Positive thinking – do you find it elusive? Are you starting a new project, a new style of yoga, or just trying yoga for the first time? Starting positively can dramatically increase your likelihood of success. The science of positive thinking is there – but how do we put it into practice? Fearing the worst and fearing failure can cut short your new adventure before it’s even started. So what to do?
Yoga is famous for its ability to combat stress and boost energy levels, but if you’re just starting (or about to shake things up!), having a positive outlook rather than trepidation can be the difference between success and failure.
So how can we do this?
First things first – concentrate on the FIRST step, and not the goal. For example, getting your yoga kit together, or researching that new practice style fully so you know what you’re in for. When we start something new, we have a goal. A more limber body, a more relaxed mind… you get the idea. But what we often fail to picture properly is how far away that goal is, and end up discouraged.
A great way to stay motivated and positive at the start of your journey is to focus on what you HAVE done, not what you HAVE YET to do. Don’t only look at the stepping stones ahead of you – remember the ones you’ve hopped! So, say you attended your first yoga class. It was hard, you have muscles aching in places you didn’t know you had muscles – you’re suddenly feeling discouraged. You’re thinking about the other side of the bank, not the stone you’ve already jumped. You’ve started! You know more now than you did before. Your perspective is different. How different will it be after the next step? And the next? And suddenly, as we celebrate the little victories along the way, we reach our destination without assuming the worst result. Without fearing we’ll never get to where we want to be.
Chins up, start positive! Take the first step!
Yogamasti
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