For most of my adult life, I’ve been searching for the thing that would finally make me feel like I had it all figured out.
Like many women, I’ve spent years navigating changing hormones, thyroid issues, fluctuating weight, and the ongoing challenge of taking care of myself while taking care of everyone else.
I’ve never been an elite athlete. I’ve simply always had something I was trying—running, fitness classes, weight training, yoga. I joke that I’ve been “dabbling” in wellness for the better part of three decades.
Some seasons I felt strong and energized. Other seasons, despite doing many of the “right” things, I found myself struggling with mild depression, feeling disconnected from my body, and wondering why I didn’t feel more grateful for the beautiful life I had.
From the outside, my life looked wonderful.
I had a loving family, a beautiful home, meaningful friendships, and more blessings than I could count. Which made it even more confusing when I found myself carrying a quiet undercurrent of angst for much of my adult life.
And if I’m being honest, it came with a fair amount of guilt.
How could I feel this way when I had so much to be grateful for?
Like many people, I did what I knew how to do.
I kept moving.
Looking for Answers
Over the years, I ran eight half marathons and explored just about every approach to wellness that piqued my interest. Some things helped. Some didn’t.
Yoga, however, was different.
It was never the hardest thing I did, but it was often the thing that made me feel the best. There was something about slowing down, paying attention to my breath, and stepping away from the constant pressure to achieve that kept calling me back.
I always felt different afterward.
Lighter. More grounded. More like myself.
Then COVID arrived, and like so many people, I found myself spending more time at home. My yoga practice deepened, and eventually my instructor invited me to join her yoga teacher training.
I laughed.
“I have absolutely no desire to teach yoga,” I told her.
She smiled and encouraged me to think about it anyway.
Eventually, I said yes.
At the time, I had no idea that decision would change the trajectory of my life.
How Meditation Changed My Relationship with Stress
Around the same time, my therapist encouraged me to begin meditating.
Sitting still wasn’t exactly my specialty, but I trusted her enough to give it a try.
One day, during meditation, something shifted.
I wish I had a better way to describe it. I didn’t suddenly become enlightened. I didn’t feel euphoric. I simply felt lighter. Grounded.
For the first time in a very long time, the undercurrent of angst I’d been carrying seemed to loosen its grip.
It wasn’t happiness. It felt more like coming home to myself.
That experience didn’t make life perfect, nor did it mean I never felt stressed or overwhelmed again. What it did was show me that there was another way to move through life—one that wasn’t fueled entirely by doing more, achieving more, or staying busy.
Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science
During yoga teacher training, I began learning breathing practices that had been passed down for centuries. Little by little, I noticed something I had been searching for my entire life: balance. Not perfection. Not constant joy. Just balance.
That’s when I became fascinated by something I couldn’t ignore: many of the practices once dismissed as “woo”—breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, yoga—were now being studied by modern science, from nervous system research to heart rate variability.
It became the phrase I now build my whole practice around: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science. (If you want the fuller story of how I landed there, I’ve written about it in more depth here.)
Why Breathwork Matters
Today, as a certified breath coach and yoga teacher, I help individuals, students, and organizations explore how breathing patterns may influence stress, emotional regulation, and resilience.
One of the things I love most about breathwork is that it meets people exactly where they are.
You don’t need special equipment. You don’t need years of experience. You don’t even need to believe it will work. You simply need a willingness to become curious.
Living in Columbia, Missouri, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with students, professionals, and individuals from all walks of life who are carrying more than most people realize. Anxiety, burnout, and overwhelm have become increasingly common, and many people are looking for practical tools that help them feel more connected to themselves.
Breathwork isn’t magic. But it can be a starting point.
Sometimes, one conscious breath is enough to remind us that we are still here, and that we have more influence over our experience than we realize.
Your Journey Doesn’t Have to Look Like Mine
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that healing and personal growth rarely happen in a straight line.
For me, the path included half marathons, yoga, meditation, breathwork, and countless questions.
For someone else, it may look completely different.
My hope is simply that this story gives you permission to become curious about your own.
If you’d like to learn more about how breathwork can support emotional well-being, stress management, or nervous system regulation, I’d love to connect. Whether you’re interested in one-on-one coaching, student workshops, or corporate presentations, the first step is simply a conversation.
Schedule a free discovery call and let’s explore what balance might look like for you.
A Breath from Amy
For years, I thought I was searching for the perfect workout.
It turns out I was searching for balance. And perhaps, if I’m being completely honest, I was searching for connection all along.
Today, my life looks much different than I ever imagined it would. I am more spiritual than I have ever been, but I am also more grounded. More curious. More connected.
I no longer feel the need to have all of the answers. Instead, I’ve learned to trust the process, stay open to possibility, and remember that sometimes the things we’re searching for have been with us all along.
Sometimes, they arrive on the next breath.