a lot of us have fun house mirrors in our mind. when we look at ourselves in the mirror we see something drastically different from what's really there. no matter what we do, how often we exercise or diet, the old image of ourselves is still there. no matter how many times others tell us we look great, etc. we still think and see ourselves as we use to be, not as we are now.
next time you find yourself in a yoga class don't look in mirror, look into your heart. I know this is easier said then done (I know because I still battle with my self image) but try your best. once you find your balance/stability in the pose, close your eyes. let your body take in all that you are doing. stop worrying if you are doing everything perfect. trust yourself and your body.
don't get me wrong, mirrors can be great tools, but if you are looking beyond what you are doing and are looking at what's wrong with you then they are more of a hindrance then anything else.
we all need to have more compassion with ourselves and with others. but in order to do this we have to understand that we are not perfect and never will be and that this a good thing. this is something that should be celebrated not looked down upon. yes we all have our flaws, but understand that it's these flaws that make us human.
so the next time you are in a yoga class, or are getting ready for the day, or catch a glimpse of your reflection in a window, smile. focus on all the wonderful things about yourself, even if for that moment all you can think of is that your hair looks halfway decent.
the next time you make a mistake, or trip, or make a fool of yourself, stop before you belittle yourself and tell yourself that everyone in the world at one point in time has made a fool of themselves/has made a mistake/has gotten off balance, and more than likely it's been more than a couple of times.
love yourself for who you are, not who you wish you were. if you want to be a few pounds lighter than do so, but don't beat yourself up if you slip up and have a candy bar. be aware of the fact that you did eat a candy bar and maybe spend 5 extra minutes on the treadmill the next day.
understand that 99% of the woman you see in those magazines are airbrushed and the ones with flawless bodies starve themselves and work out 24/7. you might be a few pounds heavier but you are living life.
so stop letting the mirror dictate your self esteem. stick your tongue out at that silly skewed image of yourself, because trust me the rest of the world isn't seeing it.
live life with your eyes wide open…. let your heart lead you…. let love heal…. let compassion be your guide….. namaste'
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
my yoga story...
yoga has literally changed my life...
i use to be fatigued all the time, stressed out, suffered from mild insomnia, back pain, knee pain, neck pain, and hip pain. i lived on pain killers, icy hot, heating pads, and massages from my husband. i also didn't like myself or my body, my esteem was pretty much non-existent.
then one day i decided to go take a yoga class at the local gym. little did i know that this gym trip would change everything. i fell in love with everything that is yoga. from the stretching, toning, de-stressing, everything! shortly after that first class i went about becoming a certified yoga instructor. i wanted to help people feel as good as i did after a session.
once i got my certification things slowly started to change and evolve in my life. i was no longer living on pain killers, icy hot, heating pads, or massages (all though the occasional one is still a nice treat!). i was able to move more freely, and was eventually able to touch my toes! (this was a big day for me lol.) but not only did the pain start to go, but my self image started to change. i now cared about my body, what was put in it, how i treated, no longer taking advantage of it. i began to respect my body and truly listen to it.
in addition to all of the above, i also began to tone my muscles, build strength and stamina, increase my flexibilty, and even lose weight! (i have to this day lost about 30 pounds since april 2009 with just yoga.) i usually do a higher impact yoga session at least 3-5 times a week, and also do restorative and in-between the two throughout the week as well.
it's funny how much my life has changed in such a short period of time. to really bring my point home, here are some before and after shots (i need to get a more current after as i lost a few more pounds since it was taken lol).
BEFORE
AFTER
thank you for taking the time to read my story. i would love to hear your stories, thoughts, comments, etc.
have a wonderful weekend!
namaste'
april
*** UPDATE 10/16/09: i just took some waist, chest, and hip measurements today. I use to be 32/33 chest, 34 for waist, and about 36 in hips. Now I am: 32 chest, 26 3/4 waist, and 36 hips.
*** UPDATE 12/27/09: recent measurements: chest- 31, waist- 26, hips- 36
***** UPDATE 1/20/10: chest- 30 (above boobs) 28 (below boobs), waist- 25, hips- 36
i use to be fatigued all the time, stressed out, suffered from mild insomnia, back pain, knee pain, neck pain, and hip pain. i lived on pain killers, icy hot, heating pads, and massages from my husband. i also didn't like myself or my body, my esteem was pretty much non-existent.
then one day i decided to go take a yoga class at the local gym. little did i know that this gym trip would change everything. i fell in love with everything that is yoga. from the stretching, toning, de-stressing, everything! shortly after that first class i went about becoming a certified yoga instructor. i wanted to help people feel as good as i did after a session.
once i got my certification things slowly started to change and evolve in my life. i was no longer living on pain killers, icy hot, heating pads, or massages (all though the occasional one is still a nice treat!). i was able to move more freely, and was eventually able to touch my toes! (this was a big day for me lol.) but not only did the pain start to go, but my self image started to change. i now cared about my body, what was put in it, how i treated, no longer taking advantage of it. i began to respect my body and truly listen to it.
in addition to all of the above, i also began to tone my muscles, build strength and stamina, increase my flexibilty, and even lose weight! (i have to this day lost about 30 pounds since april 2009 with just yoga.) i usually do a higher impact yoga session at least 3-5 times a week, and also do restorative and in-between the two throughout the week as well.
it's funny how much my life has changed in such a short period of time. to really bring my point home, here are some before and after shots (i need to get a more current after as i lost a few more pounds since it was taken lol).
BEFORE
AFTER
thank you for taking the time to read my story. i would love to hear your stories, thoughts, comments, etc.
have a wonderful weekend!
namaste'
april
*** UPDATE 10/16/09: i just took some waist, chest, and hip measurements today. I use to be 32/33 chest, 34 for waist, and about 36 in hips. Now I am: 32 chest, 26 3/4 waist, and 36 hips.
*** UPDATE 12/27/09: recent measurements: chest- 31, waist- 26, hips- 36
***** UPDATE 1/20/10: chest- 30 (above boobs) 28 (below boobs), waist- 25, hips- 36
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
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