Disclosure: I received a barefoot yoga mat in exchange for this post.
Did yoga change my life immediately? No. Did I have to work hard to get over my fear of yoga, so that I could really gain from it? Yes. I struggled to overcome my fears of yoga class in order to find joy in it. Now it is one of my favorite forms of stress relief.
If you have any hesitation about yoga, you’re not alone. Here’s my story.
Hello again, Stress!
I struggle with stress. My stress is strong. It comes on quickly – like a freight train and can be very debilitating. I would have never considered myself a “stressful person”, but it seems to be a dark looming cloud I deal with regularly.
I have been to the acupuncturist, kineseologist, chiropractor, and naturopathic doctor with issues related to stress. I have also seen my primary care physician for this awful uncontrollable feeling. All she wanted to do was put me on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicine. That wasn’t the path I wanted to take.
I knew the stress wasn’t just in my head. I knew it was a whole body issue, deep down to my nerves. My nervous system felt all whacked out, and for some reason I couldn’t control it. Or could I?
Yoga to Help Stress
One solution that has been helping with my stress, is practicing yoga. By doing yoga, my stressful mind and body becomes relaxed and calm. When I take the time out of my busy day to actually pull out my Barefoot Yoga mat, I almost always feel better.
However, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, my stress actually held me back from enjoying yoga.
My Fear of Yoga Class
The benefits that I have received from yoga weren’t immediate. Nope. I have to be honest and say – my first yoga session DID NOT change my life! I felt like an outsider who didn’t know what they were doing. I was uncomfortable the whole time and couldn’t let my guard down.
When I entered my first class, I felt like I had just walked in from a different planet. These yoga people were all in this special world of namaste and meditation – but my world was full of chaos and felt so overwhelming. I couldn’t fit in which held me back from a relaxing yoga experience.
Letting go of my yoga fears wasn’t easy. It took a few yoga sessions before I truly felt I *might* be able to connect with yoga. In fact, it is kinda hard writing this, wondering if all the intense yoga people are sitting there judging me for my nervousness about yoga.
Feeling comfortable and confident with yoga didn’t come easy. First, I had to get over the fact that I “hated working out”. I also needed to stop labeling myself as clumsy and unbalanced.
Most importantly, I needed to focus on me and not worry about my fellow yoga classmates. I imagined them judging me, for my inexperience. You know… the fancy yoga people that strut in with their cute yoga clothes and new gear looking at me, like, “who is the newbie?”
How I Overcame my Fear of Yoga Class
- Ignoring my negative thoughts. (I wasn’t flexible enough. I was awkward/uncoordinated)
- Stopped comparing myself to experienced yoga people … yogis?
- Changed my attitude. Became determined to get better.
- Gave up on caring what everyone else thought.
I really just had to stop doubting myself and realize this was about me, not anyone else. It wasn’t about fitting in the yoga community and talking all the cool yoga lingo. I was already stressed enough – why worry about everyone else!
After a few nervous yoga sessions, I really worked on overcoming self-doubt when in yoga class. I hesitantly took a few more sessions. Then a couple more. I pushed myself, even as an uncomfortable beginner. I felt like the strange new girl in class, but I kept at it because I knew there were many benefits, especially for stress.
Now-a-days, I am more at ease when going to a yoga class, but I sometimes I still have to quiet the voices in my head that compares myself to others and tells me I look silly and can’t grasp the poses.
When I can finally get over these self conscious fears I am able to wind down – and by the end of a session – relax. I am happy to say, that I feel like I am almost completely over my original fear of yoga!
Enjoying Yoga
Now since I worry less, I can enjoy yoga as it should be enjoyed. I feel my body loosen up and my mind becoming clearer. However, I am no yoga pro. I am still new to the yoga community. But I am determined to stick with it.
It is a little scary sometimes, but I am okay with learning as I go. I am discovering more and more health benefits and finally getting a few poses under my belt. Of course I still make mistakes. Which I am okay with, because I can tell that yoga has helped my stress levels. And isn’t that why I started in the first place?
Does This Fear of Yoga Sound Familiar?
If you are like me, and also feel like it is scary to start yoga (or pilates, or some other sport for that matter) because you are embarrassed and afraid to fail… know that I was right there with you! I was so afraid of doing the wrong poses and looking like a fool. So afraid of being two steps behind. So afraid of not knowing the lingo or having the right equipment.
But now, I am getting great benefits from it! I am also learning about some yoga companies and products. So, if you are new to yoga or a seasoned veteran, I want to introduce you to Barefoot Yoga Co.
Barefoot Yoga
Barefoot Yoga is a company that truly cares about the individual. With your best interest in mind, they make some of the best yoga mats around. They work to create mats that are better for the environment than traditional PVC mats.
Along with superior yoga mats, Barefoot Yoga sells high quality yoga gear including yoga mat bags, yoga props and yoga clothing for men and women. I have the Hybrid Eco Mat 1/8″ in the gorgeous purple – and absolutely love this performance yoga mat!
Grab yourself a yoga mat from Barefoot Yoga, and you will have a mat for a lifetime – one that will be a strong, long lasting, heavy duty mat.You will feel comfortable and safe using this mat, since it contains no phthalates or heavy metals and the method of production is completely non-toxic and latex free.
Feel balanced and grounded with a Barefoot Yoga Mat.
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