At the beginning of ’07, I declared one of my resolutions for the year was to take yoga. I enrolled in a class in February, took it religiously until October, fell off the yoga wagon for a month, and returned a few weeks ago with a renewed commitment.

After years of running and teaching Spinning (group indoor bicycling)  -- and a long stretch of not exercising at all after my son was born -- I decided to try yoga because just about everyone I knew was gaga for the yoga. In fact, the rebel in me didn’t want to like yoga, but it turns out, I do. Well, kind of.

I’m not always psyched to attend class, nor do I love every minute of it, but I am always glad I made it to my mat once I’m there and, of course, super glad afterwards. (Nothing tastes better then a glass of wine after a vigorous yoga class.)

I take beginning yoga at Yama Yoga in the Third Ward. It’s funny how things work out, because once upon another lifetime, Yama Yama owner Marietta Pucillo took my spinning class, and now I’m a student at her yoga studio. In fact, she was my guest teacher last night.

The best thing about yoga is that I realized exercise doesn’t have to hurt. As a child of the ‘80s, maybe I heard “feel the burn” one too many times, because back in my spinning days, my idea of a good workout was one that made me feel like I was on the verge of cardiac arrest.

Like most, I can be very competitive, but yoga reminds that it’s silly to be stressy and competitive during exercise, which is much more effective if it’s relaxing and enjoyable.

I’m far from being a pretzel (except maybe a pretzel rod), but my flexibility has improved. It’s been a lesson in small victory.

Plus, I remembered it’s really hard but valuable to do something that you’re not particularly good at. Somewhere along the way I stopped trying stuff that I didn't think I'd succeed at in the ways I'm used to succeeding. Sometimes the path of most resistance is what ya need the most, I guess. (By the way, a yoga teacher would say you cannot be “good” or “bad” at yoga, it’s non-competitive, but I’m pretty sure I’m lacking the sun salutation gene.)

I thought about celebrating my (almost) year of yoga with some real yoga clothes, but when I saw the prices on that stuff, I decided to stick with my stupid thrift store sweat pants and favorite OnMilwaukee.com T-shirt.

Here's to more "ohms" in '08.