This is a guest blog written by Sheila Johnson.
Yoga has much to offer. Not only can yoga reduce stress, relieve anxiety, and combat depression, but it can also lower your blood pressure and reduce inflammation. But what happens when you hit a wall in your regimen? Luckily, there are a plethora of tech tools available, and here are a few of our favorites to help you stretch for your goals.
Meditate Instead of Zoning Out. ![]()
Meditation is a major component of yoga. It helps put your mind in the right spot during flows, and it can have some seriously powerful medical benefits like relieving chronic pain. But it can be easy to fall into the false trap of zoning out. Meditation and “zoning out” are not the same thing. With proper meditation, you want to be mindful and alert — not bored and distracted.
There are ample apps on the marketplace that can help you combat poor meditation practices. Apps like Headspace and Calm can give you step-by-step instructions to make the meditation process easier. And, you can use them at the same time that you’re doing yoga. With just a few minutes available, you can enjoy powerful, meaningful meditation.
When you’re meditating, it’s important to have an area where you feel comfortable and relaxed. So, dedicate a room or a part of your home to meditation, and keep the area decluttered so that you won’t experience any “negative energy” that clutter can trap.
Failure Is Okay
If you’re having issues progressing, the worst thing you can do is internalize that as a failure. Don’t sweat every misfire! As Teach.Yoga explains, those low moments are actually opportunities for growth. Each failure is just a challenge waiting to be overcome, and each roadblock teaches you a strategy to overcome the next one. Sometimes getting into the right mindset is a challenge itself. Trying out apps like Habitica and Todist can help you form positive daily habits that help you zone in on obstacles, not run away from them.
Leave Your Comfort Zone
Humans have a natural drive toward comfort. But to see progress, you want to bypass those hardwired behaviors and dive straight into the uncomfortable.
Stepping out of your comfort zone can breed anxiety, but as Inc. notes, that anxiety can help you achieve amazing results. As you meet your limits and pass them, you’ll feel better about yourself and your growth. Try using an app like Daily Yoga that lets you hit those markers, and reward yourself as you go. Little celebrations can give you the push you need to stay consistent.
Connect and Inspire
Yoga is built on routine. This can make change and progression tough. Breaking routines in other parts of your life could be the secret sauce that tears down your walls and creates real yoga progress, and one way around those walls is to connect with other people for insights, ideas, and inspiration, or simply to explore some new exercises.
Apps like Meetup can help you get together with people to share yoga tips and skills. And apps like Down Dog have over 300,000 configurations that help you to try new yoga positions and flows in each session. Set some intentions and track them with your smartphone, whether they be weekly, monthly, or daily goals.
Make Sure You Have a Capable Smartphone
With all of these tech tools at your fingertips, you can achieve fantastic results with your yoga practice. But in order to make good use of this tech, you’ll need a reliable device such as a smartphone. While the latest models are ideal for toggling between apps without delay, they can also be expensive if you’re on a tight budget. Luckily, many retailers offer a great selection of deals on certain smartphones.
Yoga can be incredible for the mind, body, and soul. But it can also be frustrating when you hit a plateau. Don’t give up! Try out these tips to reach the next level. Remember, we all hit walls sometimes. It’s what you do afterward that counts.
Sheila’s website is www.wellsheila.net
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