We go straight into survival mode when we are faced with stress.  That means that a lot of our larger goals temporarily go out of the window – because it is too hard to find consistency when we’re in survival mode.

Instead of jumping on the shame train, imagine you are surviving on your own in the wilderness.  Oh – and there is a pack of hungry wolves on the prowl nearby.  Survival mode engaged.  Training to improve your cardio skills would probably help you outrun the pack if needed.  However, you’re probably not going to manage going for a 10km jog every morning in this scenario.  Equally, deciding to cut calories or try a new fad diet is not likely to happen (assuming food is available).  Instead, getting food, water and shelter would be the main priorities for survival.

Our limbic system doesn’t recognise the difference between the stress of work deadlines (or global pandemic) and the stress of being killed by wolves.  Lack of physical and/or emotional safety will not give us the mental aptitude to consistently ‘go hard’ at our goals.

I’m straight up grateful as anything that I’ve had a consistent home yoga practice for so many years.  I honestly don’t know how I would have navigated this time if this practice hadn’t been so embedded in my life.  Major thanks to my yoga mat, my meditation cushion and my learned self-awareness for getting me through this year.  And a special shout out to all the cookies that provided me with comfort in 2020.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

I’ve learned that it’s ok to rest on the days that I don’t have any form of yoga practice.  No matter how much I would love to perfect my pincha mayurasana right now, I am not pressuring myself to show up in this way every day.  Some days, simply taking 5 slow breaths is my yoga practice.  Beating ourselves up is often the reason we don’t stay consistent.

My favourite phrase this last month has been ‘give yourself a permission slip’.   Like, give yourself permission to have a nap or read for 5 hours straight or eat cookies if this is bringing you comfort.   From a yoga perspective, give yourself a permission slip for your yoga practice to look however you need it to on that day.   If you see taking 5 slow breaths or having a sweaty power yoga hour as equally important and valuable, I promise you that your yoga practice will be kinder and more consistent.

You will not succeed if you are beating yourself up every step of the way.   That mindset will never let you recognise your achievements as success.

My favourite phrase this last month has been ‘give yourself a permission slip’.   Like, give yourself permission to have a nap or read for 5 hours straight or eat cookies if this is bringing you comfort.   From a yoga perspective, give yourself a permission slip for your yoga practice to look however you need it to in that moment.   A practice of taking 5 slow breaths is equally important and valuable to having a sweaty power yoga hour.  With this mindset, I promise you that your yoga practice will be kinder and more consistent.

You will not succeed if you are beating yourself up every step of the way.   And if you do, that mindset will never let you recognise your achievements as success.

So how am I handing my ambitious intention of consistency in 2020? I’m transitioning it to ‘consistently creative’ (and I even gave myself a permission slip to do that hah!).  Creativity for me can be an intuitive free-moving yoga practice, or writing, filming, art, photography.  I’ve even redecorated half of my house.  My definition of creativity also involves consuming creative content, new ways of thinking and problem solving.  This is all really helping my mindscape to become more creative.

And on the days where you’re feeling the stress and it’s making it impossible to do anything? Remember the wolf pack, and give yourself some space. Watch videos or read resources about your chosen movement practices.  That way you can continue to be in that inspired place without overly-stimulating your frazzled nervous system.

Let your intentions and goals act as flexible shapeshifters, so they can take the form of what you need at any moment.  Give yourself a permission slip to do what you need, not what you think you should do.