{"id":3752,"date":"2014-08-22T17:07:42","date_gmt":"2014-08-22T14:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeadvancer.com\/?p=3752"},"modified":"2014-08-22T17:07:42","modified_gmt":"2014-08-22T14:07:42","slug":"7-ways-that-yoga-has-helped-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeadvancer.com\/7-ways-that-yoga-has-helped-me\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways That Yoga has Helped Me"},"content":{"rendered":"
After dealing with anxiety for as long as I can remember, I have always looked for other ways to keep myself calmer. I really struggle to keep myself in the here and now at times, always worrying about things that haven\u2019t happened yet. It\u2019s been crippling at times as it\u2019s not as easy to just \u201cstop it\u201d<\/strong>. So I thought I\u2019d jot down the 7 ways that yoga has helped me as hopefully, it can help someone else too<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Whenever at any previous workout or fitness session when I was told to take deep breaths I used to do them quickly and not really think about what my body was doing. I wasn\u2019t feeling my chest expand and feeling the air leave my nose, I was too interested in getting it over with.<\/p>\n Now I can take a break at my desk by taking a couple of deep breaths and I am totally distracted into what I\u2019m doing and not feeling anxious over anything. It\u2019s so simple!<\/p>\n As well as being an anxious soul I also am pretty negative about my own capabilities. For instance, I straight away had said that there was no way I could ever do a headstand. Wrong! Sure it took time but eventually I could.<\/strong><\/p>\n Also, the support of everyone else in the class made me feel that I could. We all encourage, clap and cheer<\/a> when we reach a moment of achievement. It\u2019s really helped me to believe in myself more outside of the yoga class.<\/p>\n I am a chatty person and you can\u2019t chatter away through a yoga class like you can at other classes. It\u2019s quiet, serene and for those couple of sessions a week I really enjoy having some quiet time. I feel I focus more on what I am doing with the yoga poses but also it\u2019s helping my mind<\/a> to stay focused on the here and now.<\/p>\n Ok, maybe me and a yoga mat but you get the idea. Yoga can be performed anywhere<\/a>, that\u2019s the beauty of it. You can do it first thing in the morning in your bedroom, out on the beach, a paddleboard and the list goes on.<\/p>\n I feel so much freedom in the fact that I can be anywhere and get some peace<\/strong>. Recently I have not even taken my yoga mat when I\u2019m not in classes, there\u2019s something quite lovely about doing it on the grass or on the sand.<\/p>\n Where will I live in ten years? Do I really want to stay at my job<\/span>? These are all thoughts that used to rush through my head at any opportunity. They still do at times but not like they used to. There are still poses that I haven\u2019t quite got right yet but I know with more practice that I will get there.<\/p>\n The same goes for worrying about the future, I don\u2019t need to worry about it and just focus on what I can do right now.<\/p>\n The strength in me now is incredibly higher than it was before but also my physical strength is better too. You probably don\u2019t really think about the strength your body can gain from yoga exercises. My core is much more stable now and I couldn\u2019t even attempt to try and plank before, now I can.<\/p>\n Through the start of my yoga experience to where I am now, it has been mixed with ups and downs but I can look back on it all with fondness knowing that it all got me to where I am now. The same is said for us and our own lives being a journey with ups and downs.<\/p>\n Remembering that every little detail forms us into the person that we are right now<\/strong>. My yoga journey is far from over and that\u2019s what is most exciting, finding out what is next in-store and also the same can be said for my life journey.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t feel anxious about the future<\/a>, I can go on and embrace it more with collective ease. That means a lot to me going forward.<\/p>\n1. Just breathe!<\/h4>\n
2. I can do anything!<\/h4>\n
3. A time to be quiet<\/h4>\n
4. I only need \u2018me\u2019<\/h4>\n
5. Live in the here and now<\/h4>\n
6. Strength<\/h4>\n
7. Life is a journey<\/h4>\n