Feel Better Burlington Yoga: Sweat More Stress Less

Stress. We all know it. As aspiring millennial students balancing classwork, projects and even saving the planet, feeling stressed is unavoidable. Despite the expectation to constantly keep it together and perform without failure, it’s much easier said than done.

A few months ago I returned from a culturally invigorating semester abroad, one that was anything but stressful. I returned to Elon with a fresh perspective on life and refused to let stress control my life. This  is when I discovered Feel Better Burlington Yoga, aka FBBY, a recently opened heated yoga studio located just down the road, not even 10 minutes away.

I heard about this place via word-of-mouth and decided to check it out for myself. Now before you jump to any conclusions, let me start with this: I am the opposite of flexible -- I am extremely tall and have zero coordination skills. It’s safe to say I am not a “yogi” and the thought of doing “downward dog” in a heated environment was a terrifying thought. But, staying true to my promise, I visited their website and signed up for a Power Vinyasa Session.

I showed up to the class with a worn out yoga mat and not nearly enough water. To be completely honest, I expected to walk into a room filled with people sitting cross-legged on the floor humming along to soothing music, or possibly someone meditating upside down. Preparing for the worst, I opened the door and was shocked by what I saw.

The shop itself was welcoming and spacious, decorated as if it came straight from a Pinterest board. Inside the studio room it was exceptionally humid, filled with men and women of all ages, chatting to each other on their mat before the class began. Totally thrown-off I picked a space in the back and did some stretching while Ed Sheeran reverberated from the speakers. Before I knew it the instructor walked in, and began by taking a unified “ommmmmm”. and a deep breath.

What seemed like just 5 minutes was actually an hour-long filled session with reflection, relaxation, and not to mention an amazing workout. The class was unlike anything I had ever experienced in my life. Not once did I feel embarrassed for my lack of flexibility, nor did I regret my decision to show up. By the end of it I was dripping in sweat and free from any anxiety I felt before. I was so satisfied with my experience that I immediately signed up for a student membership, eager to get back on the mat as soon as I could.

These modern yoga classes have increasingly become a big part of my life this semester. Maybe it’s upbeat music or the extremely welcoming environment, but there’s something special about this place.  After every class I leave feeling empowered, reinvented, and ready to handle any stressful situation life decides to throw at me. It’s an hour of “me time” where I can fully detach from the chaos, forget about my to-do list, and literally, just breathe.

While I am nowhere close to being considered a  “yogi” and still struggle with coordination issues, overall I feel better. I have a new appreciation for living a balanced life and have learned a lot about my capabilities not only physically, but mentally.

These classes are engaging, thought-provoking, and an amazing way to handle the stress we face as college students. If you are interested in trying out a class you can either check out their website or stop in at 1143 F St. Mark’s Church Road as a walk-in student. I say this to my friends and I will say it to you, if I can do yoga, anyone can do yoga.