I recently posted about how, unusually for me, I’d been feeling a little demotivated and lacking in inspiration in my physical yoga practice. I generally practise on my own at home, which suits me and is something I normally really enjoy. However, one of the downsides is becoming stuck in a rut – you know what’s coming next when you practice your own sequences!
I’m sure I’m not on my own in feeling like this, so here are some tips for regaining motivation and inspiration for your practice:
1. Go to a class (or try a different class)
If, like me, your main practice is at home, go and take a group class. The energy, the different environment and being guided through a practice can really shake things up. If you already have a regular practice in a group setting, and if your schedule allows, mix it up and try a different class with a different teacher. This can really help to re-ignite your interest in and passion for your practice.
2. Be realistic
It’s not uncommon to feel that a ‘proper’ practice needs to be at least an hour if not longer for it to ‘count’. Although I try to make at least 60 minutes available for my practice, I fit in what I can and what feels right on any particular day. I also prefer not to set a regular time for my practice, because not meeting this time can feel like failure. I know that for some, a regular time really works, and while I find it easier to find my focus when practising first thing, some days it’s just not realistic given my schedule. In a nutshell, practise what you can, when you can.
3. Try something completely different
For me, a physical yoga practice is a creative process and expression so when I’m feeling demotivated I also feel a lack of creativity. I was reading a post by another yoga teacher about how to nourish yourself when you’re feeling creatively starved. One suggestion was that for every hour of time you spend on your creative discipline, spend ten minutes on another and take time to move from one form of creativity to another. You don’t have to be accomplished at another activity; just pick something you enjoy. I’ve been spending more time sewing, reading and writing which has enabled me to step back onto my mat feeling much more inspired.
Lastly don’t be too hard on yourself. Everything goes in phases, and just as last week was a week of really low motivation for me, I know that I’ve had many weeks, sometimes months, of what seemed like endless motivation, so know that it will change. Remember that nothing in permanent.
Photo by David Groom