Yoga. It’s always been a dream of mine to practise yoga, it’s on the bucket list, but one thing and another I just haven’t had the time. Well now, I’m making time! Time for me. Time to help my body. I’m 31 and I am the most inflexible person I know. I can’t touch my toes, I can’t bend over backwards or do a crab, I am quite literally as stiff as a board. But there is still time!

 

A couple of months back I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis & Raynauds Phenomenon and as I sat there in the Rheumatology waiting room I couldn’t help but notice I was surrounded by people aged 70 plus! “I shouldn’t be here!” I said to my partner, “I am half their age … and some!”. That’s when the light bulb finally switched itself on! I’ve wasted too much time sitting on my butt, doing the daily household chores, school run & working thinking I was fit…. well as a matter of fact I am not! I am far far from it!

A few Instagram searches, google visits and App Store purchases and I am ready for the yoga! In my own time. Of course.

There I was thinking this will be easy, a bit of stretching here and there and some deep breathing, well oh how wrong was I? It’s harder than it looks. It takes a lot of practice and dedication let me tell you! If you’re like me and do diddly-squat when it comes to exercise and you want to start yoga then your in for a big surprise.

 

After day ones lesson (at home) my entire body ached the next day. Abs, legs, thighs, arms…..muscles I didn’t even know existed, ached! Don’t let that put you off, I waited all day the next day until I had the kids in bed to do round two and I felt so much better after for doing so, it stretched all those aching muscles out and they didn’t seem to hurt as bad no more. It really is as magical as it looks.

So I plucked up a tiny bit of courage and joined a local ‘yoga in the park’ club. On the day, I felt sick thinking that I had to go to this class all alone, whats everyone going to be thinking of an unstable newbie like me, I bet they’ll all be staring at me. My nerves were shot! I went along anyways and I am so so proud of myself! Everyone was lovely, kind and friendly, the instructor helped me out a little when needed and no one judged me at all. It was brilliant. Hard work but brilliant.

Here we are in all our glory. 

So that was a week ago now and since then I have been stretching and breathing and just making it a morning and nighttime routine for myself to have those twenty minutes to focus on my body. Me and my body. We need this! It’s going good so far. I still can’t touch my toes or complete a crab, but I can do a headstand and clasp my arms behind my back, and that’s got to be a good sign, right!?

It may not be possible to squeeze in time during the day for yourself but you can make a point to make time before or after work, just by waking up those twenty minutes earlier to do something you enjoy. It really helps to start the day off in the right direction.

If you’re interested in yoga and want to give it a try, then I highly recommend you do so! You gotta grab life whilst you can! Make the time. Enjoy it. Only you can do it. Make the jump! Even if it’s not for you, at least you can say you tried.

What have you got to lose?

happy adventures

nay nay x