Just Breathe, Babe: Before You Love Someone Else, Yoga

There’s a point, usually sometime between choosing an outfit and deciding what level of eyebrow you want to present to the world, when dating feels less like “putting yourself out there” and more like setting yourself up for an emotional fail.

And that’s exactly where yoga steps in - mat rolled out, hair in a messy bun, ready to save the day.

Because let’s be honest: dating can be a lot. Your brain, not content with normal thoughts, suddenly invents thrilling new scenarios like "What if they hate the way I sip coffee?"

Yoga? Yoga says: "Breathe through it, babe."

In our latest podcast episode, we were joined by the lovely Kat Hutchings - a yoga instructor based in Southampton, who teaches accessible, feel-good yoga for all levels.

Kat opened up about her own journey into yoga, how it helped her through anxiety, heartbreak, and life’s general chaos, and why it’s become a cornerstone of her emotional wellbeing - especially when it comes to dating.

Because as Kat reminded us (and honestly, we all needed the reminder):

Yoga isn’t just about being flexible. It’s about being kind to yourself.

Yoga isn't just for bendy people in fancy leggings

Worried you're not bendy enough for yoga?

Dont be.

As Kat reminds us, “Yoga isn’t about being super flexible; it’s about being kind to yourself.”

You don’t have to twist into a pretzel or nail a headstand to reap the benefits.

It’s really about showing up and giving yourself some love, even on the days when you’re feeling awkward or stressed.

It’s about remembering you are a living, breathing, strong-as-heck human being, not just a bundle of anxieties in cute jeans.

In dating terms?

Yoga helps you show up calm, centred, and (importantly) less likely to spiral into “What if he thinks my laugh sounds weird??” territory.

Why yoga (and wiggling) helps

When you're nervous, your body knows before you do.

Your chest tightens. Your tummy does that pre-date backflip.

And your brain? Off it sprints into the great unknown, compiling a PowerPoint titled, “Everything That Could Possibly Go Wrong.”

When first-date nerves hit or you’re stressing over what to text back, Kat’s advice is to get your body moving.

“Moving the anxious energy around helps dissipate it,” she says.

In other words, when you feel that nervous buzz, try to physically channel it out.

Do some yoga stretches, take a quick walk around the block, dance it out in your bedroom - whatever gets your blood flowing.

Physical movement gives all that anxious energy somewhere to go, so it doesn’t just build up and overwhelm you.

By the end, you’ll probably be feeling more grounded (and hey, a little endorphin boost never hurts).

Heck, put on some Beyoncé and have a kitchen dance-off if you need to.

Breathe in, breathe out: Box breathing

Another sanity-saver Kat swears by is breathwork - especially a nifty little technique called box breathing.

“I love box breathing,” Kat shares. “It’s basically inhaling for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four.”

In just a minute or two, this simple breathing pattern can shift you out of fight-or-flight mode and into a calmer headspace.

To try it yourself, follow these steps:

1. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four.

2. Hold that breath in for a count of four.

3. Exhale through your mouth for four.

4. Hold the empty breath for four.

Love your body for what it can do

One amazing side effect of yoga is how it can shift your perspective on your own body.

As Kat puts it, “Yoga helped me appreciate my body for what it can do, not just how it looks.”

Maybe you notice you’re getting stronger, or you can hold a plank longer than before – those wins feel so good.

When you focus on what your body is capable of (like carrying you through a challenging flow or even just breathing deeply to calm down), you start to replace that negative self-talk with a little awe and gratitude.

That confidence boost can translate into dating, too: feeling good in your own skin is seriously attractive.

Keep calm and date on

At the end of the day, all these yoga tools -movement, breathing, mindfulness - add up to one thing: helping you stay emotionally steady through the ups and downs of dating.

Because let’s face it, dating can be wild (ghosting, anyone?). Yoga gives you an anchor.

Instead of spiraling after a meh date or stressing over a late reply, you can roll out your mat, breathe, and remember that no matter what happens, you will be okay.

So next time you’re on the verge of a dating-induced meltdown, take Kat’s advice: hit the mat and just breathe.

A little yoga can go a long way in keeping you centered when your love life gets chaotic.

Just breathe, babe.

You’re doing beautifully.

If you want even more insight and encouragement, check out my full conversation with Kat in the podcast episode below.