SZA’s Journey With Yoga and Mindfulness

Celebrities deal with similar mental health issues as everyone else despite enjoying massive levels of success. A while ago, mental health issues were discussed in hushed tones and swept under the rug. That has since changed, with numerous people coming forward to discuss their mental struggles. SZA is one such celebrity who has been vocal about her mental health. She has been using her celebrity status to create awareness about various issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress.

SZA has also been helpful in offering tips to ease stress and anxiety. Here is SZA’s journey with yoga and mindfulness.

The R&B artist signed with Kendrick Lamar’s TDE to kickstart her career in 2011. Unfortunately, it was off to a slow start despite having undeniable talent, as her second song received positive reviews from critics. SZA struggled to write more songs for her debut album, probably due to the anxiety she felt. She disclosed to Billboard that she took shrooms to help manage her anxiety.

The psychedelics would then momentarily fix her anxiety issues. SZA said that she felt a different kind of bravery that propelled her to repackage her debut album and retitled it “Ctrl.” This newfound bravery didn’t last long, as she caved into her fears and began to worry endlessly about her career. It was evident that psychedelics couldn’t provide lasting solutions to her stress and anxiety problems.

SZA had to find a better solution before slowing down again after hitting her breakthrough.

In an interview with Pitchfork, SZA revealed that she retitled her album “Ctrl” because she felt the need to let go of things she couldn’t control. According to the artist, sometimes the secret to controlling your fears and anxiety is to acknowledge that not everything is supposed to be under your control.

However, SZA is intentional about controlling her will. The artist has been mastering a new technique to ease her anxiety. She called it focus. Unlike meditating, SZA drives her thoughts to a central point in her mind where she can have a loud inner dialogue with herself. The R&B artist has noticed significant changes since she began her focusing practice and credits her mum for teaching her the concept. She said that she’s still working on getting better when it comes to listening to her inner self.

SZA also finds calm and peace when practicing yoga. Alongside fellow artist Jhene Aiko, the two engage in deep stretch yoga and have found immense benefits to help them keep up with their music careers.

The TDE artist uses her social media platforms to spread awareness about mental health. She shared her self-care practices, such as a guide to meditation to help out fans who may be struggling with similar issues. The old-age practices seem to have enormous benefits as SZA’s career hit a new high with major collaborations, hit singles, and electric performances. Without a doubt, yoga and mindfulness do a greater job of eliminating creative blocks for SZA.