and wanted nothing to do with it. But nonetheless, that simple statement stopped me cold in my tracks and spoke directly to me in a powerful way.

My first few classes were a struggle because I was sorely out of shape, but I quickly became hooked on my practice. I was drinking substantially more water, craving healthier foods, sleeping better, and just generally feeling better physically and emotionally than I had in months. I began signing up for 30 Day Unlimited packages and attending classes 3-4 times per week. Coming to class was rarely a chore, because I physically craved the peace and balance that I felt upon the completion of class. During the final savasana of each class, I would meditate and repeat that simple mantra to myself: "You are exactly where you should be; You are doing exactly what you should be doing." My practice did more than improve my physical health. More importantly, it taught me the ability to calmly accept the difficult things in life that I can not immediately change, and instead to focus on being present in my life and affecting change through means within my control. 

After practicing at BYT for a few months, I was contacted by the very employer that I targeted at the beginning of my career search, but had since written off as highly unlikely, if not entirely out of my reach. And I'm happy to report that I accepted an offer from them and will be starting my new job very soon. BYT may not have landed me the job, but I sincerely feel that it was instrumental in my success, in improving my physical and emotional health, and introducing me to a practice that I came to absolutely love and hope to one day share with others as a teacher.  

So thank you Bikram Yoga Tempe! You helped me through a very difficult time in my life and taught me far more than you probably realize.