Sometimes it’s difficult for me to recognize the benefits of yoga in my daily life until someone points it out to me.
The other day I was talking to a friend when I mentioned that I was anxious about a social gathering I was supposed to attend.
“That’s strange,” she said, “I think of you as one of the most relaxed people I know.”
I laughed. The whole idea was ridiculous to me, but after thinking about it for a moment, I realized that maybe she was right. I am pretty relaxed these days.
I used to be an incredibly anxious person, but since I started practicing yoga and meditating daily, my anxiety has eased quite a bit.
My morning yoga and meditation routine has become a personal sanctuary when I feel anxious or sad, or particularly alone. When I step onto my yoga mat, I feel a deep connection to the world around me. It’s a time to slow down and focus on what is essential to life–the breath.
I’ve turned to my practice when times were tough. It was there to lift me up when I was grieving the loss of my father, and when I felt like I had no one to turn to. It was there for me at times when I was most overwhelmed. Yoga has been my sanctuary when I needed it most.
Yoga is my safe haven away from the chaos, a place where I could focus on my own well-being. Through it, I am able to work through the tension and stress in my body while also calming my mind. It’s an amazing way to take a break from life and focus on feeling good!
The benefits of yoga
Many benefits of yoga contribute to its ability to reduce stress and tension. Physically, yoga helps to relax tight muscles while promoting good posture. This can ease physical discomfort and help you feel more relaxed overall.
Yoga encourages mindfulness and focus. This can help clear away distracting thoughts and create a sense of stillness that relieves stress and anxiety. Practicing yoga also helps to release endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones, making you more positive and energized. All these benefits together make for a powerful tool in combating mental stress and promoting overall well-being.
Most importantly for me, yoga provides a space to take a break from the outside world. It’s an opportunity to turn your attention inward, away from life’s demands.
Including yoga in your self-care routine
The beauty of the practice is that it can be as challenging or relaxing as you need it to be. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the world, yoga can provide a calming sanctuary to find stillness and peace. Even if you have a hectic lifestyle, taking time for yoga can help ease stress and create balance in your life.
Adding yoga to your self-care routine is easy and benefits both the body and mind. Start by dedicating a few minutes each day to practice. You don’t have to be an expert — even just doing a few sun salutations can help clear away stress and tension. Sometimes that’s all I have time for in the morning.
As you become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the time and difficulty of your yoga practice if you want to. Incorporating breathing exercises and meditation can also help to reduce stress further and create a sense of balance in your life.
It’s important to remember that yoga isn’t just about being flexible or strong. It’s about taking care of yourself. Find what works for you and make it part of your regular routine. With regular practice, yoga will become an invaluable part of your self-care journey.
Lovelyn Bettison has been everything from a massage therapist to a life coach. Still, her life didn’t start falling into place until she decided to put all other pursuits aside and follow her childhood dream of being a writer. When she’s not doing copywriting for companies like Omstars, she writes scary stories about things that go bump in the dark. She also runs a pretty popular newsletter about all things spooky and supernatural. If you like that sort of thing, you really should click the link to download a free copy of her novella “A Haunting at Cabin Lake.”
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Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash
