I Started the Year with 30 Days of Yoga – Here’s What Happened 

March 15, 2022

I love yoga and have been doing it since being pregnant with my first son. He’s now thirty one, so I’ve been practising for a long time. Tuesday is always my yoga day and I try to do at least one or two  sessions a week. My body lets me know if I need to do more. I’ve had many wonderful local yoga teachers and I’ve done sunset yoga in the Maldives and sunrise yoga in Koh Samui. I have made many wonderful likeminded friends along the way through doing yoga.

In 2020 my yoga class paused, so I headed online looking for an alternative. That’s when I found Yoga With Adriene. Adriene , along with her dog, Benji, have one of the most beloved yoga sites in the world. She has millions of followers and many of her programs are free. Many writing and teaching friends also recommended Adriene so I began choosing sessions from her many videos. There are so many like Yoga for Writers, Yoga for Sore Knees and Yoga for Weight Loss.

I’ve learned that yoga is integral for my mind, body and spirit, particularly as I get older. I also have Hashimoto’s disease and know that gentle yoga is very good for your thyroid. In 2021 I went further and began the year doing the program Yoga With Adriene – Breath. I succeeded in making it through 30 days, but honestly it was a bit of a chore. This year was different.

In 2022 I was keen to start my year with the latest thirty days of Yoga With Adriene – Move. During the year I’ve been following more of Adriene’s videos and have become familiar with her practice. It’s easier to keep up now that I just follow her voice, rather than looking at the screen all the time. She has so many followers that I figure that she must be one of the best teachers.

Adriene is based in Austin, Texas, where my son now lives, so it makes me feel closer to him. It’s easy for me to start a yoga challenge in January as I’m on holidays at this time of year so I have the time. Adriene says, “ The hardest part is showing up on the mat.”

Finally, I wanted to start this year with more balance in all aspects of my life and I find that yoga is a great anchor. Indeed Adriene even says, “ My breath is my anchor and my anchor is my breath.”

I couldn’t wait for the first video to drop into my inbox. As I’m in Australia we received Adriene’s emails overnight and it feels like a little present every single day. I was feeling strong before I started, I already do a mix of yoga, HIIT, weights and walking, so was curious as to how my body would hold up to an everyday practice. 

What happened ?

At first I didn’t notice any difference at all. Adriene said in one of the sessions that by now you should be feeling stronger. I didn’t. I felt exactly the same. Then a funny thing happened. I began to feel greater strength in my arms, my core and my back, but only after about Day 16. My joints felt stable, my hips weren’t holding too much tension and any little niggles were gone. My skin began to glow.

Sleep 

This was one of the biggest differences. I found I was sleeping through seven to eight hours a night….. every single night. This can be tricky for a menopausal woman. I would wake refreshed and excited to greet the day. I was also keen and ready to do my yoga every morning because I’d slept so well. I’ve always suspected that yoga helped with sleep but this really confirmed it.

Accountability

This time around I added a photo of myself or Adriene to my Instastory at crucial points. After I overcame my shyness in doing this, it really motivated me. My son in Austin was encouraging in our weekly chats. Watching me rack up the days made him proud. 

Completing Day 20 – Ritual felt like a real victory. I found that getting up and doing yoga first thing was key to my success this time around. It’s so quick and then you can just get on with your day feeling invigorated and ready to tackle anything.

Balance

My range of movement and balance were much improved. I could suddenly do more in all of my postures. My core felt very strong. I’ve always felt self conscious hopping in and out of my husband’s car. It’s very low. But I found I was moving in and out with much more ease. I was walking taller with a more upright posture.

It also gave me balance with my habits. I wouldn’t want that extra wine, as I had to be up early for yoga and I became way more conscious of what I was putting in my mouth. Cooking nourishing food  has been a joy. 

Mental Health

It’s very difficult to be hard on yourself when your body can form these awesome shapes. I impressed myself every single day and would be kind to myself if there was something I couldn’t do (Bird Pose I’m looking at you). Yoga teaches you to be kind to yourself and others. It also brings a positive energy which radiates out into the world.

I began singing and dancing as I went about my chores. There was a euphoria and a feeling of awakening. Yoga gave me energy for the day. I never felt the afternoon slump. Best of all I could calmly deal with any decisions without feeling anxious. I essentially felt more comfortable with myself. Daily yoga is great for your mental health and well being. 

Strength and Tone

I am feeling way more toned and strengthened. My arms in particular show and feel like they‘ve been working hard every day. It’s a gradual strengthening, but it definitely kicked in after about Day 20. 

Setbacks

There were only two days were I felt a little pinchy and sore. One was Day 16. It was due to my booster shot on Day 17 so I was a little concerned. Luckily for me Adriene factors in some slower days and as Day 17 was titled ‘Snuggle’ I knew I’d be okay. On Day 17, I could feel where I’d been jabbed when I lifted my arm , but as it was a slower day, with a little rest on our pillows and blankets at the end, I came away feeling fine.

Day 23  ‘Anchor’ was a tough one too. I could feel soreness in my arms, legs and a pulling across my chest. Every part of me was feeling it. The tired and pinchy feeling lasted all day. It reminded me that we were close to the end and that I would make it. I woke on Day 24 raring to go and was glad I did, as it involved some of my favourite balancing poses. The program is so varied you never get bored.

My favourite day was Day 28 – TLC. We’d been working hard and this one was all about floor exercises and opening through the shoulders and back. I hadn’t realised how much I’d needed to stretch these muscles out. It felt great but was very gentle.

Would I do it again?

Definitely! It’s a great way to start each year or you can do it throughout the year. Each session is only between 15 to 35 minutes, so it’s extremely easy to carve that short time out of your day. You only need comfy clothes and a mat so it can be done anywhere at any time. 

There are so many yoga classes and styles of yoga, it is just a matter of finding what is right for you.  Have you ever contemplated or completed a thirty day yoga challenge? It came at the right time for me to reset and rebalance ready for a remarkable 2022. 

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