Today we’d like to introduce you to Judy Sierra.
Judy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story begins when I realized that Yoga can be accessible to everyone. Yoga is viewed mostly as a physical practice, but it’s so much more. I am a Yoga Teacher and author, guiding participants on journaling, improving physical postures, incorporating modern meditation and breathing techniques for personal empowerment. I currently teach at The Chopra Mind Body Zone and at a substance abuse rehabilitation facility, through the non-profit Yoga 4 Change.
It was through Yoga 4 Change that I trained and got certified as a Trauma-Informed Yoga Instructor. With this practice, I aim to create a safe space for self-reflection and growth. The teachings of Yoga provide us with the tools we need to deal with ever-changing challenges.
My mission is to teach personal empowerment tools that are useful on and off the yoga mat. That’s why I created the journal A Year Aware: 52 rituals to create a joyful life. This workbook helps readers create the space to accommodate one ritual per week, to use as a reflective and mindful guide on how to incorporate more joy into our lives.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have struggled with my weight and self-image since I was a teenager. For a long time, I hated my body. Now, I know this was a product of the distorted beauty standards set forth by constricting social standards for women, which continue to this day. My struggle was a combination of low self-esteem, hormone imbalance, and hypothyroidism. I am currently facing my issues with professional help, and even then, it took a long time to own my struggle; and that struggle is what makes me human. Yoga has taught me that I can feel frustrated and grateful simultaneously, realizing the warped stories and messages that sometimes we ourselves put in our heads. By recognizing the mindful power in me, I now actively work on shaping my thoughts, rather than my own body, and I can accept my life and the space I take up.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of publishing a workbook journal: A Year Aware 52 rituals to create a joyful life. This journal was created for anyone who needs to disrupt limiting habits and develop rituals to build a more joyful, conscious life. Living consciously, where your habits support the life you want is entirely possible. All the rituals were carefully crafted to guide readers in designing the life they want. The goal is to give others the tools to recognize old stagnating patterns and rejuvenate daily routines.
The journal includes mindfulness experiences to reflect on your days. There is one ritual per week and the reader picks which day to begin with their journaling week. Each week starts with an inspirational quote, the ritual for that week, and a space to journal about thoughts and actions, thus bringing awareness and reflection in a practical way. The best part of this journal is that readers are not alone in this journey, since every week I post a one-minute video on Instagram with motivation and guidance on the current week’s ritual.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
All of us have been through a traumatic experience with the pandemic. What we experience becomes our emotions and then it transforms into our perspective. We need to hold space and process the emotions we feel to preserve our mental health. Research continues to discover how journaling, meditation, and yoga practice changes our brain chemistry to increase feelings of peace and happiness. Journaling provides an outlet to process our emotions, reducing reactivity to triggers. The future will include holistic self-regulation practices like breathing and meditation to improve our resilience. The ability to find calm within is necessary for this ever-changing environment. More people are learning and practicing these techniques and they are learning how to invite more joy into their lives, and whether you start today or ten years from now, it is ensured that it is a step in the right direction. Every step of the journey is the journey.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judycakesandkale
- Other: https://amzn.to/3mE5jXd
