Yoga for Introverts

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Beautiful Young Woman Performing Perfect Plank in Yoga

Recently I was reading Mary Adelle’s “A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Care” on the STYLE website. She recommended Yoga with Adriene’s 30 Days of Yoga.

The tip arrived at the right moment. Like a rubber band that dries out over time, losing elasticity, my body was becoming less strong and pliable. For 30 minutes a day, I was doing a combination of running and walking, along with some sit-ups and push-ups, but my flexibility was waning, a problem I noted at the most basic, essential moments—shaving my legs in the shower, reaching to pick up a dog toy or even just sitting up straight.

Something needed to change. I didn’t have the budget for yoga classes. But just as important, I knew that I didn’t love exercising in groups. I sensed that yoga would work for me only if I was alone. Alone, I could let my guard down. Alone, I could breathe. Alone, I could topple over in triangle pose.

I started the first 30-day series. By the third day, I had sore shoulders and triceps, but I’d also thought of a solid new approach to my novel revision. By the seventh day I was thinking yoga was something I needed to do forever. Doing yoga—moving with awareness of breath—was toning my body in a way that my previous system alone (which I continued to some degree) had not.

How It Works: Subscribe to the 30-day yoga program. Each day, you’ll receive an email with a message from Adriene and a link to the day’s yoga video.

What I Love: There are no eyes on me. I can wear my pajamas to the mat if I want. Adriene is delightful, straightforward and not overly serious (“find what feels good” is her tag line). When she says “six-pack abs,” she says it jokingly, in a kind of “monster-truck race-announcer” voice. She’s a bit of an oddball, in the best way.

What I Don’t: Nothing. At this writing, I’ve done 46 straight days. (I started a second 30-day series of hers: Yoga Camp!)

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