At this point, almost everyone I know has tried to do something that can help them be happier and healthier, and I am no exception. Personally, I have realized that I am so much more productive throughout the day if I do some stretching in the morning. Knowing this, I looked into hobbies and little things that I could so that wouldn’t take a long time which is how I found yoga. Yoga is known for helping you stay calm, breathe and stretch out your muscles; plus you get to look really cool once you master the poses. I’m no yogi, but I did learn a little bit about how it works and some of its benefits.
Through practicing yoga, I’ve discovered how to better appreciate where I am. Reflecting on how thankful I am for what I have is an amazing way to start the day, and that is one thing that I have practiced when doing yoga. It is so important for me to have a clear head and be positive going into my days because there is always a lot to do. Reminding myself of the bigger picture and the support system I have always makes me more motivated for the day. We all have work, classes and other responsibilities contributing to something bigger for our futures and where we want to be, and remembering that idea brings back a much happier outlook.
I also learned that breathwork can be easy and totally changes my mindset. Breathing seems like a simple thing to do because we kind of do that every single minute of every day but there is a right way. Okay, let me clarify, no, you haven’t been doing it wrong or anything, but being mindful of each second you breathe in and cycle to breathing out changes the whole game. It helps me be more in tune with what I am feeling and thinking which makes it so much easier to work through my emotions.
Along with breath work and reflection comes the actual physical part of yoga: the stretching. It is so amazing to be able to take each stretch slowly and allow yourself to let go of how you look or whatever else is going on around you. For me, it has been super beneficial to take time to myself. Making sure your body feels good and you don’t feel like an absolute train wreck everyday is really important, and I know it doesn’t just have to do with the physical aspect but the mental too. Taking my time with yoga and working on something that is only for me makes me happy and helps me get through the rest of the day because I know I did something productive and good for me.
