Grow your yoga practice, grow confidence

If you have practiced yoga before and even though you don't have a consistent practice because...life...you still had a sense of that special feeling it leaves you with... But can it reaaally change your life, help you grow your confidence, let go of your insecurities, find that harmony and peace within you...?

I say YES! And you don't need to chant everyday, get up at 5 or make it to your mat 7 days a week.

Let me share with you 3 WAYS your yoga practice can help you feel your best self and grow that kickass attitude of I CAN DO ANYTHING !!

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HOW I FELT BEFORE YOGA ENTERED MY LIFE

✈️ When I started my Yoga practice i was a busy active young 25 year old Flight attendant in Dubai, starting to feel more confident than when I was 19, but still pretty self critic and anxious about my image, judgment from others, not believing a man could TRULY love me fully for who I am, lacking a sense of harmony within me and connection to my true self and what I really wanted in life. Because well, I guess I didn't believe I deserved it.

🌻 I was enjoying being very active, filling my time with activities, parties, coffees with friends, going to the beach, which was great but I was hardly in touch with my needs and felt pretty disconnected with myself, what I wanted, needed, and was quite anxious. I did not suffer from anxiety per say but i always had nervous tics, from very young, which i guess was a way my body had of telling me, "dude, you need to adjust something, your nervous system is going banana...". And of course this was something i felt very self-conscious about.

😎When going out for drinks with my friends, I thought men (especially one I would like, charismatic, gorgeous, smart, funny...) for sure would like my friends better, would not find me interesting enough, not pretty enough,you name it...

I was also pretty anxious speaking in front of more than 1 person, and saw myself from the outside, judging every word... It sounds terrible, but i'm pretty sure it wasn't that noticeable to others. I think i was an introvert that could act like an extrovert.

🏃🏻‍♀️With my busy life, travelling around, day and night shifts, and my social life, I was finding it hard to have a consistent work out, and for maybe 15 years since my dancing years, I did very little inconsistent runs, abs, here and there...not knowing what to do really.

ANYWAY you get my drift... I finally tried yoga, then quickly got into it, tried every studio, in Dubai, out of Dubai on layovers around the world...and I loved it!! Found a couple of teachers I really liked that had pretty challenging Vinyasa classes with some yogic philosophy insights, and I struggled at first... But quickly something started to shift!

I felt stronger, I held myself more upright, I felt lighter and more free in my body.

I felt more relaxed, at ease, I had less tics, and I started to feel more confident around others...

So how come?? What is there in the Yoga practice that can help you feel like this?

1-BREATHING

In yoga breathing is a huge part of the practice. The class starts with" Centering", with a short meditation to be in the present moment, watch your breath, arrive in your space.

Here you start using the Ujjayi breath that you learn to keep through the whole practice.

It is a breath where you slightly close the back of the throat and create that ocean sound as you breathe in and out of the nose. Just as if you were blowing steam against a mirror to blur it out, but with your mouth closed.

In yoga classes you regularly practice other Pranayama exercises ( like the Breath of Fire/kapalabhati, or the alternate nostril breathing Nadi Shodhana ), that either has an energising or calming effect, restoring balance in the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and clearing the energetic channels to ultimately calm the nervous system.

Prana translates into “life force energy,” and Yama translates into “control or mastery of.” Thus, pranayama is a breathing technique used to control, cultivate, and modify the amount, quality, flow, and direction of vital energy in the body. Pranayama is often defined simply as “breath control”.

Have you ever noticed that when you are surprised by incredible news you tend to hold your breath? It is a natural reaction. This can also work backwards, if you can control your breathing, you can control your mind.

So through regular pranayama practice, even without movement, you quickly feel more HARMONIOUS, calm and in control of your emotions... 😌

2-BEING PRESENT

In the yoga practice you are reminded to come back to the present moment. The goal is to let go of ego, and observe your thought patterns, sensations, self conversations, and learn to let them go to come back to just watching. JUST BEING. Sounds good, but not easy right...it is a forever practice.

In difficult times, this is when it is the hardest. In challenging poses during your practice too! So this is when the "on the mat" practice serves us "off the mat".

Practicing being present through meditation and the asana practice, you set yourself up for a stronger resilience to deal with life's punches. At least it sure helps.

Without this practice, we stay in "fight or flight" mode, in the action and reaction state. When we stay there, we are more likely to react with ego, from a place of past traumas and not from a calm space where we can be more realistic, empathetic, objective.

Cheeky example...? When your partner tells you "are you sure you want to wear your heels?", maybe instead of feeling judged and respond something like "I wear what i want!! Why, am i not looking good??!! 🤬" .... you might be able to take a breath and say... "I feel good in those shoes, don't you worry love" 😌 and not feel that he is asking from a place of judgment, but maybe because he wants you to feel comfortable, he knows you like to dance all night... 💃🏻

3-TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

I know it might sound harsh but it is actually so empowering... There is a metaphor about yoga that applies to life in general: For a bird to fly and reach soaring heights, the bird needs two wings; one wing is Grace, and the other is your own effort.

For sure life brings all sorts of experiences and determines so much for us. Many, if not most things are out of our immediate control and influence; the family we are born into, the country, culture and time we live in... And these circumstances are of extreme importance when it comes to receiving love and nurturing, opportunities for our development and the freedoms we enjoy.

Basically, these circumstances beyond our control are the cards that we are dealt with.

In order to step fully into our power, it is vital to remember there is also our own part in the life we live. That is exactly where our power is. No matter how much we have working in our favour or against us, we always have our own power.

Writer Mark Manson summed it up in this short but empowering sentence:

”It is not your fault, but it is your responsibility.”

This means to fully accept the important things that have happened in your life, traumas, perhaps big ones, and the effects they have had on you. Only from that place of truth can you begin to find your own power. This is what you have, now what do you choose to do with it?

I will cut this short as there is so much to say on the subject, but through insights from yoga teachers, books, and then my teacher training that is one of the biggest realisations that helped me grow and take control of my life and happiness.

Take ownership of yourself. Love yourself and see your wholeness. You are a unique person. Your life is yours and no one else’s. Only you determine your boundaries and desires and only you have the freedom to make choices that feel right for you.

Take your responsibility, take your power. You are your own leader.

TO SUM IT UP

I do believe that from a consistent practice you will quickly feel a shift in yourself.

You will feel more open through a more efficient breath, less anxious and more calm.

You will feel more empowered as you get stronger and take responsibility for how you feel, think, what you say or do.

You will as a result begin to prioritise yourself, and balance a bit better how to do all the things without feeling drained. You will start to say "no first i need to...then i let you know".

You will quickly realise people usually don't mind at all!

And soon, you might fit in at least 1 practice a week, that's how it starts, trust the process! No need to judge yourself thinking it should be more.

It all takes time, but believe me, the time you invest in yourself is the best time you'll ever spend.

You are certainly welcome to join my Vinyasa classes on Flow With Justine, where you can be sure to practice the whole book of asanas, find challenge and playfulness through creative flows.

I love to see growth in my students, and see the shift in you as you thrive to become the most confident version of yourself, realising you are capable of anything!

Follow me on IG for tips and inspo, I look forward to connecting with you!

BONUS: Get your FREE tutorial for CROW pose, bakasana, and join my Newsletter by clicking HERE!

Namaste yogis 🙏🏼

Justine