How did I manage to stick to a routine?
The interesting thing I’ve found about committing to a lifestyle habit is that the motivation does not come from the end goal.
Yes, I’m saying the end “result” is actually not that important!
Why? Because each day, my motivation does not come from a place in the future. Each day, when I decide to roll out my mat, I don’t do so with a vision in my mind of myself nailing a tree pose upon a mountain top, with the wind slowly caressing my toned 6 pack (ok that would be pretty cool).
The motivation comes from the pure joy for the journey.
Each day, my love for yoga outweighs my desire for procrastination or laziness.
Each day, I find joy in the little wins. Some days, I find my feet suddenly reach that little bit further than they did the day before.One day, that difficult crow pose I was practising became seemingly effortless.
The key is that I don’t beat myself up if I miss a day here or there, and I don’t get frustrated if my downward dog doesn’t look as great as the girl on the mat next to me, or the yoga instructor on youtube (Check out Yoga with Adriene here).
What have I learned?
- Patience: You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone else – You need to be happy with where you are, right now. Yes, that sounds so lame but when you put it into practice, the only person you’re competing with is yourself.
- Mindfulness: The art of creating a physical meditation combining both movement and breath is really an act of centring oneself in the moment. I like to remind myself of this both on and off the mat.
- The benefit of releasing limiting beliefs: My entire life I said I was not flexible. I have never been able to touch my toes and I never will. This was simply not true. Now I can touch my toes with ease and my flexibility is improving daily. Do not limit yourself!
- Self-Kindness: The way you treat yourself matters. Investing time to nurture your body and mind will change every aspect of your life for the better. When you treat yourself with kindness, it’s easier to treat others with compassion and kindness also.
Will I continue?
Absolutely! Yoga is now a part of my life and I look forward to the next steps in my yogi development (I’m about to start a month of Bikram – stay tuned).
Namaste
x
Great post. I too love yoga and have learned to be patient and kind with myself as a result of my yogi journey.
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So great to hear from a fellow yogi! Isn’t yoga amazing? I love how beneficial it is, not only to our physical health but more importantly our mental health. Namaste 🙂
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I agree with this–it’s impossible for me to stick with something unless I enjoy the daily routine of it. It’s more about the journey than the end goal. Thanks for sharing, you made me want to dabble in yoga 🙂
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It’s all about the journey – if you do what you love, motivation comes naturally! You should definitely dabble and try it out 🙂
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If I do, I’ll write a post and tag you in it! 🙂
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That sounds amazing!! I would absolutely love to hear how you go – keep me posted (pun intended) 😉 definitely try yoga with adriene on YouTube if you’re unsure where to begin. She is wonderful!
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Hahah I see what you did there 😉 That’s a great tip! I’ll check Adriene out! Thanks!
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I have just started and though I’m proud of myself so hard, I still always beat myself up about it. Your words really hit me though. I just need to be patient with myself. Thank you for your words of wisdom!
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I know it’s so easy to get frustrated when doing yoga but it’s more about the process and honouring where you are at every time you step on the mat – don’t give up!! 🙂
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