Do you brush your teeth everyday? I'm going to assume the answer is Yes! How does it feel to have clean teeth? Do you enjoy looking at your smile in the mirror after you're done? And that feeling of fresh breath...
Well, my approach to yoga is the same. I do it every day. There might be a day here and there where it doesn't happen, but they are few and far between. And just like having a nicely cleaned set of pearly whites, a regular yoga practice has a positive effect on my body and my mind. I'm going to share five of them with you here.
Joy and pleasure - I love the way my body feels when I move it consciously with my breath. Also, I love to bring a sense of joy to my practice because there's no point in being too serious about it!
A sense of accomplishment - I love that I practice in the morning so I know I've started my day positively.
Strong body, strong mind - I love the feeling of internal strength I get from my yoga practice and that translates to more positive approach to how I think and feel about my life.
Eating better - because I make the effort to do yoga, I also make the effort to eat better because I know it's going to help me feel better longer.
Coordination and control - I love how learning new ways of moving and breathing presents a challenge for the neural pathways in my brain.
You may not practice yoga everyday, but I challenge you to start. Even if it's one or two stretches that you enjoy doing or know feel good. Use a daily habit you already have, like brushing your teeth, as a prompt. After you've got those teeth sparkling, roll out your mat and get to it, and before you know it you'll have two daily habits that make you feel smiley and fresh.
