It’s time for a little truth bomb. Like the rest of you, I am working on my self-development. I think it is important to call ourselves out on our own bull shit from time to time. This way, we can bring awareness to the areas of ourselves that we need to improve and focus on.

I’ve done the research, I know the incredible benefits of yoga and preach them to my clients.

Here are some yoga facts for you:

Physical Benefits of Yoga:

• Boosts immunity
• Improves posture
• Builds/tones muscle
• Improves flexibility
• Increases joint mobility
• Reduces chronic pain
• Reduces migraines
• Improves your overall balance
• Reduces inflammation
• Increases lung capacity
• Improves heart health
• Increases blood flow
• Decreases blood pressure
• Lowers blood sugar
• Improves sleep
• Eases digestive issues

Mental/ Emotional Benefits of Yoga:

• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves your ability to focus
• Increases serotonin levels, making you feel happy
• Increases awareness
• Improves mental calmness
• Improves overall mood
• Increases mindfulness practice
• Improves symptoms of depression, PTSD, schizophrenia

Pretty incredible stuff, right? Despite knowing all of these amazing benefits of yoga, and sharing this knowledge with others, sadly, I’ve been slacking on my practice. For far too many consistent days, I’ve allowed myself to accept the excuses that I create to avoid pulling out my mat and spending a few minutes reconnecting with myself. Day after yoga-less day passes by, until suddenly it’s been months since I’ve dedicated the time and it SHOWS.

It’s easy to allow life to get in the way of really listening to your body and what it needs. The world doesn’t slow down just because I’m dealing with some back pain. So what do I do? I ignore it and keep powering through my day. I have work to do, a family and home to take care of, there is no time to slow down.

While ignoring my problems and plowing through seems like the only option at times, it is an unhealthy and self-destructive choice. If we do not practice constant mindfulness and pay attention to what our bodies need, the pain and stress will not be relieved, it will only worsen and escalate into more problems. If our needs continue to be ignored, we will eventually find ourselves in a complete state of suffering, until we are completely incapable of avoiding our needs.

I preach the benefits and importance of yoga to others, but lately I have neglected my own personal needs. While I can come up with a bunch of reasons why I cannot seem to find the time or energy to practice, in the end, practicing yoga is what my body needs. If I am not taking care of myself and my own needs, I will be unable to function properly and won’t be able to help to anyone else! We cannot pour from an empty cup, as they say. If we don’t make our physical and mental health needs a priority, we can find ourselves in some really unfortunate situations that can be very difficult to climb out of.

This is one of the reasons why practicing mindfulness is so incredibly important. Mindfulness is about being in a state of awareness. By practicing mindfulness, you can easily assess what your mind and body need in any given moment. It may seem like an involuntary, obvious thing to do (being aware of what your body needs) but without actually stepping outside of the subconscious mind and taking the time to live consciously, we aren’t being mindful of ourselves. Consider that the mind is typically driven by the subconscious mind nearly 95% of the time. Isn’t that insane? We literally run on autopilot mode the majority of the time, unless we can make the time to practice mindfulness, step outside the 70,000 thoughts that pass our minds daily and live consciously. Are you practicing mindfulness on a consistent basis? Reflect on the way that you feel. and what your mind and body may need to stay healthy.

Here are a few signs that you may need some yoga in your life:

• You have tense, stiff, sore muscles/joints
• You feel stressed
• You are feeling anxious
• You are unable to focus/ think clearly
• You are tired, restless or having difficulty sleeping
• You spend too much time sitting
• You are having difficulty breathing
• You are having difficulty regulating thoughts/emotions
• You feel lost or overwhelmed
• You have pore posture
• You want to get into shape
• You are looking for ways to relax and unwind

Don’t let excuses stop you from being your best self. Look, I get it. I’m busy too. I work, I’ve got two kids, most days, it doesn’t seem like there will be enough time to achieve my goals. But there will never be enough time unless you MAKE the time to work on yourself and your self-development. Join me in this adventure of self-improvement. Whether that is through yoga or adapting any healthy habit to create a better version of yourself (meditation, reading, writing, eating healthy, exercise, painting etc.).

We HAVE to listen to our needs and take the time to focus on ourselves. Our own relationships with ourselves set the tone for all other relationships that we have. Self-love should always be a top priority. Make the time to listen to yourself. Do whatever you can to fit things in your schedule that serve you and are related to your journey of self-development.

In order to create new, healthy habits, they need to be practiced consistently. Otherwise, we will not be able to create a routine and will slowly find ourselves slipping into our old, less healthy habits. Listen to your mind and body. Practice mindfulness and be aware of what you need. We must learn to make the time. Even if we are super busy, all the more reason to adapt healthy habits such as yoga in order to mentally prepare ourselves for a busy day or to unwind before bed.

I have made the personal decision to stop slacking and truly incorporate yoga into my daily schedule. If you are interested in joining me on this journey, please stay tuned for new upcoming posts. I will be sharing my personal yoga journey and stories. Whether you are an advanced, expert yogi or simply interested in learning more about yoga and considering practicing for yourself, you’ll find great tips and insights here. We will talk about how to get started with yoga, how to create goals for yourself and incorporate them into your schedule, different ways and places to practice and more! I will also be sharing my own personal reviews on yoga/meditation products, props and clothing.

I look forward to your company on this journey. Please feel free to reach out here or on my Instagram page @Youniverseinyou and share some of your own tips and tricks. I’d love to hear about your journey and any advice that you have for someone who is in the beginning stages of their yoga practice.

And as always, visit my Instagram for daily inspiration and feel free to message or email me (youniverseinyou@outlook.com) for your free Mindset Coaching Consultation.