At first, I was a member of the "anti-yoga" club. I did not want to walk into a class where everyone knew what they are doing. Where there were tons of yoga lovers that knew every pose by name, they arrived to class super early to get the best spot, they have their “yoga attire” and their own mats, it could be pretty intimidating. May I also add that I am not the most flexible person in the world, so I thought that there was no point for me torturing myself for at least an hour. But, I am very interested in spiritual and emotional wellness and what aspects can aid those components of your overall health, and when researching I found out that yoga was at the top of these lists. I finally gave in and decided to give yoga another shot, where I was not being forced to go this time and I can truthfully say that I enjoyed every single second of it. I became one of those yoga lovers and I now want to share my thoughts on why everyone should try yoga at least once throughout their life.

1. Goodbye Stress

Life can be pretty stressful at times and there are plenty of ways that you can alleviate that stress. Yoga ties in with meditation to where you let your mind declutter and get lost in the movements of each pose. You control your breathing and it feels like all of your stressors melt away during the practice. I know it is hard to clear your mind, but with practice it is achievable. Anything is possible.

2. Find Yourself

After a couple of yoga practices, I started to really dive into who I am. With the subtle meditation through the movement of poses, your instructor will fill you with positivity. When you leave the class, you feel as if you are a better you than when you originally walked it. I was able to find out what helps me get through the day and how a little decluttering of my mind can make me feel myself again.

3. Increase Your Flexibility

When I originally started to attend yoga classes, I could barely stretch out into any of the poses. It was a big struggle, but with time, my flexibility increased and so can yours! Stretching out your muscles improves your posture and decreases your risks of obtaining any future injuries. Yes, it can be pretty painful at times, but as many say, “no pain, no gain.”

4. Stay Focused

During a yoga class, your instructor may take the time to advise you about staying in the present. Tying in with stress, many of us stress over the past and the future. What is due when, where you have to be at noon tomorrow, or even where you have to meet up with your co-workers. All of those thoughts disappear during your practice. You are at yoga to destress and forget about the past and the future, even if it is just for the duration of the class. All of those thoughts and responsibilities are lifted off of your shoulders for a little while and you are able to take the time to focus on what you need to do right now in the present, not what you need to do in the next couple of months or what you should have done five years ago. Yoga is also linked to increasing coordination and memory.

5. Better Your Overall Health

Lastly, as any other form of physical activity, yoga will increase your overall health. Yoga is said to increase your circulation, which increases your heart rate and keeps your heart pumping away. It also boosts your immune system. Certain types of practices reduce symptoms or improve certain aspects of your health. An example would be a cleansing practice such as Kriyas. Throughout this practice, there are continuous movements which increases your respiration rate which can aid your immune system in decreasing allergy symptoms, viruses and colds. Another health benefit when practicing yoga is you increase the health of your bones. Certain movements and poses entail you to be able to lift your own body weight. These poses such as the Taraksvasana (Handstand Scorpion), increase the strength of your bones, which decrease your chances of being diagnosed with osteoporosis and other types of bone diseases. There are plenty of other health benefits that yoga provides, so it is worth the search.

Now that you have some reasons of why I think you should try out yoga, do you think you’re up for it? You also don’t have to go out to a yoga studio. There are plenty of yoga instructors that post class videos online! So go get comfy clothes that you can move around in, grab a yoga mat, a bottle of water, get out there and stretch out.