Information touting the physical and mental benefits of practicing yoga seems to be widely available nearly everywhere these days. There also seems to be a large range of yoga classes and programs available for nearly every fitness level. If you are contemplating starting a yoga practice and building this habit into your lifestyle, you may feel overwhelmed about how to start – and where to start, for that matter. Even with the significant amount of options facing you, there’s no need to throw in the towel even before you begin. Try out these helpful tips to incorporate the habit of practicing yoga into your lifestyle:
Pair It Up
If your primary worry is forgetting to do your yoga, try pairing it with something else that is always in your routine. Pairing a new habit with an existing habit makes it more likely that you will follow through with the new task that you are adding in. Your brain adds new information more easily when it is associated with information that already exists securely in your mind. Are you hoping to do some yoga in the morning after getting up? Prepare yourself to do your practice right after you finish breakfast. It may even help you to lay out your yoga mat near the breakfast table, giving yourself a visual reminder about the next part of your morning routine.
Commit to a Studio (or Virtual Studio) Membership
While some people don’t need external accountability to start a new habit, you may be all about that motivation that comes from somewhere outside of yourself. If you’re concerned that you’ll skip yoga when no one else is waiting for you to show up, start your new yoga habit by making a commitment to yourself and to others. If you know that you need that in-person accountability to do yoga, find a yoga studio nearby and inquire about their class packages. Many yoga studios offer the chance for you to pay for a certain number of classes all at once. If you need external accountability but don’t necessarily need that in-person presence to benefit from it, you can also sign up for a virtual studio package.
Keep It Simple
If the overwhelm is the primary cause of your paralysis, remember that you don’t need to start off with a huge time or money commitment. Your yoga practice can start very simply and can build over time as you get more accustomed to it. If you’re looking to start in a simple, manageable way, try doing one or two yoga poses while your coffee is brewing in the morning. This way, you always know when you’ll be doing your yoga, and you can start in a bite sized way. As you get more and more used to practicing yoga, you can add one or two moves each week. No matter what your hangups have been, starting a yoga practice really can be possible.
