Something New

    Trying something new can be a scary experience, no matter if you have been wanting to do it for ages or decided on a whim. I have always wanted to try yoga ever since I started college but have never had time to find a studio in town or go to the free classes held at my school.
    Luckily, the yoga class this semester ended up having one person drop out a couple days before school started so I snatched up that open spot and I am so thankful I did. Having about a month left of school, I can actually say that I really love yoga. Sure it kicks my butt on days and having it as 8am has pros and cons, but I am generally excited to have gained this habit of waking up and starting my morning off with yoga.
    When I first started, I looked at yoga as a form of exercise, a way to get in better shape, without actually having to go to the gym or run around the block. Now that I have taken classes and am not only learning poses but also more about what yoga actually is, I can still say it is a exercise but it isn't just an exercise for the body but for the mind and soul as well. It is not about being able to do a pose, it's about being able to look inside yourself and focus on being present. It is about knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and fine-tuning them to better yourself.
    Taking yoga has helped me not only better myself with being present and alert, but it has also helped me with my faith. There are so many articles out there on the Internet about why Christians should not practice yoga but I am here telling you that just because I practice yoga does not make me any less of a Christian. When I meditate, I take that time to pray and let Him fill me for the day. Or when I breathe (because let me tell, you do not realize how much you breathe until you take yoga), I picture it as breathing out all the anxiety or worries that I have, and breathing in the love and care He has for me. [“Cast your burdens upon the Lord,” Psalm 55:2].
    What I am trying to say is that even though trying something new can be scary and make you a little anxious, it can be ten times as rewarding. So go out and try that thing that scared you and don't live life with 'what if's'.
    XOXO,