I started doing yoga last spring, and during my first class, I thought this was the hardest workout I’ve ever done. Some people in my class made shapes with their bodies that I didn’t think were possible, and I used to do gymnastics, so I consider myself to have good balance and flexibility. But comparing myself to others in my class was my first mistake. Yoga is supposed to be non-competitive, and you are just supposed to focus on yourself and getting better and better each time you step on your mat. When I started viewing yoga like this, it gave me a newfound sense of peace, which was very surprising because I had grown to dread a lot of exercise up until this point.
Yoga giving me a clear mind
The biggest thing I have gotten out of doing yoga was finding something that I can practice that helps me escape from my busy life as a college student and a way to de-stress. A big element of yoga is the aspect of meditation, which I have always really struggled with. You start and end each class with deep breathing and attempt to clear your mind of any thoughts and exist in the present. At the beginning of my yoga journey, my mind would immediately drift to thoughts of what I was going to eat for dinner and an assignment that I needed to complete that was stressing me out. Now, I have gotten better and better at having a blank mind and not thinking about the past or future while I should be enjoying the present moment.
This is a skill that transcends my yoga mat and can help me in my daily life. Throughout the day, I have gained the ability to exist in the present and not be in my head as much. I have noticed a decrease in my overthinking and instead spending that energy on worthwhile things. Like other forms of exercise, yoga gives me a good dose of endorphins, which helps me start or end my day on a good note. Another big thing yoga has helped me with is how I handle challenges that I go through on a day-to-day basis. One of my instructors, during a particularly hard pose, told us that yoga instills in us the ability to breathe through a challenge and stay with it even when it gets hard. I have taken this lesson with me and have learned to breathe through life’s challenges and not give up.
Yoga’s impact on my body
In addition to all the amazing benefits yoga has given me in regard to my mind, it has equally helped me physically. Of course, one of the main aspects of yoga is stretching, which has so many amazing benefits. Some of the benefits I have experienced are flexibility, increased joint mobility, and relief of physical tension. I have really bad neck pain, and since I’ve been stretching, I have experienced relief from that tension, which has been great. I have also improved my balance and endurance through yoga, which has helped me improve in other types of exercise and has motivated me to continue improving. I have also noticed a shift in my energy levels since incorporating yoga into my routine. As a college student, it was so amazing to find a way to boost my energy without napping throughout the day and drinking too much caffeine.
I’m so glad I found yoga to help benefit my mind and body, and I encourage you to take your first class or even try a yoga video on YouTube. It may just be your new favorite hobby!