Yoga challenges and yoga selfies are incredibly popular as of late. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll see I like to participate in monthly yoga challenges. I’m aware that I may have clogged your feeds with pictures of myself in various poses, and I apologize if that causes you any grief; however, I wanted to share why I love these yoga challenges.

1) It gets me on my mat.

As someone who strives to actually do #yogaeverydamnday, these challenges force me to at least pop into one pose each day, which inevitably leads to a little more practice and potentially some meditation. While I often go through each day without making time for myself, I have loved that these yoga challenges remind me of my goal: to practice yoga daily.

2) It connects me to other yogis.

It’s amazing how many people I have gotten to know simply through social media and different challenges. Through comments, likes, follows, etc, I have been blessed with meeting new yogis here in Tucson or all the way in New Zealand, and I look forward to seeing their posts and growth as much as I get excited for my own progress photos. It is wonderful to be inspired by so many people I’ve never even met–people whose journeys either reflect my own or are so entirely different that I’m enthralled by their story!

3) It is eliminating my competitive nature.

Yoga selfies began as a “bad” thing for me. I had a huge issue with comparing my practice to others’, angry that I wasn’t as flexible as this person or as strong as that person. Why wasn’t I further along in my practice? Why couldn’t I just do a handstand press or a mayurasana (peacock pose)?

Oh, wait. Isn’t the purpose of a challenge is to, well, CHALLENGE myself? Come on, Jenna. As a self-proclaimed yogi (or yogini, as a woman), I know that I need to allow myself to be a beginner. To let go of my ego and allow myself to be exactly where I am today. These comparisons are in no way substantial and only interfere with my growth as a person. While I still very much struggle with competition, I can definitely see how my heart is softening and my journey inward is going smoother than it had before.

4) It changes my practice; I am stepping out of my comfort zone.

Would you have ever thought to try a compass pose, a flying pigeon, or any of the thousands of poses you have seen in these challenges? Like most yogis, I found a certain practice that worked for me and stuck with it. I haven’t tried Bikram, Yin, and have only really done a few Hatha classes at this point. But these challenges have given me several ideas as to how to expand my practice rather than limit it to only certain postures. I have gone out of my comfort zone multiple times in my posts, sometimes in the pose itself, or how “imperfect” I find the picture. Again, I simply have to accept where I am today and be authentic, showing the world the real me!

5) I learn new things daily.

I have been blessed with finding new depths in not only my physical practice but my meditation practice as well through these challenges. Specifically, I have learned how I need to slow down. As I mentioned before, I can get aggravated with myself for not being “better”. I get frustrated and try to muscle into a difficult posture, and I’ll notice I’m holding my breath, my attitude is childish, and surprise, I can’t get into a pose. As I’ve been going through these challenges, I have been inspired by the many hosts and their reminders to simply begin again, to be patient with oneself, and to accept where you are today without judgment. Again, I’m not going to pretend I’m Mrs. Enlightenment, but I can honestly say that as I look over the last 7 months or so of yoga challenges, I see a difference in myself. I’ve learned new postures. I’ve learned to be less judgmental of myself. I’ve learned to breathe into an asana, and move slower, calmer, and with more equanimity. I keep learning something new each day.

I know a lot of people aren’t so keen on the yoga challenges, saying it only is a means to “show off”. I will agree; there are people who may not be a “real yogi” and are simply doing it for the fame, but who am I to judge? I don’t know where that person is at in their yoga journey. Maybe physical asanas are much more natural to their body, and they are proud of what they can do. That’s awesome. For me, I am loving the little victories I find in each challenge. And I can’t worry about anyone else’s practice but my own. I search for growth in my own practice and cheer for growth in yours!

What do you think about the yoga challenge? I would love to know your thoughts.

Jenna

(A Yogi learning daily)