Some days, small things pile up: a slow line, a crowded inbox, a plan that falls apart. Staying steady through all of it is a skill, and yoga gives you a low-stakes place to practice. Yoga Journal recently outlined five ways to build equanimity, the ability to stay calm, balanced, and non-reactive, through your practice. Here is how to use each one, on the mat and in the rest of your day.
The idea behind all five is simple: composure is trained in small moments. A wobbly pose is a tiny rehearsal for a bumpy afternoon.
1. Don't Ditch the Substitute
You arrive at class and your usual teacher isn't there. Or the pose you love is swapped for one you'd skip. The first tip on Yoga Journal's list is to stay put rather than walk out.
That small moment of mild disappointment is exactly the practice. You can't control who shows up or what gets taught, but you can control how you meet it.
Try this: The next time a plan changes, notice your first reaction. Name it quietly ("I'm annoyed") and then stay for the first ten minutes before deciding anything. Often the reaction softens on its own.
2. Use Props with Pride
Blocks, straps, and bolsters can feel like a sign you're behind. Yoga Journal's second tip flips that: use them with pride. Reaching for a prop is a way of accepting where your body is today instead of arguing with it.
This is a lesson in humility that doubles as self-acceptance, and it makes the pose more comfortable too.
Try this:
- Keep a block and a strap within arm's reach before class starts, so grabbing one feels routine.
- Treat the prop as part of the pose, not a patch for a flaw.
- Notice if you feel any urge to hide it, and let that urge pass.
Off the mat, the same attitude looks like asking for help, using the checklist, or setting the reminder without feeling embarrassed about it.
3. Try Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is slow and quiet, with poses held for a while. That stillness is the point: you get comfortable with feeling restless, bored, or a little uncomfortable without rushing to fix it.
Yoga Journal includes it on the list because it trains the muscle of staying with discomfort. The mindful approach is to observe the sensation instead of fighting it.
Try this: Add one yin class a week, or hold one gentle floor pose a bit longer at home after a regular practice. Keep your breathing smooth and notice what your mind does as the minutes pass. If a pose is truly painful, ease out of it; the goal is mindful discomfort, not pushing through pain.
4. Silence Your Inner Critic
Most of us narrate our practice: my balance is terrible, everyone else is deeper in this stretch. The fourth tip is to quiet that commentary.
You don't need to argue with the voice or force positive thoughts. Simply noticing it, and returning to the feel of the movement, loosens its grip.
Try this:
- When a harsh thought shows up, label it: "critic is talking."
- Shift attention to something physical, like your feet on the floor or the rhythm of your breath.
- Repeat as often as needed. Repetition is the practice.
The same move works at your desk or in the kitchen when you spill something and the inner commentary kicks in.
5. Stay Present
The last tip ties the rest together. Presence is where composure lives: you can't respond calmly to a moment you aren't in.
Breath is the most portable tool for this. Following the breath gives your attention a simple place to land, and it's available in every pose and every waiting room.
Try this: Choose one repeated moment in your day, such as waiting for the kettle or stopping at a red light, and take three slow breaths there. Attaching presence to an existing habit makes it easier to remember than a vague promise to "be more mindful."
Why This Is Worth Practicing
Stress, overstimulation, and everyday irritations make emotional steadiness feel valuable right now. Yoga's focus on regulating the nervous system and meeting discomfort mindfully gives you a gentle, repeatable way to build it. To be clear, this is a practice for everyday balance, not a medical treatment, and results vary from person to person.
A Simple Way to Start
You don't have to adopt all five at once. Pick the one that made you wince a little as you read it, because that's probably the one with the most to teach you. Use it in your next class or your next ordinary, slightly annoying moment, and notice what changes when you stay.