Finding The Motivation To Get Off The Couch And Do Some Yoga!

At the end of most of my classes you’ll hear me suggest some homework for the week. It’s usually something small, a squat, a seated posture or hip stretch. 

Now I get it we are all busy! We all have way too much on but I also think that sometimes we build things up in our minds to be a lot bigger and harder than what they really need to be;

– You don’t have the time to do any yoga at home.
– You don’t know where to start with the yoga practise at home, you’re worried you’ll do it all wrong.
– There are too many distractions and you can’t get into the zone.

The other thing you’ll hear me say is, 

‘Do this stretch while you’re watching your fave show on Netflix or while your surfing face book.’

Everyone chuckles but the truth of it is years ago when I first started practising yoga this was how I got into doing a home practise.

I would come home from work or uni, get myself organised showered and then I would roll out my yoga mat and while in my p.j’s I would watch whatever show I was into for the night and do some yoga. To be fair to start with it was more stretching as I wasn’t at all in the present moment with my body… I was more preset with Meredith and Derek while their love story unfolded on Grey’s Anatomy. 

I would spend a little time in a few different stretches mainly ones that would allow me to keep my eyes on the screen. To begin with I would only be there on the mat for 5-10 mins, but then over weeks and months I was staying on the floor for much longer often for an entire show.

After some months and regular studio practise I found that after being on the floor a while all of my focus and attention would shift to my body and my breathing and the tele and other noise around me was a distraction, so I would drag my mat off to my room close the door and continue to explore my breathing and stretches there.

There wasn’t always a set sequence, I wouldn’t always do sun salutations, I would just do whatever I remembered from the last class. I found that I would naturally move into stretches that I knew my body needed. I never set a timer or even agreed on a time before I got started. Sometimes I was on the mat for 10 mins and other times an hour would pass.

This post was actually prompted by a conversation I had with one of you the other night at the studio. I was asked what my home practise looks like and what time of the day I practise my yoga.

It’s simple really, I do whatever feels right and whatever fits in with my day. Sometimes it’s a full and very structured hour and other times I do a couple of squats while I’m waiting for my kettle to boil and a few minutes of breathing before I fall asleep at night.

It depends on the day and how I’m feeling physically and mentally. I don’t beat myself up either way but the intention to be present and breathe and move my body is always there. 

We’re all often way too hard on ourselves, please remember…some movement is better than no movement even if it’s just a single 10 breath hold in a squat or sitting crossed legged on the floor for 5 mins.

You don’t need to know it all…it’s only yoga, make it up! 

It all starts with an intention.

Let me know what you think is your biggest hurdle to starting yoga at home…maybe I can help Kxx