Monday Motivators: Yoga with Adriene

My husband and I are currently in Week 3 of another round of the Whole Life Challenge . After 8 weeks "off", we began to crave more accountability again; something to steer us back on track and away from some of our toxic habits. I'll confess, we are allowing for a bit more leniency in these games, but I actually think that's better, because we're experiencing real life, while also honoring some tough guidelines.

Birthdays (both of ours + a few friends), anniversaries, the end of the school year, and reunions back home are all happening at once, so we're bound to run into temptations --but we're cool with it. We're having fun while maintaining a healthy mindfulness.

The WLC games generally stay the same: nutrition guidelines, daily exercise and vitamins, reflections and comradery. The big change I was hoping to really own and internalize this time around was the stretching component. The requirement is to engage in stretching for 10 min each day.

Last time, I honestly saw it as a chore. I took advantage of the flexible rules and split those 10 minutes into about 15-20 mini stretching sessions. It did NOT give me the flexibility I wanted but even more so, it didn't allow me to have a daily meditation-type practice that would allow me to take time for me, to start each day with some sense of calm. I really needed and desperately wanted to make that life change. But I'm always so rushed and distract myself so easily...

Enter Yoga with Adriene.

As much as I would love to go on and on and on and on about the crush I have developed on sweet Adriene, I'll save you the 12 page narrative and just beg you to trust me. Better yet, just Google her.

What I will tell you now why she's become the topic of my Monday Motivators: Participating in YWA's 30 Days of Yoga, in addition to the many other workouts YWA has to offer, has provided me with something that I can--and have-- committed to to fill that stretching-meditation void. On the reg.  No joke.

Today is Sweet 16 for me. I've now practiced yoga once--and more often, twice--every day for over two weeks now. The first practice is always before work in the morning. I'm actually excited to get up each morning! EARLY. I open my email to find the next day's YWA video waiting for me....along with a purposeful message from Adriene herself.

Once you get to know her, you'll see all she has to offer and just how addicting her company really is.  And if you find the same admiration I have, please subscribe to her YouTube channel and her weekly newsletter. She even has a vlog , so you can really get to know her and learn from her in the flesh...ish.

This Monday, I am motivated and oh so grateful for having found this YouTube channel..and for the real and lasting habit it has brought into my life.

 [Homemade mat cleaner: white vinegar, water & your choice of essential oils. I prefer eucalyptus from Whole Foods. Only $10, compared to $20+ at similar shops.]

This is the haven I have created in our guest room. It's clean, it's spatious and--most importantly--it's quiet and distraction free.

[And yes, I do want one of her tanks ...and yes, I'm sure I'll own one very soon.]

Oh, yea!  My 35th birthday is later this week as well...so I suppose I'm motivated by the fact that, at this ripe old age, I'm still finding new things to excite me!  Make it a great week and be sure to do something that makes you happy and feel good every day.

Namaste, everyone!