“This one step – choosing a goal and sticking to it – changes everything.” – Scott Reed
This week is strange in that I won’t be teaching any yoga classes. I’ve got a conference for work that will have me out of town and unable to teach, which totally makes me sad. I love teaching, even though I’m only teaching one regular yoga class a week at the moment. I will miss my students, even though it’s just one class that I am missing.
However, just because I’m not teaching a class doesn’t mean there isn’t a focus for the week. This week, I’d like for you to think about setting some new goals for your yoga practice. Some of you who have been doing yoga for quite some time may find that you’re in a sort of rut in some area of your practice. Or maybe you just want to venture on to the next phase of your journey. If you’re newer to yoga, maybe your goal is to simply make it through a Chaturanga without having to lower your knees to the floor, or to be able to focus your mind without all the chatter getting in the way.
Some of you out there have multiple goals. That’s not a bad thing…I know I am certainly one of those people. However, setting too many goals could set you up for failure and frustration, especially when unexpected things get in the way. So my challenge to you for this week is to pick just one goal to focus on. Set a time limit for when you’d like to achieve that goal. And then stick to it. Do whatever it takes to ensure you’re doing everything you can do to make it happen.
You’ll be surprised at how much focusing on just one thing can make all the difference in the world. You should notice less stress when the focus is on only one thing instead of multiple things. Setting a deadline gives you something tangible to aim for, and should help you better formulate the steps you’ll need to take to achieve the goal. And finally, following those steps and seeing success as you complete each one will fill you with a sense of accomplishment and pride.
Maybe your goal will be simple, maybe it will be more challenging. It doesn’t have to be a yoga pose that you’re working towards. Try to find the one thing that you feel has been lacking in your practice and resolve to make it better. For me, it’s my breathing. I’ve been more stressed lately, and I’m noticing that I’m more short of breath and not sleeping as well as I need to be. So my goal for this week is to incorporate breathing exercises back into my daily practice. I’d been so good with short daily meditations, but have let that slip these past few months…I’m definintely feeling the repercussions of not meditating on a regular basis anymore.
I’d love to hear what your goals are, so please feel free to comment here and share, or you can message me privately. Sometimes, when you share your goal with someone else, it helps to “set it in stone”, keeping you accountable for making it happen. So share with me, and see what wonderful things you can achieve for yourself!
Namaste,
Melanie
SC Yoga Girl 