Being a yoga enthusiast can seem like such a cliche these days. When I think of yoga, the first picture that comes into my head are suburban moms who religiously drink green tea and meditate in the morning, chat with their pals at yoga class by lunch, and wear nothing but the latest Lululemon gear when they’re out and about.

Luckily, today there are so many variations of yoga to try, even if you’re not a woman. Hundreds of prominent male figures all over the world have preached about their love for practicing yoga because it helps calm down their mind, strengthen their core, and nurture their spirit. Even if you’re skeptical of the legitimacy of all those benefits, it certainly doesn’t hurt to give yoga a try. Let’s walk through the top benefits of yoga for men!

Reasons Why You Should Start 

1. Practicing yoga does wonders for helping your mind. If you need addiction and depression help, doing yoga at least a few times every week will help fight your symptoms and reduce your overall stress. Oftentimes depression can affect our energy and confidence levels, so taking the time to strengthen our body and break a sweat is great to regain control. Yoga also helps many men with their chronic anxiety issues as it helps them form a stronger connection to their thought patterns. When you have a stronger grasp of how to manage your emotions and calm down your nerves with steadily controlled breathing, anxiety will have a much harder time taking control over you.
2. Doing yoga regularly helps your cardiovascular health. Just like doing any other exercise, yoga helps decrease blood pressure levels and promotes healthy circulation. Your body will feel much stronger and ready to take on the day if your heart is consistently reinforced with yoga positions that encourage it to work hard. For starters, feel free to try the warrior and sun salutation pose for a quick energy boost during the day. There are many videos on YouTube and Instagram that can walk you how to perform each position correctly!
3. Taking time to perform yoga positions will feed your sense of mind. Aside from the stress reducing benefits, yoga helps you focus more on the present and on your surroundings. In our daily lives we are usually constantly on the go from one event to the next, so taking time to slow down is necessary. You’ll also develop a greater peace of mind if you move between different positions and feel your anxiety levels melting away as time goes on. Overall, the activity will give you a reason to practice self-care and you confidence levels go hand in hand with that.
4. Yoga helps boost your relapse prevention coping skills. If you went through a detoxification program or were once hooked on consuming drugs or alcohol, yoga can serve as a great alternative. Since yoga is a holistic activity for healing the mind, body, and spirit at the same time, it helps people deal with the pain that comes with tapering off their addiction. It doesn’t hurt that yoga releases lots of endorphins, or the chemicals that promote inner happiness either!
5. Yoga makes you feel stronger. Avid yogis these days often report feeling very strong and empowered after each yoga session they complete. Whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs are, you can weave them in with the yoga philosophy. The philosophy that yoga and meditation can teach us is mainly about forcing peace in the mind and completely balancing your nerves. Try out a couple of beginner yoga poses for yourself and think positively while you’re still in the learning process. Don’t get discouraged if your form isn’t totally perfect the first time!
6. Yoga will boost your social life. Even if you already have a ton of friends, joining a local yoga class, yoga club in your school, or even a Facebook group online will connect you to a lot of amazing people! Everyone who takes part in yoga all share the same passion of improving their mindset and strengthening their health. You might find a core group of people to learn from and share your struggles with as you tackle new and difficult positions. Being great at yoga takes time, but the process of getting there is what’s worth it!

Stay Open Minded 

If you never tried anything new in life, you wouldn’t be living life to the fullest at all. The key to attaining a peaceful mind or conquering the mountain of needing addiction and depression help is to take action. Even if you have never done yoga before, it’s easy to see that the benefits of yoga for men especially are outstanding. Practicing the natural exercise is far more worth the effort than resorting to a pill or fad trend that only promise instan results.

Take a look at your schedule not next week, but in the next few days to see when you’re free to try yoga. Start from looking at a couple videos online and following the positions that the content displays. You’ll probably find that it can drastically improve you stress levels and be motivated from the challenge. From there, look at what classes are open at a fitness club or university gym in your community. Almost every chain gym membership includes complimentary yoga sessions, so make sure to do your homework!

