Yoga is the only workout I do. I first got into it to distract myself from my first breakup and get back in shape. (Beauty is the best revenge, right? And I’m only sharing this with you so that if any of you are also going through a breakup, you’ll know that doing yoga helps.) But, I got hooked to its many benefits. I’ve been practicing hot yoga for eight years now.

I’ve tried all sorts of exercise routines and found that yoga is the only one that truly works for me. It tones and helps slim me down, but more than that, it also relaxes me, helps me focus, calms my mind, and makes me feel good. It has helped make me more flexible, too, so yes, you don’t need to be flexible to do yoga; you’ll be surprised what your body will be capable of the more you practice.

Besides the health benefits, the other thing I really love about yoga is how you can apply many of its basic principles to life. While we’re in shavasana or dead man’s pose, or basically when you lie still on your back with your breathing deep and steady, we are encouraged by our yoga instructor to empty our minds and just focus on our breathing. While we do this, or even the other poses, the teacher would share nuggets of yogic wisdom, the many benefits of yoga, and just how you can apply yoga principles to life.

Here are some of my favorite life lessons from yoga (that I heard from teachers or realized myself):

1. Don’t forget to breathe. When something is difficult or challenging—or when it gets too hot—just breathe through it.

2. Stay in the moment.

3. Let it go. After doing the pose—or anything, really—let go of how well or bad you did it. It’s over. Get ready for what’s next.

4. You won’t be able to do something—much less get better at it—if you don’t even try. Zero effort means zero progress. But 10% will soon become 20%, which will become 40%, and eventually you will reach 100%.

5. Focus on yourself. Don’t copy or compare yourself to others. That will only make you lose focus.

6. Listen. There are times when what you’re doing will block your vision, and listening to instructions is all you’ve got going for you.

7. Pay attention to your body. It doesn’t mean that because others are doing it, you must, too. Understand how your body is feeling for the day and work with that.

8. The more you do something, the better you’ll get at it. (In other words, practice makes perfect.)

9. Keep your goal in sight. Don’t let your eyes wander or focus on distractions. Where your vision goes, your body will follow.

10. Rest is very important. After each posture—or task or challenge—get back to resting as soon as you can and maximize the benefits.

In case you’re interested, I do yoga at Yoga+, which has branches in Ortigas, BGC, and Makati. They teach various types of yoga. Visit their website to learn more. Tell them you learned about it from trixiereyna.com! 🙂 Hope to see you all on the mat soon!