When I was younger, I was very involved in sports. I feel like I was constantly being driven to practice or games. After high school, when I stopped playing any sports competitively, I felt a bit of a void.

The college I went to offered free fitness classes for students, so I thought trying a couple of them would be a great idea. I was a little freshman, and it would be a good way to meet people and try new things. That was my first real introduction to yoga. I knew what it was, of course, and I may have even tried it a couple times before college, but I didn't do it seriously.

After trying my first yoga class at college, I knew it was something special and something that really worked for me. I attended classes on and off during school, but it really wasn't until this year that I started doing it with more frequency.

Two of my friends and I found a Groupon for a yoga studio that was in my town. It was super convenient for me, since I only had to drive about 30 seconds...while my friends had to drive about 30 minutes. ;) They still enjoyed it though!

After taking several classes at the studio in my town, I realized how helpful yoga is for me and how much I actually like it. I've always been more prone to anxiety, so taking that hour of forced time out during the week, is very helpful.

I think everyone needs that outlet, and I always find that people who have some sort of outlet for their stress are definitely happier. I'm not saying it has to be fitness related, I know people who craft or bake and that's a way they de-stress.

Yoga isn't my only way to de-stress, it's just one of my favorites. I like getting a good workout while simultaneously relaxing and feeling peace. And you may be one of those people who don't believe yoga does anything, but I seriously recommend everyone try a 'serious' class, and they would be surprised.

I've even thought about becoming a yoga teacher, and while that's not something that I can do right now (wayyy out of my budget!), I think it would be something I'd like to do in the future.

What about you? What do you do to de-stress? Have you tried yoga like me and liked it, or maybe disliked it? Let me know! :)