I had to quit so many things to get my yoga practice to where it is today. 

And, I’m not talking about nutrition, or giving up late nights out. 

No, the things we’re talking about today were much more difficult to quit because they had to do with my yoga practice as it was. 

There came a point where I needed to make a clear decision – go forward doing what you’ve always done and stay kind of stuck in the cycle of wash and repeat yoga, or evolve, grow and change to embrace something much more exciting and fun that was calling my name in big giant shouts from the Universe.

So, here is what I quit to advance my yoga practice and my yoga teaching and finally step into a practice that brings me absolute joy every single day:

 1. I quit settling for the what the teachers were offering in my area and sought instruction from teachers that had more experience teaching both beginners and advanced yogis.

 I make the distinction here about teaching both beginners and advanced yogis because I see so many new yoga teachers insisting they only teach advanced yoga practitioners. And, I’m sorry, you are not really teaching. You need to get into the trenches with those beginners and learn how to guide someone to grow into advanced yoga to understand how to be the most effective teacher you can be. (Sorry, I’ll get off my soap box now!)

But, if you are constantly going to classes where you receive the same instruction, zero correction, and are told that your postures are “beautiful” all of the time, you need to go find another class, or teacher. 

To embrace a fully embodied yoga practice? It’s not all pretty over here. It’s learning how to correct, to modify, and to press into discomfort again and again.

I know people that have practiced for a long time look graceful in their actions. But, that doesn’t mean they’re comfortable. It’s because they understand the discomfort, that they look graceful.

 2. I quit going to the studio. 

This happened long before COVID, when everyone had to take a break from the studio. When we moved into our current house our realtor went nutty trying to find us a spot that had something that would work as a yoga room.

Because in order for me to truly practice without distraction, I needed to bring my practice home.

Listen, I love yoga studios. They are an awesome jumping off point for your practice.

But, there is quite a bit of distraction there. And, as a teacher, if you are there to practice, you are still teaching. Students are watching your practice and will ask you questions before and after that class.

So, for me, my practice really took off when I brought it into my home space. And, it continues to thrive here to this day.

And, I’m able to work with teachers from all over the world that are the best at what they do if I decide to jump into an online yoga class. That’s something I absolutely love about practicing from home – I get to make up my own rules.

Sometimes I practice by myself – my own flow, that I created. Or, I crave simply having someone tell me what to do and gain fresh perspectives on the practice.  It’s all great!

 3. I quit practicing the same type of yoga over and over again.

If you love a type of yoga, then please continue to do it. I’m not saying to stop completely. I’m just saying there is more out there in the yoga world that can offer you a different perspective and ways to open and unlock your body and mind.

I went from teaching and practicing only one type of yoga, to two different types of yoga, to now five different modalities. And, I love each one for what they offer me and teach me on the daily.

 4. I quit approaching yoga postures from the same exact set-up or transition over and over again.

It’s the definition of insanity… to approach something again and again the same exact way and expect a different result.

So, my friends that always fall out of Standing Head to Knee Pose or Warrior III at the same exact moment, time after time, how’s that working for you?

Instead of just surviving the yoga pose, how about learn something new about it? 

If your Crow Pose is non-existent even though you put your hands on the floor and hope it happens class after class, why not get out blocks, your strap and maybe some pillows and play around with it?  

Why not see if someone out there on the internet has a different approach that might just work for you? 

So, yes, be disciplined in your yoga practice. But, no, you don’t always have to set up a yoga pose the exact same way every damn time.

 5. I quit listening to correction from teachers that didn’t have as much yoga education or experience as I, or the teachers I sought out, had.

 This sounds kind of bitch-y, but it’s not meant to be.

I have received some super crazy yoga corrections over the years that made zero sense.

They weren’t rooted in foundational anatomy, or in the function of the posture to help aid your body to feel it’s best.

So, I stopped trying to be all people pleas-y about it and now just ignore these corrections.

And, in my yoga classes, if I offer you a correction, or ask you to go a little deeper and you don’t want to try it, it is completely cool with me when you say, “no.”

In fact, we celebrate stuff like that because saying ‘no’ can be so hard and I want you to practice it in safe spaces where you won’t be judged or frowned upon.

It’s YOUR yoga practice. It’s YOUR body.

 6. I quit feeling as if I mastered one singular yoga pose, I would finally “have it.”

We all have that yoga pose we would love to accomplish someday. Right now, that yoga pose for me is a Handstand in the middle of the room.

But, when I finally achieve this yoga pose, I know there is no end game.

There’s only more to learn.

Handstand in the middle of the room will lead to wanting to learn other ways to enter into Handstand, mastering technique, finding Handstand in flows, etc.

You are not a yoga master from achieving a super hard yoga pose, so quit that thinking now.

I often say to my students when they’re getting too wrapped up in chasing a particular posture, that you are still a great person with value even though it hasn’t happened yet.

So, lighten up.

It’s not about the yoga pose, yoga is about mastering your Self.

 7. I quit asking men (sorry guys!) for tips on arm balances and inversions when they have no idea how to deal with wider hips and a chest in these postures.

 8. I quit caring what other people thought about my yoga practice, or how I had “changed.”

I began my practice and teaching as a Bikram Yoga super fan. But, that practice simply doesn’t vibe with me anymore.

I don’t want to torture myself in the heat for hours and hours each day. I don’t want to only backbend and never put my hands on the floor for an arm balance or go upside down in an inversion. 

I tried for years to have one foot in that world and one foot in the other world where I was trying new classes and techniques and learning so much about what was possible for my yoga practice and I’m so happy I moved on and put both feet in the world that brought joy and fun to my life.

So, I know some people are disappointed about how I’ve “changed.” But, if you’re going to practice yoga for a lifetime, it has to grow and evolve.

You were never meant to stay stuck. That goes for your yoga practice… and life off your yoga mat.

9. I quit staying stuck in one tiny part of the yoga world.

 There is so much to the world of yoga. It is so rich in history, customs, and people that contribute to it daily.

Explore the entire world, not just one little piece of it. Learn more each day about your yoga practice and you will discover more about your Self, your true power, and how you can make a positive contribution to the world.

 10. I quit feeling as if my yoga practice would never be good enough

I now know that I do my best every single day.

And, that my best changes from day to day.

But, a good day is one that includes my yoga practice. So, I show up for me and move through it breathe through it, and be through it.

What will you have to let go of if you decide to move forward and advance your yoga practice? 

It could be one thing or ten... but know being a quitter is worth it. 

Big Hugs, 

Tori G. ♡