Deep breath in through the nose, hold it, and a long exhale through the mouth. Lengthen the spine. Breathe in strength and exhale toxins. Focus. Find your centre.
I was a freshman in college, taking a $5 yoga class [1] offered by my university, the first time I took these words seriously. My inflexible and lanky legs were trying to cross themselves on top of a cheap yoga mat, and my eyes — much like my thoughts — were swimming around aimlessly in my head. I took a peek while everyone else was finding their centres in this 600-square-foot dance studio, and I noticed that I was the only one not at ease. My state of mind needed a major makeover.
I decided that mindfulness would be a more effective outlet for me than crying on the phone to my mother twice a week.
Mindfulness is the act of putting other thoughts out of your mind so you can focus more fully on the present [2]. Obviously at that time in my life I was not walking the path of heightened awareness and serenity. I was a sheltered Southern Californian trying to survive a Seattle Winter in which the sun sets at 4 p.m., and there's more rain than there is air to breathe. My energy levels were at an all-time low. I was either sleeping through my classes or skipping them. Either way, it was clear that I was just not adapting well to my new environment.
One day my roommate suggested that we sign up for the university's new mindfulness program that offered a wide range of yoga classes and meditation sessions [3] to help students who were struggling with their mental health. I decided that this would be a more effective outlet for me than crying on the phone to my mother twice a week, so my roommate and I signed up for our first class: Vinyasa Flow.
I'm an athletic person, and I had played sports all my life, but flexibility is not my strong suit. The first class, like many gym-related activities for beginners, was intimidating and difficult. The second and third classes weren't much better. However, I found myself slowly making these yoga and meditation classes a priority because of how much better I felt, both physically and mentally [4]. My body felt less tight, my posture improved, and I wanted to live a healthier lifestyle. From an emotional standpoint, I found myself less overwhelmed by college and better able to meet deadlines because I could hear myself think again.
Not every single one of my problems disappeared from me learning how to breathe again, but practicing mindfulness [5] and living in the moment made everything more manageable. I accidentally used MLA format instead of APA and my professor knocked off 5 percent of my grade? Breathe. I walked in 10 minutes late to a 500 person lecture and tripped up the stairs? Breathe. Another pointless group project? Breathe. I learned that prioritising your mental health is an integral part of being a successful student because of the many ways stress, anxiety, and more can affect you academically.
Since then, I've graduated college, but I still use meditation to keep my life together, and I often think back to what I would have done if my college roommate had never brought it to my attention. For that, I'll always be grateful.