Tips for Yoga Practice and Holiday Vacation

A few times a year we visit the in-laws in central Florida and the closest Iyengar yoga class is more than three-hours away. I do not use my lack of studio access as a reason to forgo my practice. Instead, I remind myself that the goal of my travels is both to reconnect with loved ones but also to have time that is about replenishing my body and spirit.
Dictionary.com defines vacation as 

• period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday
• part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.
• freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.

If vacation is meant to be a rest then it makes sense to include my yoga practice as part of self-care and restoration.  Here are a three tips that have helped to keep me on track.
 
Pack Yoga Clothes  
If I do not bring sneakers when I travel then I have a good excuse when I do not meet my step goals.  Similarly, if I do not have yoga clothes when I travel It is an easy reason to skip my personal practice.  Yoga pants are notorious for being both comfortable and flattering.  Instead of some tummy control lulu pants I choose to bring yoga shorts that I only ever wear for my practice.  Like yoga, when I was a distance runner I always wore shorts because after the first mile my legs always warmed. To help wake my body in my morning practice I choose not to wear too much warm of clothing when I practice during winter months and warm up my body quickly. It is notable that I am practicing in California and Florida so cold is a relative term that for me means 40’s and 50’s (kudos to my snow loving friends but that cold weather is just not part of my reality).   
 
Social Media Inspiration
It is embarrassing to admit that I frequently troll on my phone though various social media when I am bored and vacation is no different.  My guilty pleasures are Instagram and Pinterest.  Part of the draw is that I follow Iyengar studios and people and find inspiration from the photos and videos shared.  If you are looking for some inspiration go to my Instagram and click through my “following” you will notice quickly that I have a great array of inspirational folks to follow.
*Click the camera instagram logo bellow to be directed to my profile 

Do Not Over Schedule 
The most freeing part of my vacation practice is that I am not limited by a time block. There are no papers to grades, kids to get off to school or piles of never ending laundry waiting to be folded.  It is just me and my yoga shorts working through my asana practice.  I am fortunate that unlike everyone else in my family I am an early riser; my body is just defaulted for my day to start between 5:30 and 6:30 am.  Without laundry to fold there is no good reason for me to not roll out of bed and just begin my practice.
 
Conclusion
Remember that your practice belongs to you. It does not matter if you practice every day for 90 minutes or if you do not get a chance to practice at all.  For me it matters that I realize indulgence in food, drink and spending are not what vacation is about.  Respite and restoration require that I take moments for myself and including my Iyengar yoga practice helps with that self-care process.     
 
Reflection: Today I will be still and love myself enough to include asana as part of my day. ​