One of the best ways to inspire ourselves to continually commit to our yoga practice is to remind ourselves of the power of our commitment to our practice and the benefits of when we follow through. Sounds simple, right?
So many yoga practitioners, myself included, find that having a practice log is a quick, easy, and uplifting way to keep track of our personal yoga practice successes and the outcomes of our dedication to the time we spend on the mat. Below are some elements that you can include when designing your own personal yoga practice log.
Pre-Practice State
You’re not alone if you've hesitated to practice because you're in a funk, or happen to be in the middle of a 30 Rock marathon, or just don't feel like it. Some days we need to honor that feeling, but most days we show up feeling (insert Pre-practice State here), we end up rolling out of Savasana feeling amazing. Keeping track of this transformation could be a serious tool in getting you to the mat on days that you aren't full speed ahead.
Description
Getting specific about what you do on the mat can help you identify patterns in your energy due to your practice, and also give you a boost when you reflect on the growth you've encountered on the mat. You may also become more tuned in to the flow of your practice, and determine when you may need to wind down or adopt a more restorative or Yin balancing practice.
Duration
Some of us do very well with tracking the length of our practice, and others may elect to omit this element all together. Ask yourself if you think recording the practice time will inspire you to get on the mat on days where you feel short on time, if it will remind you that short bursts can have grand results, and if the overall inclusion would be positive -if you're hearing yes, add this component to your practice log.
Feelings
Keeping track of how we feel after we invest in our self-care practices is powerful work. In a few adjectives, you may find yourself reconnected to your practice or newly inspired after leafing through pages filled with words like 'joy', 'connected', 'accomplished'.
Notes
Consider including a column for everything else – notes, a space for journaling, an area to record other factors that are beneficial to your practice. Feel free to spend as much time reflecting and recording notes in this area and a give yourself room to explore with different note-taking methods.
Take some time to draft up your dream practice log and include a few of the above columns to help you establish a new practice or re-commit and stay on track with your current home yoga practice. Share with us: which element is a must-include for your yoga practice log?
