Sunday, February 16, 2025

From social anxiety to downward dog: Mary-Kate’s journey to yoga has changed everything

Picking up yoga has been a life-changing experience for Mary-Kate Mahon who has managed to escape her social anxieties after beginning the practice.

The Mullingar-based instructor said she had previously been consumed by nerves and anxiety from even the thoughts of being in a social situation, which affected her quality of life.
“I developed social anxiety originally as a result of giving up alcohol, after that social gatherings became difficult. I began to find it terrifying being in a social situation, or even having conversations with people.
“I was nervous all of the time and everything was overwhelming. Anxiety had begun to creep into all corners of my life,” Mary-Kate told Topic.
accident
However, after stumbling into the world of yoga in a bid to alleviate back pain from an accident at work, her social anxieties began to disappear.
“I thought I’d start doing yoga to help with my back, which I had been struggling with. Then I discovered a whole host of other benefits.
“It was more social than I thought it would be, which helped with my anxieties. The breathing exercises helped with my anxieties and the stretching brought me back to my body, whereas I had been in my head overthinking a lot.”
It didn’t come straightaway, admitted Mary-Kate, who said she “couldn’t sit still” during five minutes of her first yoga lesson.
“I couldn’t give up on it so soon, so I practiced it a little bit more and did a few more sessions and I was hooked, I found a love for it.
“I began feeling comfortable in my own body, my anxieties were wearing off, and I felt a weight off my shoulders. A feeling I hadn’t felt in a while,” she said.
Other benefits she now feels include increased flexibility, improved balance, gaining muscle and a better ability to manage daily stress.
Now with a new lease for life, and having become a certified yoga teacher, Mary-Kate wants to help other people through yoga, like how it helped her.
She has recently begun teaching a Thursday morning yoga class in Gautam Yoga Studio (off Austin Friar Street) and a Saturday morning class at the Soul Hut in Lough Sheever Corporate Park.
“I do Vinyasa Flow Yoga, which is really good for beginners. It’s not as traditional, it’s more westernised, and it’s the perfect way to start,” said Mary-Kate.
l Bookings can be made through her social media page, @bu__yoga, on Facebook or Instagram.

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