Via Kate Bartolotta

on Jan 1, 2013

Getting Started. {Yoga Challenge}

Tip of the day:

When starting a new habit, make it as easy to do as possible. Get rid of any obstacles ahead of time.

So, naturally, I sprang out of bed at 5 a.m. and went to do 108 Sun Salutations in a heated room, right?

Ha ha. Of course not.

To be honest, after the past two and a half weeks of coughing so hard I couldn’t breathe, I was wondering what exactly my practice would amount to this morning.

The thing is though, having worked with many people on stress engagement, and changing or adding new habits, I find that it’s always best to start basic and make it accessible. We don’t need to tell ourselves we are going to go from taking a month (or longer!) off of yoga to a two-hour a day practice at dawn. That’s a sure way to set yourself up for failure, or at the very least discouragement.

Start with an intention and then make a specific plan.

Before I went to bed, I decided I would do a home practice this morning with Seane Corn’s Detox Flow Yoga DVD. It’s a good staple to have if you like to use DVDs to practice at home. I don’t feel like it completely captures Seane’s personality the way she is in a class in person, but it is a good, 65-minute basic Vinyasa. It’s one that I often use if a studio class doesn’t fit my schedule on a particular day, or if I don’t want to try something new.

I knew that my kids and my husband would be home and doing their own thing while I practiced, so I made sure I had everything I needed ahead of time: water, my mat, my laptop and DVD, the clothes I wanted. Sounds silly, but the best way to reinforce a new habit (and keep other things from getting in the way) is to be completely prepared.

And it was exactly what I needed this morning.

An hour to myself. A wonderful, detoxing, wake-me-up flow to start the new year.

What was your practice like today? Are you doing #yogaeverydamnday this month? Check back for my updates and follow along on Twitter @kate_bartolotta and Pinterest.

Like elephant yoga on Facebook.

Incorrect source, offensive, or found a typo? Or do you want to write for Elephant?

Kate Bartolotta is the strongest girl in the world. She is the love child of a pirate and a roller derby queen. She hails from the second star to the right. She doesn't know how to behave with all the apples and ibexes. She doesn't suffer from her eight million freckles, she loves them! She drinks her lemonade right from the jug. Like a rolling stone, Kate gathers no moss. Kate loves kale, being barefoot, Dr. Seuss, singing too loudly, gallivanting, palindromes, blackberries, Elvis Presley, magic tricks and (of course) elephants. She has been charged with (and found guilty of) overusing the exclamation point! When she's not writing, you can find her practicing yoga, running in the woods, playing with her kids, devouring a book, planting dandelions, changing the world and doing her dishes. Kate does not play the accordion. She is on her way to becoming a fabulous massage therapist, a mediocre writer and a compassionate friend to all. This year Kate aspires to finally give up on learning to knit and will instead spend that time writing for elephant journal. Connect with Kate on Facebook and Twitter