It’s kind of funny that I used to be somewhat of a hypocrite when it came to Yoga. I used to think that in order to be fit I had to run 5 plus miles/day, lift heavy weights, and eat a ton of protein. In fact there was a time when I Crossfit when I could barely get out of bed due to the pain, but ignored it to push on with the belief “No Pain, No Gain!” As I got older, and changed my career from walking all over the hospital, to sitting and doing hours of therapy with clients per day, my body started to feel the strain. I started having chronic pain in my neck, shoulders and even lower back.
When I realized that all the chiropractic care in the world couldn’t correct hours of bad body mechanics, sitting, and my body holding stress…I found myself looking for ways to feel good again. It’s funny, that I know how strong the mind body connection is, but like many of you, making a conscious choice to practice a discipline that was kind to my body, rather than adding more stress to it, was a bit of a process that unfolded over time.
Today, I am much kinder to myself and have found that I needed to mix both Vinyasa and Yin Yoga into my routine. Instead of beating myself up for not lifting heavy weights as much, or my perception that “Yoga wasn’t really a work out,” I began to give myself permission to stretch, breathe and really accept my body’s inflexibility as I learned to fold in further to the discomfort and then release. Ironically, my pain is getting better, and I’m starting to really look forward to my morning Yoga routine.
If you are like me, going to a Yoga studio is somewhat intimidating in that there are so many people who are very fit, limber, and able to balance with a core strength that I never felt I had despite my lifting. As someone who has always wanted to stay in my lane and do things that I felt good at, lifting weights and strenuous workouts had always been the thing I believed my strength lived in. Yet today, I am humbled by the vulnerability of my body trying something new, uncomfortable, and yet also life giving and energizing to my whole nervous system.
Balancing stress looks different for everyone. I’m also finding that it’s okay to have different seasons in life where your preferences change. Today, I’m more concerned about the overall wellness of my mind, body, spirit. I encourage you to find your balance and learn to give yourself permission to do what feels best for your body.