We have been in quarantine for several weeks now and feeling the effects of social distancing, we can sometimes feel a little burnt out from media or have noticed ourselves falling out of your routine of rolling out mat out and getting a practice in.
Whenever I need an extra boost to get on the mat, I give myself little reminders about my passion for yoga. Personally, I love teaching people to reconnect with their body, their breath or even helping guide them into stillness and silence. Hearing their comments affirming that what they are doing is very beneficial to their health and well-being, I’m instantly inspired to practice for myself.
Here are 5 tips to help you stay motivated in your yoga practice.
1. Remember why you started.
If you ever have a moment of feeling defeated or uninspired by your yoga practice, just stop and take a moment to think about why you started. What inspired you to get on the mat? What made you go forward with trying your first posture? Yoga is a personal journey that brings evolution to your mind, body and soul over time. Don’t forget what sparked your fire for yoga and press through!
2. Keep it short and sweet.
If you can’t manage a full 60-minute practice, don’t fret. Even taking 10-30 minutes can allow you to get the full effect of a session. Bringing your attention to your mat and steadying your breath, even for a relatively short period of time, will let you reap benefits throughout the day.
When strapped for time, I find even 10 minutes of seated meditation can set a more relaxed and less frenetic tone for the day. I can notice that I react more positively to challenges that present themselves later on. I also usually sleep more deeply if I can manage to get in a short meditation before bed.
3. Invite a friend to join you.
Inspire yourself to do yoga by asking someone to join you. That’s a large part of how I got bitten by the yoga bug. A friend of mine invited me to class and I haven’t stopped since! You will be sharing a whole new world with them and who knows where that will take them. You may have just saved their life!
4. Participate in a yoga challenge.
If you’re active on social media, then you’ve probably seen yogis you know hosting or participating in different yoga challenges. Instagram is a great source for all kinds of short-term and long-term yoga challenges. The best part is you’re documenting your journey with other participants from all over the world! These challenges keep you accountable and active to at least do something yoga-related daily.
5. Just do it!
Sometimes it gets hard to balance the hustle and bustle of work, school and every other facet of life and the last thing that you consider doing is getting on your yoga mat. Well, in my experience, I’ve never regretted getting a quick yoga practice in, but I almost always regret not doing it. Besides, don’t you want to experience the amazing mental, spiritual and physical benefits of yoga? When in doubt, roll it out…. your mat that is! Just Do It!
