Yoga Helps

I just wanted to get a quick list of things that yoga has personally helped me with over the last year and a half.

Yoga helps my:

1. Balance/flexibility

2. Muscular endurance- it’s much different than doing a bunch of squats or testing your one-rep max

3. Stress levels (not just yoga-meditation has helped with this too)

4. Competitive nature- still like to compete, I don’t feel I need to in yoga. Most of these competitive battles are between myself and I, not others. Mom used to always say, “You are your own worst enemy.”

5. Focus- I feel more present in real life situations. My mind doesn’t drift as much.

6. Emotional state- less frustrated about things I can’t control like my outstanding healthcare bill that for some reason still hasn’t been processed and it’s been over one year. UGH!

7. Anxiety- Over the past year I’ve been in and out of the Emergency Room for panic attacks or anxiety attacks that caused faint spells in random places across the city (very scary). I haven’t had one in the last six months. So I’m pretty sure I can attribute this change to yoga since the beginning of the year I’ve been committed to the practice

8. Skin- I just picked this one up. Nadya Andreeva posted something about it facebook. Apparently the inversions such as handstands, headstands, forearm stands, sun salutations help clear up your skin. Check out article here http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Yoga-for-good-glowing-skin/articleshow/6212508.cms .

9. Lifestyle- It’s definitely changed my perspective. I think of yoga as something my body needs like breakfast or brushing my teeth. It’s not something I squeeze in anymore.

10. Spirit- It helps in a similar way dance has helped me. It has made me a much happier person in general especially during a turbulent time within the last couple of years in ways that therapy could never have helped.

The list can go on and on, but these are just a few ways yoga has affected my life.