Some say that I lead a fulfilled life. And I certainly keep a heightened state of positive energy my top priority. But, truth is that between family, school, my daughter’s obligations as ballerina, daily chores, and now home office it’s quite easy spreading myself thin… For one, an antidote is sleep (more about this on another post), for the other, a regular yoga routine.
As you probably understood, I find in my daily yoga practice the resources and the stability to withstand about any storm. How to get there is the big question.
Organise and make a promise to yourself.
For finding time and motivation to pursue a regular yoga practice – by regular I understand a daily, or near daily home yoga practice – it helps me a lot to organise my schedule for the weeks ahead. By doing so, I give myself the promise to taking care of myself. Blocking out time for my yoga feels so very satisfying! And it feels even more fulfilling when I actually stick to it and mark this personal time-out as accomplished in my agenda.
Find no excuses…
The most difficult part in staying true to my promises is by not giving in to any excuses. And it’s just so easy to come up with excuses. In absence of any valid ones, how often have you been inventing fictive excuses?
You know the patterns of most excuses: “I am too tired”, “too busy”, “tomorrow”… Or you are tempted to reply right away to that text message that keeps humming on your smartphone.
Nature made us “ Lazy Bastards ”
We humans are by nature “lazy bastards” – transforming our best intentions into couch potato mood. Nature gave us the “Fight or Flee Response” favouring the survival of the most adapted ones. And to prepare for it, the body always seeks rest for being at its best when facing a potential danger.
Thank you saber-tooth tigers, for chasing our ancestors!
Nowadays, the only fight worth fighting, is against the weaker self and chasing away the laziness.
Prepare for your yoga time
One way to motivate yourself is by blocking time off in your agenda. You can even program a down-time on your smartphone and computer, no touchy, touchy for a given time! Have your yoga gear prepped already the night prior to class and keeping it in eyesight as a visual reminder.
Once you roll out your mat, allow for all “lazy bastards” thoughts to evaporate and find your true nature. By this, I refer to the one that is your natural, relaxed state of mind where you will not get influenced or disturbed by anything.
By experience I know that you will never regret to have shaken off the lazy mood and built up the strength to actually practice! The more satisfying your experience on the mat, the stronger you will continuously keep creating a positive memory in both, your mind and your body. The more often you get to experience this, the quicker you will associate booking your “ ME-Time ” to a positive outcome.
In this sense, keep on practicing!
XO, Ioana