Mama(n)datory

I made myself jog around the neighborhood last Sunday evening. It was just a little less than 1km to complete a full round (yes, my neighborhood is such a small community) so I pushed myself to try doing at least two rounds.

I managed to do only one and a half round (that's about 1.5km on my first jog ever this year) before hopping into the car with my husband and kids to the playground in the next housing area.

I did another (I assumed) 200m run at the playground before calling it quits. Not bad for a first jog, eh? Some quality time with the kids seemed to be more interesting there and then so I did just that.

I am currently itching to go for another run in this gloomy weather but I got to sit my kids at home, so yoga is the only option I have at the moment.

I can say that I am stretching better now. I am more balanced physically and mentally too, although still far from perfect. Kind of getting more and more addicted to yoga each day to be honest - a session in the morning and another session in the evening in between my daily chores and activities.

Practice. Practice. Practice.
Well, it surely gets better with constant practice, yes?

I now need to get myself a sport arm band soon so I could track my run and monitor my heart rate and whatnots. Garmin is just out of my budget right now, just apps on my phone will do.

Source : Google

True confessions..

• I used to think of yoga just as a stretching exercise along with a little meditation.
• I also thought that people who does yoga are flexible, and I am far (with a capital F.A.R) from it.

Not very yogic of me, I know.

Since I've bought some new workout gears the other day and have yet to use it (because I have been procrastinating to start any kinds of exercises), I finally decided to make a commitment to practice yoga daily (if permits) starting just a few days ago. Keyword : discipline. I feel like I need to do something good for my soul - which I don’t nurture as often as I’d like - so I decided to challenge myself to become a yogini and hoping I could really fit it into my life forever. In shaa Allah.

Source : Google/Home of Yoga New Farm

Many people think that they need to be flexible to begin yoga (so I thought too). As I've mentioned, I am far from flexible. I can barely straighten my legs up in the air nor to touch down my toes. I don't balance well too, both physically and mentally.

It was definitely hard and uncomfortable for the first few tries as I was also clueless about the whole yoga terms and poses. I even had difficulties to really clear off my mind to just focus on connecting my mental, physical and emotional being. Kids screaming around and going underneath me whilst I do my plank is of no great help either. I mean I know now I really should prepare a proper yoga space at home and find myself the perfect peaceful time to really get myself be in the zone. But whatever and however it is that I do yoga now will suffice for the moment. At least I've started doing and committing to it for a start.

Yoga is not a destination. It's a journey, a long one to be honest. I still find it hard at the beginning of each session and my body is still stiff as a log but once I started to feel the whole aura, the enthusiasm is there for me to not stop practicing it. I find that yoga actually helps me to connect my body and mind to the rhythm of my breath. It makes me feel good and more at peace (even while sweating buckets). I sure need a whole load of practice to master it!

Truthfully speaking, yoga has definitely changed my perception. So here's a promise to continue challenging myself to commit to this practice. I hope yoga will soon bring a great sense of peace to my life, along with the physical benefits of muscle strength, respiratory health, and improved flexibility - both body and mind.

Now on to the yoga mat!