Yoga Teachers: 5 Steps to Maintain Your Personal Yoga Practice

Even as yoga teachers, we can sometimes fall out of our personal yoga practice. It’s easy to do – we are all so busy and the to-do list is endless. Do you realize how much I can get done in that 60 minutes I would typically spend doing yoga? And since I’m a yoga teacher, that means I’m doing loads of yoga, right? Well, not really . . .
 
What we often overlook is the fact that it’s our personal yoga practice that gets us through the day with less stress, a clearer mind and a calmer conscience. Self-practice is the dedication of your own time to your yoga practice. It has no boundaries – whether it is 10 minutes or 90 minutes – your personal yoga practice helps you connect on a deeper level to your own body and yoga practice.
 
A personal yoga practice is where most yoga teachers find their creativity and inspiration.
 
So what do we do when we fall out of routine? How do we get our personal yoga practice back and how do we maintain it?
 

A personal yoga practice is where most yoga teachers find their creativity and inspiration.

Here are 5 first-hand tips on how to create and maintain a daily personal yoga practice:

1. Forget time limits!

The first step to re-introducing any new habit – especially related to exercise of any kind – is to lose your preconceived idea that it has to be for a set duration of time. Many times we fall out of practice and routine because we can’t spare 60 or 90 minutes.
 
What if we didn’t have to spend a certain amount of time – what if we could do just 10 or 20 minutes? What if we just committed to getting on our mats daily with no intention for how long, with no expectations, no judgments? Try just committing to rolling out your mat every day, even if you sit for 5 minutes in silence, lay in savasana for 10 minutes or do 2 postures.
 
Just get back on your mat.
 

2. Piggy-back a daily habit

The best way to create a new habit is to attach it to an existing habit. How? What is one thing you do everyday without fail? For me I wake up and brush my teeth every morning without fail. I don’t even have to think about this habit – it’s ingrained for life.
 
So the best way to remember a new habit is to make your old habit – something you do everyday – be your reminder for your new habit. Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror: “GET ON YOUR MAT.” By reminding yourself of your new yoga habit as you’re completing an already-established habit, you’re taking powerful steps to get back to your yoga routine.
 

3. Set a daily intention

The best way to look forward to your yoga practice is to keep it interesting. Adopt a daily mantra and intention for each new day. Something to focus on, something that will give you more incentive to spend time setting and grounding with that new intention. Be grateful for this time to set your positive intention for the day ahead. It not only feels great, but is a powerful step towards establishing your yoga practice as a regular routine.
 

4. Lose the excuse

We can all come up with excuses of why we shouldn’t do things. Seriously – I have excuses for my excuses sometimes. Commit to replacing your excuses with a reason why. Any time that you find yourself thinking, “I can’t do it today / I don’t have time / I don’t feel well / I will do it later,” think or write down one reason why you should. Ditching the excuses will help you in all aspects of your life, learning to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
 

5. Reward yourself

Be kind to yourself and reward your efforts for establishing a new daily habit, whether it’s buying yourself a new yoga mat, some sweet new threads or downloading a new playlist. Reward yourself for positive behaviors, and you’ll be more likely to stick with them. Keep a gratitude journal and write down how you feel after each session on your mat. That way it’s easier to remember the reason why and the benefits you’re getting out of your practice.
 
Establishing new habits or getting back on track with old ones can be difficult, but commit to getting back on your mat and being positive about the things in your life that make you feel good. It’s easy to lose sight of the things that reconnect us with our body, allow us to de-stress and clear our mind when we are busy. Don’t beat yourself up about it – simply set the intention to make a change.
 
Start your 5-step process today and reward yourself in 21 days (the amount of time it takes to create a new habit). Have you taken this journey, or been through a similar experience? Please share your experience and advice in the comments below – we love hearing from you!