POPULAR
Yoga Changed My Life: 10 Lessons From the Mat
Like a lovesick lost puppy, yoga seems to be always on my mind. All I can think about is when will I get back into the studio. I sit here thinking about my life before yoga. I was a much different person; I was depressed, overweight, unhappy and dissatisfied with life. Then one day something happened, I realized I was smiling and I felt at peace. Is it possible the yoga made me happy?When I first started practicing a few years ago it was purely physical. I would approach the mat with one goal in mind -- to improve my strength. I didn’t think that yoga could help me lose weight because I was an endurance junkie doing half-ironman triathlons.
Yoga back then served as 'my backup' only to be practiced on my off days. But as I transitioned out of one career into my dream career I started to practice more. I was invited to the Yoga Caribbean Conference in Jamaica a few weeks ago and that's when it happened.
I had the moment, that all dedicated yogis share. I found myself. Everything I had been holding inside for my entire life suddenly burst out and tears raced down my sweaty face. I was in the middle of a transformation and I finally felt free. I finally felt like me -- my authentic self was right there with me, holding my hand as to say, “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Yoga has a way of making us better. No matter what your goals are, yoga can help you reach them. Yoga can improve our life in areas you'd never expect -- and here are ten things I learned from yoga.
- Be compassionate
- Don’t compare yourself to other people
- Be kind to yourself
- Treat yourself and others with respect
- You are beautiful
- Be in the moment
- It doesn’t matter if your rich or poor, fat or thin, old or young
- You make a difference
- You are powerful
- You are one. You are love.
Published February 22, 2012 at 7:50 AM
