While I’m laying on the beach and canoodling my new husband, I’ve asked some special ladies to guest post for me! The theme I gave them was “Love” and I love how they each put their own little spin on it! Today I’d like to welcome Susan from {not so} Suddenly Susan!
Hi guys! I was asked to fill in a guest post while Lindsey is busy enjoying her honeymoon! I can normally be found over at {not so} Suddenly Susan. I have been following Lindsey on twitter and through her blog for a while so, and I’m super excited to be here with you for the day!
One big theme this week for Lindsey (and for many others I’m sure) is love. I want to talk about a love as well, just not quite as traditional in the sense. I want to talk about my love of yoga, and how it’s changed my life.
A few years back I stumbled into a yoga class at a local gym. It was hot, uncomfortable, smelly and packed. The instructor was rude from the beginning, made zero modifications (it was an entry level class!) and pretty much scared me away yoga. Fast-forward a few years, and I was getting sick with stress and anxiety over work, and just not in a great point in my life. I needed something, but I didn’t know what. I had considered yoga, but was terrified of what to expect. I had joined another gym and was working out, but nothing was really helping me. I had been recently getting more involved and interacting with locals on twitter, and had developed a friendship with a local girl who was into yoga. The more we got to talking, the more I started considering it again. Long story short, in a few months after that, a local studio opened up, and I eventually gave it a try and took a few classes. It was a completely different experience, and I knew at that point, yoga was what I had been needing. From that point on, even though I didn’t realize it, yoga was going to change my life.
Love Yourself
This is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, and I know I’m not alone. It happens every day. We compare ourselves to the girl on the bus that is sitting across from us, that person in the store who looks like they walked out of a magazine advertisement, or our server at dinner who has a knockout smile and giggle that you wish yours sounded like. Yoga presents the same challenges. The girl in the front row who can always get her heels to the ground when we’re in Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog) or the guy in the back corner who rocks Bakasana (crow pose) as though it’s nothing. Yoga teaches you though it doesn’t matter. That’s right. There is no comparing. You are exactly where you need to be in your practice. Every.Single.Time. You and your body are enough. Isn’t that a freeing thought? Just to be enough? I can’t remember the last time I did something and didn’t critique it wishing I had done something better, or stronger. When did I last accept a compliment without edging it with some negative remark? I was enough.
So I started going to practice more often. I felt good when I went. Not just in getting stronger (which I was) and not just for the fact that I started could feel muscles I rarely used tone up, but because I felt like I was enough. I was important enough to be there, and I was good enough to be with everyone else, even if my level of experience was entirely different. The more I went, the more I learned about myself. I learned that I can in fact turn that mindless chatter in my brain off. I can experience total bliss when I just give in to the pose and let my breath take over.
Yoga has taught me a lot. As I previously mentioned, yoga has taught me that I am enough. It’s also taught me other very valuable life lessons. Like the importance of balance and alignment. Not just with my posture and posing (which IS important) but more about in my own life. I can’t let work consume me, I can’t let my desire to spend time with and please others be so important that I forget about taking care of me. It’s taught me the importance of breathing. When I get anxious in life, I sometimes get so wrapped up in the panic that I forget to breathe. In yoga, when you don’t breathe into a pose, you create extra pressure and tension making the pose harder than it needs to be.
If you haven’t tried yoga, or you’ve gone but, like me, had a horrible experience, try again. There is a studio or instructor out there that is a better fit for you. And don’t use the whole “I’m not flexible enough”, that’s WHY you go ;)
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Susan – I love this post!! I am totally with you on the fact that yoga has changed my life and I am honored that I have had the privilege to practice yoga with you! Namaste lovely lady :)
I remember my first yoga class about 12 years ago. I hated it. The woman, similar to your first experience, was rude and did not get off the mat. So, needless to say, I was turned off by yoga. I then years later was reintroduced to yoga due to my chronic pain. I studied on my own and found it helpful. I then ran into a teacher who out-of-the-blue asked if I would be interested in joining her yoga class. After that, I was hooked. My yoga practice has soared, and in the future, I plan on becoming a yoga instructor. Thank you for your insightful words.
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only person whose ever had an awful experience, and was willing to try again. So glad to to hear it’s working out for you! I would love to have the time and energy into becoming a yoga instructor. I wish you well :)
Like you, I had a bad intro into yoga. Throughout the years, I was guided to a phenomenal teacher and my yoga practice soared. I plan on becoming a certified yoga instructor in the future. Thanks for your insight!
I am totally with you Susan! Yoga has changed my life so much! I have always been a person with lots of fear, doubts, and mentally confused. Yoga is cleqning house on my mind and body. When i practice i am getting stronger physically but mentally to! I am learning to be bold, to try, to be okay with falling down. I can think clearer and all the muck is washed away. I agree to anyone having a tough time tey yoga. Be completely open and vulnerable to it and see what happens! Xoxo
I think being open and vulnerable (well, willing to be) is the hard part. But I agree, I can think much more clearly after practicing. Rather than sleeping on any big life decisions, I feel like I’d be better going to a yoga class ;)
Love this post Susan – it’s so refreshing and encouraging to hear about the ways we (women, men) finally learn to love ourselves! I’m glad you found yours through yoga; it is a healing of all sorts. :)