Low self-esteem? The only things that can stop you are your own internal inhibitions – challenges that you can overcome. Have courage,
you can be yourself and achieve anything.
This article explains how you can become a confident and strong person who feels happy in themselves and fulfills their potential.
How yoga works…
Practically – Yoga trains you to feel strong mentally and to believe in yourself, so you can leave fear and shyness behind and start succeeding in everyday life. It keeps you healthy, happy and fit. And it physically and mentally re-energises you, training you to be pro-active.
Personally – Meditation and pranayama (breath work) help you release anxieties and personal hang-ups. They guide you towards being at one with you inner being, so you can accept yourself for who you are and start feeling blissfully comfortable in your own skin.
The real you – Self-awareness
Yoga practices such as mindful meditation and awareness of breath give you a deep link with your physicality, providing a quiet moment where you can really understand your body and mind. This self-awareness brings a wonderful realisation of your own potential – as you exercise and acknowledge your body and mind in new ways, you begin to appreciate their capabilities. Then you can let go of the personal fears that come between you and the life you want to lead.
You can achieve anything – Mental strength
Yoga is a workout not just for the body but also for the mind. Through meditation, concentration and focussing on the breath, you train your mind in new ways. Meditation literally alters your perception, bringing it away from external worries and towards your inner strength. You learn to clear your mind of negativity until you can ‘just be’ with yourself. Having such a strong mind builds your self-belief and you feel able to face situations with confidence.
The physical and chemical effects of yoga’s postures and breathing exercises are also key treatments for stress and depression. Find out more by clicking here.
Stand tall and be confident – Physical fitness
As physical exercise, yoga improves your health and releases serotonin. By exercising every muscle in your body, you release a great deal of tension as well as flushing out toxins through sweating.
Yoga also combats negative body image, because while toning your body so you look and feel good, you also gain freedom from your body hang-ups. Practicing yoga shifts your focus from outer appearances to the inner self and your true worth.
As you progress through harder poses, you gain great respect for your body and its capabilities. Your confidence will grow as you achieve more difficult moves, while postures such as the Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) epitomise power and strength in their shape. By breathing fiercely through such strong poses, you foster positive thinking and learn to stand tall and confident both during yoga and in your daily life.
Getting centred – Vedanta philosophy
Yogic philosophy should play a big part in your yoga sessions. It is important to combine the physical exertion of yoga with the self-belief that your body and mind are strong assets with great potential. Listening to yogic philosophy in your class helps you feel the deep link with your body and mind as you accept and embrace who you are. eliminate tensions in the bones and muscles around the spine.
Yogic philosophy also teaches you to engage with the present and avoid dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. This stops you obsessing over anxieties in life, allowing you to draw a line in the sand and move forwards. Promoting positive thinking and letting things go,
yogic philosophy guides you towards being a self-confident person unhindered by past guilt or personal fears.
Ones to try:
The following are strong and powerful poses. As you perform them, breathe fiercely and draw on the power and strength you know is within you. You will be unwavering in these positions and feel powerful and capable:
-
Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana)
- Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)
- Crow Pose (Kakasana)
Relax!
Always remember to end your session with the Corpse Pose (Sivasana) or Child’s Pose (Balasana). These allow you to reap the benefits of the session and release any tensions you may still have. After this relaxation, you’ll feel happy, fit and ready to face life’s situations with a calm and true confidence.
Confidence is learned. And with yoga, you can quickly and naturally increase your self-confidence and start feeling happy and strong on your journey through life. Have courage, be true to yourself, and you can live the life you want.
In my classes I incorporate the whole yogic system – postures, pranayama, yogic philosophy and some meditation – which gives my students the proper yogic experience and allows them to feel the impact on their energy levels, their confidence and their emotional state.
If you want to build your confidence naturally and happily, have a look at my about me page and browse my courses, workshops, weekend and holiday retreats. I am a qualified yoga teacher, trained by The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, a yoga organisation recognised worldwide.
More benefits
Apart from helping you gain confidence, yoga also offers you:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Improvement of many medical conditions
- Relief from allergy and asthma symptoms
