You’ve Got to Start Somewhere

Today, I taught a class with three complete beginners.

One of them said something I hear all the time:

“I’m not very flexible, so I probably won’t be very good at yoga.”

And honestly? I always feel like I need to gently drum this into people's heads:

Yoga isn't about being good at it.

You don't start something because you're already good at it.

Otherwise, you're not really starting, are you?

I often wonder why people feel the need to say this when they first walk into a yoga class. Maybe they're trying to warn the instructor.

"I'm not very flexible."

"I'm not very strong."

"I might need a bit more help."

And that's absolutely fine.

But here's what I want every beginner to know:

Everybody has to start somewhere.

Believe me, when I first started yoga many years ago, I couldn't even touch my toes.

My hands wouldn't even go past my knees.

My hamstrings were incredibly tight. I had spent years not really nurturing my body, my joints or my mobility.

And I was only in my early twenties!

I wasn't naturally flexible.

I didn't have strong arms either.

I remember trembling during Boat Pose. Any kind of core work felt incredibly difficult. Holding poses was a challenge.

High Lunges. Warrior poses.

My legs would feel like they were on fire!

I couldn't hold poses for very long, and there were so many things I simply couldn't do.

But I kept showing up.

And I am so glad I did.

Because this is the thing:

Yoga isn't about walking into your first class and already being good at it.

You don't need to be flexible.

You don't need to be strong.

You don't need to know the names of the poses.

You don't need to be able to touch your toes.

You just need to start.

Because yoga is about so much more than flexibility

I think this is what many people don't realise when they first come to yoga.

People often think yoga is about becoming flexible.

Or doing a handstand.

A headstand.

An impressive inversion.

And yes, flexibility and strength can absolutely be part of your yoga journey.

But there is something deeper.

Yoga gives you an opportunity to reconnect with yourself.

And sometimes, you don't even realise that's what is happening.

I remember after around six months of attending a beginner's yoga class, I said to my teacher:

“What is it that I love about this? There's just something about it.”

She laughed and smiled.

She said something along the lines of:

“You understand it now. You understand why it's so good for you.”

She called it the 'yoga glow.'

At the time, I don't think I completely understood what she meant.

Not really.

It wasn't until I started developing my own self-practice that I truly began to understand.

There was something happening beyond becoming more flexible.

Beyond becoming stronger.

Yoga was giving me space.

Space to breathe.

Space to slow down.

Space to be present.

Space to reconnect with my body.

And, most importantly, space to reconnect with myself.

Yoga is for everybody

I truly believe yoga is inclusive.

It isn't exclusive to people who are already flexible, mobile or strong.

It isn't only for people who can put their legs behind their heads.

And it certainly isn't only for people who look like yoga models on social media.

Yoga is your own space.

Your own mat.

Your own body.

Your own breath.

Your own pace.

Everybody breathes differently.

Everybody moves differently.

Everybody's body is different.

And that's okay.

Your yoga practice doesn't need to look like anybody else's.

You don't need to compare yourself to the person on the mat next to you.

You don't need to compete.

You don't need to keep up.

Your practice is about you.

It's a space where you can notice your own progress, work with your own body and learn how to regulate, listen and reconnect with yourself.

And that is something incredibly powerful.

So, where do you start?

You start exactly where you are.

Maybe you can't touch your toes.

Maybe your hamstrings are tight.

Maybe your balance isn't great.

Maybe your arms shake.

Maybe you can't hold a Warrior pose for very long.

Maybe you feel nervous walking into your first class.

That's okay.

I did too.

We all start somewhere.

And one day, you might look back and realise just how far you've come.

Not just physically.

But mentally and emotionally too.

Whether you're in your twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties or beyond, I truly believe you can begin yoga at any stage of your life.

You don't have to wait until you're more flexible.

You don't have to wait until you're stronger.

You don't have to wait until you're fitter.

You don't get flexible before you start yoga.

You start yoga, and your body gradually begins to change.

But perhaps the biggest changes aren't always the ones you can see.

Yoga can be a real game-changer.

It's difficult to explain until you've experienced it for yourself.

So if you've been thinking about trying yoga but telling yourself you're not flexible enough, strong enough or good enough...

This is your reminder:

You don't have to be good to begin.

You just have to begin.

You've got to start somewhere.