Yoga as Commitment

Originally posted on March 20, 2018

Meet Nancy!

I took my first Bikram Yoga class a few years ago and began a regular practice in February 2017 after taking a year off when I had my daughter. I’d found a Groupon and decided to give it a try. I used to work out at the gym with Michelle and she’d always tried to get me to try Bikram Yoga, but it sounded scary. Now I practice 4 times a week and I don’t do any other form of exercise. Since starting my practice, I haven’t really made any changes to my diet. I’m vegetarian and have always been mindful of the things I put in my body. One of the many reasons I do yoga is to be able to enjoy food so that I can splurge when I want to, and then I also keep a sensible diet at home. I have started doing a 3 day juice cleanse every 3 months since trying one with the studio. The reset is truly wonderful! 

Besides getting into better shape, I love practicing yoga because you have something to be proud of. When we go about our every day lives we can get caught up in the fog of just getting through the day, and mindfulness can really take a back seat. When I’m consistent with my yoga practice I have something that I can be proud of and track my results. When you hold standing bow for the first time for the whole minute, you want to have cake and a party! It’s that thing in adult life where we actually have milestones and can be proud of ourselves instead of just surviving and getting through the day by going through the motions. 

Advice I would give to a new student is figure out your “Why” - why do you come. You know the benefits of Bikram Yoga, that’s why you came to try it, but it’s not easy. It will challenge you, like everything that helps you grow and become a better version of yourself. If you’re not committed to the results and benefits you will get from your practice, it will be tough to stick with it. Commit to yourself and your goals. It will always challenge you but you will get better and you will start craving class. Bikram Yoga is like a deep cleaning for your body from the inside out. Once you get it clean, you won’t want it any other way. You started for a reason, you’re worth realizing that!