I Did Yoga Every Day for 30 Days

Focus on the things you can control, they say

How we’re already in February, I do not know. January felt both a million years a nano-second. The rah rah of the new year has worn off and has been replaced (at least in my world) by the constant low-key dread of still not having a full-time job or full-time income. And if I can get real for a second, financial pressures as a single parent are in a league of their own. I want to give my kid the world and right now, and I can’t give him anything besides the basics. I try to remind myself that it’s enough, but there are days it feels anything but.

Photo by kike vega on Unsplash

So while it’s T E R R I F Y I N G to not have an income, I’m trying to be grateful for the amount of time I am getting to spend with my son, and being able to process our big feelings together after four years of “life being really tough to us”, as my almost-six-year-old put it.

My friend recently said that they admire even in times of difficulty, I’m still able to find a bright spot. It is my superpower, I guess. In the midst of this sometimes-great, sometimes-really-fucking-hard month, I managed to do yoga every day.

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” will continue to floor me, especially with this line and scene. I don’t think I’ve ever felt a gut punch like this before.

If you haven’t heard of Yoga with Adriene— 1) where have you been? and 2) stop what you’re doing and check out her videos. I, along with half of the world, discovered her during lockdown when we were all trying to find ways to not lose our minds or bodies. Enter the girl-next-door cutie from Texas, with her adorable doggo Benji, putting some yoga videos on youtube and reminding us all that we’re “superstars.” I’ve done my yoga videos quite sporadocially since then, but never committed to a 30-day challenge or full calendar. In my mind, I already stretch daily and do Pilates and strength training 1-2 times a week, what benefits would a daily yoga practice bring? Turns out a lot.

A 30-day yoga challenge to start the year seemed to fit into the the theme of this year, “peaceful power and abundance.” Adriene’s yoga journey was called “FLOW” and during the first session, she asked us to set an intention. Mine was “commit.” If I wasn’t working, I could commit to doing 25 minutes of yoga every day. So, I did. There were a couple of days that I skipped, but then I would do 2 videos the next day to make up for it. Having a daily practice was a g-d-send during the chaos of the month. Get a rejection? Go to the mat. Hear frustrating news? Go to the mat. Overthink a friend conversation? Go to the mat. Can’t figure out a story point… you get it.

It also created healthy habits beyond a beneficial distraction. I couldn’t mindlessly snack before I was about to do bridges, so that habit died. I also found myself replacing a nightly glass of wine with a nightly cup of tea. I had more energy, patience, and I challenged myself to do poses I haven’t done in almost 20 years. For the yogis out there, I did CROW! Do you know how hard it is to do crow with a permanantly dislocated shoulder? VERY HARD! I held it for a second, but I felt safe and strong enough to even try it. What a good life lesson!

The 30-day flow program was honestly incredible for my mental health. I seriously recommend it if you’re looking for a way to move your body. Adriene also makes it clear, she’s only a guide… your practice is your practice, so it’s easy enough for beginners.

I’ve dealt with chronic pain for most of my adult life. As my former cheer squad (and most former competitive cheerleaders) will tell you, it takes it’s toll on our young bodies. In addition to that permanently dislocated shoulder, all my joints are hyperextended, my ankles and wrists have been sprained multiple times, I have knee issues, neck issues, and early stages of arthritis. I’ve tried all sorts of treatment, but this is the first month I haven’t woken up in pain in… I don’t know when. That’s pretty amazing. I think when you bring mindfulness to something, you can give it the time and care to really heal. Maybe that’s what I was able to do by devoting time to my body every day this month.

Seeing wonderful results was exactly what I needed for my mental health, too. I think the challenge of working in such a subjective industry is putting in the work, but rarely seeing the results we probably deserve. So, it felt really nice to do something and actually reap the rewards from it. A true gift.

Will I keep doing yoga every day? Honestly, I hope so. The challenge ended a couple of days ago, but I still went to the mat last night, like I have been. While I was in down-dog, I looked over to see my son had snuck out of his room and was in down-dog next to me.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”

“I couldn’t sleep, and I heard you doing yoga. Can I do it with you?”

My son and I did some yoga together for a couple of minutes and then he went back to his room. After I finished 10 minutes later, I checked on him and he (the chronic bad-sleeper) was sound asleep. So, maybe this healthy new habit of mine will also become a healthy new habit for my kid. Honestly, that’s the best reward.

Have a wonderful first week of February!