Image & post by @melisfit_
When I first started practicing yoga, I thought the only thing that would change was how flexible or strong I would become by practicing consistently. Although I did become more flexible and strong, yoga transformed my life in a much deeper way and changed my life forever. Yoga is so much more than a physical pose and can truly enhance so many areas of your life. I am so excited to share with you below 5 ways yoga will transform your life.
Self-Confidence
As I continue to practice yoga I noticed my self-confidence continued to grow. Yoga is a non-competitive activity which means you can’t be good or bad at yoga, everyone’s journey is different. When you stop feeling the need to compare yourself to others you become more confident about where you are in your practice (and life) no matter what that looks like to other people. Believing in yourself is inspiring and makes yoga the perfect way to truly focus on YOU!
Positive Outlook
Yoga can change your outlook on life by just showing up to practice. Yoga forces you to breath which ultimately can help relax you, let go of negative energy, and change your perspective. Yoga will challenge you to leave all the little things that may be irritating to you outside of the four corners of your mat and to just be present in the moment. Ultimately by the time I am done practicing, I feel more positive and forgot what was bothering me before.
Less Attachment
One of the sutras (teachings) of yoga, is the practice of non-attachment. Learning to be less attached to certain things in our life, whether big or small, can help transform you more than you know. When you are less attached, you are able to handle situations better and help solve problems instead of create bigger ones. I love how this aspect of yoga has transformed my life and it is something I work towards everyday.
More Patience
Yoga challenges you to be patient and helps you to realize that life is all about the journey, not the destination. A small example would be working on a challenging pose. Although at first you may want to be able to get into the pose on the first day, but once you show up and practice consistently, you will see how important it is to build your foundation and the journey it takes to get there. Yoga has greatly improved how patient I am on and off my mat.
Community
One of things I love most about yoga is it will bring an incredible community of positive like-minded people into your life. People who practice yoga generally harness the qualities above: Self-Confidence, Positivity, Less Attached, and Patient. Being around people like this will only enhance your life and uplift you. I love the people I have met through yoga and they inspire me every single day.