I had been inconsistently practicing yoga and meditation for years. Earlier this summer I realized how starting my day with some focus on my health, physical and mental, could have a significant positive impact on my life. That’s when I decided to incorporate it into my every day routine.

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I started taking my yoga mat outside every morning around 6am. Once I got into the habit, after a few weeks, I began to crave that time. First I hit 30 days, then 60 and just kept going. I’ve had a few people ask me how many days I plan to do this. My answer has always been…. forever if I can help it.

So, what do I mean by doing yoga and meditation every day? Typically it all takes place on my deck, but in my 100 days I practiced on a dock, in a hotel room and even in the mossy dirt while camping. At minimum, I will go through a variety of sun salutations. I let how my body feels guide what poses I do.

Once those are complete, I settle down on the mat for some meditation. I don’t set a timer, but typically will meditate between 10-30 mins each morning. Most of my meditation is just quieting the mind, but I will spend some time visualizing the day ahead. Imagining myself successfully handling any potentially stressful or challenging situations on the agenda that day.

How has committing to this practice change me after 100 days? It wasn’t easy at first. But as with anything you practice every day, it becomes easier.

The daily yoga practice has increased my flexibility quite a bit. When I first began I had to do some of my poses using modifications. I had very tight hips from running and hiking. Now I can go deeper into poses, hold them for longer and have increased my overall muscle tone. Also, while yoga and meditation are very different activities, in order to be successful at yoga you need to concentrate. So in some ways it is another form of meditation.

My daily meditation practice is where I saw the most change. The amount of time in between thoughts got longer and it became easier to settle into a meditative state. Gaining more control over my mind and thoughts has been instrumental in my move to a more positive life. I more quickly recognize when my thoughts are racing or negative in nature and can bring myself back to the present moment.

Also, the daily positive visualizations that are a part of my meditation have been very helpful. It gives me confidence going into my day. Even if a situation doesn’t go as smoothly as it did in my head that morning, I can easily see when I’ve slipped into a negative or victim mentality and readjust.

Besides all of the benefits of yoga and meditation, the act of taking time for myself every day is an act of self compassion. I’m telling myself I’m worth this time. Laundry, work, Facebook…. it can all wait.