New Year’s Resolutions: You and Your Yoga Practice

New Year’s Resolutions: You and Your Yoga Practice

It’s 2018! A new year feels like a new start, and it can be the perfect time to make a change in your yoga practice and in your life. Unfortunately, 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail by February. Want to be part of the successful 20%? If you are really ready to make a change – and that desire to change is key – there are specific steps you can take to make sure that your resolutions stick. Start with the following tips to increase your chances at a successful change to your yoga practice!

  1. Plan ahead.

If you want to integrate a regular studio practice into your life, schedule your classes into your calendar on a weekly or monthly basis so you know when you need to leave your house with your yoga gear. If you would like to take a workshop, look ahead in the calendar and make a financial plan to get it set up comfortably for yourself. If you want to practice at home, set aside time for yourself on a regular basis and make sure you set up your space so you have no excuses to flake. You can also try planning to head to class with a friend so you are accountable to someone.

  1. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals when it comes to your yoga practice.

You’ve probably heard about the S.M.A.R.T. acronym, but how do you relate it to your yoga goals? Make sure your New Year’s Resolutions are:

Specific: What is your goal in as few words as possible?

Measurable: What exactly does success look like? If you want to “practice yoga” weekly, does 10 minutes of walking meditation count? Or do you want to get into a studio for a class every week?

Achievable: Be realistic! Don’t decide you’re going to practice in the studio every single day for the whole year if you have never practiced before. You can always ramp up your pace of practice later, but if you decide to practice every day, as soon as you miss a single day, it will feel like a failure.

Relevant: Why is this an important goal for you? Is your yoga practice about feeling good physically? Mentally? Is getting into the studio helpful for you socially? All reasons are legitimate, and understanding your reasoning will help keep you motivated.

Time-bound: Is this a goal for the entire year? Are you setting a weekly goal or a monthly goal? How will you celebrate success, and how will you bounce back when your dedication to your goal slips?

  1. Think about the other aspects of yoga that could bring value to your life.

There are ways to significantly deepen your practice beyond your hour-long studio practice. Reading about the philosophy of yoga, studying Ayurveda and nutrition, or starting a personal meditation practice can bring more depth and understanding to your physical practice. Depending on the way you like to learn, you have a few options: ask your favourite teacher for book recommendations; take a teacher training course (or a portion of one); or attend a workshop. Adding a goal around another aspect of yoga to your New Year’s Resolutions can help keep you motivated to get into the studio for your regular practice.

Making changes in your life is hard work, and you deserve kudos for every small step. Don’t wait until December to decide if you’ve succeeded or failed at your goals; reward your first day, week, and month of your new habit!

Get started in the right place. Sign up for our Resolution Workshop now – Click here for more info or to register!