I often hear clients say they don’t want to try yoga because they feel ashamed when their belly gets in the way of their foreword fold, or plough pose feels suffocating thanks to their large chest. It can be so frustrating when you feel like parts of your body are preventing you from truly feeling into the present moment, stuck in the shame and comparison mindset. My view of this is that everyone’s bodies are different – and everyone’s bodies are MEANT to be different. Some people find certain poses easier, and others find different poses easier. The beauty of yoga is that it is a solo journey. It doesn’t matter if your tummy gets in the way or if you can’t keep up with the person next to you. Once you surrender to your imperfections and focus on your breath, you can learn to just be in the present moment. This grants you the ability to focus on the things you can control (your breath, how much effort you give, which thoughts to let go of) rather than what you can’t control (the way your body looks).