Loving Yourself During the Season of Love
February 20, 2023
Smile during your yoga practice. Yes, you read that right. Smile during your yoga practice. Have you noticed that when someone genuinely smiles at you, your mood lifts even slightly? Have you ever been in a bad mood and saw something that made you laugh and make you feel better? Even a little?
There are days when I don’t feel like practicing yoga, and my energy during the practice is significantly lower than usual. However, once I started smiling to myself during my personal practice, I began feeling emotionally lighter even if I was still fatigued, stressed, etc. As we approach love season, or Valentine’s Day I want to remind you that you are loved. I challenge and encourage ourselves to take time during our yoga practice to smile and remind ourselves that we are worthy of love and loving ourselves despite what our external world may tell us.
Studies show that something as simple as smiling releases endorphins, serotonin and several other brain chemicals that improve our mood, relax and reduce physical pain in the body. There are so many ways to take care of us, especially living in a society where self-care is more prioritized. On the other hand, nothing beats a natural drug like the smile to feel loved in a way material items could never.
