What's the one thing you MOST want this year? Would FEELING GREAT help you get there?
Well, may as well admit it. I'm a big believer in possibility (against all odds... yup, one of those!) Which is why I love the New Year. As the year and decade comes to a close, we ALL go there and consider what's possible. It's hard not to pause, to reflect a little on where you've been, where you're headed, and what you need to get there.
I'd love for this to be THE YEAR your biggest dream comes true. The year you set the stage or turn that corner. Whatever the New Year brings, I'll bet FEELING FIT AND FANTASTIC will help. Let's face it, feeling calm, comfortable, focused and balanced is NOT overrated.
If you're thinking "I tried yoga before, dClasses at Your Time Yoga are different. You don't need to know yoga poses . You don't need to be flexible. We start where you are and go from there!
What if I told you just one hour of yoga a week could make a HUGE difference in how you feel day-to-day? But don't believe me... Check out WHY MY STUDENTS KEEP DOING YOGA when most were actually quite nervous about trying yoga in the first place!
TOP FIVE REASONS MY STUDENTS DO YOGA (in their words)
1) Less Pain, More Comfort
"Now that I'm practicing yoga, when I do other activities I'm not as sore"
" I started doing yoga recently, 6 years after my SHOULDER SURGERY, and the stretching definitely makes my shoulder muscles feel better"
"I had such bad BACK & NECK PAIN from arthritis that my doctor wanted to do surgery. With regular yoga, the pain and my headaches are practically gone. "
"I suffer from Migraines and have been going to a therapist for myofascial release. After just five weeks of yoga, before my last treatment my therapist asked: what's changed? You are much less tense!"
My lower back pain improved after just a couple sessions! After the 6 week series the difference was amazing! After not doing yoga for a couple weeks (over the holidays) my back is telling me to get back to it!
2) More Flexibility, Ease of Movement
"Besides having fun in yoga, my flexibility is much better"
"I started yoga for the exercise. But I found flexibility. Even just getting up & down off the floor improved SO MUCH."
"I've noticed that I'm not as stiff and I have MORE FLEXIBILITY! The slow and small movements are my friend."
"Yoga helped me be a better, healthier runner. I used to hate stretching because it hurt. And I ended up with knee problems. In yoga, you stressed the difference between sensation and pain. With this awareness I can do the stretches the PT prescribed - the ones I used to avoid because they hurt."
"A few years back we only had one grandson (1 1/2 years old). I noticed then that I wanted to get down on the floor and play with him, then actually get back up with ease! Yoga started out as a flexibility goal, then became so much more."
"I'm 78 and was experiencing a lack of sure-footedness. When I stood up after sitting for a while, I needed to hold onto something for a few steps, to catch my balance. After just a few weeks of yoga, and doing some of the stretches at home I can move with ease and comfort again. I feel so much better that I even cancelled the MRI my doctor ordered".
3) Better Posture
"I've noticed a change in my posture (after just six weeks of yoga). When standing, my shoulders are even instead of one drooping an inch lower than the other"
"For years, my shoulders hunched forward, were stiff and they just wouldn't relax. After a few weeks of calming, restorative yoga - it's amazing! Now when I'm lying on my back, my shoulders can actually relax down to the floor"
"I appreciate your classes focus on proper form. I've taken other yoga classes and mirrored the moves but had no idea if I was doing it right or where I should feel the stretch. In your class you tell us where to notice the stretch AND if we feel any pain, to stop. I also appreciate the imagery you provide, like looking over a ledge leading with your heart to fold forward. The imagery helped me understand to keep a long spine, and it feels good
"I notice myself standing and sitting straighter and taller. I just feel more solidly grounded in my body.
4) Less Stress, More Calm
"A few years back I used to grind my teeth at night - TMJ - and wake up with pain in my jaw. I went to the dentist - got a bite plate. With yoga, I don't need the bite plate any more."
"My job is totally demanding and it's important to not show stress. When I miss yoga, I can tell. Especially at work, my body is more tense. And the people I work with are like "oh, when's your yoga?" THEY can even tell a difference."
"At first, I just wanted to lose weight. I didn't think of the benefits of balance, piece of mind, calmness. Yoga taught me to breathe through things, that it doesn't have to hurt to achieve a goal. Some people think "no pain, no gain". That's NOT me."
