Looking to take yoga more seriously this year? Perhaps you want to reap the benefits of adding yoga into your daily routine? Keep reading for 10 tips to help you get into yoga in 2022 – and stick with it all year.
Yoga: A New Year’s Resolution
It’s the start of the new year and many of us begin to look for new skills or hobbies we can nurture in the months ahead. A popular choice amongst many, and a practice we recommend to everyone, is, of course, yoga. And why? It’s suitable for everyone – no matter your age or fitness level.
We recently wrote a blog on how to get started with yoga and if you’re a complete newbie, you’ll probably want to start there. But if you’ve dabbled in the odd class from time to time, but never with any conviction – this is the blog for you. This year, make your morning flow or regular time spent on your yoga mat a habit you won’t want to give up. And we are here to help – we’ve got a few tips to help you along the way.
Make Daily Wellness Goals
Before you dive straight into regular yoga practice, it’s a good idea to understand why you want to set yoga as your goal or New Year’s resolution. Perhaps you are looking to increase flexibility and up your fitness level? You may need a good stretch after sitting at your desk all day. Or maybe you are in search of a good stress relief after a long day’s work? Whatever your intention, pinpoint it, write it down if you like, and approach your practice with it in mind.
Release Expectations
Don’t arrive at your yoga mat with any expectations. Turn off the inner monologue of: “I should be able to touch my toes already…” or “this looks so easy on Instagram – why can’t I do it?!” Focus on what you’re doing one step at a time. Remember – practice makes perfect and everyone has to start somewhere. Yoga isn’t a competition or competitive sport – you’re doing this for you and you only. Get yourself into this mindset and your practice will evolve naturally, beautifully, and safely.
Plan Ahead
If in the past you’ve struggled to make yoga stick in your daily routine – perhaps you’ve cited lack of time as one of the reasons – make sure you plan ahead. Whether it’s carving out fifteen minutes in the morning to start your day with a boost of endorphins and a positive mindset or scheduling in time to attend that Wednesday evening class every week. Your daily yoga flow can be as long or as short as you want. And it can be as simple as swapping out the ten minutes spent scrolling after work with time to spend on your mat.
Understand Yoga in 2022
Don’t approach yoga with a lack of understanding of what it actually is. Most of the time, it’s not what you see on TV and it’s certainly not what you see on social media. It’s not just about flexibility and contouring your body into various shapes. Yoga is about breathing, looking inward through meditation, and creating freedom in the body with basic yoga poses.
Be Disciplined
Like with any new habit or goal, sticking to it requires a little discipline – and yoga is no different. You can’t expect to reap all the benefits of yoga without practising it consistently and sometimes you may need to encourage yourself to get up and get on to your mat. But remember – start small and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If you skip a day, it won’t matter. Small steps towards your goal are what really count.
Stay Positive
An important concept of yoga is to transform a negative thought into a positive one. In other words, avoid the inner voice that tells you that you can’t do it and keep going. Transform negative comments into little ounces of motivation that encourage you to keep progressing. It’s all about changing your outlook and practising with good intentions.
Stretch to Capacity
Following on from our earlier suggestion to release expectations, this is increasingly important when it comes to stretching – both physically and mentally. In yoga, you will want to stretch your body and mentality to capacity. In other words – begin your practice with the intention to go steady in search of a comfortable state; don’t push yourself too much and risk burning out or causing injury. Alternatively, ensuring you stretch yourself to capacity is essential in discovering just how much you are capable of – and you might just surprise yourself.
Think About Your Breathing
As you’ve made your way through this blog post, I highly doubt you’ve given much thought to your breathing. As we get engrossed in the day to day, it’s something so easily forgotten – it’s a lot like clockwork for our bodies. But your breath is your life force – it’s what makes going about our lives possible. In yoga, breathwork plays a central role as we look inward and become more self-aware. By taking steps towards breath awareness we can calm the mind and find a meditative state – the ultimate goal for your practice.
Fall in Love With the Relaxation in 2022
Stillness and silence offer a gateway to mindfulness and relaxation. And yoga puts great emphasis on both throughout its practice. The classical Shavasana allows you to lie down completely still, with feet and hands apart. This moment of stillness can help you achieve a relaxed state. Likewise, try to find moments of complete relaxation and short spells of stillness throughout your day – even when you’re not on your yoga mat. Just 10–15 minutes of sitting or lying down, in complete silence and stillness, can help calm your mind and body. Relaxation of this kind can be done anywhere and has similar benefits to a power nap.
2022 is Your Year: Keep Going
If you only listen to one of our suggestions today, make it this one. Keep going. No seasoned yogi was born a master – everyone has to start somewhere. From implementing five minutes spent on your mat into your daily routine to attending that weekly yoga class – every step counts. Make 2022 the year you find escape and clarity with yoga – we promise you won’t regret it.
In need of the basic yoga equipment and clothing to kick your new year practice off on the right foot? Head to our Yoga Studio Store – we have a little something for everyone.