After months of staying inside due to self-isolation and quarantine, I knew I needed a change of scenery. Practicing yoga was never my go-to form of exercise, but now I can't imagine my life without it. Not only have classes challenged my physical body, but also my mental and emotional strength.
With every breath comes a chance to push your personal boundaries and let it all go on the mat. I've found that after each session, I'm able to go out into the world with a clarity and purpose unlike any I'd known before. Here are 5 of the most important life lessons that yoga has taught me to carry into my everyday life.
1. The person you bring to the mat is enough.
Getting to your mat to start the practice is the key. Who you are and what you have to offer in life is enough, even if other people seem to be ten steps ahead. You should never try to be a different version of yourself to fit a mold that you think people will accept more.
2. Let go of whatever does not serve you.
You must acknowledge that you have the power to rid yourself, on the mat or in life, of things that do not benefit your physical or mental well being. It's tempting to hold onto things that give you temporary comfort or that fill you with a sense of satisfaction. Progress and growth is not achieved unless we challenge ourselves to seek things that match our full potential.
3. Be a "yes" in every situation.
Being a "yes" means fully accepting every situation, experience, and conflict for what it is. Change is hard. Saying "yes" means acknowledging the transition and committing yourself to what the change may require from you. This change could be a new job, new relationship, or a new passion you've found that is unfamiliar to you.
4. The pose begins when you want to come out of it.
In a yoga pose, when you feel like your body can't hold it any longer or when your muscles threaten to give in, the pose truly begins. This is because you shift from physical strength to mental strength to create something new and transformative.
5. We are either now here or nowhere.
This one really brought me to my knees. Being in the present moment allows you to focus on the "now" and produces change, even if it's little by little. Thinking about the past or worrying about the future doesn't serve any lasting purpose. Return to your present breath, it is your own.
Thank you Baron Baptiste and my yogi mother for inspiring me with these words. Your life is a physical and mental journey. Accept the present and the rest will come.