Do you feel self-conscious?
Does feeling self-conscious discourage you from doing yoga?
Feeling self-conscious can be about your mood or how you feel about your body, it might be about how you feel IN your body if you are working with an injury or feeling less mobile in your body. Feeling self-conscious can be about many things and its the mix of thoughts in your mind and feelings in your body that make you want to avoid doing something new.
I have walked into a studio with my tummy sucked in.
I’ve stood up straighter to feel and appear more confident than I was feeling.
I have crept to the back of the room only to curse the teacher when she told everyone to face the back of their mats.
I have avoided yoga with other people when I was struggling with a back injury because I felt insecure and knew I would compare myself to others. The truth is, I have felt intimidated in the friendliest of yoga studios.
This is why I do my utmost to make everyone feel comfortable in the Big Love Yoga Community because I know how beneficial yoga is for your body and mind yet if we feel self-conscious we spend time comparing or miss out on the experience entirely.
“There’s no walking into a room with other people and feeling self-conscious.”
Yoga is a form of mindfulness, helping to draw your attention inward and encouraging you to breathe more effectively. The focus that yoga creates helps you to tune out of the distractions in your mind and from your day. Yoga calms your body and mind by influencing your nervous systems through breath and movement. Yoga can simultaneously strengthen your body and improve your mobility. Yoga can both reduce physical pain and relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety. When you feel self-conscious some of these benefits are not fully realised.
One of the best things about practising yoga with me online in the Big Love Yoga Studio is you are in the comfort of your home, in your personal space which helps to ease any self-conscious feelings.
You can throw on an old tee shirt and comfy pants.
You can roll out of bed and still be in your pj's if you wanted to.
You can brush your hair or simply not worry until later.
You get to BE however YOU are, that day.
“You don’t have to worry about what you look like!”
It’s also why yoga tutorials on YouTube are so popular however, they require a level of commitment, self-motivation and effort. Being comfortable in your personal space allows you to explore yoga with more confidence and you’ll begin to experience the benefits of yoga for your body and mind.
You’ll notice how you feel mentally and physically before and after. Over time you’ll experience the quietening of the mental distractions and you’ll start to reconnect to yourself.
“I could not recommend the Big Love Yoga Community enough, especially to anyone who lacks the confidence like I did to try something they’ve always wanted to do!”
I invite you to practice yoga with confidence in the Big Love Community, it’s a personal online yoga studio where you will feel welcome, encouraged and supported throughout.
The community runs on a subscription basis however, you have the option to enjoy a free trial session. So if you’re curious about yoga or you’ve been considering returning to the Big Love Community, you can book your session here. You’ll find the full schedule and select a session style/time that feels right for you. I look forward to welcoming you.
With gratitude,
Becki Marie
