Consistency has never been one of my strengths. My approach to life is usually “all or nothing” (which I know is not a good approach – but hey, I’m being honest), so it’s very easy for a few days off, due to necessity or just pure laziness, to quickly spiral into a streak of nothingness. When I hear about people who are streaking (no, they’re not running around naked, they’re running 365 days or even several years without missing a single day) I admire their level of commitment and motivation. I’ve never deluded myself into believing I could actually succeed at such an endeavor. That’s why I’m so happy (and quite frankly shocked!) about completing my 100th day of yoga this week!
A few days before the New Year my husband half jokingly mentioned that we should start doing yoga every night. My kids and I were all for it, especially since we’ve been trying to convince him to stretch at night for years. A close friend of ours committed to the challenge as well and on January 2 our quest began as we clumsily followed along to a 10 minute beginner’s yoga youtube video. There was a lot more laughing and groaning going on than productive movement, but it set us in motion nonetheless.
Thanks to my involvement in a multitude of sports ever since I could walk, I’ve always been flexible. However, I’ve noticed that over the past two years, ever since turning 50, the flexibility I always took for granted became a distant memory. To add insult to injury, my muscles and joints ache way more often than they used to. My runs were a gamble resembling a game of chance (think “Wheel of Doom” where the contestant nervously watches the wheel to see which body part would win the opportunity to scream at them in protest). Soreness, especially in my lower back and hips, became my companion. Suffice it to say, I was more than ready to attempt something new in the hopes of relieving these ailments.
The only time I’ve ever done yoga was during my two pregnancies. I was hell bent on having a natural childbirth, so after reading everything I could get my hands on I decided to add a “Yoga For Pregnancy” dvd to my running routine. I loved the way it made my body feel and how it eventually helped me through labor. I figured it could probably help me now as well.
When I start something I like to go big or go home, but I believe that’s exactly why I find it so difficult to stay consistent. It’s too difficult to establish a realistic routine that way. I immediately set myself up for failure because my goals are simply not attainable the way I frame them in my head. Thankfully I had my whole family on board this time to help keep me grounded.
Talk about a hysterical scenario! Yes, yoga is generally supposed to be calming and meditative, but with the four of us attempting these new poses and stretches — it was quite a sight to see! Imagine 3 very inflexible dudes moaning and groaning. Picture 2 of them challenging each other to see who could fart the most. And finally picture a puggle (who mistakenly thinks it’s playtime) gathering his favorite (and smelliest and grossest) toy to place directly on whomever’s face is nearby. It may not have been relaxing but it definitely was fun, making it something all of us couldn’t wait to do again the following night.
Eventually the jokes and grunts and sound effects calmed down (for the most part), and we discovered the benefits of taking soothing breaths, strengthening our core and getting in tune with our bodies. During these meditative moments I realized a lot of crazy things about myself:
- Halfway through a pose it would hit me that instead of actually breathing, I’d be biting my lip, clenching my jaw and holding my breath. Now, paying attention to my breathing releases a lot of tension and anxiety.
- When a pose requires complete stillness, I notice my mind becoming extremely impatient and I feel unproductive. I need to stop being so hard on myself and accept that it’s actually healthy to relax and just BE!
- There are tense muscles all throughout my body (face, tongue, shoulders etc.) that I never paid attention to. When I heard the instructor say, “Now relax your tongue and eyebrows” I almost burst out laughing. But a split second later I noticed the tension that resided there. It’s amazing how much stress we hold in our muscles and a simple thing like relaxing my eyebrows or jaw releases stress I never knew I was holding onto.
- I love to slouch and my core strength deserted me years ago. It’s something I really need to work on.
- Trying to balance on 1 foot while leaning forward was very humbling. I’d likely fail a field sobriety test even though I’m stone cold sober. The good news is I’ve been practicing a lot and I’m noticing myself getting much stronger and it doesn’t require a lot of time.
- Deep breaths are truly relaxing. I admit, the first few times I followed along to “Breathe iiiiiiiin and breathe ouuuuut,” I felt really silly, but it turns out it’s actually very cleansing.
Every night after our routine, my entire body is more relaxed and less sore. Sure, my legs still often feel tired during runs, but I hardly ever feel stiff or sore. My stride feels more natural and fluid, my legs feel stronger and I’m more in tune with my body. It’s so cool to be experiencing the flexibility I had when I was younger. My lower back rarely hurts whereas prior to this journey I was constantly begging my husband for back massages because I felt like I was 100.
Without a doubt, starting small to establish a routine (seriously – just 10 minutes) and setting realistic goals has been the key to my consistency. On a crazy day it would be easy to make excuses to skip, but since I know it only has to be 10 minutes, it’s never overwhelming. I’ve practiced my favorite stretches on a bed in a hotel room, while watching movies, after runs and even at 1am after a long car ride home from a show. I found creative ways to make sure I get it in every single night because I know how good it makes me feel. We all have at least 10 minutes we can spare (do you ever watch TV or go on the Internet? Sure you do. You have time!).
Adopting this new mindset has helped me at being more consistent with running as well. When I tell myself all I have to do is a 10 minute video or 2 mile run, it’s so much easier to accept and get started. Then once I take the first step or hold that first pose, I always find myself going longer or further than I originally planned because my body and mind respond. It feels so good and I just want to keep going. Trust me, I’ve struggled with being hopelessly inconsistent. I’m notorious for finding every excuse in the book to take the easy way out. I do know this though — it’s never satisfying.
Do yourself a favor and commit to something new that you’ve been meaning to do and try it out for just 10 minutes. How does it make you feel? Proud because you accomplished something? Excited about your new endeavor because you know you are trying to better yourself? Pay attention to your body and mind, and before you know it you’ll be reaping the rewards.
According to an article in Medical NewsToday:
Studies have found that practicing yoga for at least three months may lower cortisol and perceived stress and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause inflammation.
Research suggests yoga is just as effective at relieving back pain as physical therapy.
This article concludes that yoga can:
-Reduce stress
-Alleviate anxiety
-Help manage depression
-Improve quality of life in those with chronic conditions or acute illnesses
-Stimulate brain function
