You see your kids trying to imitate your Yoga poses but your husband highly doubts that stretching and meditation can actually offer the promised health benefits. It is good to be skeptical.
You cannot find answers without raising questions. However, there are some ways you can make your Yoga skeptic husband advocate practicing Yoga.
Yoga for Skeptics
There is a right way to convince a Yoga skeptic. First of all, completely eliminate the spiritual part. Don’t even talk about it. Use very simple and concrete terms. Practicing Yoga aligns you on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. This is the reason why Yoga has something to offer to anyone who practices.
Present Yoga as a powerful practice that keeps you physically fit, active, focused and calm. Even a Yoga skeptic wants to get these benefits. When Yoga feels less abstract and more approachable and personally relatable, even a Yoga skeptic can understand why you highly value Yoga and use a Yoga mat personalized. You can order a custom Yoga mat for your husband.
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After receiving a Yoga mat personalized, tell your husband to put it to use. Before that, explain how Yoga has changed your life. You have experienced lower back pain for years but it is gone after you start practicing Yoga. Practicing Yoga has made you more flexible and active.
You can also show some of the new poses you have learned and explain the concept. Think about what your husband will find most interesting about Yoga. If you have noticed, your husband shows more interest in concepts than poses.
Your husband knows that you were mentally struggling. Explain how the new Yoga concept has helped you gain clarity.
If you want your kids to practice Yoga and they show reluctance, you can start with some basic, fun poses. Let them have fun. Make sure that the conversation is about yourself and the physical and mental health benefits you have reaped by practicing different Yoga poses. At this point, don’t try to convince your husband. Don’t tell him what he should do.
Acknowledge Attempts
If you have been able to explain the benefits you have received from Yoga poses, he might want to try something. Or at least, he might start talking about Yoga. Capitalize on this opportunity.
If you find him trying some Yoga poses, congratulate him and appreciate his efforts. He needs your advice and guidance. You can also show some simple, basic poses.
Invite to Yoga classes
Hopefully, now your husband is at least informed of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits of Yoga. He may have also seen some positive changes in his health and daily life after practicing certain poses.
After laying some groundwork, you can find an opportunity to invite your husband to Yoga classes. Don’t push. Just try to convince.
Don’t overcorrect or modify when your husband is trying to practice a complex pose. Let him take a break when he wants. Help him without passing any judgment. A Yoga class provides an encouraging environment required to do more. The company of other Yoga practitioners may convince him.
Make sure that no one in the class knows that your husband doubts Yoga. Your husband may not appreciate others trying to convince him.
Just acknowledge his efforts and also give a pat on your back as you have finally got your husband into Yoga classes.
After your husband recognizes the benefits of practicing Yoga, it’s time to introduce the spiritual part. Hopefully, now your husband understands the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits of Yoga.