Set Up Your Space
1. It helps to have a designated yoga spot in your home. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, and you certainly don’t need an entire room (although, that’s awesome if you have one). Creating a ritual is a great way to bolster your commitment, and your motivation. Try to leave your props in a visible location. Seeing them will be good encouragement. You might want to invest in an essential oil, or a scented candle that you like. Use it each time you come to your mat. Do you like to practice to music? Set a playlist for yourself ahead of time so you don’t spend the first 15minutes of your practice picking out the perfect song. When in doubt, skip it. How often to we get to be quiet?
Monitor Your Expectations
1. Practicing at home is different than practicing at a yoga studio. For better, and for worse. It helps to think ahead of time about the logistics of rolling your mat out. If your home is full of other beings, human or otherwise, see if you can carve out a quiet spot somewhere. You might want to fill your roommates, your spouse, or your kids in on your yoga plans and let them know you really need this time for yourself. Set a boundary so they can learn to respect it. That being said, while you might imagine practicing yoga at home to be a sacred, quiet experience, in reality you’ll probably be interrupted by family members, pets, roommates, your cell phone, etc. Do what you can to minimize interruptions, but know that you can still get so much benefit from your practice even if your dog is sitting on your mat with you, and your baby is crying in the next room, and your phone is ringing. Just commit to getting yourself on the mat, the rest will follow.
Do What Feels Good
1. If consistency is a struggle, it really helps to do the stuff you love to do. Focus on the poses, stretches, and breathing techniques that feel really good for you. Yes, we “should” be doing the things we don’t love, and the work that’s really challenging, but if we don’t even make it onto our mat because we think our practice should look or feel a certain way, then we’re doing ourselves a disservice. Let your practice be something you look forward to. Treat yourself well with the time that you have available. It will bolster your commitment.
Set a Goal
1. When you’re trying to pick up a new habit, it can help to be a little goal-oriented. It’s hard to keep track of how often you’re doing something, and for how long, if you don’t actually keep track of it. Write your commitment down in this format “I will practice yoga at home for at least _______min, at least _______days per week.” Then, if you’re the kind of person that needs a little accountability, you can hold yourself accountable by tracking how often you complete your goal in a journal, or a note on your phone. You can even set an alarm to remind yourself it’s time to get on the mat. Make it a pleasure, not a chore. If you know you need external accountability - make a commitment with a friend, and check in on each other.

In our 2019 Kickstart Program, there’s built in accountability through our private Facebook group that’s just for participants. All the videos will be posted there, and you’ll have direct access to Amy to ask questions anytime throughout the program.

What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to practicing yoga at home consistently? Leave your response in the comments below: