So I started the day off today writing an article about my move to the UK and all the packing and how my body has been suffering both by being exhausted from moving for 3 days and by me eating like crap.  I was having a hard time writing more than a few lines so I stopped for a bit and decided I was going to head to a noontime yoga class at 108 Yoga.

I’m still a yoga newbie and I still don’t know a lot about yoga or the poses or the names of stuff and I always forget about the breathing (which apparently is a key part to yoga) and because of this, the thought of going to a yoga class always makes me very anxious.  When it comes to the gym, I’m the complete opposite. I’m extremely confident, maybe even too confident, but the gym is what I’m use to, it’s what I really enjoy and it’s what I’ve known for the past 4 years, so it’s comfortable to me.  Even when it comes to running, I hate it, I hate it A LOT, but I don’t feel out of my comfort zone doing it.  Yoga on the other hand, really takes me out of my comfort zone.

I never let on that I have anxiety, but it’s something that has bothered me most of my life.  It can get so bad that I actually become ill.  With yoga, because I feel out of place, it makes my anxiety go through the roof and it was really hard for me to go but I decided I’d head over to 108 by myself (for the first time) and do a lunchtime yoga class.  It was a packed class and I was the only guy, but I grabbed a mat and plopped myself down and got ready for some “Strength and Length” yoga (I’m not sure why, but that sounds really dirty to me).

I think the main reason I feel out of place at yoga is because I see these women sitting beside me going from pose A to B to C to Z without any problem, meanwhile my arms are shaking like crazy, I’m sweating like mad, I’m struggling not to fall over and if I’m actually doing the proper breathing I’m trying not to fart.  At the same time all I can think to myself is “I’m so much stronger than these girls, why can’t I do this?”  You have no idea how frustrating this is for me!!!!

The class started out slowly, as I’ve come to learn they do, but then it got intense and I loved it!  It actually felt like a really good workout.  Shoulders, triceps, bicep, legs, core, glutes… Holy moly what a workout!!  Remember how the other day I said “Yoga Kicked my Ass”?  Well, I have a funny feeling I’m going to feel today’s workout 16873416 times more than that one.  I had a great sweat on and I really enjoyed it and it didn’t hurt my injured body that much like the previous classes did!

With taking myself out of my comfort zone today I learned that sometimes you need to do that to yourself.  A part of lululemon’s manifesto that I really like is “Do one thing a day that scares you” and today, this was my one thing.  I was terrified to go to this class, but now I’m so glad that I did!!  Sometimes you just need to get out of what is comfortable and push your own boundaries.  Whether it be going to the gym, going to yoga, going for a run, getting off the couch and going for a walk or anything else in your life, do one thing that scares you and I assure you, you’ll feel better about yourself mentally and physically!