New Years Resolution: Practice More Yoga

by Balanced Mind & Body Yoga
(Marbella)

New Year's resolutions can be a bit of a cliché but when it comes to our yoga practice, there are definitely some goals that we’d like to keep working towards plus some new ones.

The new year is the perfect time to get our thoughts in order and to think about how our practice can evolve over the next 12 months.


Here are our seven yoga resolutions that might resonate with you:


Improved Flexibility
Are we aging? The answer is “always". In this world of quick fixes, we seem to have forgotten our traditional practices and ignored the fact that a stitch in time saves nine. A few gentle body stretches or some quick rounds of Surya Namaskarin the morning can work wonders for your body. It wouldn’t be long before you come to know that your body has become more flexible.


Buy a New Yoga Mat
We can all become attached to our yoga mat but as time goes by, the wear and tear, grip and overall look of our mat begin to deteriorate. The last thing you want is your hands slipping in downward dog. We have tried a lot of yoga mats over the years and have two favorites - Lululemon’s Reversible Mat and Manduka’s Yoga Pro Mat; both are made with high-quality materials that will last much longer.


Try New Classes
We all have yoga classes that we attend routinely and perhaps you may love that class and instructors, trying a new class and instructor can broaden your practice. Perhaps try a Slow Flow, Restorative or Yin Yoga.


Attend More Workshops
There are always a variety of yoga workshops and special events happening during the year. Taking a workshop will broaden your knowledge and you may learn new tips and tricks that are sure to improve your daily yoga practice!


Develop a Home Yoga Practice
Although there are benefits to studio classes, sometimes there are those moments when you just can’t make it to class because of time constraints and obligations. But your yoga practice does not have to suffer and it’s important to develop a practice that can be done anywhere. And, of course, there’s always yoga classes available online. You can always try free online classes like Yoga with Adriene and many, many more.


Setting Intentions at the Beginning of Every Practice
When teaching, we always ask our students to set an intention at the beginning of each class. I’ve gotten away from making sure to set an intention before practice. Setting intentions can really help stay mindful during practice and can even adds a meditative quality to your practice.


Focus on Mastering New Poses
Whether its inversions or deepening your back-bend, its not for the Instagram but for the challenge and also the confidence. You may have doubts with certain poses; scared that you might fall or embarrass yourself in a class. But setting an intention and committing to your goal, you are sure to see an improvement and maybe even master your chosen pose.


Good luck for 2022!


If you are interested in taking private yoga classes contact us at balancedmindandbodyyoga.com