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The hardest part is showing up

calmwithnicole

I feel sorry for January. The expectation. The pressure. Every aspect of your life must be SO much better than the previous year and it needs to happen within a 31 day period. Then comes the reality. Long wait till pay day. Bleak weather. Blue Monday. January can’t win.


Apparently 95% of New Year’s resolutions are fitness related but between 43% - 80% (depending on what you read) of people have given up by February. In my humble opinion the January trend for fitness challenges such as Run Every Day (RED) are partly to blame for this and yoga is no exception.


If you’re familiar with YouTube sensation Adriene, you may be aware of her January 30 days of yoga series which is in its ninth year. Millions have participated. Where else can you practice yoga knowing that you’re doing so at the same time (depending on time zones) as people all around the world? This is my fifth year of doing the series and if you’re basing my success on whether I’ve stuck to it daily then I’ve already failed. However, I’m viewing it differently.


In previous years I would be frantically doing 2 or 3 yoga practices a day to catch up. Similarly, I’ve seen people stick rigidly to RED January leaving them injured scuppering their running plans for subsequent months. If we apply the yogic principle of Ahimsa (non-harm) listening to our bodies rather than feeling completely bound to an ‘all or nothing’ daily practice then, personally, I feel we’re more likely to succeed and develop sustainable habits. I also see this as practicing another yogic principle of Satya (truthfulness). In my case, it doesn’t mean I’ve completely bailed. Rather I’m being honest about how I feel, my practice and taking the pressure off. I know I can’t transform my life in 31 days. If you believe in the impact of astrology then Mars, the planet of motivation, has been in retrograde (going backwards) this month so the odds are stacked against us anyway in that respect.


This year’s 30 day yoga series, Center, is designed to support whole body mental health and I definitely feel better every time I step off the mat. One of Adriene’s catchphrases is “the hardest part is showing up”. I know I need to get into a little bit more of a routine in that respect. For those of you showing up in my classes every week – thank you. If you’re doing Center or any other yoga series do let me know in the comments how it’s going. Equally if you’re running every day. Whatever your reasons for doing these ‘challenges’, I hope you’re reaping the benefits but also practicing Ahimsa and Satya when it comes to your body and mind.



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