Cristi Johnson

I met with a new client the other day who told me she had never tried yoga because she thought she was incapable, only because of her size. It broke my heart in half. She had fallen victim to the stereotype of a yogi: slender, beautiful, poised, and able to bend in ways that would make your head turn sideways. That’s the danger of stereotypes – they are more often than not untrue, and they create limits for us and others (at least in our minds).

This would be the equivalent of saying you are too short to play basketball or your feet are too tiny to dance. If you have a short stature, sure you may never play basketball professionally, but statistically, most people will never play basketball professionally. That does not mean they should stop playing basketball entirely, especially if it is something they enjoy.

Some of my favorite yoga instructors have instructed from a chair. Truly special instructors have given their students permission to “take up space”. It’s empowering to hear them give cues that encourage attendees to “make room for their belly” or other helpful tips that allow them to move in a way that will work best for their bodies. There are even props used in yoga to make it more accessible to more people.

Yoga is supposed to be a safe space where those in attendance can disconnect from their “To-Do” lists and worries of the day. A place to feel welcomed and to breathe. A place to look inward and stretch, balance and flow in a way that is supportive, beneficial and sometimes challenging. I don’t care where you are practicing, yoga is not a place to feel judged. If you get that vibe from a yogi or the students in a place where yoga is practiced, RUN because they are not emulating the true spirit of the practice at all.

One of the nicest things about Alpena is there are several venues in which to work on a Yoga practice in both private and large group settings. Both options hold value depending on your specific needs and comfort level. Sometimes practicing in a large group can give you a sense of community and connectedness. In a private practice, you can work in a way that addresses your body’s most challenging areas. I’ve been able to witness a lot of problem solving in a private setting, and in the kindest way. However, this editorial is less about yoga and more about our willingness to accept limitations, rather than finding the courage to put our toe in the water of something new. As the phrase goes, everything worth doing is on the other side of fear. So when presented with an opportunity to move your body in a way that you haven’t before, be it golf, hockey, running, yoga, pickleball, roller derby, Zumba, tap dancing, strength training, etc. If your first thought is “I can’t do that because…” take a moment to pause. That is likely your fear trying to take over. Chances are, you do belong. You belong in that arena, but you just don’t know it yet, because you haven’t given yourself the opportunity to try.

And here’s the encouraging part. If you try it and you don’t like it, there is no rule that states you have to continually do it. That’s what people are talking about when they reference their “fitness journey”. It’s not about weight loss. Weight loss is simply a side effect of a fitness journey. The journey is about finding a way to move your body that supports you best and brings you the greatest amount of joy. This experimentation and experience can be a delightful ride if and when we allow it to be.

The more ways you discover you like to move your body, the more limitless your life becomes. As you add new practices, sports, and types of exercise to your routine, you will have several avenues in which to move and take care of yourself in a way that adds value to your life. That’s where the magic happens. That’s when exercise changes from something we “should” or “need to” do and into something we actually look forward to making part of our lifestyle.

All we have is this one beautiful life, and in it, moving our bodies should be a celebration. Remove your limitations and you will find exercise freedom, and eventually a new found confidence you can build upon. Don’t be scared to be bad at something in the beginning, because the reward is so, so sweet once you move past the other side of fear.