Anyone who knows me knows that I have been regular with my meditation practice for the last year, at least. However, a few months ago, I was completely distracted and for some reason, the thing that allowed me to calm down and focus made me more anxious and jittery than ever. So, I felt like I had to do something. My stress began as a healthy motivating factor but eventually got so bad last month that I could not get myself to sleep before 5 a.m. without overthinking everything — especially my future, internship, and career. For someone who would sleep for 10 hours every night uninterrupted, the stress had really gotten out of hand.
After speaking to a doctor and listening to her advice, I decided to try yoga. Now, although my mother had been telling me to start practicing yoga regularly for its long-term benefits to both physical and mental health, I always brushed it off because, to me, if I didn’t break a sweat while doing it, it can’t be considered a workout — but boy, was I wrong!
I began a 30-day challenge by Yoga with Adriane on YouTube, not knowing what to expect or whether I would even go through with it for a whole month. While I did find it a tad bit slow initially, day 7 of the challenge was when my perception of yoga changed. My abs were actually sore from the practices! I found myself falling asleep with more ease and I felt rejuvenated in the morning, too — a time when I would usually feel sleepy and sluggish before.
Fast forward to day 16 of the challenge, I felt like I had more energy through my day, which made me more productive than before. My day now felt incomplete without a 20-minute practice — who would’ve thought! Now, after having completed the challenge (and a good one at that), I notice that my strength during my functional training and Pilates routines has increased, thanks to those crazy poses that worked my core. I feel less bloated and more motivated to eat clean and stay active — mind and body.
So, if you’re going through something similar or just looking for a way to move your muscles and exercise your mind, yoga could be your answer – it definitely was mine!
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