How did I build a regular Yoga practice?
A personal story
Especially if you’ve had setbacks on your Yoga habit building journey, the road ahead might seem uncertain.
I want to share with you my own journey which was fraud with obstacles. I am by no means at the end of it, but I can now restart a regular practice with much more ease.
I find that building Yoga habits is complicated by a unique set of difficulties it’s good to be aware of in order to succeed.
Start lined with doubt, pain and uncertainty
When I found the physical practice of Yoga, my body and mind were not well. My only option back then was learning Yoga online and was lucky to land on Adriene Mishler’s Yoga with Adriene and her 30 day challenges were my first steps towards my regular Yoga practice, but I had so many questions.
I started to learn about my own body and to slowly and painfully understand its underlying issues. I begun to build strength and notice the benefits of regular practice on my mind as well. This in turn motivated me to start taking care of other aspects of my health and create healthier eating habits.
Even though the daily Yoga practice I was doing was often not longer than 10 minutes, the changes starting to take place in my body and mind were significant. And when I went a few days without it, I just did not feel as good.
Because I didn’t know how to build my own Yoga routine, how to progress and what exactly I was needing, my Yoga practice was inconsistent, but having experienced the benefits of a regular Yoga routine, I was determined to learn more and figure out how to make my practice stick.
As great as I felt with the progress I was making, it was a time of my Yoga journey when I had the most doubts and had no idea how to get my questions answered. Lots of the time I worried that I was doing ‘it’ wrong and the constant lack of confidence in myself and my practice was frustrating. (You might’ve already guessed that this struggle was the reason why years later, I started myown.yoga :-).
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Did Yoga Teacher Trainings help?
No. While the trainings were great for gaining knowledge and getting some of my questions answered, they are not designed to help tackle mindset, habits and motivation for regular Yoga practice.
While creating a regular Yoga practice is a complex process that is unique to each of us ( and I love to guide others through it now), here is what I think were essentials I could not have done it without:
Four things I find help the most:
Finding the right time of the day + making it non-negotioble
I believe the key is to find a time when you won’t be disturbed and that only a very unusual event could throw off. For me, this is early mornings.
Then, make a pact with yourself that you won’t cancel your practice on the days you scheduled it for. Treat this commitment the same way as you would a work meeting.
Staying consistent while flexible
Making up your mind that you will get to your mat no matter what is the first and most important step.
Then, to keep the practice going, staying flexible is the next one. If you come to your mat exhausted for example, allow yourself to do a restorative practice rather than a strong flow.
Your mind & body will remember that you listened and won’t sabotage you when you don’t feel like doing your practice.
Constant enquiry
The moment you stop questioning and adjusting your practice to what your body and mind needs each day is the moment you start loosing your regular practice.
This one is tricky and I myself often fall victim to my ‘good’ Yoga routine I want to keep doing. But if you want a regular practice, this is what it takes.
Work on mindset
You know yourself best and know what keeps you in a motivated and positive mindset.
Whatever it is, a small quote you read in the morning, journaling, making your Yoga space beautiful, make it as important and regular as coming to your mat.
Before you move on…
One minute motivation meditation to start your regular Yoga practice
Close your eyes for one minute and let the thoughts of why it’s important to finally get started on this goal come to you.
What will your life look like with regular practice in it?
What will your life look like if you don’t try?
Journal about it afterward for a bit if you got the time.
You don’t have to go it alone. If you are ready to finally build that Yoga practice you’re dreaming of, I can help you fast-track your progress.
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Regular Yoga Practice
1:1 Program
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