I could have a total hippie moment and tell you that Yoga relieves my stress, allows me to extend my flexibility, and makes me feel like I’m strengthening muscles I didn’t even know I had. Instead… I think I’ll have my hippie moment anyway.
I remember when I first started. I discovered FitTV on my cable, and caught an episode of Namaste Yoga. It’s a half hour episode of a woman with a soothing voice guiding you through Yoga positions, and three young and fit women displaying the positions and the transitions moving you from one pose to the next. I took my sweet time watching the show to see how the positions looked… and accepting the fact that I might look and feel like a complete fool for not looking as graceful as the women on the show.
Then I realized – I’m in my own house, by myself… why couldn’t I look a complete fool for a little while? Why not just give it a shot? Yoga has all these supposed benefits, why not indulge and see for myself?
I’ve got to tell you, I battled with this back in August. Now, it’s December. Not only did I finally develop theability to touch my toes, but I’ve uncovered flexibility I couldn’t imagine before. I’ve developed an appreciation for my body, what it’s capable of, and realized how connected my methods of self-care really are. Yoga helps me physically and emotionally. My emotional well-being allows me to stay focused in my quest to be a healthier eater. Eating better prepares me physically for how Yoga can better my body.
Okay, that was my hippie moment. All of that is to say, yes.. you may feel silly in the beginning… but you start feeling accomplished. You start feeling challenged. And if you take on the challenge, the accomplishments are that much more rewarding.
If you’re even the least bit intrigued, here is an episode of Namaste Yoga for you to preview. I’ll be adding the episodes to the video archives, so keep your eyes peeled.