Buying a car is a big step. You want to spend your hard earned cash on a vehicle that you’ll love not only on the outside, but on the inside as you drive it for hopefully several years. While buying used cars are a popular choice among young adults to get the most bang for their back, it is extremely important to be cautious of sneaky car salesman who are trying to gain the largest profit. Over the past decade, used car dealers have earned a highly negative reputation for leading people into making risky purchasing decisions.

Part of the reason that these used-car dealers may seem untrustworthy is from the fact that selling used cars is tricky for dealers themselves. During their lifetime, a car will go through a countless number of possible damages like neglect, collisions, overheating, flooding, runs over damaging potholes, and usually a long term lack of maintenance.

A responsible used-car dealer should be fixing those problems right before reselling any used car for the sake of the customer. Unfortunately, not everyone follows their moral compass and look to get rid of their oldest inventory instead. Let’s walk through a variety of warning signs of a bad used-car dealership so you don’t have to learn the hard way.

Signs To Look Out For 

1. Watch the quality of inventory. While every customer wants to have a great car at the most affordable price, many run into the problem of purchasing vehicles that are loaded with maintenance issues. From a faulty brake pad, a scratched rim, to disintegrating tires, no one wants to be stuck with a purchase that only seems to spark more expenses than before. If the selection of vehicles on the lot you happen to visit all seem a little too old or beaten up, your best bet is to leave and look to another dealership. Don’t commit to a certain model or luxury brand even if the price tag is dirt cheap.
2. The shop belonging to the dealership can be hit or miss. Most used car dealerships around the country that have their own garage with certified mechanics are more likely going to do various inspections on their used cars. From there, they can address any problems they find with the car before it goes on stage to be resold. A larger shop is a better sign of a dealership that is holding themselves accountable for their inventory. However, if you are looking to buy a luxury model, especially one that is sourced from Europe, a wise choice would be to purchase a used-car that will allow the car to be taken to a new-car dealership for any fixes. Do your research and know what options are out there!
3. Know what warranties are available with your purchased vehicle. You’re a lot better off looking at a used-car dealership that offers its own flexible version of a warranty on the inventory it sells. A warranty that lasts several years is a great choice, especially if you can snag in an unlimited mile amount on the car. Make sure to pay close attention to what the dealer’s attitude is in this situation. If they seem happy to offer you a great warranty service, you will likely not run into as many problems with them in the long run. If they are angry on the other hand, you might want to reconsider where you invest your money in.
4. Ask for the title of the car. If a dealer wants to sell you a used car and are ignoring the title tied to the vehicle, you’re in deep water. Thousands of buyers in the country have been recorded to be left stuck with a used car that warrants a previous loan. The bank will be in charge of these loans (if any are still outstanding) instead of the dealer themselves. Make sure you ask the dealership about the history and financial status of each vehicle as you look at what they have at the site.
5. Avoid the short term financing if your credit is currently faulty. It can be extremely easy to think that dealers who offer a variety of financing plans are doing a service to buyers with bad credit score. The reality is that at these kinds of used-car dealerships, interest rates can inflate from a ballpark average of nineteen to thirty percent or more. By the time a customer has paid a highly inflated price for the used car, invested in an extended warranty or credit protection plan they can find themselves paying up to three to five times the worth of the car originally. Make sure your money is safeguarded and not in the hands of a system that will use your hard work for no good.
6. An uncooperative dealer is a red flag when it comes to inspections. A tried and true way to protect yourself when buying any used car, no matter if you’re working with a dealer or a private party, is to bring it to a trusted mechanic and ask them for an independent pre-purchase inspection. This is to ensure that if the car has any major issues, you can use the information they provided to think hard about whether or not it is worth the purchase price. If the dealer you are talking to won’t let you take the car in or is speaking with an ill tone of voice all of a sudden, you’ll know that you’re not dealing with someone who is truly honest.

Be Safe And Smart 

Before buying any car, make sure you are doing enough time to look at the reviews of each dealership you plan to visit. Not all used-car dealerships are built the same. Make sure you can talk to one that shows honest history of each vehicle, treats its customers with ultimate care, and understands what their needs are. The people truly make a difference when it comes to buying the car of your dreams!