YOGA EVERY DAY | Week 1
If you're practicing yoga every day through June with me (video here) – or even just dipping your toes in every now and then – congratulations on making it through the first week! How do you feel?
If you've been practicing yoga for a while it's a great way to get back into the habit of hopping on your mat on a regular basis. But if it's fairly new to you it can take a little getting use to. Let me just say, for those of you who are new, well done on jumping in feet first. You've made the decision to spend time every day to focus on your health and wellbeing and create a practice that lets you work on your inner and outer healing. That's inspirational.
If you're feeling a little lost, sore or are struggling to find the time every day, don't worry it's completely normal. Making a new habit is always a little tricky to begin with. We are naturally creatures of habit and we do what we know and are use to. Adding in another element so regularly throws us off balance (ironically). Don't be hard on yourself if you're struggling right now. Breathe and know that you're doing the best you can and it'll be just a little easier each day.
Think of the reasons you want to commit to a regular yoga practice. Maybe it's because you want to improve your strength, flexibility or balance. Perhaps it's because you want to find a way to de-stress and relax your mind after a long day. Or are you looking for pain relief from headaches, back injuries or stiffness? Whatever they are, write your reasons down and leave them somewhere you'll be reminded of them every day.
Our lives can be busy and finding time to go inwards and reflect on you is sometimes difficult. But fast-paced living can be stressful and eventually will take it's toll on our health. So keeping a practice that allows us to slow down – even just for a few minutes each day – will not only keep our bodies healthy, but will also physically rewire our brains to have better mental clarity, boost creativity and release serotonin, making us happier.
So no matter how you're feeling today, tomorrow, or the next day, know that you've taken a big step towards a self-love and self-care regime and you'll soon find your flow.
This week I have been practicing yoga at home with the help of YouTube video tutorials. My go-to online teacher is Adriene Mishler from Yoga With Adriene on YouTube and this week I've loved her
video to get me back into the swing of things. It's a short 20-minute video that helps you cultivate a strong and healthy body, focusing on opening the hips, working on balance and creating a strong core. It's perfect for beginners and a great re-entry video for those of us who are looking to bring yoga back into our daily lives.
I'd love to see snapshots of your favourite yoga poses and hear how you're getting on.
You can tweet me or tag me on Instagram, shoot me a message on Facebook or let me know how you're getting on in the comments section on my YouTube videos.
Have a peaceful week.
Blue