With the YWA (Yoga with Adriene) community.
I’ve been practicing yoga inconsistently since 2012. My first video was from Yoga with Adriene. In 2019 I decided to take it more seriously. I joined the Kula community and signed up for the 30-day yoga challenge — Dedicate. I’ve since then committed to regular yoga practices and I am now doing my second 30-day yoga challenge.
If you are not sure and still deciding if you should commit or unsure how you would be able to maintain a sustainable habit. I am sharing my journey and hopefully inspire you to do the same.
As I started HOME this year, I flashed back to my amazing journey that started in 2019.
Joining the 30-day challenge
Like most of us, I wasn’t sure how I would maintain a daily practice! I reached out to the community and honestly definitely the best-engaged community.
After my 2nd practice, I felt incredible and decided to post each day’s theme.
Day 3: Observe
I loved this one. At that time I was looking for another job. I was reminded to be mindful and think about my options to make the best decision for me.
Day 4: Feel
It was only the fourth day! So you could imagine my lack of confidence I had at the time. Looking back I now feel proud of my confidence knowing I can do 30 days and more!
Day 5: Flow
I love how yoga not only practices your physical body but how it also strengthened your mind. I used to feel very tired by Thursday and Friday I was a zombie and with daily yoga practice, I feel less tired mentally.
Day 6: Core
I see this fragile person in the beginning and already transforming into a happier person.
Day 7: Surya
Surya (/ˈsuːrjə/; Sanskrit: सूर्य, IAST: Sūrya) is a Sanskrit word that means the Sun.
I sure do love doing my Yoga outside did I mention that? Where I live it’s summer in January and it’s just a perfection combination to start the day outside and refreshed.
Day 8: Meditate
I might have watched Toy Story before this yoga practice ;) This mediation kicked off my next curiosity into meditating more frequently. There is something beautiful about looking back now and see how each practice sparked something in me that I yet was to discover.
Day 9: Divine
“Namaste — The divine in me honors the divine in you” — The term derives from Sanskrit and literally means “I bow to you.
Day 10: Expand
As with all yoga practices you are practicing self-love. This was the beginning of putting aside “me time”. Now I can’t imagine myself without “me time” and even when days get hectic I make time.
Day 11: Courage
You know yoga worked when you can take what you practiced on the mat for the rest of your day. Let’s be honest that’s the hardest part. It’s easy to experience courage on your mat. The true practice is to be courageous in your daily activities that’s when the real practice starts
Day 12: Curate
We all are writing our own stories. Or who is really writing your story, you or somebody else? This is the same time I started designing my life, living more consciously seeking fulfillment and happiness in career and life. Now I’m a life designer helping people to create a life that’s meaningful, joyful and fulfilling using a creative problem-solving process.
Day 13: Space
I’ve mentioned earlier during this time I was thinking about new job opportunities. I’m a planner and a realist and sometimes strict with what I need to do versus what I should be doing. This reminded me to be open to whatever comes my way before judging.
Day 14: Grace
Yes, I’m religious and for some reason these days it’s almost frowned upon. I’m also an introvert so sharing this piece was a little peek into who I am. Don’t be scared to share who you are but don’t force who you are onto somebody else.
Day 15: Reveal
Before reveal came out I already started to reveal little bits of myself. I didn’t realize this at the time but I’m a little proud of how I’ve grown and giggling how I’m preaching to myself.
Day 16: Dulce
So appropriate “Sweet 16”. I always try to remind myself if I’m feeling horrible that I allowed someone to make me feel that way.
Day 17: Learn
The biggest lesson I’ve learned by far is that your body is telling you what it needs. You have to be in touch with your body and listen to it! It’s telling us so much…
Day 18: Love
This day I also shared one of my favorite songs from U2 — One. I remember singing outside on my mat without being shy that my neighbors might hear me.
“One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should”— U2
Day 19: Listen
I want to start singing the song from Roxette. Very fitting as this was my sister’s favorite band and they both had brain cancer. Both of them also passed away in 2019.
“Listen to your heart when he’s calling for you
Listen to your heart there’s nothing else you can do” — Roxette
Day 20: Lead
It’s always easier if someone else makes the tough decisions on your behalf. Or even better when you make no decisions at all because then you can’t blame yourself if it doesn’t work out.
This was me, but as you can guess that made me extremely unhappy. I had to start leading my own life, make the mistakes that I needed to grow and discover my true self.
Day 21: Light
I saw a pattern with the 5 “L” not sure if it’s intended but it made for a good message. “ Learn, Love, Listen, Lead & Light”
Day 22 & 23: Steady & Joyful
I was still on track doing my yoga daily. Although I posted once for both days — it was starting to get tough for me to keep up.
Day 24: Balance
Let’s get things out there it doesn't mean that if you are a yogi that you are good at everything in yoga. Besides flexibility — balance is tricky for me!
I’ve taken a photo of my footprints on my mat as while we were doing various balance poses.
Day 25: Alive
Only 5 days left and what a feeling it was to be this dedicated! Pun intended :) to something that I didn’t think I would be able to do.
When you think you can’t do something you might not do it. Why not try — you never know where the journey will lead you.
I told you about my job search and around this time I found a remote UX Specialist role in digital health. I like to think the yoga experience got something to do with it :)
Day 26: Drop
“Drop it like it’s hot” We as humans like to cling onto things and this is the same things that prevent us from being our best.
Day 27: Power
Most of the time when we think about the word power we think of physical strength or of people in power. I like to think that through mental power we can also empower ourselves.
Day 28: Dedicate
Not everyone is receptive or able to join this journey. This was a perfect opportunity to dedicate my journey to someone I felt needed it most.
Day 29: Celebrate
We don’t celebrate enough. We complain so easy but what if you also celebrate the joyous moments. We let joyous moments go by and let negativity rule positivity.
Day 30: Liberate
There you have it! My 30 days and I sure did it :) I’ll leave you with my then final message.
If you’d like to take the 2019 Dedicate challenge check it here & 2020 Home here.
DISCLAIMER: I’m not affiliated in any way or means with YWA (Yoga With Adriene). It changed me for the better and decided that it’s worth sharing if it means more people could enjoy this journey.
