30 Days of Yoga: The First 10 Days

When I was eighteen, I was really into yoga and practicing three to four times a week. I could get into some complicated poses like crow and plow. I felt pretty good about yoga. During this time, I was also mediating a few times a week and I was so good at focusing and quieting my mind! Granted, I didn't have a smart phone that I felt too attached to-- just my mind and the space I was in.

I wanted to get back into yoga, so fast forward to me to thirty-one. As of Sunday, I've done yoga for ten days in a row. This is the most yoga I've ever done in my life, but I am no where near as flexible as I once was. That's okay. I'll keep working on it. I tried to meditate on Friday and I fell apart. There was too much happening in my mind-- how were the roads after all of the snow? Would I have to go into work? What about the evening? What was the plan? Ugh. It was exhausting, but that's okay. I'll keep working on it.

Despite the meditation failure, this has been quite an interesting ten days. I only have eight pictures because I didn't start recording this challenge until a few days in. I've already gotten quite a lot out of this practice:

1. I tried something new and painted my nails. This might sound like a shallow feat, but it was FUNN (Functional Understanding Not Necessary). :)
2. I spend every morning with Hannah the dog. Nipsy is not a yoga buddy-- I think the poses scare her away, but Hannah? She wakes with me every morning, follows me downstairs, and finds a way to be a part of my practice. I love having this little ritual with her. I was feeling bummed around the December because December tenth was our eleventh anniversary of adopting her. If it was estimated that she was three or four when we got her then, well, she's so old. I'm trying to enjoy all of my time with her and this is the perfect way to do it.
3. I improvised. I didn't have a yoga block, so I used an empty box of Kleenex. This made me laugh.
4. I drank more water and tea over the last ten days. That's just plain good for your health.
5. I decided since I'm devoting so much time to yoga over the next thirty days that I should just do a full body detox and not drink. I don't know if I'm going to last, especially because it's Kalamazoo Beer Week, but I just want to see if I can do it.

Here's to the next ten days! These are my favorite videos from the first ten days:

I have terrible back issues and I can tell Adrienne has had them too by the careful way she protects the back. I did the video on days 5-9 too. 

This video left me sweating and I really felt the detox happening! I can't wait to get better at these poses. 

Anyone else tackling this challenge? How is it going?