Be The Bored Yogi No More

Be The Bored Yogi No More
Are you getting tired of your yoga practice? As enjoyable as your fitness regime may have been in the beginning, it is not uncommon to become disillusioned. If you’re no longer feeling your routine, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone. So put on your favorite yoga pants, pull up your ponytail, and embrace change.

 If you aren’t sure where to start, the following tips can point you down the road less traveled, where you might just find what you’ve been looking for.

 Stop going to class.
If you find yourself stressed about money and making your monthly membership payment, you won’t get anywhere near the benefits you should out of your yoga class. So stop. There are many ways to practice yoga without stretching your budget thin. 

 One idea is to stream classes at home. If you don’t have a television or device to do this, look for an option that you can comfortably afford. For example, a Roku is much less expensive than a structured yoga class, and you can choose which programs you want to watch and follow along with. Just explore the features of different models and match one up with your budget. 

 Get a little risky.
Just as The Daily Positive explains, there is a kind of power in taking risks. First, it gives us an opportunity to sidestep our comfort zones. But perhaps more importantly, stepping into the unknown empowers us to continue to move forward. In each new endeavor, we gain confidence and discover possibilities we didn't know existed. Don’t be afraid to try something different in your life as a dedicated yogi, even if it feels a little weird. When you think about it, you really are not risking that much, but you stand to gain a ton.

 Set goals you can keep.
Maybe you are not ready to do goat yoga, or you feel that laughter yoga is a bit too far into left field. That does not mean you cannot set goals for yourself to try something new or to simply become better at something that is already comfortable. Your goals do not have to be super dramatic or life-changing. 

 You might, for example, set a goal to meditate deeply, rather than letting your mind wander. Remember, set goals that motivate you because it is this motivation that will move you to act. You can use your phone to set goals – and reminders – so that you can keep up with your progress, and there are even apps designed specifically for setting and tracking your achievements. Do not limit yourself to monthly achievements; set both weekly and monthly goals, which will give you something to feel productive about.

 Add another exercise to your lineup.
If you eat plain spaghetti noodles every day for an entire month, you’ll soon grow tired of carbs. Likewise, if the only purposeful movement your body ever feels is yoga, your interest in exercise is going to go MIA. Shake things up a bit by leaving the spandex behind and trying a new training routine. Try skipping yoga class once each week, and swap in a cardiovascular or strength training program. 

 NerdFitness indicates that strength training does not mean getting jacked, but simply increasing your strength to a level more than it is today. Something as simple as doing one push-up today and two push-ups tomorrow is all you need to plant the seeds of a solid strength training regimen.

 If all else fails, there is no shame in taking a short hiatus from your yoga regimen. When your yoga routine is no longer enjoyable, a six-month break may remind you just how much you enjoy it. After all, you never truly know what you have until it’s gone.

 Image via Unsplash Well Sheila