My decade long professional football career is now over. I retired from the game, happily, this past year shortly after completing my yoga teacher training. My obsession with winning has subsided. The unhealthy relationship I had with my physical, energetic and emotional bodies has been transformed. I no longer spend hours with hundreds of pounds of free weights on top of me, I no longer feel insecure when my name isn’t in the paper and I no longer have the need to pop my “vitamins”, painkillers and anti-inflammatory meds until my liver aches.

My daily yoga and meditation practice, which now includes teaching, has me feeling and living better then I ever have. My perspective on so many things has changed; my relationship with mother earth, my family and friends, the food I eat and every plant, animal and being that surrounds us all. I feel a renewed connection and respect for all things, including myself.

My body feels great; I’m strong, healthy and flexible. My mind is happy, clear and open. A little voice in the back of my head speaks up once in a while saying, “You need to train harder! You’re gonna lose!”. But I don’t listen to that any more. I just breathe, close my eyes and connect with truth.