Yoga with Adriene…and Dogs

For the past few years I’ve kicked off the year by doing Yoga With Adriene‘s 30 Days of Yoga program. Last year was the first year that I gave up early – I was sick from Christmas Eve through the end of January and I didn’t have the stamina or lungpower to make it through.

It wasn’t COVID. But it certainly sounds suspicious!

This year’s theme is Breath and and so far, so good! Every year the first week is pretty rough and every year I can’t help but mentally kick myself because if I actually stuck with the practice all year long, I would be in much better shape. And if I had been consistent with yoga from the first class I ever took, I’d be doing headstands and crow poses with ease.

But I am me. So each January I start anew.

A few things that help me stick with a 30-day program…

1) Formally carving out the time. I print out the calendar and put it into my planner. This doesn’t seem like that large of a step, but knowing how long each practice is helps me to figure out when to do it. And coloring the box each day is a tiny reward. My workday (ideally) ends at 4:30pm, so I created a recurring 5pm “yoga” meeting in my phone AND make sure it reminds me at 5pm.

2) I make a ritual out of it. I roll out my mat and set up my blocks intentionally and I have a little lavender oil rollerball applicator that I use on my forehead before I practice. The scent reminds me of ye olde in-person yoga classes.

I bought this mat it because it was pretty but it turns out that the design really helps me with posture and alignment.

3) And I make sure to bring some helpful friends to get me through.

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The plan is to finish the 30 days in January, and then transition to alternating a day of yoga with a day on the Total Gym or the stationary bicycle. The goal isn’t to lose weight, but just to feel less old and achy.

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