Find What Feels Good: Yoga with Adriene

Happy Sunday friends!

I know I usually post about food or podcasts or products I've tried, but today I want to write about something a little different. It's a crazy world, often full of stress and negativity, and sometimes it's hard to remember to take time for yourself.

I also think a lot of us can be very critical of ourselves. I know I'm often very hard on myself, and it's something I'm working to stop. Whether it's criticizing work I've done, the way I look, or the weird things I sometimes do, I often forget to stop getting down on myself and instead embrace my quirks and appreciate my own hard work.

Today I want to share with you one of my absolute favorite ways to relax, release tension and stress, and spend some time caring for myself both mentally and physically. Believe it or not, it's through a YouTube channel - Yoga With Adriene.

We are avid YouTube watchers - I especially enjoy TimTracker on occasion for my Disney fix. I watch tons of beauty videos, cat videos, dog videos, movie trailers, music videos... There's so much on YouTube! Endless hours of entertainment.

There are also tons of fitness videos on YouTube. I've tried a wide variety of them, but there is one channel in particular that I visit on almost a daily basis, and that's Yoga With Adriene.

I can't say enough good things about Adriene - she is funny, relatable, and cool and has such a calming "presence" (even through the TV.) She often breaks into song or quotes great movies, and she also puts a big emphasis on doing what feels good for you. She is so laid back and funny, and I just love starting my day with one of her videos.

I don't like workouts that make me sweat a ton. I especially dislike cardio. I love relaxation, and "sneaky" workouts that feel great, but still kick my butt. That's why I love this channel! She has hundreds of excellent videos for everything you can imagine. Increase blood flow, stretch out your lower back, sun rise yoga, wind down yoga, yoga for text neck... pretty much anything you can think of, she has a video for it!

At the end of these videos I never feel drained or tired or gross. I feel invigorated, refreshed, and ready to take on the day! I also love using her videos to wind down in the evening and prep my mind and body for a good slumber.

Here are a few of my most-frequented videos:

Another thing I love on Adriene's channel are her 30 day yoga journeys/boot camps. She has these great playlists that include a lineup of videos for a 30 day period, all about working towards a goal. My favorite of all that I've tried so far is True.

"Designed to trim, tone, and circle you back to - you. The true you. The truest. Mind, body and soul. Establish a connection to your deeper and unique self while shifting your body to optimal health!" Sounds fun, doesn't it? It was! This 30-day yoga journey features one video for each day, ranging from 20 to 40 minutes each.

Each day, you set a new intention as you work to establish a deeper connection with yourself - both mind and body. Adriene really focuses on embracing yourself as you are now, as opposed to the usual "new year, new you!" mantra that we get thrown at us every new year. It's not about changing who you are, it's about embracing the best parts of yourself. It's nice to tone up your muscles and get in all these sneaky little workouts, but it's even better to work on your own mental well-being and really learn to love you for you.

I signed up for the daily emails as well, which Adriene will mention in the first video. These were fun and uplifting little messages that I enjoyed reading each day. I just loved the variety of this yoga journey, and loved trying something new every day.

I'm gearing up to start again! On December 1 I plan to start another round of True, because I feel like I could really use it again. Who's with me??

If you already know about Yoga With Adriene, what's your favorite video on her channel? Or, is there another at-home yoga practice that you love? Share it in the comments below!