How To Hack Your Brain with Naked Yoga
Yoga is a powerful tool for promoting physical, mental, and emotional health. Many people turn to yoga as a way to reduce stress, increase flexibility, and build strength, but did you know that practicing yoga, and more specifically naked yoga, can also help you create healthy habits? According to the popular theory, it takes 21 days to form a new habit, and yoga can be an effective brain hack to support you on your journey.
So, how can naked yoga help you form new healthy habits?
Here are a few ways:
Brain Hacking
When we set out to create a video series honoring a mindful and body positive yoga practice we were motivated by the benefits we knew it could offer, such as increased confidence, decreased stress, and improved physical & mental health. While the series certainly accomplished that, numerous reports from our subscribers brought to light an unforeseen bonus feature: a habit-forming mind hack, of sorts.
According to the reports, the aspirational presentation of our teachers’ bodies motivates and inspires our students to stick with the practice while conventional programs are much harder to stay consistent with. While other at-home workouts may get boring and difficult to stick with, True Naked Yoga members say our programs keep them coming back and enable them to cross the 21-day threshold for creating a new habit of yoga. Akin to ancient Greek sculptures of athletes and warriors, nude yogis are a joy to behold! Plus, the ability to see proper alignment and musculature helps inform the practice like never before.
Cultivating Mindfulness
Yoga cultivates mindfulness, which is essential for forming habits. When you practice yoga, you become more aware of your body, your breath, and your thoughts. By doing so, you can begin to identify patterns and behaviors that may be holding you back from forming healthy habits. Naked yoga enhances the mindfulness experience by drawing more attention to the physical senses. This heightened sense of awareness can spill over into other areas of your life and help you make more intentional choices, such as eating healthier, nurturing your hobbies, or incorporating more physical activity into your life.
Reducing Stress & Improving Mental Health
Yoga also helps to reduce stress, which is a significant barrier to forming new habits. When we feel stressed, our brains default to old patterns and habits, making it harder to create new ones. By practicing yoga, you can train your brain to handle stress more effectively, which can help you stick to new and more positive habits. Mental health has a big impact on your ability to make healthy choices, and practitioners of Naked Yoga report a higher sense of overall wellbeing through regular practice, due to the increased self-love and confidence that can result.
Building Consistency
Yoga is not only beneficial for the physical and mental aspects of your life, but it can also help you cultivate discipline and consistency, which are essential for creating new habits. By committing to a regular yoga practice, you demonstrate self-respect and perseverance to yourself, even on days when you don't feel like it. As you develop this sense of self-control and dedication, it can extend beyond just your yoga practice and into other areas of your life. These smaller habits can create a positive feedback loop, allowing you to take on bigger and more impactful habits over time.
Creating a Sense of Community
It’s also helpful to find a community of like-minded individuals. Joining a yoga community or finding a group of like-minded individuals can be a powerful way to stay motivated and committed to your practice. Surrounding yourself with others who share your goals and values can help you stay accountable and inspired. Naked yoga practitioners often describe feeling more connected to others, as well as to their own bodies, which can be a powerful motivator to keep practicing.
Starting Small
When it comes to forming new habits, it's important to start small and be consistent. Instead of trying to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight, focus on making small changes that you can maintain over time. For example, commit to practicing yoga for just 10 minutes a day, and gradually increase the length of your practice as you feel more comfortable. Check out our videos for a large selection of short programs that are easy to incorporate into your day!
Creating a Routine
In addition to starting small, it's also important to make yoga a non-negotiable part of your routine. Treat your yoga practice as you would any other appointment or commitment, and prioritize it accordingly. By making it a non-negotiable part of your day, you'll be more likely to stick to it over time.
Celebrating Yourself
Finally, take time to celebrate your successes along the way, no matter how small. Whether completing a 30-day yoga challenge or practicing for a few minutes every day for a week, acknowledge your progress and give yourself a pat on the back. This positive reinforcement can help maintain motivation and commitment to your goals.
Forming healthy habits can be challenging, but with the right tools, it can be achieved. Practicing naked yoga for 21 days can be a transformative first step towards improving all areas of life. Through cultivating mindfulness, reducing stress, building discipline, fostering confidence, and finding a sense of community, yoga can help you form and stick to new habits, both on and off the mat. No matter your goals, adding naked yoga to your routine can help you achieve them and create a healthier, happier life.
