You’re almost at the finish line of your 30-day yoga challenge! Are you finding it difficult to stay motivated to step onto the mat every day? It’s completely normal to have these feelings when it’s time to practice for the day. If you need a little inspiration to improve your discipline and finish your yoga challenge strong, check out these six ways to stay motivated in your yoga practice.
6 Tips for Staying Motivated in Your Yoga Practice
1. Track Your Accomplishments:
All too often, we miss when we have little victories throughout our practice. We become so absorbed in just getting the task done that we don’t see how far we’ve progressed throughout our practice. One of the best ways to find motivation in yoga is to write down your accomplishments in a gratitude journal (find out how to keep one here). Did you attend a yoga class even when you didn’t feel like it after a long, hard day of work? Were you finally able to stretch into a pose that you previously found difficult? Whatever your accomplishment is—big or small—write it down so you can remind yourself why regularly practicing yoga is important.
2. Treat Yourself to a Smoothie:
A small reward every once in a while can make it easier to step onto the mat. A smoothie is a perfect reward—it’s healthy and sweet! Plan ahead of time which smoothie you’ll treat yourself to so that you’ll be motivated to attend and complete a yoga class. If you need inspiration for a smoothie recipe, try our green drink smoothie.
3. Surround Yourself with a Community:
It can be hard to reach your yoga goals without other people supporting you. It’s all too easy to get lost in your negative thoughts or to lose sight of why you committed to a yoga challenge in the first place without someone there to remind you. Surrounding yourself with fellow yogis can help you stay motivated to cross the finish line. When you’re feeling discouraged, call up a yoga friend. Follow and interact with Health Yoga Life and your favorite yogis on social media for daily inspiration. Together, we can reach our yoga goals.
4. Establish a Routine:
Dedicate a specific time of day to practice. By setting time aside for yoga, you’re more likely to stick to this routine. You may find it easiest to roll out of bed in the morning and spend time on the mat before you begin your day. Or you may find that right after work is the best time for you. The time of day you practice may also vary depending on the day of the week. That’s okay! Just make sure that you keep that time dedicated specifically to yoga.
5. Find Joy in Variety:
When you practice regularly, you can start to feel bored with your routine. If this is happening to you as you near the end of your 30-day yoga challenge, mix things up and add a little spice to your practice. Grab your mat and streaming device and head outside. Fresh air can invigorate your mind and excite you over a new experience. Create your own yoga playlist and play it softly in the background during your virtual class. Try different instructors and see how every yogi has something new to offer. Health Yoga Life has certified teachers who can help you feel reinvigorated in your practice. View our instructors’ profiles on our class schedule (found here) to plan your next class.
6. Celebrate Milestones:
Just as you should congratulate yourself over the little victories, you should also celebrate significant milestones in your yoga. A great way to build discipline in your practice is to set goals (such as finishing four full weeks of yoga), track your progress, and then reward yourself for achieving those goals. A fun way to celebrate your accomplishment is buying yourself something special, such as new yoga apparel, props, or a spot in the Health Yoga Life teacher training course.
Finish Strong
If you’re participating in Health Yoga Life’s 30-Day Spring into Yoga Challenge, then you are just a week away from the finish line! You’ve shown incredible discipline this far. Now, finish strong! Use these motivational tips to keep going. For more inspiration, connect with us on social media—Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.