Yoga for the New Year

Happy 2016! In a way, the last several months have been a blur just keeping everyone’s basic needs met at home.  I have made an effort to be fully present for Esther Kate’s new baby days because she is my last baby, and I wish I could make every day last a few more hours. Sleeping, breathing, minimally getting by and working to keep myself mentally and physically balanced has been my focus since August. Doing yoga has been a big part of that.

I’ll be 40 in 40 days. That has inspired me for the new year to share what I’m doing, and to make a little comeback here. I miss connecting through this space. In 2016 I’m going to find time to do the things that are most important to me, in whatever way I can.

Monday I started my 40 days of yoga until I turn 40. I’m also doing a 30 day guide to self-discipline, through the book Making a Change for Good by Cheri Huber. I took the journey last year in my 200-hour teacher training and now I’m doing it again, because it’s a constant source of learning about myself.

Some days me doing yoga looks like this.

The girls were still out of school yesterday so me doing yoga at home looked like this. 

It was not quite the zen experience one hopes for with yoga. But I did it. I have committed to do 40 days of yoga. Today was a day when I practiced acceptance. I got 10 minutes on my mat before the girls announced their plan to switch rooms and start rearranging all the furniture upstairs.

“Wait. Give me 10 minutes,” I said. They all joined in and I was grateful for my 10 minutes. I gave myself credit for day 1.

For Making a Change for Good, Monday was day 1 for me of the 30 Days of Compassionate Self-Discipline. Incorporated in the “retreat” is meditating for 10 minutes a day. For me meditating is done while nursing, quietly, just us, without distractions. That led me to my one commitment for the 30 days, to practice self-discipline. Mine will be to not take my phone with me every time I sit down to nurse. Instead I’ll curl up with my baby, some snacks and a good old fashion book.

And in some cases, a pump to store away some milk for later. So I can attend classes at the yoga studio and leave baby girl at home. At times technology is useful. At times it is a hindrance that makes it difficult to center oursleves while jumping from task to conversation and back again. I hope to find a manageable balance to prevent me from multitasking when it’s not necessary. Because with four kids its necessary a lot! But this little face will only be this little for such a short time. She already as a tooth!!