Overcoming Addiction and Finding Myself Again Through Yoga
You can’t wait for the world to calm down before you find your peace. Understanding how to overcome addiction is a journey that starts from within. If you do, you might be waiting forever. Practicing yoga with Adriene helped me start my yoga journey from my home.
Five years ago, my life looked fine from the outside, busy, social, always in motion. But inside, I was restless, overstimulated, and stuck in unhealthy patterns. My mind felt like it was constantly racing, and I didn’t know how to slow it down. Nowadays I understand the reasons of my behaviors from the age of 17 to 30’s, an easy way to escape reality.
Then one day, I clicked on a YouTube video: Yoga with Adriene, without expecting anything.
At the time, I didn’t think yoga was for me. I wasn’t flexible. I couldn’t sit still. And I definitely didn’t see myself as someone who could meditate. But something about her calm, down-to-earth presence made me feel like maybe, just maybe, this was worth trying.
In this post, I’ll share how starting Yoga set me on a path to quiet my inner chaos, to overcome addiction, and uncover the steady, truer version of myself, the one that had always been there, hidden beneath the layers of who I thought I had to be.
How to overcome Chronic Stress? When Everything Began to Shift:
Before yoga entered my life, I was a master at avoiding stillness. I smoked, drank, binge-watched TV, and scrolled endlessly through social media, anything to avoid being alone with my thoughts.
I didn’t realize it then, but I was at war with myself. My body felt tense, my mind was overloaded, and my ability to focus was slipping.
When I stumbled upon Yoga with Adriene, I was skeptical. But her friendly, no-pressure approach made it feel safe to try. There was no judgment, no expectation to “get it right,” just an invitation to meet myself where I was, and to accept this version of me to begin my healing journey.
A Shift I Couldn’t Ignore
Those early videos were short and approachable, 10 to 20 minutes, often done early morning right in my living room. I started doing them once a week, then more often.
One thing Adriene often says stuck with me: “Find what feels good.”
That simple phrase shifted everything. I began to realize yoga wasn’t about forcing my body into shapes, it was about listening to it.
The more I practiced, the more I noticed my mind slowing down. And that’s when I decided to take it a step further and join an in-person yoga retreat.
I’ll never forget the words my first yoga teacher told me before I left one day:
“Steve, the world has always been crazy, and it always will be, you can’t change it. What you can change is how you perceive it, and how you interact with it.”
That moment confirmed it for me: yoga wasn’t just exercise, it was a way to change my relationship with life itself.
How to overcome addiction: What Yoga Taught Me
Starting with Yoga with Adriene was the seed. In-person classes and deeper study helped it grow even more. Over time, I noticed real changes:
- My addictive patterns began to lose their grip and I became more conscious on the way I lived.
- I felt calmer, even in stressful situations.
- I became more present in my relationships.
- I slept better and had more energy in the morning.
Most importantly, I began to trust myself again.
It hasn’t been a straight line, but a long and rocky road. Some days, the inner noise is louder than others. But now I have tools to quiet it. And those tools started with hitting “play” on that very first video.
It’s Never “Too Late”
- Start small. Even 10 minutes on a mat in your living room can create change.
- Find what feels good. Yoga isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection.
- Peace is a practice. The more you return to it, the more natural it becomes.
- Don’t let the opinions of others hold you back.
Where I Am Now
That first Yoga with Adriene video opened a door I never expected to walk through, learning how to overcome chronic stress, which now I understand was the reason of my behaviors, and with time I lead me to overcome addiction.
Over time, my practice deepened, not just on the mat, but in every part of my life.
I learned that yoga isn’t about perfect poses, but about creating space in the mind, steadiness in the body, and compassion in the heart.
Today, I’m a qualified yoga teacher, specializing in mental health. My passion is helping others find the same inner calm and clarity that transformed my own life.
I offer online classes through Grounded by Yoga, created for busy, overwhelmed people who long to feel more grounded, focused, and at ease. Inside our supportive online community, you’ll find a growing video library of accessible, gentle practices you can do anytime, anywhere, so peace becomes part of your daily life, no matter how hectic it gets. I also offer wellness programs designed for those who are right now where I was five years ago, offering the guidance, tools, and encouragement to help you move from survival mode into a calmer, more connected way of living.
Full Circle: Helping Others Find What I Once Searched For
When I see the chaos in the news or on social media, I still remember my teacher’s words: “The world has always been crazy, and it always will be, you can’t change it. What you can change is how you perceive it, and how you interact with it.”
Looking back, I can see how every small step, from pressing play on my first Yoga with Adriene video to becoming a qualified yoga teacher, has been part of a much bigger transformation. The tools that once helped me navigate my own stress and overcome addiction are now the ones I share through Grounded by Yoga. Whether it’s joining our online classes, exploring the video library, or stepping into one of my wellness programs, you don’t have to walk this path alone. If you’re ready to feel more grounded, focused, and at ease, know that change is possible, because I’ve lived it.
If we all worked on calming our inner world, even just a little, imagine the ripple effect it could have.
So I’ll leave you with this:
When the world feels heavy, where do you find your inner peace?
Thank you for being here and taking a moment to pause.
Feel free to explore the links below for more inspirational and educational content. If it resonates with you, you’re also welcome to sign up for my weekly newsletter to receive fresh insights and guidance every week.
I hope something in these words gave you a reason to breathe a little deeper or feel a little less alone.
Your presence in this space means more than you know.
With warmth,
Steve Bavoysi
Founder of Grounded_by_yoga
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