1. Make a commitment to yourself to attend weekly classes. We find that around 3 classes a week works well, and if you have to miss one then you won’t fall out of the routine. If you can stick to the same days and times, then do, but if your lifestyle doesn’t allow that then don’t worry, just plan your week out and look at where you can make time for your mat. Pin our timetable to your fridge, or download our app to make it easy for you to identify the times you can make.
2. Attend live classes, in studio or online. It can be hard to remain focused when it’s just you and your mat. Let your community cheer you on!
3. Enjoy it! Find the classes that you enjoy, the ones that bring the most benefits for you, and keep doing them. Not every style or every teacher works for everyone - find the ones that work for you.
4. Use the tools you learn within your life. Stressed in a meeting? Use your breath. Overwhelmed doing chores? Prop your legs up the wall. Stiff back after sitting? Find some quick stretches. The more you practice, the more tools you will learn.
5. Remember that yoga isn’t just poses on a mat, there is so much more to it than that, and exploring yoga philosophy is likely to have a profound impact on your life and strengthen your commitment to the practice. Find out a little more in this blog post.
6. Practice compassion, for others around you but most of all, for yourself. It’s okay to take time off and return. It’s okay to slip up. You’re doing your best.
7. Find time to meditate daily. Ideally in the morning. Start with something simple like focusing on your breath or acknowledging your senses for 5 minutes, but if you need more guidance we have some recordings for you here.
8. Go inwards. Figuring out your motivation for wanting to commit to your practice will really help you keep it up.
9. Accountability is a great way to stay on track. You can attend classes with a friend, share your journey online, or maybe just let a teacher know you need a bit of accountability so we can help you.
10. Stop and assess how you feel regularly. Most people report positive effects of yoga almost immediately after class, and that those effects are lost when they lose their practice. Knowing yourself and knowing the benefits as they apply to you can be a wonderful way of ensuring you make time to practice.
We hope that some of these tips will be useful to you, but you can reach out to us by email or after class if you need more guidance, we're here to help you.
Love,
Briony & the CSY team x
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