Harnessing the Benefits of Yoga for Mindful Investing

The United Nations General Assembly has rightly established June 21 — the summer solstice, or the longest day in Northern Hemisphere as "International Yoga Day.”

Stay-at-home trends amid the coronavirus crisis induced shelter-in-place guidelines has promoted the practice of yoga. It is helping people to reflect on their day-to-day decision-making strategies.

Yoga has helped practitioners attain Zen-like calm and overcome anxiety while dealing with the plethora of bad news.

Be it staying away from panic buying with higher awareness on spending and focus on minimalism, or making fruitful use of time, Yoga has made it easy to imbibe aesthetic practices.

Amidst extreme market movements in the past, in which oil prices tumbled, reddit mania prompted FOMO, and the drastic crypto correction, we believe, investors have a lot to take from yoga techniques.

Yoga not only facilitates the unification of mind, body, and soul, but also pushes a human being to attain the highest goals via mindfulness and conscious way of living.

Let us decode the interconnect between yoga and investing to analyze how an individual can make the most of this beautiful practice to eventually devise healthier investment decisions.

  Identifying the Head Start

: It differs from person-to-person whether one can perform the yoga “asana” or the “body posture.” In case one is not mindful and blindly follows a trend, he might end up injuring himself. The individual must know what he is practicing.

Similarly, while taking an investment decision, it is important to know your forte, and risk appetite. An amateur investor is required to go slow and focus on the investment goals and pursue them strategically. Being conscious will safeguard your finances like no other.

  Conscious Investing

: Yoga practice boosts mind-body balance and helps an individual to stay conscious or the state of being “awake.” Going by mindless recommendations or trends does not help always.

Equally so, an investor is expected to do his research, assess growth prospects of the market, and go through the overall analyst outlook on economic policies. This helps him to evaluate whether the investment is worth it and for how long does it make sense to stay committed in it. Once an investor is sure of what he is engaging in, it paves the right way for a long-term vision and conviction.

In case one follows the majority without any know-how, it is likely he eventually loses interest, both in yoga and investing, which is something not desirable.

  Experiment with Experience

: When a person becomes adept at performing the basic asanas, it motivates him to try more advanced levels of asanas, improving flexibility further. Once a person knows the rules, and is conscious of the basics, he can experiment for higher returns, both in yoga and in investments.

Likewise, expanding horizon helps in diversifying portfolio and experience makes one more prudent in handling the vast pool of investments. Constant innovation and alterations help one in attaining the right mix of elements for a winning portfolio.

  Heightened Awareness

: Yoga not only helps improve self-awareness but also in being accountable to oneself. Consistent practice keeps the mind focused and helps an individual stick to the goals he has visualized.

Similarly, a successful investor is watchful of his portfolio on a regular basis. It is not about being obsessed with the investments done but having sufficient means of being alert on what is going around and whether his money is doing well for itself. The investor may delegate portfolio management to consultants to help him better handle his portfolio, but he himself should be aware of the matter of affairs periodically.

  Consistency is the Key

: Yoga is a way of life, and so is investing. Yoga practice boosts mental wellbeing, helping one stay patient when things go wrong, and preventing them from being over-complacent when things are right.

One can, likewise, reap the benefits from investments if he is committed for the longer haul. Regularity in studying the emerging trends across the broader investment world, keeps a person’s portfolio in check. Deep research, introspection and unperturbed focus come in handy. This averts chances of sudden huge losses and empowers the agile investor to make super-quick profit raking-in decisions.

  Statesmanship

: In yoga, the journey from a beginner to a pro-yogi expert is a fulfilling one. As yoga proficiency improves with time, the individual leads an even healthier life, with mindfulness and tranquility.

Similarly, the transition from a novice to becoming a seasoned player is an eventful journey that is worth it to achieve one’s longstanding financial wellbeing goals. Periodic self-assessment and innovation in investing strategies, enhances a person’s outlook on the wider spectrum. This helps the investor maximize returns and even sustain through tumultuous times, which might have occurred in form of a broader market crash or a sudden correction in the asset class.

Here’s to you attaining your higher self with yoga and fulfilling your financial goals with mindful investing!