The Journey: It’s All About Getting Started

I started my yoga adventure one day, roughly 3 years ago. I was stiff and couldn’t move like I thought my body should move. At 27 years old, I was surprisingly achy. My knees hurt, my lower back hurt, my neck was stiff, and my shoulders were tight. Typical symptoms for the average server/bartender. Not only was I a server/bartender, I was walking through the sand all day.

How I Got Started

I worked at this really cool outdoor sand volleyball place. My shifts were long, walking in the heat and sand all day carrying heavy buckets of iced beer. It was a great workout, but my calves and lower back were so stiff I could barely walk in the morning. Eventually, I started looking for a natural healthy solution; I kept hearing about yoga and decided to give it a try.

I started with good ole’ YouTube, watching yoga videos. Immediately, my life changed. Everything started to loosen up. I felt better overall, I was getting in great shape, and it felt amazing! This new exercise was actually lessening the likelihood of getting an injury. My quality of life went up dramatically and the job I already loved became even more enjoyable. This is how I got hooked on yoga.

Now I’ll be honest: I haven’t been super consistent until now. I’ve started taking my first actual yoga class in just these past three weeks. Years of YouTube yoga has allowed me to do quite a few advanced moves and keep up with some of the more advance yogis but I have a long way to go. I know a woman that doesn’t need her feet on the mat for downward dog… I still have quite a journey ahead of me.

The moral to this story: it doesn’t matter where you start, just start. If you’re tight on funds, YouTube is free! If you have an awesome yoga studio near you, I suggest you go in and meet some friendly like-minded people like yourself. Many studios offer free first sessions, Groupons, or newbie days to get started. Everyone’s journey is different, it’s just about facing your fears, taking a breath, and motivating yourself to get going.

What Can Yoga Do for You?

Yoga does several things for your body. One of the most important things is, it makes you breathe. Breath is a huge part of health; the more oxygen in the body, the better you feel. Wim Hof is a huge advocate on the breath and how it naturally makes the body more alkaline.

What does that mean? Well, it means your body goes from an acidic state (which your body doesn’t like and you can get sick) to an alkaline state (which your body loves and sickness struggles to live in your body). For all you fact checkers out there I highly recommend checking him out, and all the studies in medical books that have been published about that amazing man.

There is real science in the relationship between breath and health. I encourage you to go down the beautiful rabbit hole of natural ways to boost your immune system. You’ll quickly see that you have the power to fix most of your problems on your own. Your body will talk to you, if you listen to it. So, take some time today to listen to your body and see what your journey entails. Would you like to tie your shoes easier? Would you like loosen up your back? Do you feel stiff in the mornings? Maybe you’re super enthusiastic and would like to be able to do the splits or a handstand. Whatever your motive, just listen and you will find your calling.

Take your journey my friends. If you liked this article, please share with your friends! You too can BeeTheChangeOverTime!