the power of suggestion

I have yoga on my mind today, it being tuesday.
yoga, and my hip flexors.
this all started a few months back, when one of my (new and non-miguel) yoga instructors mentioned that those of us who were cyclists or runners probably had tight hip flexors.
this was just a comment made in passing, as she described some position we were moving into, suggesting either that the position would be good for us or would be difficult for us, I'm not sure which. as I said, this was a while back.
what remained with me, however, was the suggestion that my hip flexors are tight.
I never used to think I had tight hip flexors, but over the past few months I have come to believe that I do.
in the past few weeks we've been doing some yoga poses that I find so difficult as to be nearly impossible, and guess what part of my body they involve?
yep.
those good old hip flexors.
so I did a little online research today, trying to understand exactly what causes this tightness, what muscles are actually involved (please don't ask me to repeat their names), and what can be done about it. what I read assured me that they can be loosened with stretches and exercise, thus I have a few new things to add to my routine.
you're probably curious about what yoga positions would challenge me, given this tightness, therefore the picture above: the one legged bridge pose. the issue for me is getting the left hip in this photo: mine only reaches about half the distance off the mat that hers does.
there are other poses in this family that highlight and emphasize my inflexibility, and I am perturbed by every single one of them.
have my hip flexors just been growing progressively tighter over the past couple years? or was I just not challenged with poses that exposed my already-tight hips? or have I simply developed something because I was told I probably had it?
now I know that latter case can't really be true. I do believe in mind over matter at times, but I'm also fairly confident that I didn't create this situation via mental suggestion.
I only use that tool for forward-progress, growth, moving in a healthy direction.
so perhaps I should combat my hip-flexor issue with not only stretches and exercises, but gentle suggestions to my body,
"my hips are loose and flexible, my hips are relaxed, I find myself easily in a one-legged bridge pose . . . "
I'll send good energy your way for relaxed hips if you'll do the same for me.