As a yoga instructor who works in public safety, Katie Carlson frequently chats with public safety professionals who are curious enough about yoga that they bring it up in conversation, quickly followed by the reason they have yet to give yoga a try.
Yoga Roadblocks is a series of blog posts that dives into and dismantles some of the most common reasons that individuals might not try yoga or begin a yoga practice.
Without a doubt, yoga can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
If you are interested in trying a yoga class, and do an online search for the yoga studio you drive by on your way to work, you might have sticker shock. Single classes can cost $20. The next option listed is purchasing a package of 10 classes for $150. Studios can offer well-curated, comfortable spaces, and a reliable schedule of classes with experienced instructors. For many, the value of these studio classes is worth the price tag.
But whether or not there is a cost - large or small - associated with beginning a yoga practice, yoga can bring a tremendous value to your life. Unlike Vegas, what happens during your yoga practice doesn’t stay in your yoga practice...
The benefits of yoga extend well into your life.
The stress-reducing benefits of yoga and breathwork can occur immediately following a high-stress incident on the job, and better stress management can make a meaningful impact on your personal life at home.
Increased mindfulness can enhance your job performance, and it can also enhance your favorite hobbies outside of work.
A yoga practice can help you build resilience, which is key for first responders responding to traumatic events, and that same resilience can help you overcome life’s major challenges.
The value to beginning and maintaining a yoga practice, especially for first responders, is actually priceless.
Below are several ways to incorporate the priceless benefits of a yoga practice into your life at no, or very little cost.
Turn to social media
Check out Yoga For First Responders® on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. YFFR offers free yoga practices and techniques on each of these platforms and all you have to do is "like" and "follow".
Join the Yoga for First Responders® Cyber Academy.
The YFFR Cyber Academy offers over 60 online classes that will help you begin your yoga practice, with more added on a bi-weekly basis. These classes are specifically geared to first responders to help process stress, enhance performance, and build resilience. Does $7.99 a month fit into your budget? View more details for downloading the Cyber Academy app at the bottom of this post.
Talk to your agency about bringing yoga classes to your department.
More and more often, grant funds are available to public safety organizations to incorporate mental and physical health programs. And while grant funding doesn’t happen overnight, you can reach out to YFFR to see if there are any YFFR certified instructors in your area. Email info@yogaforfirstresponders.org with any questions.
Look for Free Community or By-Donation Yoga Classes.
You may be able to find classes around town, or online, that are free to attend. Sometimes these classes are “by donation” and are offered at a donation level of your choice that support a yoga teacher or non-profit, like YFFR.
Save your money on the bells and whistles.
You don’t need special clothes for a yoga practice, especially not $100 yoga pants. You can practice in a t-shirt and shorts or even jeans. And you don’t need special accessories for a yoga practice. If needed, I prefer to use a stack of books instead of a block. You can use an extra towel for a strap. The only thing you need to start a yoga practice is you.
Jim Rohn said, “The major value in life is not what you get. The major value in life is what you become.”
Yoga can be transformative for individuals and public safety departments. Incorporating yoga into your life will require an investment of your time (although, as covered in the last Yoga Roadblocks post, not necessarily a lot!).
If you choose to purchase a monthly subscription, or pay to attend a class, that’s an investment too. You are investing in yourself. You are investing in your job performance, your health, your mental health, your future, and in those you love.
Beginning a yoga practice is an investment. The good news is you have the ability to choose how much of a financial investment to make, while still receiving all of the priceless benefits that yoga has to offer.
sign up for YogaShield® Yoga for First Responders® Cyber Academy to practice yoga through the YFFr protocol Today:
About Cyber Academy
Download app for Apple devices
Download app for Android devices
by Katie Carlson Guest Writer
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