7 Tips To Maintain Your Yoga Practice This Holiday Season

 

'Tis officially the season! This is a really special time of year for a lot of people filled with gatherings and preparations for the coming holidays. I love it when the lights go up, Christmas music comes on and a general feeling of warmth and cosiness descends. It's often a time of warm drinks, firelight and a change of season as nature takes on a slower pace.

The holidays can be fun and exciting but for many of us, they also come with added stress from present-buying, party planning and a bit less time for ourselves. Having less time for yourself can also impact your yoga practice and it can feel frustrating to not be able to end the year with a dedicated yoga practice. So, if you're struggling to fit in your yoga practice or are frustrated you don't have time for it, here are 7 Tips To Maintain Your Yoga Practice This Holiday Season.

 

1) Morning Routine

 

Starting the day with a little bit of time for ourselves can shift how we go about our day and how we feel throughout. So if you've got a really busy day ahead (even if you don't normally practice in the morning), try finding yourself 10-30 minutes of a morning (maybe setting that alarm a bit earlier) to practice yoga. This could mean hopping on the mat for a fiery practice, sitting in meditation, doing a breath work practice or it can also be making a cup of tea and journalling or going out for a short morning walk. Yoga is all about intention and having a short period in the morning to set an intention for your day and start you out in a way that feels good can have a positive effect on how you feel this holiday season. Take the morning to be grateful and set an intention for the day/week ahead.

 

2. Give Yourself a Break

 

If you're someone who is used to long fiery yoga practices and feels frustrated when you have to miss them (I've been there), then perhaps it's time for a shift in mindset around this time of year (easier said than done - I know). Winter is a time when nature slows down, many animals hibernate and the days are shorter. In yoga terms, winter is much more of a "yin" time of year. A time of being and observing rather than always doing. This can perhaps add to our stress levels if we feel we want to slow down but our modern lives are asking us to speed up. So, give yourself a break. Not necessarily giving up your practice entirely but acknowledging that this is a time of year for introspection and slowing down and allowing yourself to lean into that. So, if you need to skip your yoga practice to do something else or to just be and relax, make that the priority - that's also part of yoga. Give in to what you need rather than sticking to a schedule. Yoga should be a joy and a pleasure rather than another stressful activity on our to-do list.

 

3. Change the way you practice

As mentioned in the previous tip, winter is our "yin" time of year. A time for slowing down and being. This might inspire you to change how you practice around the holiday season. If you're feeling particularly stressed at this time of year, then use that as motivation to find a more relaxing practice. This might mean doing a yin practice or an extended meditation or breath work as opposed to a lot of movement. Maybe you just need a nice long savasana. And changing your practice also might mean changing how long you practice. If you feel you haven't got a huge window for practice, then just do what you can when you can. Listen to what your mind and your body are asking for. Let this be a time for intuitive practice.

 

4. Gift Yourself a Yoga Class

Maybe you're running around organising and attending events or cooking up a storm and taking care of everyone around you. Sometimes life can feel overwhelming and as if you have no time for yourself. So give yourself a gift of some time for yourself perhaps by attending a yoga class or similar in person or online and carving out a bit of time just for you. Showing up for yourself can help you show up better for others. Remember, we can't pour from an empty cup.

 

5. Practice With A Loved One

It might be that you're not the only one struggling to find time for your practice. Perhaps a partner, friend or family member is in the same boat. So, support one another. Find some time to practice together or help each other stay motivated and accountable to keep practising (however big or small) throughout the holiday season.

 

6. Take Part In A Yoga Challenge

The internet is exploding with all kinds of pre-Christmas yoga challenges from local teachers to famous youtube yogis to help you stay motivated this holiday season. So, if you're keen to keep practising or you have a specific goal for the season, you can find a yoga challenge to suit you. Head to youtube and check out the challenges from your favourite yogis.

 

7. Set Intentions for the New Year

Maybe you let your practice go a little bit this December and you haven't found your groove to get back into it. No worries! Take some time off this season and come at it afresh in the new year. To help, you can set some new year intentions or gift yourself a yoga studio or online membership or perhaps treat yourself with a new sustainable non-slip yoga mat to help you find that motivation for the coming year.

I hope you found some useful tips here to keep practising throughout the holiday season and remember to give yourself a break and let yourself enjoy the season. Embrace the slower pace and the change that comes with your yoga practice. Don't worry about skipping a yoga session - there's always next year!

 

Loved 7 Tips To Maintain A Healthy Yoga Practice This Holiday Season?

 

>>>>> Check out What Is Hygge? - All You Need To Know To Master The Art Of Hygge 

>>>>> Check out What To Buy Someone Who Loves Yoga?

>>>>> Check out 8 Best Yoga Festivals in the UK to Check Out in 2023

>>>>> Check out What Is EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique)? How Does It Work?

 

This blog post was brought to you by Rachel Dean.
Rachel is a yoga teacher and writer currently based in Northern Mexico.
"An adventurer, wildflower, cat lover and sunset chaser.
Yoga is a creative expression of our soul <3"
@sunnyrachelyoga