By Sheila Johnson
Yoga has never been more important in our highly busy and technical world. Taking just a few minutes a day to focus your body and mind can increase both your health and your sense of inner peace. You don’t even need to make it out to the yoga studio to access guided sessions and enjoy lessons from a great yoga teacher.
Start Your Journey
Selecting a yoga practice when you’re living an on-the-go lifestyle often means making it work at home, the office, or your backyard. Thankfully, there are plenty of great platforms, streaming keeps you growing, especially if you find an instructor you feel is inspiring. Just look for a leader with the right traits, whose energy feeds you, and with whom you feel connected in spite of not being face-to-face.
You will notice the benefits and enjoyment you gain from yoga day by day. Make sure you have a media player with the features; you want and that fits your budget. There are plenty of smart options available, just think through your priorities and personal criteria. Of course, there is more to yoga than gathering gear and going through the motions.
Set Intentional Goals
Whether you get out to the yoga studio regularly or are just trying to fit a little body-and-mind in at home, we have a few tactics that can help you take your yoga practice to the next level. Setting intentional goals for yoga is not just about meditation and routine. You are reaching for your limits in order to overcome them. So set goals. Just as Metta Yoga points out, you should challenge yourself to both take the time for yoga and to continue along your path of self-discovery and physical achievement.
Something that hangs up many enthusiasts is seeing others’ progress. There’s no need to be self-conscious regarding their journey. Yoga is your personal journey and you can set your own milestones. To focus on yourself, consider tracking your weekly and monthly progress, and celebrate your achievements, whether you monitor your journey in your mind or via an app on your phone.
Leave Your Comfort Zone
Many aspects of yoga are challenging in various ways. New stances, holding poses longer, and pushing yourself to a more pure embodiment of each stance, can be difficult. As Honor Yoga explains, sometimes you need to leave your comfort zone. Push yourself a little harder with each day or week that you go through your yoga routines. And if you have a teacher that you enjoy, trust them to guide you outside your comfort zone into achievement. If you don’t have an instructor with whom you feel connected, or you simply feel stuck, getting fresh insight can often work wonders.
Look for a yoga teacher near you who can give your regimen the boost you need. Take Risks and Accept Failure When you push your comfort zone, you may feel your muscles straining. You may fear that you will lose your balance. Accept this fear. Take risks and be at peace with the possibility of failure. Not only will you make failure less likely but if you do fail, you will grow by serenely trying again until you master each greater step in your yoga journey.
Adopt a Routine
Set a routine and practice minimums for each day. Your day is busy, and it’s okay to accept that as well. Yoga is something you should do every day, but it doesn’t have to be your life. Even more so, feeling guilty will not help you achieve the next stage in your path of physical and spiritual enlightenment. Give yourself permission to practice only a few minutes a day. Yoga with Adriene notes that just seven minutes per day is all you need to stay in form. You will have time for longer sessions later. On your busiest day, feel good about your simple seven minutes.
Life these days is busy and complicated. Your yoga program can be the respite you need. Set aside a little time here and there, and with the right tools and connections, you can prosper in your practice.
