As the new year approaches we start to reflect on the past year or life thus far. We might consider how we want to change our life and, or what we want to improve. Most of us spend time after our holidays in limbo, waiting for the new year to arrive for a new beginning; a clean slate. Once January 1st arrives we finally feel ready to tackle on our resolutions to eat better, get to yoga more regularly, kick a habit, etc. So what happens to our resolutions in February, March or even a week after New Year's day? We burn out. The excitment of a fresh start begins to fade away. Problems arise as they always do and we slip back into our old patterns.

How does our yoga practice help us reach our resolutions? We begin to understand that the world isn't black or white. We let go of the idea of perfection and find what works. We begin to witness that our practice, much like life is different from one day to the next. Some days we feel light as a feather, the next we feel heavy as a hippo. The key is to accept what is, rather than fight what is. If we can just learn trust the process before giving up. It is important to bring mindfulness to our decisions and know why we are choosing what we are choosing  on and off the mat. Are we skipping our yoga practice because we need to restore in other healthy ways or are we getting caught up in negative stories that deplete our energy?

This year perhaps we can commit to our goals, knowing that there will be highs and lows. By trusting, understanding and believing in ourselves along the path we can achieve anything.