How to Cultivate a Yoga Mindset, Without Being a Yogi

I have been finding peace and balance on my mat for nearly two decades. I have been lucky to have had amazing teachers who have helped me grow spiritually. I would highly suggest trying a yoga class. A good teacher can not only give you a good workout but also help you find balance.

I understand that yoga may not be for everyone, but that does not mean you still can't benefit from a yoga mindset. Below are a few of my favorite sayings, and I hope they will help you start your yogi mindset path.

Breathe

Life begins and ends with your breath. Remember to breathe. Breathing when you're in a tough situation will help you re-focus and calm down.

Smile when life is tough

Yoga teachers like to remind the class to smile, especially as we are holding a crazy pose for a long time. The smile does not make the pose any easier, heck half the time I'm cursing under my breath, but the smile tends to distract me from my shaking muscles just long enough from me to change my thinking to be more positive which does allow me to push through a little bit longer.

Falling is not a failure

When you are learning how to balance, whether it’s tree or bird of paradise, you are bound to fall. I had one teacher tell me to smile and thank myself for being brave enough to push my body to its limits. I bring this word with me into life. If I try something new in business or personal, and I fall, I smile and thank myself for being brave enough to push myself out of my comfort zone and try again and again until I get it right.

Focus only on yourself

When you are on your mat trying a new pose and not quite looking like everyone else in the room, you can feel discouraged. Teachers will often remind students not to focus on what others are doing, but only what feels right for you. Life is no different; we all go through different seasons in life. We can't compare ourselves to others; they may be in a different season or had more practice. Comparing ourselves will only break our focus and make life and our practice harder.

Learning to create a positive and flexible mindset will help you in any challenging situations that are bound to happen as you start to push yourself to achieve your goals.