#yoga intention

[beerandyogapants-blog]

About to head out to yoga. Tonight's intention? "It is in me."

[ohmmygoodness-blog]

why you shouldn't make a new year's resolution

I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions this year.

Here's why: every January, people make these outlandish promises to themselves. They tell themselves that they will lose a ton of weight, exercise every day without fail, save a small fortune, find a boyfriend who is as nice as he is attractive (which should be easy once you get really skinny--see resolution #1), create a rubber band ball that will land them a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records--the list goes on. 

Then, one night in mid-January, these people find themselves curled up in the fetal position on their bedroom floors, alternating between spoonfuls of extra-crunchy peanut butter and brownie batter. They overdrafted their checking account when they bought those fancy new running sneakers. The ones that are still in the box. It probably doesn't need to be said...but there is no hot, friendly boyfriend in sight. 

"Where the hell am I going to get the money for all those goddamned rubber bands!?" these people will scream out into the night before crumbling into peanut butter/brownie batter sobs. 

Uhh...is this just me? Orrr... Well whatever. New Year's Resolutions are the worst. 

Of course, this isn't to say that the New Year isn't a good opportunity to set some new, positive intentions for yourself. The problem with a "resolution" is that once a person "fails" to meet the parameters of the resolution, they tend to give up entirely. You can't fail with an intention.  For example, the resolution to never eat junk food again becomes the intention to make food choices that make your body feel healthy and happy. The resolution to eliminate stress becomes the intention to not let little things throw you off balance. The resolution to practice yoga every day becomes the intention to deepen your practice and listen more closely to your body.

Like many yogis, I like to set a new intention at the start of every yoga practice. While the New Year provides us with a metaphorical clean slate and the unique opportunity to set fresh goals, it's important to remember that your intentions are fluid and can change according to what your body and soul needs.  Sometimes your body and soul need you to eat peanut butter straight from the jar with a spoon.   Sometimes.

(Just don't do the brownie batter thing. That shit will give you salmonella.)