Are you looking to make yoga into a life-long habit?
Sure enough, a little yoga session here and there is a great thing. But if you want to elevate your yogic experience, regular practice is the main goal! Here are my secrets to turning your yoga passion into a practice of habit.
1. Commit to the practice
First things first, you’ve made a decision to do more yoga. Fantastic! Now all you really need to do is tweak your mindset a little. Simple!
Try to focus on all of the reasons why you’ve chosen to prioritise yoga. Maybe even write them down in a list. Taking yourself seriously is the first step to following through with your intentions. It’s often said that if you keep your goals to yourself you are more likely to achieve them than if you were to share them with another. I’m not quite saying that your yoga practice needs to become a closely guarded secret. Rather, just saying that you are going to do something is not always the best way to make it happen.
2. Make realistic goals
Like most things in life you usually have to dedicate time and effort before you can reap the rewards. I know, making the time is easier said than done and it can be really difficult to find a gap in our busy schedules.
However, when we want to do something, we usually find a way to do it. If yoga is really important to you, think about how you can make the time in your life for it. If you know that finding 30 minutes everyday is unrealistic for you, try to work out how much time you can afford to take. Habitual practices must fit in with your lifestyle as much as possible, so be realistic.
3. Set an intention
Having a reason or motivation behind your regular yoga sessions is the perfect way to guarantee you’ll return to your practice time and time again.
Do you have a fitness goal in mind or perhaps you are hoping to relieve stress and anxiety? These thoughts and feelings will ignite your desire to practice often and encourage you to continue along the way. Just remember not to let it dictate the journey entirely. A consistent yoga practice may open doors you did not expect and not always those that you desired. Although, as you bring your attention and awareness to your practice you will undoubtedly see positive changes both on and off the mat.
4. Consistency is key
Another great way to ensure yoga becomes a habit is to be consistent. Consistency is essentially the very essence of habit. It is the key to making progress and therefore results!
We all know that if you try something enough times it naturally becomes easier and more enjoyable. Much like eating a food that you don’t like or learning a new skill. Anything can become a habit if you work at it.
Find a routine that works for you and stick with it, whether it’s a 10 minute morning yoga session three times a week or a local class on the weekend. You choose!
5. Don’t give up!
Waiting around until you feel ready to do yoga doesn’t work for everyone. Sure, you love it so you really do want to do it but sometimes you’re feeling too tired or maybe just a little lazy. And while that’s okay sometimes, if you let your emotional state control your actions you could be setting yourself up for failure.
Remember the phrase ‘fake it until you feel like it’? Sometimes the very thing we are trying to avoid can be the remedy we need to feel better. Stick with your new plans, see how it makes you feel and remind yourself that everything is cyclical. So while giving into your emotions may not be the best move, instead try dialing back on your yoga flow to make it fit your mood.
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