I am a worrier. I’ve always had a tough time with stress management and worrying but it never became a problem until my college days. I had just finished my long bout as a runner and I had nothing else to move onto. The stress of my daily life took a toll on my body and made a huge impact on my mental health. I knew that I need to find something that would take the daily stress of my life away but I barely had time to eat a full meal, what could I possibly do? Weeks with experimenting different routines I finally found yoga. Just a disclaimer I would not call myself a yogi. I’ve only been practicing consecutively for a few short months and have a lot to learn but practicing as changed my perspective on a lot of things in my life.
Patience
Yoga has taught me the art of patience. You do not start practicing yoga by being an amazing and flexible human being. You start small, maybe hold a pose for 5 seconds at a time and start over. The practice has taught me that patience truly is the key to success. Hard work and dedication come in second to that virtue. I’ve used this life lesson in my normal routine at work and in my relationships with others. If you can master having patience I can promise that the stress will melt away.
Persistence
You know the saying, “Fall down seven times, stand up eight?” Well with yoga there is so much truth within it. It has taken months to even master the smaller techniques but I’ve heard nothing but encouragement and strength from any of the yoga teachers I’ve practiced with. Practicing yoga has taught me that persistence is necessary to evolve. Have you ever tried the crow pose? I’ll put it in a photo under this paragraph. It looks super easy until you’ve tried it and still can’t nail it. It takes endurance, strength, and a strong mentality to master this pose but most importantly persistence will be the virtue that really helps you land this pose. Persistence when nothing else can go right. If you keep trying you will get there eventually.
Humility
I’ve always had a hard time accepting failure. I’m a perfectionist so it makes sense that I cannot accept defeat. Yoga has shown me that not only is it important to do so but also to accept it with open arms. Humility allows humanity to grow and let go of the negativity that ensues on a daily basis. Accept that there are things you will never be able to do. Accept that everyone fails once in a while. Humility shows inner strength and openness to getting better.
Stress Relief
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Yoga is how to relieve stress the proper way. There are many people who don’t realize how debilitating stress can be. Whether it’s physical symptoms such as small aches and pains to the mental anguish of stress and anxiety that daily stress brings every day. Yoga has given me an outlet to free my body and mind from these stressers making me a happier and more appreciative person. I cannot recommend yoga enough. It brings out such a different person when a person steps onto that mat.
Perspective
There is a constant theme to my articles. I mostly talk about events, people, or hobbies that have changed my life. I sound like a broken record most of the time but I’m okay with that if I can get something to change another person’s life. Yoga has altered my perspective on life in such a way that nothing is permanent. It has taught me that I am the only person who stands in my own way. It is so refreshing to feel something other than pain and anxiety. I will forever be thankful for the art that is yoga and for showing me more to life.
