The start of the New Year is such a special time to (re)affirm our intentions for the year ahead, a collective endeavour to live our best life! And yet, there’s the baggage from previous years of stalled resolutions of short-lived attempts that case a shadow over our best intentions, so we’re ‘kinda’ committed but the little voice is sneering “Hmm, how long will this last?!” Sound familiar?Before I go further, I want to share my story. As a postgraduate student I was committed to my weekly at home Yoga DVD class. Every Thursday I’d roll out my mat, no questions or buts as I set the time aside and it was ultra convenient. Fast forward one year and I’m working crazy hours as a political consultant, thinking of every excuse why I’m too ________ to go to the Tuesday evening Yoga class. I’d bail out, sit on the couch and think “Next time will be different!”. Next time comes and it’s always 50/50 if I’ll go, I simply couldn’t trust myself to go to class. Then one evening I have an epiphany as I’m umming and ahhing about Yoga that evening: “When I least want to do something, that’s when I most need it” BOOM, a little wise part of me had woken up and answered my ‘WHY’ (more later). So my insight got me over the doubts and I genuinely never bailed on that Tuesday class again. When I felt the butterflies at the prospect of teaching Yoga, I researched training schools and gave myself an ultimatum: I commit to six days a week self-practice for the next six months; if I succeed, I apply, if I don’t, I’m not committed enough to share this wondrous tradition with others. Nearly nine years down the line, and my daily practice continues and my teaching is deeply rooted in my practice. How was I able to keep my commitment? I discovered my big 'WHY'. My heart’s desire was to teach Yoga which was 'WHY' I committed to my self-practice. Understanding the why behind our goals and commitments is vital to keeping ourselves motivated, otherwise we’re, at best, just stumbling around ambivalent about what we’d like to achieve; at worse, we’re following a goal that is not actually important to us - what a waste of time and energy!When we know our why, we come closer to the authentic voice inside that’s waiting for expression through our actions. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Why do I want to make this change/achieve this goal?
Is it important to me?
What do I gain if I decide not to do this?
What do I gain if I decide to do this?
Will this change expand or contract me?

If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely you have an interest in Yoga. Let me say this via the keyboard: Yoga is an incredible practice to not only strengthen your commitment muscles, but also clears away the noise that so often silences our authentic voice. By training your mind to come back to the present moment through breathing and moving, you are sharpening the invaluable tool of attention, which is key to overcoming distraction and adhering to your heartfelt desires. Whether you’re looking for dedicated Wellbeing Coaching, Yoga & Wellbeing Coaching, or dedicated Yoga sessions, we’d love to hear from you. We have private offerings, group classes, as well as Yoga Retreat Sardinia and workshops - just get in touch if you’d like more information. Happy New Year and may 2020 bring all you need and more. Charlene. X