Less stress, more life balance
Fiona Worrell (pictured on the left) found learning helped reduce stress and balance her life
Six years ago Fiona Worrall of Dronfield was living a highly stressful life. Her job in social work was very demanding and she had recently lost her Mum.
When her sister, Phil, suggested she accompany her to an adult community education yoga class in Matlock to help her relax Fiona was sceptical.
She said:
"Phil said it would do me good and I decided to give it a go. To be honest at first I felt overwhelmed and just couldn't bring myself to relax but for Phil's sake I decided to persevere."
And persevere she did. These days Fiona attends two classes a week and is such an advocate of yoga's benefits that she is thinking of training to teach it herself.
She said.
"I came to realise that yoga helps you to get life in perspective and I was able to create a much healthier work life balance. Plus my body feels so much better − it works better! I move more easily, breathe more easily and I feel more toned."
The support of her yoga teacher, Helen Sutcliffe, helped her through the illness and death of her husband late last year.
"He knew how much good it did me and insisted that I keep attending the classes for my own sake."
Fiona has also found yoga to help with weight loss. She had tried many diets without success but now combined with her yoga practice she started to shed the pounds − 70 pounds in fact. That is five stone.
Others in her class have had similar success. Fiona jokes:
"Two ladies have lost three stones apiece so combined with my five stones between us we've lost a whole person!"
