​Somos Chingonas [But it’s ok if you don’t feel like it]

How this Latina boss babe deals with depression, but is still successful.

By: Leslie Garfias, Journalist and 500hr YTT Yogi

Ok chicas, depression is an ugly word so many of us run from. My biggest question is why do we hide from it? For me, maybe because I’m not “supposed” to be depressed. I’m first generation Mexican-American, went to college, got two degrees, have the great “American Dream” job, I work in TV, I have a great husband, two dogs, you know, the list goes on, but some days, that little word creeps up. Sometimes, I actually think I’m not enough. I feel broken because I see other women appear they have life more together. Other days I feel I’m not doing enough to give back to my community. Sometimes it’s just I ate the damn chips and queso with the margarita…. It’s called imposter syndrome. AKA it’s not true!

In Latino culture, you know mom always says, “no te preocupes hija, confía en Dios” or “tomate un tequilita and you’ll feel better.” Well I’m here to tell you, sometimes it’s ok to listen to what issues may be creeping up. Being a Latina yogi has been interesting, because yoga forces you to look inward, when most of the time, as a strong Latina woman, I’ve been taught to suck it up, be strong, Latinas don’t cry, we’re Chingonas. While that is true sometimes, I’m here to say, sit in the fire, cry, scream, embrace the tough times because the only way we grow, is to learn the lessons the struggles teach us.

Here are a few things that have helped me:

1. Meditate– whoa… scary word, especially if your family thinks it’s brujeria haha, but seriously, meditation simply means sitting in the quiet. Feel the silence. Notice what comes up. If you feel fear- ask yourself why. Dig deeper, ask yourself the questions. If you feel jealousy, dig deeper, where does that feeling come from? You can also do short guided meditations if silence is too much. Right now my favorites are the free ones on an app called Insight Timer. Again, it’s FREE! (https://insighttimer.com/)
2. Talk about your feelings– I know, I know, this one was especially hard for me, again, because I’m supposed to be the strong Latina woman. I’m the oldest in the family, I’m supposed to be the “example”. The thing is, when we bottle those feelings up, they don’t go away, they just manifest other ways. For me it’s things like emotional eating, drinking, anger, etc. Find a therapist, go to a counselor, or simply find a good listening friend.
3. Move– You can move to a different state! Haha just kidding, unless you really want to. Seriously though, as women, we crave movement. It’s our nature. We must embrace our feminine sensuality. Go get your cumbia or salsa on. If you’re reading in Austin, Glorias is ALWAYS a fun spot. Get to a spin class, go walk around Lady Bird Lake, head to the green belt, be one with nature. Go to a yoga class! Never tried it? Who cares?! Trust me, you won’t be the only new one there- my favorite studio in town is Practice Yoga Austin. And before you say “I’m not flexible”, girl, you don’t go to yoga already flexible, you go to be flexible in mind and body.
4. Relax– So many times we get caught up with not being “happy” that you turn a blind eye to the good things that are happening in your life, no matter how small. A yoga teacher once told me, sit in your fire Leslie, learn the lesson, and rise like a phoenix out of the ashes that are your problems.

The thing is, you scroll through my instagram and you see yoga, smiles, love and pugs. It’s all true, I’m not lying, but it’s not my whole life. When the camera is not taking pictures, I too struggle with life. I struggle with being a human. I struggle with being a Latina in this world. I struggle with family drama and crisis. At the end of the day, our struggles don’t define us. What matters is how we were present during those struggles and how we leveled up our Chingona status after.

Leslie teaches yoga in Central Texas and is also available for yoga workshops in the area… if you’re interested in booking her, shoot her an email at TheNewsYogi@gmail.com.