May Yogi of the Month

Annelise Nussbacher

People always say, be responsible for the energy you bring... and Annelise always brings the best energy with her into the studio and onto her mat!

Nikki: How long have you practiced yoga and what other forms of exercise do you like to do?

Annelise: I’ve practiced yoga for two months, but it feels much longer. I try to come every weekday, before class. As for other exercise, I’ve been a bit of a collector. I did Zumba one summer, with my mom. I did CrossFit one fall. Etc. But nothing stuck until I started to practice yoga.

Nikki: What brought you to YogaSpark?

Annelise: Google. Just kidding! Though, I did find YogaSpark on Google. I came to YogaSpark because I needed a way out of my head, and what better way to do that than by getting in touch with my body and with my breath?

Nikki: You are currently in school and are in the middle of prepping to apply for Grad School. How has your practice become a part of your very busy, awesome life?

Annelise: Yoga is like my chance to check out for an hour each day, and check in on myself. Between classwork, my thesis, graduation, moving out of the dorms and into my first NYC apartment (Yay!), and applications for Grad School, it's so easy to become overwhelmed. But when I come back to my mat, it’s like none of that exists. It’s just me, and my breath, and some awesome yogis. If I can make it through Matt’s forearm planks, I can make it through graduation!

Nikki: Can you give a word or phrase that describes yoga to you?

Annelise: Lean in. Whatever it is—the pose, the heat, the discomfort—just lean into it. That’s how you get through, and that goes for more than just yoga.