So you’ve decided to start practising yoga or mindfulness every day. That’s great! However, you may be finding that Day 14 or your habit is a lot tougher than Day 1 was. If you’re finding yourself losing momentum and struggling to keep up your new habit, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to maintain new habits once they’ve lost their luster. However, there’s no need to feel helpless or to quit. Try out these tips to help to keep yourself motivated and to make your new mindfulness or yoga habit fit into your routine more naturally:
Know – and Remind Yourself – Why You’re Pursuing This Habit
Everyone has a different reason for making the choices that they make. For you, it’s going to be important to get some clarity on why you’re starting this habit. It’s also going to be critical for you to determine why you’re beginning this habit at this specific time. Take a few minutes to reflect on why this habit is of value to you. Maybe you are hoping to use yoga and/or mindfulness to reduce your stress because you’ve been feeling stressed lately. Maybe your doctor recommended these practices as a way to reduce your high blood pressure. Once you know what is really and truly motivating you to implement your yoga or mindfulness practice, try writing it down in a place where you can see it often and be reminded of why you’re beginning this practice.
Make it Easy
Another excellent way to get your new practice to become a more natural part of your routine is to smooth the way for yourself as much as possible. When you are trying to decide how exactly to prepare your environment to improve your likelihood of following through, start by visualizing yourself completing this habit in as much detail as possible. Where do you see yourself practicing yoga or doing your mindfulness routine? What items do you need to make this habit go smoothly? Help yourself out by designating a specific space (or spaces) where you’ll complete your practice. Even something as simple as having your yoga mat already laid out on the floor increases your ability to keep your new habit rolling forward.
Cue Yourself
A cue is a reminder to complete your chosen habit or practice. Determining what type of cue works best for you may take quite some time, but once you’ve found it, including a cue can dramatically improve your chances of success. Your cue can be an alarm on your phone that reminds you of your commitment to do a brief yoga practice or a mindfulness meditation. Your cue can also be a specific part of your routine. If you have a predetermined routine each morning (such as eating breakfast, then brushing your teeth, then getting dressed for the day), you can pick a part of your routine where your new habit will fit in to promote success.