Have you ever felt like you are just not good enough? Maybe you always feel like other people are better, like things just never go right for you?
This can be such a hard mindset to get through. But, that’s just what it could be, a mindset that you need to get through. If you have ever felt like this than maybe yoga can help and I’m going to let you know why and how.
Said by many yoga teachers…
“The physical practice of yoga is a reflection for life off of the mat too”
What does this mean? Well, When you practice yoga, you are constantly checking in with your body. You are finding how deep you can stretch, how long you can hold a pose, where in your body you are feeling resistance. All these things, help you to tune into how you really feel. This can show in your life outside of yoga aswell.
Eg. If you feel like you are rushing through your practice, not feeling rested and really want it to be over. Does this happen in your life as well? Are you always on the go, rushing to the next thing, not sitting with something long enough to feel the joy and happiness it can bring on it’s own? #gotyouthinking
Research shows that…
a consistent yoga practice can improve your mental and physical health. This can boost your happiness, decrease your stress levels and give you more confidence and therefore higher self esteem. We all know it can boost your physical, right? That’s why so many people start yoga for the physical aspects but it has a deeper connection to feeling good then just exercise. Yoga can release trapped energy in your body which means it lets energy flow freely helping remove negative and moving around more positive helping you feel more confident.
Did you know…
Yoga makes you less likely to engage in impulsive behaviour? Yoga helps you to relax the mind and refocus meaning you can gather your thoughts more easily and make calm and rational decisions rather than jumping head first into things. It takes time though, don’t expect to be acting like buddha after 1 week of practice but get started and see the shift in your behaviour.
What is self esteem?
My understanding of it, is that you are confident in who you are. You are not afraid to show others and you certainly don’t allow others to bring you down.
So how does yoga bring this confidence? There are a few ways but the main way is that Yoga allows space for deep healing and to just be you. You can fully concentrate on yourself and figure out your needs, mind and body. We are so focused as human beings on our children, family, friends and it’s rare that we get an hour a day to fully focus on taking care of ourselves. That’s where this work begins!
Another way to gain confidence and to give yourself a boost is to nail some poses! Doing crazy arm balances, going upside down into a headstand can really help to release those endorphins and give you a little high. You can be proud of your self for getting into these shapes and know that you are capable of what you set your mind too!
Boudoir photoshoots
Have you seen adverts for these boudoir photoshoots that are meant to help you feel sexy and confident? They work. I’m talking from experience here.
We are not talking about photoshoots today though but you can create some sexy poses on the mat! There is a reason when you type yoga into TikTok it comes up with girls back bending and they have millions of views. The guys like it, the girls want to do it. If this step isn’t for you then by all means ignore this last one but feeling sexy will help boost your self esteem so get on the mat, discover what your body can do and feel amazing doing it. Own it!
Self esteem really comes down to mindset and I hope that these tips can help you feel a little more yourself and boost your confidence.
If you are brand new to yoga, then take a look at the FREE mini course below. Helping you understand exactly what yoga is and give you a base to start practicing. I hope to see you on the mat!
Leah
xxx