What Motivates You?

I am a procastinator. I have big ideas, and I know the steps to take to make them happen and yet I find myself finding 100 other things to do than turn those big ideas into action. My yoga practice is no exception. I know I should meditate every morning, the benefits are amazing and I encourage my students to meditate. But when I sit down to practice, I am easily distracted. I am not motivated to meditate, instead, I am motivated to create content, class ideas, read or learn. So I am embracing this as a sign that I need to find a better time in my day, a time with fewer distractions, so I can meditate.

Yoga is more than just a physical practice. It’s a spiritual journey of self-discovery! When you are connecting with your body, mind, and spirit on your mat, it can be helpful to have something that motivates and inspires you along the way. Learning what motivates you during yoga practice can help deepen your connection to yourself and explore the myriad of benefits that this ancient practice brings forth. In this blog post, we will discuss what finding motivation within yourself might look like, ideas on where to find inspiration and advice for staying committed to this nurturing practice. Ready? Let’s dive in!

Identify your passions

Yoga has been a passion of mine for quite some time now; it fulfills my body's need for physical exercise and my mind's need for relaxation and clarity. Yoga helps me to stay in shape but also lets me take a moment to center myself and access the inner calm that resides beneath the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Yoga can be intense depending on the style one practice, and I find these more rigorous workouts really challenge my body while providing an endorphin boost afterward. Beyond just being great for physical health, yoga is deeply spiritual giving me an opportunity to both connect with something greater than myself and detach from the chaos of this world. Yoga provides peace within a noisy world, allowing me to find stillness inside my turbulent headspace.

It is not my only passion, I also am passionate about my daughter, and my friends, learning, reading, and being in nature.

What are your passions?

Make a list of your goals - both short-term and long-term

Taking the time to make a list of your goals can be an incredibly beneficial exercise. Knowing what you want from life in both the short-term and long term can help keep you motivated, organized, and focused. When setting goals, it is important to be realistic about what you can accomplish, but also to push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit since that is often where real growth happens. Writing out your ambitions also allows you to visualize them as tangible achievements, which can give you the confidence to go after them. So why not take some time today to make a list of ambitions? Small steps taken today can add up to big results tomorrow!

Set yourself mini-milestones to keep you on track with your larger objectives

Are you working towards a big goal and finding it hard to stay motivated? Breaking down those larger objectives into mini-milestones can help give you the motivation boost you need to stay on track. Setting smaller goals helps keep you focused on achieving success along the path to reaching bigger objectives - they act as short-term successes that when accomplished, will encourage you to keep going as well as provide positive reinforcement that your hard work is paying off. You'll be surprised at how quickly achieving these mini-milestones accumulates to make a big difference in achieving your larger desired outcome.

Surround yourself with positive people who help encourage you and provide feedback when needed

Surrounding yourself with a positive yoga community is an excellent way to nurture personal growth! By actively engaging in meaningful conversations and learning from each other's experiences, you create bonds of trust, respect, and mutual understanding. It's important to have people around you who believe in you and your yoga journey, who can provide honest feedback when needed, yet know when to offer positivity and encouragement. With the right yoga community acting as support, you can flourish on a physical, mental, and emotional level

Take time for yourself to relax - it can be anything from a bubble bath, reading a book, or going for a walk

Taking time for yourself is an important part of living a balanced and healthy life. Allowing yourself the opportunity to relax, unwind, and enjoy the little things gives you balance from the hustle and bustle of daily routines. Taking time for yourself doesn't have to mean taking a spa day or sitting in complete silence – it can be anything that brings you joy, such as reading your favorite book for an hour, calling a friend to catch up, having a bubble bath accompanied by your favorite tunes or even just taking a walk around your neighborhood. Those few moments make all the difference between feeling energized or drained. Give yourself permission to take some "Me Time" every day - whatever works best to help put your life back into perspective.

Celebrate your victories - even if they're small! It's important to recognize your progress no matter how big or small it may be

Celebrating your successes is an important part of staying motivated and progressing towards greater goals. Even if a victory may seem small to you, take time to recognize and appreciate it - this will help sustain your enthusiasm for the journey ahead. Everyone has good days and bad days, so allowing yourself to relish in your moments of triumph will fuel you with positivity, hope, and energy that can be difficult to come by at times. Commend yourself for milestones achieved because it will give you the courage to reach even further!

At the end of the day, it's important to remember that pursuing your passion and staying motivated to achieve your goals is a balancing act. It's important to find a way to identify and pursue your passions, create achievable goals for yourself, and surround yourself with positive people that help you stay on track. But it’s also essential that you take time for yourself - be it in the form of a quiet bubble bath or going for a walk, taking the time off can help provide much-needed perspective. Most importantly, don't forget to celebrate your victories - no matter how big or small! Always recognize your progress and pat yourself on the back every now and then. This can be as simple as buying yourself some flowers or note cards in anticipation of what's coming next. So, what motivates YOU? Do something today that will move you one step closer to realising your dreams!