We’ve all been there, right? We have a pretty consistent yoga practice, life happens and then we fall off the wagon. Life gets in the way. We change jobs, move, get married, have kids, take care of our families and loved ones. We may be injured or sick. Or we are just flat out too busy. And we stop going to yoga.
Then we realize we our energy is very different. We may be a little less patient, crabby or quick to react to things that happen. We may feel tired. Our whole demeanor changes.
So how do you get back after falling off the wagon? Whether it’s been days, weeks, months or even years? Especially knowing you are coming back to a power yoga practice where you know it’s going to be challenging and you know it’s going to be hard.
Pick one time slot or class that works with your schedule. Just one. Don’t commit to more than that because you will set yourself up for failure. Once a week is a great place to start if you haven’t been at all. Pick a day and a time slot that works. Arrange for the kids to be cared for. Maybe leave work early to make class or stay at work later so you can get a morning class in and plan your whole week around that. Commit to that. Just as you would making your hair appointment or seeing the dentist. Book that class and schedule your whole week around it. And you will find that if you commit to that, you are able to do it and get back on track.
Your body starts feeling good, you’re sleeping better, you’re a little lighter, calmer and even more smiley. Maybe now you can think about adding another hour in somewhere in your hectic week to get back on your mat. The more you practice, the better you feel. There are 168 hours in a week. 1 or 2 hours a week is totally doable. You just have to schedule around it and commit because we know how awesome we feel after savasana.
Why is falling off the yoga wagon good for you? Because we forget how much we love yoga until we step back on that mat. It makes us appreciate the breath, the movement, the sweat and the time away from all the chaos.
We know we need our practice. Whether we are active or not active, if we have sedentary or physical jobs, stressed or not stressed, our bodies need it. We all know life gets crazy. In fact, it is then when we need yoga the most.
Namaste.