"Yoga is a calming experience. I expected to like how I felt during class since we move in a way that is NOT straining, but I'm surprised that AFTERWARD I'm so much more calm and at ease.
"I love how yoga forces me to check out of the chaos of my life and be in the moment. I love the sense of peace and calm that comes over me! I think I actually feel a little bit euphoric when I leave yoga!
5) Unexpected HEALTH benefits
"I have Type 2 Diabetes. When I went in to see my doctor, he was surprised my blood sugar had improved so much and asked 'what changed?' I told him I was taking a weekly gentle yoga class. He told me 'keep doing yoga'."
"When I went to Gooseberry Falls last summer and was crossing a river, walking over a series of rocks another woman said "Wow, I'd never be able to cross that quickly". And I realized how yoga IMPROVED MY BALANCE. But it's not just balance. I'm much more comfortable perceiving where my body is in space. And it's not just hiking. I used to fall or bump into things frequently. That doesn't happen now."
"My doctor was amazed how a weekly gentle yoga class changed my overall health. For several years the numbers were elevated and heading in the wrong direction, despite my efforts with diet and exercise. But after starting weekly gentle yoga, my BMI, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol numbers all started moving in the right direction. After one more year of weekly yoga, not only were ALL my numbers completely normal but I had lost the weight I struggled with for so long. And lost it from all the right places.
Pretty cool, huh? These are great folks, the kind of people you'd love to hang out with. Regular people who were brave and tried something new. And IT WORKED! They learned yoga, in a small class that expected them to be stiff and NOT know yoga yet. They got personalized attention to fit the yoga to their anatomy. And now they FEEL SO MUCH BETTER! Most take just one yoga class a week (although a few take two or more classes to feel even better.)
Sound good but still nervous about trying yoga? No worries! The truth is, EVERYONE is nervous before their first class!
Here's what my students said about that.
"I wanted to try yoga for years. Having both hips replaced (at age 42 and 50) I'm extremely inflexible and don't have the best balance. I felt too intimidated to learn yoga in a big studio, but with a small class and Julie's personalized help, there's no intimidation. It's the ideal setting to learn yoga".
"When they stopped offering yoga at my church I was desperately looking for another class. I can't do Jazzercise. When they go left, I go right. I tried Hot Yoga. Thought I was gonna die. Went to a big yoga class. They thought I knew what I was doing. If you don't know the moves, you can't do them. This is the place for me. It's small. It's personal . You get your money's worth and more."
"I was reluctant to try yoga because I've done it a few times before in a large setting. This was different, so much less intimidating and Julie took time to explain how to do the moves. Of course, the head, neck, shoulder massage at the end of class is my favorite part. Let this be the year you pamper yourself with a great yoga experience in a beautiful setting."
"When I was struggling with breast cancer treatments for the past few years, I spent many months working out in my basement, alone. I didn't feel good about being out. Didn't know if I could keep up. The restorative yoga here, and the supportive environment is JUST what I needed."
"When I tried big classes I'd frequently trigger my sciatica, and could hardly walk from the pain. In the small class setting where we're reminded to not push or over-do it, I don't have to worry. And when the class is smaller, I feel I learn a lot faster and am more confident in my ability to do it right, knowing I'll get the personal attention I need."
"My husband does yoga at LifeTime. I was too intimidated by their classes -- too many people. I'd feel foolish. How would I know if I'm hurting myself? How will I learn to do it right? At first, I was just going to learn the poses here, then go to LifeTime. Then I got hooked on it!"
"From the moment I spoke to Julie I knew this was 'the place' for me - she put me at ease immediately and I felt a sense of comfort, care and concern for my well-being. The studio is peaceful, quiet, clean and welcoming with a diffuser helping you immediately relax and know you are in a 'different space' "
Still reading? There's a reason. Be brave. Click HERE, sign up and let's see what YOGA will do for YOU!
Yoga is for EVERYONE. All sizes. All ages. You don't need fancy yoga clothes... sweats or shorts and a t-shirt work. You don't even have to bring a yoga mat. It's all good. Questions? Drop me a note, let's chat. You got this!