How to Fall in Love with Yoga

When I tell new students that I have a love/hate relationship with some of the poses I regularly practice and teach, they often breathe a sigh of relief. After all, the challenge of learning how to put your body into new and unusual shapes isn’t necessarily pleasant, so it’s comforting to know that even someone who has been doing yoga regularly for 30 years doesn’t always enjoy it.
 
For example, I don’t like holding Warrior 2 for 1 minute. I still do it sometimes though, because I know that my achy hip will feel better afterward, that my mind will be sharper when I get back to work, and that my energy will be more vibrant for the rest of the day.

Being able to move through life with greater ease, better energy, and more enthusiasm is what motivates me to practice what I don’t find enjoyable. It’s what keeps me showing up even when I don’t feel like it. 
 
Identifying how yoga helps you to do everything else you want to do is the bedrock for a long-term relationship with your practice. It gives you the staying power you need to keep yoga in your life even when there’s resistance. Over time, it gets easier to override your likes, dislikes, preferences, and moods in favor of what you know contributes to your well-being. 
 
In my experience, noticing how your practice benefits you in your life is the most reliable way to fall in love with yoga, and stay there.