Mental Health Transformation Blog: Getting Started

By Victoria Robertson on May 6, 2017

Mental health is an extremely important part of life, and it’s very much undervalued.

Recently, I’ve found that many friends and family members are on diets or cleanses and other routines meant to help their physical appearance, but rarely, if ever, do I hear of anyone going on a retreat or enhancing their mental health.

A large reason for this gap is in the fact that individuals largely focus on what they look like rather than how they feel, an issue that’s easy to pin on society and its impossibly high standards.

However, a lot of this blame has to be placed on ourselves as well.

For a long time, I have personally placed more value on my appearance than on my mental health. Even when attempting to “get fit,” all of my energy is focused on working out and eating healthier (which isn’t saying much because my current diet is far from healthy).

It wasn’t until recently that I decided I can combine physical and mental fitness into one.

So, beginning May 29, I am going to begin practicing yoga and meditation.

I am by no means a yogi, and I don’t think I’ve ever cleared my mind in my life, so suffice it to say this is going to be a significant transition in my life.

pexels.com

However, I’ve done quite a bit of research on different classes, and quickly realized that there isn’t enough time in the day to add something like this to my schedule.

Then, I came across YogaGlo Online, which offers classes online for individuals that aren’t near the California location of the studio.

The biggest perk is that the online option makes it easier than ever to get fit without having to leave the house. Another perk is for those that are beginning yoga and uncomfortable with going to a studio to learn, as there’s now an option to participate without an audience until you’re more comfortable with your skills.

That’s probably the aspect that I’m the most excited about, as I truly have no flexibility and no idea what I’m doing.

The program offers teachers that work specifically with beginner-level classes, more intensive classes, travel classes, etc. So really, there’s a class for everyone.

The other draw to this yoga site is that there are meditation classes offered as well, combining the physical fitness with the mental fitness into one, all-inclusive workout. This has been missing from my life up until this point, so I’m very much excited to get started on both aspects at the same time.

Of course, the program doesn’t come without costs, as it’s going to run $15 a week, but considering the cost of a single class in an actual studio, I think that this is a bargain.

Plus, I feel there are more choices to be made individually and that I’m not necessarily working around someone else’s schedule, but choosing options that make the most sense for me.

Especially for college students, this is a very important aspect of the program. While many campus recreation centers do offer yoga and meditation classes, they are typically scheduled and in-person, which may be preferred to some, but certainly not to me.

Plus, the amount of sheer stress placed on college students makes meditation all the more valuable, so it’s certainly something to consider.

There are other online programs (and a few Youtube channels) specifically dedicated to yoga and meditation and offered for free, which fits in literally everyone’s budget.

So the options are out there, you just have to do a little digging for them.

Anyway, this new mental health initiative is something that I’m excited to begin, and I’m hoping that it’ll translate over into my physical health as well.

The goal is to add yoga and meditation to a part of my daily routine, which will prevent me, at least for 120 minutes, from sitting on the couch and watching Netflix. I’m also hoping that it’ll entice me to try to eat healthier foods, adding more vegetables and fruits to my diet and removing the unwanted sugars completely.

Either way, this is a healthy step in the right direction, so it’s something that I plan to dedicate myself to.

So my healthy routine is going to begin on May 29, and I encourage everyone to join me on this journey.

All you have to do is sign up for YogaGlo (which offers a 15-day free trial, just in case you aren’t sure the program is for you) and I’ll keep you posted as I begin my daily mental health routine!

Join the classes that sound best for you and let me know your thoughts!

College students across the country should value their mental health, and this is a great way to do so with minimal cost and time commitments!

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format