04 Feb THE DEDICATED YOGI

Some days just showing up on the mat can take an extraordinary amount of effort. Not all of us are dedicated to a daily 6am yoga practice and that is completely fine. Whether you are a stay-at-home parent juggling multiple children or a jet-setting business person, motivational slumps don’t discriminate. Some of us go from daily yoga devotees to years without practicing- because life simply gets in the way. Often we just need a little kick in the pants (lululemon or otherwise) to get up and get back to the mat.

A few of our tips for “lazy yogis” to get back into a regular practice include:

Find a yoga buddy

You know the old saying, “there’s strength in numbers?” When it comes to physical activity, this couldn’t be more true. Find a yoga buddy that motivates and inspires you to practice. It’s easy to decide last minute to skip an early morning or evening yoga class- but much harder to cancel on a friend who is expecting you to show up! Having someone else to keep you accountable is guaranteed to get you to the mat more often- especially if you follow it up with a delicious, wholesome meal and catch-up. Yoga/brunch date, anyone?

Try different types of yoga

If you’re feeling a bit fatigued or can’t quiet muster up the energy for a powerful vinyasa practice- why not try a restorative yin class? Yin yoga has a slower pace, with postures held for long periods of time allowing the lengthening and strengthening of the body’s connective tissues. The result? A relaxing, deeply meditative practice. Yin is especially helpful for yogi’s who are injured or even just feeling a bit sore.

Keep it fun

So many of us consider exercise to be a chore- making it even more difficult to make the time to practice. It’s often that one pose that we dread (we are guilty of groaning at the mere mention of “core work” on more than one occasion) that keeps us off the mat, even though these are the poses that need the most work. We need to find the pleasure in these challenging poses to keep motivated- turn on some tunes, laugh when you fall, set yourself goals. Promise yourself something nice once you’ve reached a milestone- whether it be a nice meal or a new outfit!

 Practice anywhere and everywhere

Well, maybe not everywhere. But yoga is one of the most transportable forms of exercise in existence- all you need is a mat and some time (and maybe some stretchy pants). Whether you’re on holidays, in the office, at your parent’s house- as long as you’ve got a bit of space and a some spare time, you’re good to go! Bring your mat on holidays or to the office to try to get used to practicing in different environments and locations. You’ll be surprised at how good a measly 15-minute practice can make you feel in the middle of a stressful workday!