Why I Love ... yoga

I paid my taxes in 2017 and felt pretty burnt out. I also realised that as someone who is self-employed and working from home, I have almost no structure and need to have some time not spent looking at a screen every day. I joined a yoga studio and quickly realised that with a very changeable schedule the only classes I could consistently stick to were the 7am ones. Within only a few weeks I became someone who regularly got up at 6.30am and actually enjoyed it! I fell in love with yoga.

The main thing with yoga is that a lot of the movements are simple, but they’re not easy. It’s very humbling to realise that while you might consider yourself relatively fit and well, touching your toes proves challenging.

Yoga has helped me find some time for my body and mind and I know it's something I will stick with for life

I like the fact that you don’t need any fancy gear to get started – leggings and a T-shirt are perfect – and all you need is a mat. I also love how, unlike sports, ageism isn’t a thing with yoga. The classes are filled with anyone and everyone, all body types and fitness levels – it’s very universal. Yoga is like an exercise for my mind that I didn’t know I needed and I find that, when something is worrying or bothering me, I hold tension in my body which a few yoga sessions will generally wring out.

Headstands

There are people in the class doing headstands and things I am not quite able for, but you take it at your own level, in your own time.

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There have been other positive knock-on effects from my hobby. Waking up early means I am in bed by 10pm, and getting eight solid hours of sleep has changed how I felt on so many levels. Yoga has helped me find some time for my body and mind and I know it’s something I will stick with for life.