Yoga for 500 Days Straight... Here's How it's Changed Me (My Yoga Journey)

I did yoga every single day for 500 days straight with no breaks.

And it's truly changed my life.

I know that everyone and their mother talks about how good yoga is for you. It’s basically become a cliche in the health and wellness space. But like lots of wise people often say, cliches exist in this world for a reason. I’m going to take you through my entire yoga journey: before, during and present day.

How I Used to Be

I embarked upon this whole journey in April 2019… when I honestly was the worst version of myself that has ever existed. I was struggling intensely with an eating disorder, self-harm, anxiety, depression and just negativity in general. I truly hated my body and I felt like my emotions were completely out of my control. Instead, I found that I was the one being controlled by emotions of anger, doubt and irritation, often lashing out at those closest to me for no logical reason at all. I had a shaky relationship with healthy eating and exercise, often either restricting myself or having no self-discipline at all. I even remember crying to my boyfriend about unhappy I felt, even dramatically asking him, "Why can't I just be like one of those healthy, happy yoga girls?" I felt physically fragile and emotionally powerless and after years of living like this, I decided that I didn’t want to be this way anymore. Luckily, I was surrounded by an abundance of resources, and the university I was attending at the time had free counseling sessions for students. With a single surge of motivation to change my life, I made an appointment to start getting professional help. On that evening, feeling a rare moment of empowerment, I decided to look up a “yoga for anxiety” video on Youtube, which I never had the urge to do before. Completing that 15 minute video set me up for starting this incredible inner journey. 

How I Started to Change

After that night, I started doing at least 10 minutes of yoga every single day because it made me feel good. It was that simple for me. That was the first noticeable, immediate benefit of doing yoga for me: the fact that you feel accomplished for having done something so good for your mind, body and soul. 

Another benefit I experienced was an increased awareness of my body. You never really notice how tense and tight your muscles are until you start stretching and moving them in ways you usually don’t. For me, my neck and back were my problem areas from being a digitally-dependent college student, using a laptop for 8 hours straight on most days. A daily yoga practice makes you think about how you used your body that day and where you are holding unnecessary tension. I noticed (and still do notice) that while I’m holding a certain posture, another body part that shouldn't even be engaged is tense and flexed without me even realizing it. Once you start noticing how your body works on the mat, it’s easier for you to notice how different parts of your body are used as you go about your day.

The next benefit I experienced was an increased awareness of my thoughts. So many yoga videos I’ve practiced alongside tend to repeat a similar phrase: Be the watcher of your thoughts. Notice what comes up, and then simply let it go. You’d be surprised at the places your mind goes 5 minutes into a yoga flow. I’ve caught myself thinking so many random and negative thoughts: about my body, who I am, other people’s bodies, wondering why I can’t hold this pose for shit. Awareness of this negativity is such a powerful thing because awareness is the first step in changing. You have to be aware that a thought is negative and something you don't want in order to start working towards changing it. This awareness of my thoughts has naturally followed me into my daily life off the mat.

Another benefit of yoga practice that I personally experienced was and increased amount of patience. Before this whole journey, I was the most impatient person I knew. I grew annoyed at myself or others for not being able to accomplish certain things in a certain timeframe in a certain fashion. My irritation always appeared with my impatience, a destructive duo. But what are you supposed to do during a yoga flow when you’re trying to stay balanced in dancer's pose but keep falling out? You can choose to get angry at yourself and walk away from the video, or you can choose to keep trying that pose no matter how many times you fall out of it, then simply move on with the rest of the practice. Being able to do any balancing or strength-based posture does not come naturally to anyone. Even the mostadvanced yogis in the entire world have struggled with exactly what you are struggling with now. Be patient with yourself and that very posture will become second nature to you. After repeating this process with numerous poses, I can genuinely feel my patience with myself and others expanding beyond what I ever thought was possible.

The final benefits I noticed yoga bringing into my life were that it changed my relationship with my body and exercise. Before I began this journey, I knew I was unhealthy and that something needed to change. I despised the way my body looked. I knew how weak I was and how badly I was treating my body with my daily decisions. But after hearing the voices of my favorite instructors in my head saying to thank your body for all it does for you during yoga and all the time, I began to believe them. This whole journey took me 16 months, so this is by no means a quick process, but after about 6 months, I was starting to feel hints of self-confidence and self-love directly relating to my body and the way it looked and felt.

I also had never really enjoyed exercising. I loved dancing ballet and jazz throughout my childhood and high school years, but that outlet disappeared once I got to college. I dreaded the gym, where sight of tan, chiseled bodies would make me judge myself for the way I looked in comparison. I hated running and even lacked the patience for walking anywhere except to class. But yoga changed all of that. I looked at yoga as an exercise/self-care fusion. I looked forward to doing it everyday because it simply made me feel good about myself to take care of myself.Doing yoga even for just 5 minutes made me forget my worries for a brief moment and simply just be, and I craved that part of my day constantly. Taking care of myself for once felt good, and life is supposed to feel good. It just took me this long to realize it. 

How I Am Now

Now I hope you can all see how yoga has truly changed my life, and how it can change yours too. I still do yoga every single day, and I genuinely look forward to that part of my mornings. I get to explore my body in a mindful way, noticing what parts of my body need to be strengthened and stretched on that particular day. I can practice power yoga on energetic mornings, or restorative yin yoga on lethargic evenings. Though I have been consistently practicing for 500 days, I still have plenty of postures that I am working towards mastering. The feeling I get when I am able to hold a more advanced posture (even if it's just for half a second) is an unparalleled sensation of achievement, joy and pride. I now actually have definition and strength throughout my entire body, leading me to feel confident, beautiful and healthy in my day-to-day life.

It can feel intimidating to get started with yoga, but you by no means have to be a super spiritual, flexible or strong person to start practicing. I was none of those things when I started. All you need is yourself, a device and a mat. Honestly, you don’t even need a mat if you’re practicing at home and you have carpet anywhere inside. It works just fine! Also, find an instructor with a teaching style that you actually enjoy. There are thousands of free Youtube yoga flows already published on the platform, making it easy to find a channel you click with. Try out some different videos from different teachers and stick with a few that you really align with. I also recommend starting with shorter 10-15 minute flows and working up from there if you are a beginner, just so you can get used to the format of a yoga class. If you are worried about people judging you and how you look during your practice, try to find a time where you can be alone in a quiet room with your mat. Always listen to your body, and if a posture is painful (in a bad way) or is too intense, take a break and be patient with yourself. 

So if you're thinking about incorporating yoga into your routine, go for it! By no means do you have to commit to 500 or even 5 consecutive days of a yoga practice. Just explore what you like about it and how you feel during it. Do yoga as often as you feel called to do so, which could be once a week or everyday. Everyone is different, but luckily, yoga is dynamic and has the potential to transform the life of anyone who decides to practice it.

I hope this post helped to demonstrate the ways in which yoga changed my life. Now I pass the question along to you. What is your experience with yoga? How has a regular yoga practice affected your life?

*Disclaimer: I am not a registered yoga teacher, fitness instructor, doctor, or psychologist. The writing in this post reflects my own personal experiences and opinions.