The number of times I’ve heard someone use this line is more than I can count on my fingers and toes. You tell someone you just met that you’re a yoga teacher and then they tell you how they want to do yoga but… (INSERT REASON HERE.)
Although I’ve heard dozens of excuses why someone can’t do yoga or why they haven’t tried it, I’m always there with the same answer and a similar conversation. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it usually goes.
Me: “ANYONE can do yoga, even you.”
They usually respond with the line…
Random Person: “Well I’m not flexible (strong, motivated etc.) enough to do yoga.”
Me: “You don’t need to be flexible. Yoga isn’t about flexibility and there’s a style out there for everyone.”
Random Person: (Insert another excuse) …but I would love to try out a class one day.
Flexibility is usually the reason someone is convinced they can’t do yoga. Flexibility is a byproduct of certain yoga styles but is certainly not a prerequisite to starting the yoga journey. (Even if flexibility is your intention for doing yoga, you’re not going to get more flexible from not doing yoga!)
Regardless, I don’t believe its lack of flexibility holding anyone back from yoga. It’s the dreaded comfort zone. Starting anything beyond your comfort zone takes courage and self-confidence. No one likes to be uncomfortable so you keep convincing yourself that you want to do X, Y or Z but something keeps holding you back. It takes a leap of faith to break free from whatever “holds you back” in order to make the jump. But once you make it, anything feels possible.
This applies to many aspects of life beyond yoga. It even applies to MY life.
For the past two years, I’ve dreamed of having a YouTube channel that shares the yoga practice with others. I’ve made the videos, I’ve edited them, yet something always holds me back from posting them with others. About two months ago, I decided I had to stop living in fear. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and live the life I’ve always wanted for myself.
SIDE NOTE: For anyone who doesn’t know, I am double majoring in college and one of my areas of focus is broadcast journalism. I may not be comfortable on camera yet, but one way or another I’m required to break the comfort zone barrier in order to graduate from college! 😉
So as a double win for the both of us, I’ve finally grown the courage and self-confidence to produce my first ever yoga video. It’s a foundational class demonstrating what are known as Sun Salutations. Many yoga teachers incorporate Sun Salutations into their flows and I thought it would be a good foundation to anyone new to the yoga practice. It’s only the first part of the series but you have to start somewhere, right? 😉
So go on the “get out of your comfort zone” journey with me and enjoy your introduction to yoga as I finally start my yoga video journey.
Enjoy the video below and thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out with any comments, or questions regarding the yoga practice.
Namaste, Kay.
Namaste Kay 