YWNG.Yoga With Nick G

This week, I’m celebrating my 36th birthday.

And, in honor of my Big Day, I thought I’d challenge myself to record a list of 36 things I love about yoga, one for each year I’ve spent on this planet… here we go:

1. Nothing else helped my ongoing back and neck problems like yoga
2. Yoga helps me feel more energized
3. Because of yoga, I’m strong and limber enough to keep up with my kids
4. My “beer gut” has entirely melted away, thanks to yoga
5. Yoga gives me a reason to challenge myself, physically – there is always something new to learn that keeps me growing and getting better
6. The yoga community! Filled with so many amazingly talented, insightful folks
7. Yoga practice has helped me make a mental connection between the wholesome food that fuels my body and the things it enables me to do. My entire diet has changed as a result
8. Yoga helps me stay sober by giving me something healthy to focus on
9. Yoga makes me better at sex (it’s just science)
10. Yoga provides me with a skill I can use to give back to my community
11. Hot yoga gets me through the Montana winter without losing my mind
12. Because of yoga, I’ve been introduced to some pretty amazing music I would have otherwise missed
13. Yoga is an activity I can do with my whole family – the kids even think it’s fun!
14. Yoga clothes are the most comfortable I’ve ever worn
15. Yoga has helped me increase my mental focus and stamina
16. Yoga mantras have helped me develop a much more positive focus and outlook on life
17. Yoga gives me a place to release all my worries and frustrations – I can work them out and “leave them on my mat”
18. Because of yoga, I know I’ll get at least 3-5 solid hours of quiet time “to myself” each week – how many busy parents can say that?!
19. Yoga reminds me to look outward, helping me break out of those inevitable downward spirals of worry and self-doubt everybody faces from time to time
20. Because of yoga, I am far more in tune with my body – what needs extra attention, what needs rest
21. Yoga is one essential tool that’s helped to calm my mind and provide temporary relief from military-related PTSD
22. Yoga makes me a MUCH better communicator (which is great for friendships + marriage!)
23. Regular yoga practice helps to give me perspective and keep me relaxed – even my wife has noticed a difference in how I respond to everyday life stresses
24. Anytime I have a particular life goal in mind, I spend my mat time focusing on and pushing energy toward that goal – I swear it helps bring me closer to achieving it!
25. I’ve never been terribly athletic… but with yoga, I finally feel strong and capable
26. Yoga has opened doors for me to have a career I’m passionate about
27. I’ve met so many incredible friends through yoga whom I never would have otherwise encountered
28. I learn a great deal about my body during yoga and I love pushing my limits to see how far I can take it
29. Yoga continues to teach me about what I can achieve with focus and persistence
30. Yoga consistently reminds me to stay balanced and focus on just one thing at a time, taking life moment by moment
31. Embracing yoga (which was a big step for me!) has helped open my mind to other non-traditional health practices – recently, I tried acupuncture for my injured wrist with great success
32. The fact that I’m a yoga instructor (a career choice that surprised just about everyone, including myself) reminds me that anyone can change, anytime – people can surprise you!
33. Yoga gives me tangible help I can offer to anyone who, like me, suffers from ongoing pain or deals with frustrating physical challenges
34. Yoga training gave me a reason to live back in my California hometown again for 3 months – how often do we get a chance to revisit history like that?
35. Because of yoga, I no longer fear having to resign myself to a life sustained by heavy prescription medications – I never thought I’d be able to say that!
36. Regular yoga practice improves my patience and endurance, which really comes in handy when I’m building complex LEGO creations with my kids

There you have it. 36 reasons why I love yoga… and I could probably keep going! I’ll save the rest for next year’s birthday post.

Ready to discover for yourself the incredible benefits of yoga? Join me in an upcoming class, or book me for a private session.