I have set out in the past to do daily challenges and I have never succeeded…I am happy to report that has changed!
I did it!
I did yoga for 33 days in a row (and, who knows, today is still not over!).
I incorporated my own weekly yoga practice at our complex rec centre into my yoga journey after doing one of the challenge videos in addition to my 75-minute yoga class in one evening. It was too much!
In her videos, Adriene encouraged her viewers to do the 30-day challenge over the course of the 30 days, or the course of a year. What mattered was that we were coming to our practice together through her videos. The choice was easy for me to add the challenge on top of my regular yoga practice.
In an effort to be completely transparent, I did yoga every day, whether I felt like it or not. And some days, I really, really didn't feel like it.
I did yoga while I was sick. I pretty much never followed one of her videos exactly how the moves were indicated. I did yoga a couple of times after I had had a few glasses of wine because I had decided this time that I was not going to give up on the challenge.
I even did yoga on the carpet in my bedroom one night because I was too lazy to go aaaaaaaall the way downstairs so I could practice on my mat. (Spoiler alert: it's not that far.)
The moral of the story is that I did it. Every. Day. For 33 days.
A little quiet time.
One of my favourite twists.
At all times, he must be touching the mat.
Downward Dog.
I proved to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to, even when I feel like I’m being told to do something every day.
It definitely made me feel better; my movements got stronger and I saw an increase in my flexibility.
And given the fact that I hadn’t made it through a challenge like this (without skipping a day and going back to complete it later), I knew going in that I was unlikely going to continue a daily practice of anything going forward.
Which is true.
But my take away from this journey is that I am strong and capable. I benefit from and really enjoy taking a little time every day, just for myself. My body improved in a positive way during the challenge, but I don’t need a daily practice to tell me that.
Sometimes I want to just be sick and lay on the couch and not feel guilty about that.
I want to have some wine and not have to drag my ass downstairs to sit in child’s pose on and off for 20 minutes because I had to do my yoga for the day but didn’t feel like bending and twisting.
I loved Adriene’s videos; her spunk and approach to yoga were wonderful. She made me laugh more than once and her fellow yogi (her dog Benji) joined her just like Eddie joined me.
Eddie joined me to end the very last video.
So if you want to add something to your home practice, or try out some videos for free because you’re curious, check her out at Yoga With Adriene.
Peace and yoga,
Anya