Re-establishing Yoga Goals | Yoga

Recently I have been experiencing a rut with my yoga practice. I am down to one session a week at the moment and to be honest - I feel like I could miss that too!

Last year I made these yoga goals. I feel now like I put too much pressure on myself to meet all my goals each week. Whilst I was hoping making these goals would help to extend my yoga practice, they have made me not enjoy my practice as much as I used to.

I think it is good to take time to re-evaluate your goals (in all aspects of your life) so today I am sitting down and re-establishing my own yoga goals.

Here is an overview of my own re-established yoga goals for my home practice.

1.  Practice yoga at least 1 morning on the weekend and every night before bed

I know now how difficult it is for me to try and attempt yoga throughout the work week at home. I find it much easier to fit in my yoga practice on a Saturday / Sunday morning. I would also like to include more night yoga to relax my ever-racing mind before bed.

2. Push myself to attend both my yoga / stretch classes even if I do not feel like going

Sometimes I find it is very easy to find an excuse not to attend a class. I really want to push myself to go to all my classes as I always feel better afterwards. It is sometimes just the thought of going that is so hard!

3. Include more meditation into my practice

This is one of the hardest thing for me to incorporate into my practice. I enjoy relaxation at the end of my classes, however I can never seem to sit still for long enough. My mind races with all of the other things I should be doing. I am going to try a few guided meditations to help me stay focused and clear my mind. 

4. Keep a consistent yoga routine, adding in new poses every-so-often

Last time, a couple of my yoga goals talked about adding a new pose every week and trying a new routine every week. I thought this would be a good way to help me extend my practice - I was wrong! Not having a consistent practice routine has meant I am all over the shop and as a result I have lost a lot of interest in my yoga practice as it all became too hard. Now I want to try and keep a consistent yoga practice, and slowly add in new poses when I feel the need. 

You will notice these are quite different to the goals I had set out last time. I am in a completely different head space at the moment and need a more consistent / basic approach to my yoga practice.

Are you a goal setter? Maybe it is the list maker in me that loves to set myself goals.

xx

 

28 Day Heart Opening Challenge | Yoga

As I mentioned in this post earlier in the week, I am participating in the 28 Day Heart Opening Yoga Project run by my favourite online Yogi Candace from Yoga by Candace.

Candace asked us to choose a pose to work on throughout the 28 days and post weekly check in photos to see how far we are progressing.

Here is my first check in photo for the project!

I have chosen pigeon pose and will be aiming to move into king pigeon by the end of the month. Pigeon pose is actually one of my favourites, but I can't say I find the full pigeon pose easy. 

Have you every participated in a yoga challenge / project? I love Candace's projects as they really help you to further your yoga, not just focus on a pose a day.

What I'm Wearing
Cotton On Body Sports Top (Cotton On - a few years ago) // Supre Shorts (Supre - a few years ago)

xx

 

Life Update and New Project Sneak Peek

image from pinterest

Thank god it's nearly the weekend! I have had a crazy few weeks back at work. You think your getting somewhere and then you turn around to find more piles of paper to deal with!

I thought I would check in and let you known what I have been up to recently and give you a sneak peek of an exciting new project I have coming up.

Etsy Resolution

I am currently involved in a project called Etsy Resolution run by Etsy Australia. It is a 4 week "course" to help you really establish your Etsy shop in the market. As you probably know, I have my own little shop on Etsy, Little Miss Lorraine, which I would really love to grow this year. The 4 week program runs through everything including setting up your Etsy shop, taking great photos, pricing items and how to utilise social media. If you have your own Etsy shop I highly recommend you sign up to this course!

Tailoring Course
I have also signed up for an online tailoring course run by the Burdastyle Academy. I really wanted to take my sewing to the next level this year, especially when it comes to making / refashioning clothes. This course teaches you how to make your own patterns, how to adjust patterns and a few basic repair techniques such as replacing a broken zipper. I am really looking forward to doing a few more sewing courses this year so watch this space to see my progress.

