Summer Schedule Wrecking your Practice? Try this
Maybe you noticed I took a few weeks off from writing. I’ve had a neck thing that got worse every time I was on my computer. So I couldn’t get much writing done It’s finally improving. Thanks for your patience. I’m glad to be back with you.
Tomorrow we’ll pack up and head to North Carolina for our annual beach trip. It feels like we’re hitting our summer stride.
So far, this summer has been like a lot of summers full of changes!! Hot days mean early morning dog walks. Camps mean changes to driving schedules. Subbing yoga classes has meant being at the studio at strange times. I’m mostly enjoying myself with it all.
It’s wrecking my practices though.
I still meditate every morning. But having regular long yoga practices has been harder than I’d hoped. This happens every year, so finally I’m getting the hang of it and am changing my expectations.
Summer has its own vibe, doesn’t it? Travel, company, schedule changes, they all add up. They make it really hard to stay consistent with anything. It’s extra hard if you’re trying to add or revive a practice, like yoga or meditation. You know it would be good for you, but it definitely takes some dedication. And with all the change, sometimes that dedication just isn’t there.
Small Commitments
So, here’s what’s working this year: SMALL COMMITMENTS.
Instead of insisting that I have a bunch of 60 minute yoga practices a week, plus workouts, meditation, journalling, mantra etc etc. I’m slowing way down and choosing what’s the most important. For me, that’s making sure I get up and get moving right away.
The small commitment I’m holding myself to right now is that I do three sun salutations every morning. That’s it.
I know that for some folks that sounds like a lot. But, for me, it’s a teeny tiny commitment. It’s just enough to get me going. Once I meet that commitment I can let it go. Of course, I still want to get on my mat more than that and I still do. I still sit for my meditation. I still walk my dog, I still drive my kids to camps and college visits (!).
Why small commitments work
The point isn’t to just do the least and sit on the couch for the rest of the day. The point is that I can do something even on the days when summer is taking me for a ride. When I do that something, I feel better. Not just because it’s good for me physically, but also because daily commitments add up.
Something deeper is happening when you keep a small daily commitment. You keep yourself in rhythm. Life is organized around rhythms: heartbeats, breaths, sunrise/sunset, seasons. All the changes of summer put us out of rhythm and that’s why we can feel so disoriented, so off, so ill at ease. When you make a daily commitment it’s like hitting a drum every day. You give your life a little pulse, a little heartbeat. It’s a slow deep steady rhythm that organizes you. Small routine commitments organize you in a tiny way, but it helps.
Make it Work for You
Wanna give it a go? Here are some suggestions that can help your small commitment stick.
Make it smaller than you think. Laughably small and easy is the best. It’s not so much about what you’re doing as it is about DOING it. Make the doing as easy as possible.
Pick a start date. Tomorrow is a good one. Today is even better.
Pick your perimeters. Are you doing something every day? (that’s what I suggest) A certain number of repetitions? For a certain amount of time? Figure out what fulfills the commitment and make that clear for yourself. Remember to keep it small you can always go above and beyond.
Pick an end date. Line this up with a natural boundary like the end of a big trip, the first day back to school, or Labor Day weekend.
Track yourself. Only if it feels good. I like the iHabits app (it’s free) If this will stress you out, ignore this suggestion.
Tell a friend or get someone else in on it with you. Or share to social media. The witnessing and accountability keep you dedicated.
Need ideas for your commitment? Try :: 3 sun salutations every morning, watch the sunrise or sunset every day, spend 10 minutes journaling, write down 3 gratitudes every evening, meditate for 5 minutes, stretch for 10 minutes a day, pull an oracle card, read a poem, sonnet, affirmation, or mantra, make something… what else can you think of?
Recharge & Reset Your Rhythm
Taking on a short commitment, something you’re not trying to stick with forever, gives you extra juice. It’s like a power up, a recharge for your tapas (the heat/friction that comes from practice). It keeps you on your toes and refreshes your practices. That’s especially important when the summer takes you out of your normal rhythms.
When life doesn’t give you a regular rhythm, give it to yourself through a small commitment. It might not seem like much, but it will make a big difference in keeping you connected, organized, and less lost in the spaciness of summer. Who knows, you might find something so life-sustaining that you stick with it for years to come.
Think you’ll give it a try? Share your commitment in the comments below … for more fun, tag me on Insta (@sarah.fischer.love) and I’ll cheer you on!