September is National Yoga Month. Our guest blogger, Sarah, finds her daily moment of peace by practicing yoga. Check out how yoga has brought peace and balance into Sarah’s life.
Far too often we seem to get caught up in the stresses life brings. Family, work, self-doubt, money… everything. Have you ever had a moment in your life when all of these factors seem to be taking control of your happiness? A moment when you just don’t think you can take any more negativity or stress?
That exact moment for me was about a year ago. I was moving to a new state where I knew only one person. I had been there for one day and was already stressing about finding a job, whether or not I could afford to live off my savings for who knows how long… I needed an escape. Something to make me feel a little less stressed and, more than that, something to make me feel confident in all life had to bring. I stumbled upon a Yoga hashtag on Instagram and instantly fell in love with the practice.
Whether you are a beginner, experienced, advanced, or just looking to try something new—Yoga is a practice that welcomes all levels, ages, and mind sets. I started by doing the basic stretching like Downward Dog, Upward Facing Dog, really basic things. And I LOVED it!
Not only does Yoga help with balance, flexibility and muscle strength, it helps with stress. Taking 10 to 20 minutes a day for the past year has improved all of those areas for me, but most importantly, it has given me the ability to wake up every morning and feel.
Here is a chart for basic Yoga stretches. I would suggest to anyone to take at least 10 minutes out of your day if you are feeling stressed to give these a try. Focus on your breathing, on your mind, and if possible, let any worry you have drift away (as cheesy as that sounds!) for that 10 minutes. If you continue to practice this each morning, each night, or whenever you have a bit of free time in your day, you may just find that your stress in everyday life improves.
I truly believe that this is one of the most incredible ways to exercise your body and your mind. It has helped me in ways I never imagined were possible. Practice does NOT make perfect. Practice makes progress—and how amazing is it that something can give your body and your mind progression?!
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