28 Day Yoga Project 

Candace from Yoga by Candace has just released a blog post detailing her new yoga project for February after the success of her strength project throughout January. I have to admit I haven't done very much yoga in the last 2 weeks of January which I am very disappointed about! I am hoping to be more proactive during February so I am looking forward to this next project. I will be posting pose updates here so keep an eye out!

Exciting New Project...

I have a very exciting project coming up very soon which I cannot wait to show you. It is something I have wanted to do for a while now and I've finally got my act together to make it happen. The picture above might give you a clue as to what the project is about...blog post up this weekend about it!!

I hope you have all had a wonderful start to 2015 x

xx

 

Positive Vibes | Welcome to 2015!

Welcome to 2015! You may remember from this post last year that I have decided not to make New Years Resolutions anymore. Mainly because there is so much pressure surrounding these resolutions that I never ever keep them!

Positive Mind, Positive Vibes, Positive Life is my new favourite quote and something I will be striving for this year. 

Positive Mind.

Yoga every damn day & more meditation. Life got so busy at the end of the year (a poor excuse - I know!) and my yoga really took a back seat. I am going to get back into doing Yoga every day - starting with this 31 day strength project by Candace from Yoga By Candace (my favourite online Yoga teacher and source of inspiration) I would also really love to incorporate more meditation into my day - even just 5 minutes - to help keep my mind clear and to stay focussed.

Positive Vibes.

I really want to surround myself with a lot of positive vibes this year. Having too many negative things in your life can really bring you down and start turning you into somebody you do not want to be! To receive positive vibes, you have to give positive vibes (think positive karma) so this is something I want to make a conscious effort to do this year.

Positive Life.
Having a positive mind & positive vibes will help be to have a more positive life. However, I would also like to include a few other things to help me reach my positivity goal! Although we eat pretty healthy I would like to incorporate more of it into my diet. More fruit and veg, less processed goods. I would also like to include more exercise into my daily routine. Lets face it, your not going to find me going for a run or in a gym anytime soon, but things like more walking, bike riding, weights & yoga should help me achieve this goal. I would also like to do more things that make me happy. This includes spending more time on my Etsy shop Little Miss Lorraine, going away on the weekends and spending time with those I love!

Are you creating any New Years resolutions this year? Or are you more into setting goals / aims for yourself?

I am so excited with what's to come this year - both for this blog and me in general!

xx

 

4 Tips For the Perfect Yoga Environment

After practicing yoga for over 3 years, I have learnt a lot about how setting up the right space for your yoga session can benefit your practice. Here are the 4 things I believe are the most important factors to creating the perfect yoga environment, especially if you do not have a set yoga space.

Natural Light

To me, natural light is much more calming than bright lights and so I prefer to practice yoga with natural lighting. Bright, flickering lights can be distracting and with all the time we spend on technology, I find it is a nice way to reconnect with the outdoors.

If there is no natural light available, I light a few candles as a more natural alternative to turning on the lights.

Appropriate Music

I know that some people would feel that music during yoga can be distracting and take away from the practice. I personally find that it helps me to keep focussed and also find a good rhythm. My current yoga "playlist" includes:

- Clair de lune - Flight Facilities
- Gold - Chet Faker
- Stay High - Tove Lo

- anything by Jack Johnson

As I mentioned above, playing music is a personal choice and what music you play also depends on  the type of yoga session you have planned. I like more upbeat songs when I am doing a faster, sweatier yoga practice and slower, chilled out songs for a gentler practice.

Choosing the right space

When choosing a space for your yoga practice, you should ensure it is somewhere where you will be less likely to get interrupted. There is nothing worse than when you get into a really good rhythm and someone or something comes and interrupts you. One other thing to keep in mind when choosing an appropriate space is the temperature. You want to be warm during your session, so keep away from cold draughts and turn the heater on if need be. Keeping warm will also minimise the risk of any injury.

Keeping Distractions at Bay

Following on from the above, it is really important to keep away from any distractions during your yoga practice. Turn your phone off or on silent and resist the urge to check your phone throughout the session. If you use your computer during your practice (I sometimes use mine to watch videos on YouTube) ensure nothing is open that could distract you (social media, emails etc.)


