A few years ago, I read an article about “mastering”, that is, the result of doing what you promised and decided to master, even when you really didn’t like it. I resonate with this, and often return to the light bulb moment when I don’t want to appear on my yoga mat. When I try to overcome the obstacles (usually fabricated excuses) to climb the mat, almost always, I’m glad I practiced. I seldom regret spending time doing yoga. Can you also think of this?

The benefits of yoga are numerous, and it is so rich for those who feel the influence of regular practice on their health. Life is sometimes challenging, and there is something to return to and bring a greater sense of calm, which is priceless. I have learned that for whatever reason, focusing on breathing and putting my body in these powerful yoga combinations can change my thinking and make me feel more relaxed, happy and satisfied again and again.

However, to get the benefits of yoga, you must really practice yoga. This is probably the biggest challenge! When teaching yoga, I often tell the students a few minutes before class that they have finished the most difficult part, just go to class.

There are so many benefits, why is it still a battle to stand on the mat? Whatever the reason, finding an excuse solution can make your yoga movements more regular and beneficial.

1. Enjoy the practice

This is probably the most important hint. If you don’t like yoga, you are unlikely to appear all the time. Keep trying teachers, studios and styles until you find something you like. Quite simply, we are more likely to repeat what we really like, rather than think we should do it.

To enjoy this kind of practice, it is usually to find a suitable teacher and strike a delicate balance between hard work and relaxation for your unique body. When class is too difficult, it is easy not to keep going. When class is too easy, you will feel bored and have no motivation to go to class. When you find the perfect teachers for your body, the place where you leave feels perfect, but enjoy the process, and you will be more likely to appear again and again.

If you allow it, practicing yoga will make you feel pain, or you will have a moment when you are ecstatic as your breath moves. Remember, you have a choice. Play your favorite music, find a relaxed teacher, don’t take yourself too seriously, and remember to make your yoga interesting.

2. Join the studio (or online studio)

In his book Willpower Doesn’t Work, Benjamin Hardy thinks that it is the environment that creates the motive force, not just our own inner willpower. When we devote ourselves to an environment for practicing yoga, such as a studio, we are more likely to appear and practice. When you have a place to go, a teacher you know, and studio expenses you have already paid, it becomes second nature to appear on your mat.

Isn’t there a studio you like around you? Fortunately, online studios, such as YogaDownload, which I teach, are virtual studios that you can access from anywhere, and can still build continuous practice with various teachers. Technology makes it easier to get in touch with yoga than ever before. As a teacher, it is surprising to read comments from students who are attending classes all over the world and benefit from regular yoga practice.

3. Participate in teacher training

Some people take part in teacher training for the purpose of teaching, while others know that they don’t want to teach, but they raise their practice to another level through training. One of the main advantages of teacher training is that you can learn how to organize and arrange a complete yoga class and have a deeper knowledge of health adjustment.

This information makes it easier for you to spread out the mat and know what to do, instead of guessing the order of posture.

4. Carry out family practice

Similar to the above suggestions, having your own habit of practicing yoga at home is a difference in the amount of yoga you do. Although teacher training will help, you may be surprised at how much you can piece together, just the number of courses you bring. Similarly, if you don’t like practicing without teacher’s guidance, you can still develop a family yoga routine through online channels!

5. Create a responsibility

The accountability system worked. Whether you form your own responsibility group with friends, where you set your weekly life goals (practicing yoga can be one of them), or form a yoga group, where you go to class together once a week, or make a more casual commitment with friends, the bottom line is to tell people that you are going to do something, which makes you more likely to do it.

Although it is not always easy, honesty and trustworthiness are very important to start trusting yourself. Therefore, although you may be more likely to give up your practice, when you give it to others, you will be more likely to give up. It’s as simple as having a yoga date with friends!

6. Teach yoga

Although this may not be a practical suggestion for everyone, the responsibility provided by teaching may be the only reason why I insist on this practice for a long time. I doubt it very much, but who knows, maybe if I hadn’t started a road as a teacher, I would have given up yoga for new passion and pursuit.

However, part of being a good teacher is to stick to one’s own practice. Besides yoga practice, there is something worse to do, that is, keep working! When I am immersed in my own yoga practice, the difference between my teaching quality and that when I am not immersed in my own yoga practice is obvious. If I become lazy, the fact that I teach others yoga gives me the motivation to return to my mat, and I am humbled by this endless lifelong relationship.

7. Hit hard

Some of us are products of habit, while others are diverse lovers. Many of us are lying somewhere in the middle. Doing the same thing in the same place day after day may suppress the excitement of anything after a period of time.

There are so many unique yoga styles, each of which has its own advantages and methods, so you don’t have to be bored or uninspired in yoga. If you don’t feel motivated, try a new style. When I practiced at my greatest age, my practice was a mixture of Wenyasar, Hatta, Astana, heat and yin. It will be different. Sometimes I prefer one of the styles.

What matters is not the style, but the fact that we practice. Once in a while, you will have a sex lesson. If you need help to relax, you may really like it. This is also the place where the Internet can provide a variety of choices. More and more real-life studios offer more courses in their curriculum.

8. Set a goal for the number of exercises per week

Simply choosing the number of times you want to take part in yoga every week can give you more structure to practice. If you insist on having a class every week, but know that you want more, you may choose three or four days a week to practice. If you are zero, or once a month, even practicing twice a week can make a positive change in your life. If you practice regularly, but want to go up to a higher level, challenge yourself, five or six days a week, or sign up for yoga challenge, which can support you to practice every day for several weeks to a month.

Remember, there are no rules about how much you need to practice, so explore what numbers are ideal for you!

9. Be reasonable & be gentle with yourself

We are not robots, nor are we here to be perfect. Although our goal may be to appear six days a week, if you find that your daily work is not always feasible, take four days to start and increase from there. What is important is that the goals you set can be achieved, even if they are challenging. Don’t set unrealistic goals, and find yourself disappointed again and again. On the contrary, prepare for success.

The same is true of your physical feeling and practice intensity. If you find that you have gone too far, and your yoga is actually harmful to your health, please downgrade it! Remember, one of the foundations of yoga is Ahimsa, which means no harm, so always listen to your body to ensure that practice is actually beneficial to you.

Conclusion: Regardless of your previous experience or preferred practice methods, playing different skills can make yoga more regular for you. If you know that yoga is helpful to your physical and mental health, keep practicing and make it your priority in life. Not only do you benefit from the magic of yoga, but so do the people in your life.