This past month, I decided to do a “25 Days of Yoga” challenge. I saw that a local yoga studio, Bulldog Yoga in Boulder, was offering a “25 days of yoga for $25” deal. So, I took it upon myself to make a promise to try and go every day of my 25 days. It was not mandatory that you went every day, but I thought, why not? The holidays are here, and it’ll be the perfect way to prep. This is what I thought and felt afterward.
- How it affected me mentally, emotionally and physically!
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I had practiced yoga before, never consistently, but I always enjoyed it. I had gone to many studios in the past, one being the biggest chain, CorePower Yoga, and some smaller studios back home in Los Angeles. Whenever I would go to the big chain yoga studio, I would show up and leave right when it was over. I never felt a real community vibe to keep me there longer. When I joined Bulldog Yoga, there was a sense of community! It allowed me to open up, feel comfortable and try new things.
5 days in: I felt excited, motivated and determined to try my best. However, I had doubt in my capabilities since I was still a novice and would compare myself to others. I wasn’t extremely flexible but could touch my toes.
10 days in: I noticed my confidence had increased and so did my flexibility. I still had doubt, but my mind pushed me to keep going and conquer my fear of messing up. I had also gotten better with “breath to flow movement” which helped my breathing patterns in day-to-day activities.
15 days in: By this day, I had been consistently going for 15 days, even twice a day sometimes. I felt comfortable in my own skin and skill level. I wasn’t comparing myself to anyone in the room anymore. I was focused and locked in on what I was doing and how I could grow stronger. I was even able to successfully perform the “Bird of Paradise” position.
25 days in: A few days before my last 5 days of yoga I got sick and was not able to attend any yoga classes for 3 days. I was bummed I couldn’t go to the studio but instead, I practiced flow sequences at home. By this point, yoga was my safe place. I felt so strong and happy practicing yoga at Bulldog Yoga. They helped me when I was struggling to hit new poses, cheered me on when I successfully attempted a new pose and pushed me to better my form and flexibility levels.
Overall my mental, emotional and physical health and happiness grew exponentially while practicing yoga. I noticed that yoga puts you in some weird and awkward positions which are essentially geared to help you relax and sink into every emotion you’re feeling. I found yoga to be a physical form of therapy where it’s just you and your thoughts on the mat.
- How it inspired other people to join!
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When I first decided to do the “25 Days of Yoga” challenge, I was going to do it alone. Then I thought, why not invite your friends to join you! So, I shared it with my girls in Her Campus CU Boulder and a couple of them did it with me. We had so much fun learning and growing. It personally helped me feel more comfortable going and because we were each other’s support system throughout the experience, it also made our friendships stronger!
Here’s a little push to go try something new! Challenge yourself in any way whether it be mentally, emotionally or physically. Allow yourself to take that risk and grow; you won’t regret it! Yoga has taught me a lot about myself, and I’m so thankful I was able to practice at Bulldog Yoga with a welcoming community.