Yoga Your Way to Happiness
One of my favorite stress-relieving activities is yoga. The slow breathing paired with the flowing movements really puts me into a happy place.
I was always attracted to the practice, but never really tried to actually do it until January of 2016. Rough times hit and I was desperate for some sort of way to escape my own mind. This was definitely it.
Connect every breath with every movement.
Yoga is all about connecting your breath with your movements. It's about being mindful with every pose and bringing complete peace to your mat. Whatever happened during your day cannot touch you while you are on your sacred mat!
Yoga doesn't have to cost a dime.
I attend weekly classes at a studio close by, but yoga does not have to cost you any money! That's one of the best things about this practice, all you need is your body and your breath. Technically you don't even need a mat - but I definitely recommend you get one. They're fairly inexpensive and last forever if you get a solid brand.
If you are too intimidated to attend an actual class, it's time to push yourself! Most studios have some type of deal for your first session. The studio I attend gives you your first class for free and has free classes every single Sunday morning. Just shop around and find what's best for you. It may take going through a couple studios to find one that you get a great vibe from, but it's worth the browsing for sure!
If you're not feeling like you want to commit and spend money on an actual studio, start your practice at home! There's so many online resources that are literally right at your fingertips. Two of my favorite sources for free yoga would be Allie from Journey Junkie and Adriene from Yoga With Adriene.
Allie is a yoga instructor with a really awesome mission. Her blog is incredible and is filled with so many fun yoga flows and poses. She also has a corresponding YouTube channel which you can find here.
Adriene, like Allie, is a yoga instructor that has crazy cool yoga content on her Youtube channel. Her videos range anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. She has videos geared towards every level of yogi and overall is a really good instructor! Her voice is so soothing and I always feel like I get a good workout after completing her videos.
So really there's no excuse to not get your booty up and into downward dog as soon as possible! Free yoga, no equipment necessary, what are you waiting for?
Although yoga is not for everyone, I high recommend that you give it a try! It has been proven time and time again that physical activity can boost your mood both short term and long term. It's so important to stay active and not let your body take the shape of that office chair.
If you need someone to push you, just send me an email! I'm one click away from being your personal yoga cheerleader. Don't let laziness steer you away from this seriously awesome, meditative style of exercise. Once you're into it, it won't ever feel like a workout - more like a vacation from your mind!
My tried and true yoga accessories:
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