I would love to hear what your perfect yoga environment is. Do you have a set yoga space? 

Namaste.

xx

 

Checking In | Lifestyle

image from pinterest

What a crazy couple of weeks. I have been a little MIA lately - I've had a few lifey things happen recently which have taken the front seat.

On the weekend I took some time out from the craziness and attended a "Spring Wellness" workshop run by Tammy, personal trainer / lifestyle coach at Vis Novo Health, Sam Efraimsen, yoga instructor at Adelaide Yoga Flow, and Dana Bell, a goal setting coach. I feel so inspired and motivated to make a few changes to my lifestyle (blog post on this up soon.)

Also look out for a couple of blog posts coming up soon with tips on how to create the best atmosphere for your yoga practice and creating a relaxing bath environment. These are the 2 things that have gotten me through craziness of the last couple of weeks!

- J x

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Yoga Girl Challenge | Lifestyle

There are always a few yoga challenges floating around Instagram. They usually consist of a different pose each day for a month. These are great for improving your practice and getting you out of your comfort zone, however once the challenge is over - that's that!

I was really excited to see the yoga challenge set by Rachel Brathen (aka Yoga Girl.) This challenge is very different to any other yoga challenge I have seen. The idea of this challenge is for these things to happen after the 21 days are up. They are a starting point for changing your life for the better.

If you read my Yoga Goal post, you will already know I have been trying to include yoga more into my everyday routine. These challenges will continue to help me change my lifestyle.

I encourage you to give Rachel's challenge a try and if you are not into yoga, try and relate the above to your everyday life. I believe the things listed above are things we should all be trying to do everyday.

Namaste.
- J x

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Weekend Yoga Practice | Lifestyle

A little insight into my Yoga practice this past weekend. I love starting my Yoga practice with sun salutations as they are a great way to warm up the body and get your blood pumping. There are many different variations of the sun salutation and I would encourage you to include them in your yoga routine.

I had a bad cold last week, so I haven't been able to do a lot of yoga (you may have read about my goals here) but I am back up and running this week! Even fitting just 10 minutes of Yoga into your day will make a huge difference to your overall health.

Namaste.
- J x

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Yoga Goals | LIfestyle

If you have been a reader of my blog for a while, you may have seen my post on the benefits of yoga and why I love it. I have been practising yoga for two and a half years and have recently been trying to incorporate it into my everyday routine.

I came across this pin on Pinterest a few weeks ago and thought the goals were such a great idea, so I tweaked a few of them and made 5 of my own yoga goals. 

Even if it is for just 10 - 15 minutes, I believe incorporating yoga into my daily routine will be very beneficial. I find it helps me to stop and concentrate on myself and stop worrying about all the things going on around me.

I usually attend two classes a week, so I would really love to keep that up. Going to a class at least once a week helps me to progress in my yoga journey and ensures I am getting the most out of my yoga.

You are forever developing during your yoga journey, so I think it is essential to let your yoga practice develop along with you. Incorporating one new yoga pose a week into my practice will ensure I am challenging myself and really getting the most out of my yoga journey.

I don't usually include Savasana pose (laying on your back in relaxation) in my yoga practise at home because I am always thinking of all the other things I could and should be doing. However, I think it is really important to take time out for yourself and take a breath, so this is definitely something I will be trying to include.

As I mentioned above, I believe your yoga routine should develop with you, so trying out a different routine from week to week is definitely something I am going to do. As you grow in strength and flexibility, change up your routine to continue challenging and developing yourself and your yoga practice.

If you would like to join me on this yoga journey, please feel free! You can pin the images above if you would like for inspiration. I would love to hear from you about your goals and your progress. I will be keeping you up to date with my yoga journey!

Also, if you would like to try yoga at home, I highly recommend Yoga by Candace on YouTube. Candace is fantastic at talking you through each pose and has a large selection on videos ranging from beginner to expert.

