Yoga
It is a truth universally acknowledged that doing any type of exercise is guaranteed to make you healthier, and feel better. Of course, the problems are twofold: first, you have to be motivated enough to go (which most of the time, you just .. aren’t), and second, you have to keep it up. I wish this could be some revolutionary new post on the perfect formula to get yourself to get up and exercise, but it isn’t. Or on finding the perfect exercise to do while you’re sitting on your bum watching tv, but it’s not. In the end exercising on a regular basis is hard, and it takes a lot of motivation and discipline.
I went through periods of trying different things out, from swimming to tennis to those “for women only” clubs (Imagine me and a whole bunch of older ladies bouncing on a trampoline to Devo’s “whip it”). But I hadn’t found anything I loved until I came to yoga. And not just any yoga class, but with a wonderfully patient instructor that just radiates peace and calm.
I am always sure I am going to make time in my week to do some yoga. I love the feeling of peace, purpose and focus that comes over me. I feel so calm and contented after I do it, like I’ve just lifted a huge weight of my shoulders, and nothing matters except for the present moment. I forget about school, about men, roomate troubles and all of my responsibilities. While I’m doing yoga, I feel like I can connect not only with myself but something deeper – I have occasionally felt that way after praying, but yoga relaxes me enough on a consistent basis that I feel like I can be in better tune with my spiritual side. They don’t call it meditation through motion for nothing (:
And, on the super vain side, after three years of practicing, I am more toned and flexible. So, yaay to yoga all around! I highly encourage you to try. And if it doesn’t work for you, find something you love – swimming, synchronized running, anything.
