Why do we stop doing the things we love? We start doing yoga, we love it, we skip once or twice, and before we know it, we are no longer doing yoga. The same happens with cycling, swimming, or running. The answer is simple: we do not keep doing what we love long enough for it to become a habit. That is why Sara Bigatti and I wrote The Practice Diary (Il Diario della Pratica).
Once, someone told me that in Japan they use a method to build habits. If I remember correctly it was called Gong. I have probably misspelled the word, but the spelling is less important than the idea itself. According to the story I was told, in order to build a habit, you have to do something for 30 days in a row.
That “in a row” part is essential. The method works like this: if you skip a day, the next day becomes day 1 again. So even if you have done something for 28 consecutive days, if you skip day 29, the following day is not day 30 — it is day 1.
Staying on track
The Practice Diary is a small tool to help you stay on track. It is both a yoga book and a bullet journal. It explains the philosophy that underlies yoga, while also functioning as an activity book. Each day includes a short yoga sequence, a mandala to color, a quote to reflect on, a film or music tip, a meditation to follow, and a gentle reminder to take time for yourself.
The book is meant to inspire you to do a little yoga every day. At the same time, it is a bullet journal complete with trackers. It gives you space to record your progress and color in mandalas to see whether you are staying on schedule. And not just for a month, but for a whole year — so that by the end, your new habit is truly ingrained.
Building habits
I believe that every new thing we want to do should begin with building a habit. That is why I created the Building a Habit of Running course. It is designed to help you become a runner, whether you are just starting out or struggling to stay consistent. The course includes a training schedule that guides you to running 30 minutes non-stop in 30 days. Every day, you do something. Five days a week, that means going for a run; on the other two days, you either do strength training or have an active recovery day. Doing something every day — preferably at the same time — is how you build a habit.
Have a look: Building a Habit of Running: Run 30 Minutes Non-Stop in 30 Days
The Yoga Practice Diary is available in Italian (Il Diario della Pratica – ISBN 978-8893-199-209), French (Mon Agenda Perpétuel de Yoga – ISBN 978-8828-502-951), and Spanish (El Diario de la Práctica – ISBN 978-8417-080-556).
