The Story
The story of how it all begun...
“All I want is to be happy!!”
...I whispered a few years back, when I started a journey outside my comfort zone, while blowing the candles of my 29th birthday.
... And I smiled. But things didn’t go as I hoped. A few months later and for the next 3 years I was deep into depression, anxiety and sadness.
They say, in order to be found, you need to get lost. I didn’t know who I was, where I was going, and why nothing worked. But, little did I know, that was the beginning of my pursuit of happiness.
At that time, instead of focusing on my own attributes, I let fast life take over me. Tried to become someone I was not; and so I failed, and failed again, and then failed some more. The goal of happiness went completely out of sight. In my eyes, there was only fear, worries, uselessness of life.
What kept me going and what ultimately saved me, was that I wanted to eventually find light at the end of the tunnel. Even in my super-long cry days, I believed that this will all make sense one day and that I’ll become better out of it. Someday.
Faith. Inner hope. Even when I had seemingly lost it, it was always there. Eventually, things turned. Years passed. I was coming out of the depression slowly and steadily. With my wounds, scars and deeper understanding of self, I began practicing all good things that spiritual titans and masters preach; gratitude, mindfulness, meditation... yoga.
The practice of yoga had always felt natural to me, but I never focused on it deeply enough until I could appreciate it at its wholeness. Yet life is magical in so many ways.
Circumstances brought me to India where I was blessed to study Yoga alongside the kindest and truest mentors I could possibly imagine, and finally get trained as a teacher so I can help and inspire others. I came back to my roots and dedicated myself to bring all astounding things I learned about training the mind, expressing the soul, working the body and listening to the heart.
What I’ve learned, through this journey, is that real happiness doesn’t just come. It is a courageous choice that may require struggle and everyday effort, as it’s not static. Create it yourself, and keep building on it. And believe in it, even when you don’t see light anywhere near. It’s because it’s time to ignite your own light.
Real Happiness is not about being happy all the time. It’s about accepting & embracing our «dark side», finding peace with our flaws, and fully loving who we are now, while honoring the process of becoming who we want to be.
It cherishes and celebrates the whole of our human nature, with all the range of feelings and states, yet allows us to look at the broader image from a place of understanding & compassion, of curiosity & playfulness, and willingness to evolve.
Not all days are supposed to be like paradise. But the ones that look like hell, those are there to help you as well, and if your heart is open enough, you too will see how all of this can help you become complete, and, REAL HAPPY.
To understand real happiness, sometimes you have to be taken far away from anything joyful in order to eventually consciously create it yourself.
Dedicated to all the pursuers of real happiness.
Love,
Anastasia
