1. Accept you’re a beginner

Learning to play an instrument, driving a car, and even baking a cake are all things we can accept we’re beginners at when we start off, so when it comes to starting a yoga practice, remember being a beginner is okay. If you feel frustrated that your hips are still tight after a couple of classes, or you’re still confused about the postures after a month, remember that you’re at the beginning, and just like tuning an instrument, fine-tuning the body takes time.

2. Go slow

There are lots of fast-paced, fitness-based yoga classes out there, which are great for cultivating an uplifted mind and sense of power, but they can also lead to injury if you’re not familiar with the postures and transitions. Be patient for the first few weeks of practice, and choose classes that are a little slower so you can get to grips with alignment and movements on the mat. Booking a couple of one to one sessions with a local teacher is even better.

3. Breathe

It might seem silly that you’d forget to breathe, but we all do it. If you find yourself in a challenging shape or particularly difficult balancing posture, remind yourself to breathe! When we breathe in an even and relaxed way, we send a message to the body and brain that everything is okay, and this helps to reduce stress levels, and increase a sense of wellbeing. If you don’t remind yourself to breathe, your yoga teacher will!

4. Get a suitable mat!

Speaking of movements on the mat, this rather practical tip could save you a lot of slipping and sliding: get a yoga mat that doesn’t make your hands and feet slip, refrain from applying hand cream before class, and opt for a mat that isn’t too thick or squishy. Trust me, all of these things will help you feel far more confident and focused during your yoga practice.

5. Forget the pictures, focus on you

It’s easy to get caught up in the notion that you’ll have to squeeze yourself into a shape or perform acrobatic feats during a yoga class, especially when there are plenty of images on social media of pretzel-like shapes and handstands perpetuating this idea. The thing is though, everyone is different, and everyone comes to yoga for a different reason. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to practising yoga, and it certainly isn’t about what you can do with your body. Forget about the pictures or perceptions of yoga you may have seen before; your yoga practice is about you.