5 Tips to get into yoga this holiday season

Roll out your mat

Sometimes we need to take baby steps. Tiny incremental progress can get you started on the path to your goals. In this case, your yoga goals. Sweep the floor and roll out your mat. That’s it. See what happens. You may walk over it several times a day, thinking how you wish you had time to practice. Or you might plop down into a cross-legged position and meditate for five minutes. All progress is good. Even rolling out the mat is a step in the right direction.

Put on a virtual class

Try it. Look up YouTube or a fitness app and turn on a class. See what happens. You could watch the video while eating Doritos and guacamole from the couch. Halfway through, you may find yourself setting down the snacks and doing a pose or two. You may even roll out your mat. Whether you finish the class sweaty and floaty or you barely even look at it, it’s worth a try.

Try a new type of yoga

Sometimes you’re just not watching the type of yoga you need right now! Does a vinyasa flow make you nauseous just thinking about it? Then don’t do one! Go for something slower. Restorative yoga focuses on going inward and resting in relaxing postures. Need to wake up a little? Try a flow class that’ll get your blood pumping. Need a break? Twenty minutes of yoga nidra offers the benefits of several hours of deep sleep.

Designate an accountability buddy

You’re not the only one struggling to get into yoga. (Hi, hello!) Ask your friends if they’re trying to start a new habit. Pick one or several and be each other’s accountability buddies. Tell them when you’re going to take a class and have them check in later to make sure you follow through. You do the same for their new habit. Cheer each other on and even reward one another with fun friend activities or habit-related treats.

Reward yourself

Sometimes I need a little extra motivation to do something (even when I know the thing is good for me in every way). In comes rewards. I once said I’d buy myself a new pair of leggings if I did a 30-day daily yoga challenge. Instead of the leggings, I treated myself to a 200-hour yoga teacher training. You don’t have to get quite so extreme!

Pick something you want to work for and set that as your reward. Maybe you’d like a set of yoga blocks to deepen your practice. Or, perhaps you want to join a virtual yoga community to have access to a library of classes and connect with other yoga practitioners. Note: Your reward doesn’t have to be yoga, health, or fitness-related. You could also slam a carton of ice cream as a reward. You do you!