10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Started Yoga
Written by Céline Kusters, Yoga Teacher
Céline Kusters is a certified yoga teacher and founder of Namunyak Yoga. Driven by the mission to show that yoga is for everybody and every body, she offers simple, accessible, and down-to-earth practices, on and off the mat, that help people cultivate balance, ease, and presence in everyday life.
Starting yoga can feel a little intimidating, especially when you’re surrounded by perfect poses, flexible bodies and unfamiliar Sanskrit terms. It certainly felt intimidating for me before I started practising. I used to think you needed to be flexible, know what you were doing or somehow already be “good” at yoga before stepping onto a mat. But if I’d known then what I know now, I probably would have started yoga much sooner. Because in reality, so much of what I worried about simply didn’t matter. In this article, I share 10 things I wish I’d known before I started, because they probably would have saved me from waiting so long to begin.
What no one tells you about yoga
I spent a lot of time worrying about whether I was “good enough” for yoga. There are so many little assumptions that can make yoga feel intimidating before you’ve even stepped onto the mat. Things like thinking you need to be flexible or strong, worrying about what to wear, or feeling like everyone is watching when you can’t quite get into a pose. But the more you practise, the more you realise that none of these things are the point. Yoga is about so much more than how a pose looks, it can change the way you see yourself, how you move through the world and how connected you feel to who you really are.
These are the 10 things I wish I’d known before I started practising
You don’t have to be flexible: Not being flexible is the number one argument I hear when someone says yoga isn’t for them. But it turns out that you don’t need to be able to touch your toes or fold yourself into complicated poses to start yoga. Flexibility is something that can develop with practice, not a requirement you need to meet beforehand.
You don’t have to be fit or strong: When you see all those super fit people on Instagram practising yoga, it is easy to think that you need to be fit before you practise yoga. But yoga is for all bodies and all fitness levels. You might find some poses challenging at first, but you’ll gradually build strength and confidence simply by showing up and practising. Most of yoga isn’t even physical.
You can wear whatever you want: All those people practising yoga in their expensive matching workout clothes may have made you believe otherwise, but there’s no special yoga uniform you need to buy before your first class. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and allows you to move freely, even if that means you practise in your pyjamas. You don’t need the perfect outfit to have a meaningful practice.
Using props is not embarrassing and doesn’t mean you’re bad: For some reason, people see using props as a failure. But using blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets isn’t a sign that you’re struggling or that you’re bad at yoga. In fact, I use props all the time because that’s what my body needs. Props are tools that can help you find more comfort, stability and awareness in a pose, no matter how experienced you are.
Falling is not embarrassing: You’re going to wobble, lose your balance and probably fall out of a pose at some point, and that’s completely normal. Everyone falls out of poses sometimes. The real practice is learning to laugh, reset and try again.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t do all of the poses: Not every pose is made for every body. There will always be poses that feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar, or simply aren’t right for your body. Yoga isn’t about being able to do every pose. It is about paying attention to what feels right in your body.
No one in your class is paying as much attention to you as you think: It’s easy to feel like everyone in the room is watching you, especially when you’re new. But most people are focused on their own practice, their own balance and whether they remembered to breathe. They don’t care if you fall out of a pose or take a break.
It is so much more than just the poses: We often talk about yoga as a physical practice, but yoga is so much more than that. Actually, most yoga practices happen off the mat. Breathwork, meditation, how you treat yourself, how you treat other people, how you move through your day, how you handle change or frustration. It is all part of your yoga practice.
It will help you truly become yourself: Nothing has helped me connect to myself more than yoga. Yoga gives you space to slow down and pay attention to what’s going on beneath the noise of everyday life. The more you connect with yourself, the easier it becomes to understand what you need, what matters to you and who you really are.
It will change your life: You might start yoga because you want to become more flexible or try something new, but eventually you will discover that it does so much more than that. Yoga will help you feel more present, grounded and connected, and that can gradually change the way you experience everyday life.
Looking back, I wish I’d known that I didn’t need to change anything about myself before I started yoga. I didn’t need to be flexible, strong or confident, and I certainly didn’t need to be able to do every pose. I just needed to show up and be willing to try. But most importantly, I wish I’d known how much yoga can change your life.
Because ultimately, yoga isn’t about perfect poses or how you look on the mat. It’s about learning to listen to yourself, letting go of expectations and becoming more comfortable with who you are. You don’t have to be ready for yoga. You just have to start.
Read more from Céline Kusters
Céline Kusters, Yoga Teacher
Céline Kusters is a certified yoga teacher and founder of Namunyak Yoga. With a background shaped by personal healing and professional training, she’s dedicated to making yoga accessible, inclusive, and practical. Through her classes, social media, and writing, she shares practical, down-to-earth ways to integrate yoga into daily life and help people find ease, balance, and connection. Céline’s mission is to show you that yoga is for everybody and every body, and that even a few mindful breaths can change how you move through the world.
