Creating Good Habits

I found an interesting article on how long it takes to form a habit. You can read it here.

Yoga Yoga started the 40 Day Challenge on the belief that a new habit takes 40 days to form. This article eased my mind around a little stress I created internally during the challenge. What if I miss classes? (I did.) What if 40 days isn't enough? (It was.) How much change can I really make in 40 days?

That last question was the one mistake I feel I made in starting this challenge. The point of the challenge is to make one single change in every day life, consistently, to create a good, new habit. I, in true Megan fashion, took on the task of too many challenges at one time. It wasn't just going to class that I decided to change. It was also saying I would meditate every day. I would blog every day. I would read about yoga every day. I would tweet about yoga every day. All of this. Every. Single. Day.

Impossible. I can hardly fit all I want to in every day already. This challenge was very much an "eyes bigger than my stomach" situation. The above mentioned article stated that in their research, forming a new habit could take anywhere from 18-254 days. I feel like I hit my yoga habit around day 21. It was a day I felt really good about what I had been doing and knew that not continuing the practice was not an option for me. Yoga felt, and continues to feel, like a way of life for me. A way to live my life every day. Now that's a habit!

All of the other stuff I wanted to challenge myself to do can still happen. I am reading The Secret Power of Yoga every day now, because I feel, for me, it's very important to continue to learn the "how and why" of yoga. I have committed to continue blogging about this journey because I am excited about all of the experiences and feel motivated to share them. There won't be a blog post every day, because a habit doesn't have to be an every day occurrence, as long as it's consistent and, well, habitual.

On another note, someone asked me today what poses I thought were solving my life-long multiple chin issue. To that person, and to you all, I promise you it is Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog.) This is the pose that works basically every muscle in your body, including those in the neck. I will also warn you that it is addicting. It doesn't seem so at first, but once you get the hang of it, it feels SO good. The whole body stretches...pure awesomeness. Try to learn it today (here's a link) or even better, try out YogaGlo.com and find some beginner's classes that do Sun Salutations. The poses that take you into and out of Dog make it even more awesome.

Namaste.