#YogaEveryDamnDay 4: Priorities

drama yoga I remember when I thought practicing yoga once a week or once every two weeks was plenty. Don't get me wrong, that sort of frequency is completely fine, because everyone's yoga experience is their own, and how often you go to yoga or how much of it you do depends on all kinds of different factors that are all very personal.

After I went through teacher training and got used to practicing every day either at home or at a studio, #yogaeverydamnday became a life habit, something essential to my wellbeing and part of my routine. (That's why I chose the image above -- it's funny because it's true, once you embrace the yogi lifestyle, you become that weird person who is like, let it go! Breathe! Align yourself with the universe! About everything. And you look at people stressing and just want to hug them. Then non-yogi people give you the side eye.)

Anyway, I still take days off all the time, but being FORCED to rest this week due to illness was out of my control, and consequently, I haaaaaated not being able to at least do a downward facing dog.

I made it to class tonight, though, and it was hot and sweaty and perfect. We set a mantra at the beginning, talked about our "I Will" statements for the challenge, and focused on either that or a small one for the duration of class. Mine was, "I will take it easy." Which meant lots of breaks and lots of child's pose and few chaturangas. It felt so good to move, slowly and with intention, and the heat actually helped clear out some of the congestion in my head, throat and chest. Go figure.

Emily kindly snapped my polaroid for the studio challenge. It says, "I will . . . prioritize what's important to me."


Doing that keeps me healthy, emotionally and mentally and spiritually and physically, and in turn helps me be a better person to everyone I love. It also forces me to grow with integrity and grace as an individual, so that I can hopefully make small, positive changes in the world and my community with the skills and abilities I've been given.