But that’s exactly what happened. I took my first Bikram Yoga class over 20 years ago. By the end of it, I was dripping in sweat, exhausted… and hooked. I signed up for a 30-day challenge right then and there — and made it all the way through.

In just one month, everything felt different. My body was stronger, my jeans fit better, and I even felt taller. I made new friends, landed a new job, and most unexpectedly, met the man I would marry. I felt amazing.

And then… I stopped.

Like so many others, I told myself I didn’t need the yoga anymore. I was too busy with life, work, and relationships. But without it, the aches and pains from years of running, training, and playing hockey crept back in. My knees hurt. My hips ached. And as I got older, the injuries became harder to shake.

Over time, I developed a love/hate relationship with Bikram Yoga. I made every excuse not to go back. It was too hard. Too hot. Too confronting. But every time I did return to the hot room, I was reminded of one simple truth: everything in life felt easier when I was practising consistently.

That’s the magic of Bikram Yoga. You start for the physical benefits — the strength, the flexibility, the relief from aches and pains. But over time, you realize the biggest changes aren’t physical at all. Your mind feels clearer. You start handling life’s challenges with more ease. Relationships improve. Problems you’ve been agonizing over suddenly have solutions.

I’ve seen it happen time and time again — not just in myself, but in my students. They walk into the hot room looking for a workout and leave transformed in ways they never expected. Their stories still inspire me, even after all these years.

So if you’ve been putting off your first class or avoiding the hot room for a while, let me remind you of one thing:

“It never doesn’t work.”

Now is the time to show up for yourself. You won’t regret it.