Cultivate a Yoga Habit

We are all creatures of habit – both bad habits and good. Our lifestyles, happiness, and success are all a result of our habits, and we know that with good, healthy habits, we can lead a healthier life. But, if you’ve lived at all, you know that it takes hard work and dedication to create a new habit. If you’re a lover of yoga, and yearn to reap the benefits of the ancient, mystic practice, then this article is for you! With these 4 easy steps, you’ll be guided to forming your very own healthy yoga habit in no time.

 

Step 1: Set aside 15 minutes every day for your practice.

15 minutes a day is all it takes. It doesn’t matter if it’s 15 minutes every morning before you go to work, or 15 minutes at night right before you get into bed – starting out with a 15 minute interval is the right amount of time to dive deep enough into your practice without a huge time commitment.

Step 2: Set a goal, and stick to it.

People do yoga for so many reasons; i.e. losing weight, increasing flexibility, becoming more mindful, or maybe a combination of these. Think of what goal you want to attain, and choose your yoga series around this. If it’s to become more mindful, find some meditative yoga that allows you to relax as you practice. If you’re looking to lose weight with yoga, choose a more active flow such as Vinyasa. Once you’ve chosen a goal, manifest it! See yourself becoming a more mindful person, or losing weight. Now use this habit to reach your goal. You’ll be astonished at the results!

Step 3: Take your practice everywhere you go!

One of the wonderful aspects of the day and age that we live in, is the technology we have that allows us to do whatever we want whenever we want! With Grokker, you can take your Yoga practice with you everywhere you go. Whether it’s with our recently launched iOS app, or our mobile optimized version, you can practice Yoga with your favorite experts while you’re traveling, or simply just on the go. Don’t let one weekend getaway ruin your habit formation!

Step 4: Reward yourself when you follow through.

There are three basic elements to forming a habit; cue, routine, reward. The cue is the reminder you set for yourself to remember to complete the practice (i.e. after brushing your teeth each morning). The routine is the actual yoga practice itself. And then there’s the reward. Rewarding yourself reinforces the formation of the habit, and motivates you to reach that ultimate goal. You can reward yourself as often or as little as you’d like – i.e reward yourself with a delicious, home-cooked meal after your first full week of yoga. Once that habit is formed, the rewards will come naturally. Your body will feel blissful, and your mind will reap endless benefits. What are you waiting for? Start your yoga habit today!