Snowed in today, snuggled up with my littlest pup, and day dreaming about sunshine and my upcoming trips to Costa Rica and Miami. The countdown is ON. What better to do than write a new blog post?

Speaking of being snowed in, it kind of puts a damper on my morning practice at the studio. With below freezing temperatures outside, and a treacherous drive in front of me, it's pretty tempting to just lie in my warm bed next to the furnace that is my husband. That being said, the importance of consistency in yoga practice huge.

Ashtanga is a 6 day a week practice. Of course, it's hard to do anything that often, let alone wake up at 4:30 am and drive 30 minutes to the studio, then rush off to work for a full day and head home to cook dinner, shower, and go to bed at 8:15 pm! (Rant over.) How do you stay motivated to consistently practice? The key is doing it for the right reasons. That's what keeps you going.

Some mornings I wake up and wonder why I'm doing it.

Why am I waking up so early?

Why am I putting my body through these poses?

Why am I challenging myself mentally and spiritually?

Why am I dedicating myself to something bigger than my own being?

Oh, that's why.

I practice yoga because every aspect of the practice makes me better, which in turn helps me to help others better themselves, and ultimately the world we live in. Yoga is something I find joy in dedicating my time to because it keeps my physical body healthy through asana, it forces me to look inward at myself and my relationships with others spiritually, and challenges my mind with focus. It's the one thing I am truly happy teaching others about. Finally, yoga makes me feel better about myself and my life by doing it. That's what keeps me going.

There have been moments when I feel the consistency of my practice wearing down on me, and I start feeling a bit lazy about it. Here are a few tips to keep your practice, not only of yoga, but anything else, healthy, and your mind and spirit happy, while still keeping consistency:

Do it, whatever it is, for you, not anyone else. - I don't practice yoga because asana looks cool, or because it's hip to have profound thoughts, or because I want to fit in with other yogis. I practice yoga because I love the way it makes me feel. I love the reflective thinking it makes me do, and because I have the opportunity to connect with other human beings. I do it for me, and no one else.
Find someone who motivates you to be your best. - Whenever I get down about my practice, or have negative thoughts about whether I am a "good yogi", I have people in my life who I can turn to for words of encouragement. My husband constantly reminds me how my dedication to the practice is what makes me a yogi, not my level of ability. My best yogini sister Angela reminds me that sometimes things get hard, and aches and pains, whether physical, mental or spiritual, are things that we can overcome. These relationships are the ones that are great when they are good, but even better when times are tough.
Give yourself a break when you need a break. - Just because I've been practicing for a while now doesn't mean I don't get the occasional burnout from sore hamstrings, mental barriers or just a busy life in general. On the mornings that I wake up at 4:30 am and know that it's just going to be too much today, I take rest. This doesn't make me any less dedicated, it just means I'm honoring myself and respecting my mind, body and spirit.

What does consistency and dedication look like in your life? Are you doing it for you? Are you surrounding yourself with a circle of support? Are you honoring yourself when you need a break? If so, you are sure to have a successful, lasting practice, in whatever the path you have chosen in life.

Namaste.