10-Minute At-Home Yoga

One morning, it all just clicked. 

I had been feeling sorry for myself. I found myself in complaint-mode too often. I mean, I had been to ONE solo yoga class since Max was born. One class in 15 months.

I never get any time to myself, I shouted internally.

And then I did something crazy.

I started consciously breathing… and moving.

I reached my arms up, drank in a deep inhalation, and started stretching.

Max usually tells me to “sit, sit” when I start moving my body in strange ways. He pulls at my hands and says, “off,” when I try to plank or push-up.

But on this particular morning, as if he could sense how much his mama needed this little win, Max kept playing.

I indulged in a little forward fold… Max kept playing.

IMG_8983

I dared to lunge, to twist, to plank and downdog… and my mama-obsessed, busy little boy kept playing.

IMG_8979

It was a toddler miracle!

In reality, yoga doesn’t work for us in every moment. Sometimes I fit in a stretch or two, other times I get in a good 10 breaths before Mr. Max demands my attention, and other mornings, like this one, I get to stretch, flow and breathe for 10 glorious minutes.

I have the honor of working with a great range of women, and I’ve discovered that moms in particular feel particularly torn between their health and their responsibilities.

Can you relate?

IMG_8978

If you feel torn between your time-limits and your deep desire to do something for yourself, short “pockets of time” self-care moments like this Yoga class could serve as a beautiful bridge between where you are and who you’d like to become.

(If you’re brand new to yoga, watch this video about the how-to’s of starting a yoga practice.)

No matter where you are on your yoga journey, please allow yourself the space, grace and self-compassion to engage in your practice with the following tips:

  1. Move at your own pace. If I’m moving too quickly (or slowly) for your body, give yourself permission to make this flow your own.
  2. Listen to your body. If ANY postures don’t serve your body well, skip them, modify them or join our Transforming Wellness facebook community and we’ll talk out different options based on what your body needs.
  3. Above all, make this practice your own! Feel free to move with your breath (that’s what I love to do in the mornings) or hold any poses that feel particularly soothing or energizing. 

Whether you attempt to do Yoga with a toddler or alone, I hope you enjoy this Awakening Yoga Flow as much as Max enjoyed running around during this session. 

Leave a comment below with one word or phrase reflecting how you feel when you complete this practice! If you’d like to see more Yoga classes like this, in addition to mindful life-hacks, meditation practices, fun workouts and intuitive eating conversations, make sure to join our Transforming Wellness facebook group today!

One Comment

Leave a Reply to New to Yoga? 3 Tips to Get You Started with Confidence – Alison Mendyka Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *