You’re finally finished with that late homework assignment or barely missed cursing in front of your new boyfriend’s parents and you are stressed to the utmost degree. I am not one of those people who handle stress well and I’m always looking for new ways to take a step back.

Lucky for you guys, I’ve found another way to make your lives better: yoga. Yes, I know many of you are groaning at this, including my twin brother, but let me tell you that it not only is a work out for your body but a work out for your mind. I am currently writing this after my third class and I am absolutely addicted to the atmosphere and the way yoga makes my body feel. My kind mother is the one who got me into yoga because she has been doing it for over a year and finally got me to join in on the fun. And let me tell you, it is fun. The minute you walk in the door the soft music, the dimmed lights, and light smells ease you into a place between being awake and asleep. Your heart rate decreases immediately, and as you step across the threshold into the studio you are transported to another place. A place where your worries don’t exist, and expectations don’t exist. All that is present is your breath, your body, and your mat.

I would suggest closing your eyes during the class, because not only is it more calming, but it helps you focus on what you’re doing instead of what others are doing. The instructors at the yoga studio in my hometown speak in calm, clear voices and describe the poses in a way that makes it very easy to understand. That way, you can keep your eyes closed.

An important part of yoga is both pushing yourself and knowing your limits. When trying a new pose, maybe try not to push yourself to the hardest level and instead practice mastering the easiest level first and working your way up the ladder. If a goal of yours is to become more flexible, yoga is a good fit for you because the poses you do are so both a workout and stretching your limbs at the same time. Flexibility enables you to be able to do more in everyday life and can only help you. The workout part of yoga comes from the planks, lunges, and squats that you do as part of the pose.

Yoga has the stereotype of being only for “hippies” but just today my friend called me “goth” and I go to yoga. At In Harmony Studios, there is only acceptance and while there are a lot of places you may feel alone, this is a place you can feel safe, secure, and find some inner peace, even if it’s only for an hour. An hour of ease can do wonders for your body and can help alleviate anxiety and stress. Considering I was walking in the front door as the clock struck 5:30pm and still managed to feel stress-free during the class must mean they’re doing something right.

So, next time someone says yoga is silly and pointless, think of how it can truly help your mind back to equilibrium and help accept the troubles in your life and manage them in a healthy way.