You know those light bulb moments that can trigger off a radical decision you need to make for your own personal happiness?

Well, I had one of those moments when I stumbled on a saying by American author Seth Godin.

He said, “Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should create a life you don’t need to escape from.”

I sat for a moment contemplating this statement because there were so many things I’d been meaning to do but they kept getting pushed aside because they’re not considered “high priority”

Shouldn’t my own personal happiness or doing things that truly make me feel alive be of the utmost importance?

I asked myself how much time I spend on things that bring me joy. What really matters to me? What type of work do I find the most rewarding?

The turning point was a woman who came up to me with tears in her eyes saying, “Thank you so much for coming to speak to our company today.

I was in my cubicle last week and I had a meltdown. I was so stressed out at my desk that I couldn’t even breathe properly.

I’m definitely going to try the techniques you’ve just taught us to find inner calm. Keep doing what you do.”

It was her last sentence that kept playing in my head because I wasn’t doing enough of this work, which could truly make a difference in people’s lives.

This is why I started doing all the things I’ve always longed to do, especially to set time aside for self-growth and further education.

I have always had a voracious thirst to know more about the capabilities of the human mind and to really stretch myself physically and mentally.

So I decided to check myself into an ashram in the Himalayan foothills of Rishikesh in India.

The moment the idea formed in my head, I wasn’t able to shake it off. It just grew stronger until it felt like a calling.

Rishikesh is a holy town by the sacred Ganges River and is known as the land of sages and saints.

It’s where the Beatles wrote almost 50 songs. I decided to sign up for an intense teacher training course in yoga so that I would be immersed in living that life for a solid month.

One of the first people I met before my course began was this blonde lady with a colourful turban.

She looked like an exotic gypsy and her eclectic attire blended into the Himalayan landscape. It made my yoga clothes feel “formal” by comparison.

She was actually a tarot card reader. I did not ask her for a reading, but she answered one of the questions I couldn’t even answer myself.

When I explained why I chose Rishikesh, she smiled and said “Well, you don’t choose Rishikesh. It chooses you…”

Sometimes, the best decisions you make are not necessarily guided by logical analysis. If something tugs at your heart, and somehow feels “right”, have some trust and follow your instincts.

I’ve come to appreciate that my heart is a better antenna than my head. This is not to say that it’s okay to make irrational decisions.

But we sometimes miss the importance of listening to our “inner voice” when it’s trying to reach out to us.

What this trip did for me is hard to explain in words. It made my body go through a detox.

It was very demanding physically, mentally and emotionally. We did so much breath work and exercise every single day that I could feel my system becoming cleaner, lighter, and my head clearer.

You wake up feeling fresh and sleep like a log because of all the yoga you do in the day. It was truly amazing!

It was a meaningful time and by far, one of the most challenging months in my life to date on many levels, especially physically.

If you want to get into shape physically and mentally, no one can do it for you. You’ve got to put in the effort. I’m so glad I did the training and saw it through, no matter how tough it got.

It was refreshing to do something just for my own personal growth. I never knew how much I was going to need these tools as it was not in my plans to teach yoga.

I was in India to broaden my knowledge and practice. I didn’t realise how important this foundation and training would be because it ended up coming into practice when I opened my own space at OhanaJo.

As the saying goes, in order to be a good teacher, you must first endeavour to be a good student.

I left India feeling recharged, physically fit and full of new knowledge.

I was inspired and looking forward to discovering even more about the human mind and the secrets of the breath so I could bring this knowledge home and share it with everyone.

Jojo Struys is a regional TV host, speaker & wellness personality. She is also the founder of OhanaJo Studio, which is Malaysia’s largest yoga & sound healing space.