What to Do When Yoga Feels Like Work

Personal development is tough, especially when things get in the way. Like life.

Last year, I got this urge to really dig my heels into something. I wasn’t feeling too confident about a lot of things in my life and I felt that if there was just one thing that I could do well, that I could pour my heart into, I’d feel a bit more grounded and stable.

Yoga was that thing. It was a way for me to cultivate physical and mental wellbeing and it would be a nice compliment to my spiritual growth. It gave me something new to blog about, which encouraged writing for myself rather than just work. It gave me a new circle of friends, an outlet from rote responsibilities,  new challenges, and so much more.

But since moving across town, I’ve hit a rut. I gained weight (which has affected me much more than I thought that it would) and I’ve moved more than 57 miles away from my studio and the friends that I’ve made there. The closest studio to my new residence is more than 30 miles away and costs nearly twice as much.

I’m 100% aware that these are first world problems.

That doesn’t change the fact that it sucks. My momentum has whiplashed into a screeching halt. My practice has started to feel like work.

If you’re in a similar place and live in the Atlanta area, contact me and we can commiserate together over a cup of tea!

Otherwise, I pulled together a few quotations that may help us get through the rut. Use them as mantras. Write them on Post Its and stick them around the house like Mary Jane. Whatever it takes. We can get through this and levitate together once we get on the other side 🙂 The important thing is to keep going.

I also recommend that you try restorative yoga. It’s a passive practice that dials down the physical effort while allowing you to improve your flexibility, focus on your breathing, and and calm your mind. It’s yoga without the physical exertion and many of the benefits! Check out my post this upcoming Thursday for benefits of a restorative practice and recommended poses.