Namaste.
 - J x

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Vision Board | DIY

I purchased this cork board from somewhere like The Reject Shop or Cheap as Chips (for around $2 or $3) a few years ago and have never really used it. I was inspired by Kristina Karlsson's (Founder of Kikki-K) blog post about her vision board and decided the cork board would be perfect for making my own vision board! You can purchase a vision board from Kikki-K, however if you would like to make one much cheaper, keep reading!

This project is really easy. You will need:

- Cork board with frame

- Paint

- Mod Podge (Matt or Gloss depending on your personal preferences. I am using Matt)

- Sponge brush (side note: I am loving these for craft projects at the moment. They spread the product evenly and are so easy to clean!

- Paper to decorate the frame

- Pins 

- The items you would like to put on your board.

Step 1 | (optional) Paint the cork board the colour of your choice. I chose Antique White.

Step 2 | Cut out the paper you will need to decorate the frame (strips of around 5cm wide)

Step 3 | Apply the Mod Podge to the back of the paper and stick it on to the frame

Step 4 | Once you have covered the whole frame, give it a top coat of Mod Podge to seal it.

Step 5 | Decorate your board! (In progress!) 

It really is that simple. The best thing is you can change the images whenever you like!

Do you have a vision board or something similar? 

- J x

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New Years Resolutions | Why I Am Not Making Any!

 

Image from Pinterest

 

Wow 2014 here we are! What a crazy last couple of months with finishing work for the year, Christmas, holidaying in a beautiful place for three and a half weeks including New Years, coming home and catching up on washing etc before finally coming back to work this week. 

I really haven't had a lot of time to think about resolutions, however I did manage to make a decision about them - I'm not going to be making any resolutions this year! Why? Let me tell you.

I cannot remember a time when I have made a New Years resolution and actually kept it. Or I have kept it for a few weeks and the I have slowly slipped back into my bad habits. I am not sure whether it is the pressure of trying to keep the resolutions or the fact that I usually make them when I am on holidays and then reality hits when I am back at work, but I just cannot keep them.

Instead of making New Years resolutions, I am going to slowly start making some changes to both myself and my lifestyle for the better and hopefully by establishing good routines / practices at the beginning of the year, I will actually stick to them.

 

Image from Pinterest

What changes will I be making? A few boring ones such as doing the dishes every night, washing and cleaning regularly and getting up earlier. I will also be making a few changes for myself, including regular yoga (on top of the classes I attend twice a week) more walking, cleaner eating and my biggest aim of this year - being happy and not worrying about things so much!

Are you making resolutions this year? I would love to know if you have been able to stick to them so far! 

- J x

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Yoga | Lifestyle Benefits & How it Help Me!

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I am not a very sporty person. Ask me to run and I would probably pass out! I've tried gym memberships, but after a few weeks it loses its appeal and I stop going. I had tried yoga and polities classes before, but I never went to them on a regular basis. This was up until the beginning of last year when my naturopath encouraged me to come along to her classes. Because she was my naturopath, I felt like a had to go because otherwise she would be on to me!

After now attending yoga classes for the pass 2 years, and this year 2 classes a week, I am absolutely loving the benefits I am seeing. For those who have not been to a yoga class, it is not just about being able to touch your toes. If you are doing it properly, you should feel the stretches all over your body and it can be quite an intense work out.

 

image from pinterest

 

 

There are many benefits to yoga. Not only does it help with flexibility, but it also helps to tone and sculpt your body. Yoga is also great exercise for your mind, by helping you focus on you and your breathing, letting the stresses of life slip away. This has been especially beneficial for me as I am a big thinker and worrier, so it allows me to focus on myself and not my thoughts.

If you suffer from things such as stress, anxiety or depression, I would highly suggest you take up yoga on a regular basis. It has been and still is a fantastic way for me to focus on myself, and I am definitely a better person from doing it.

 

If you need a little bit of inspiration, Rachel Brathen a very experienced yoga teacher and daily yogi who posts videos, pictures and inspiring words on her facebook everyday as well as her other social media outlets. Keep in mind she is a very experienced yoga teacher so do not expect to look like her straight away!

 

Have you tried yoga or something similar before?

- J x

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