Everyday Vanessa Jaber takes a few steps outside around 6:00 p.m., puts an orange mat and begins her yoga routine. Many may find it so weird because yoga is supposed to be somewhere peaceful, somewhere one may focus. On the other hand, Vanessa does not. She believes that doing yoga this way is much more relaxing.

Vanessa sits, meditates, stretches, and does a couple moves right outside. She loves when she can hear everything else around her. Cars passing by, people walking around that time, dogs leashes making the sound, people talking, engines of cars turning on, house doors slamming, the trees moving and birds chirping. She does have a sense of feeling that people may be wondering why she would do that, but it’s her comfort zone.

She simply says, “People have different ways in doing things, some ways are weird and this is my weird way doing yoga.” Vanessa knows others may find it weird but she continues to do it. For some yoga moves she places the mat in the middle of the street so that she can balance and focus, she uses her ears to hear passing cars from far. When or if a car does come she then happily moves for them but she says that rarely happens.

“My neighborhood has so much going on during this time, so to sit, relax, and take deep breathes while hearing everything around just puts me in a better mood. I truly don’t care what others may think, I may not be the only one who does this.” Knowing that it is unusual, she continues to do this everyday. She believes that things can be done in different ways and that being weird is the new thing.