ten tips to help you reconnect to your practice this fall

a continuation of my ten tips geared to the modern yogi. enjoy and here's to a challenging, innovative, conscious and chic fall season....

1. put “on the mat” time into your schedule. make your yoga practice part of your daily routine. maybe it begins slowly with an early morning sun salutation and a before bed child’s pose. the duration is not as important as the discipline to do it daily.
2. schedule quiet time. you’ve got to set aside some quality private time to replenish. some of my faves are journal writing, meditating, herbal tea sipping coupled with daydreaming, long walks, yoga, gardening, cooking, and bookstore browsing.
3. write out your fall goals and reflect. what steps can you take now to get you closer to what you had hoped this year would look like for you? where are you now and where do you want to be? how have you grown this year? what would you like the next three months to look and feel like?
4. clean out your closet. spend some time mulling through your closet and shedding what you no longer wear. donate these items to charity or schedule a swap with your gal pals. this process is cleansing and opens up space for a few new seasonal must-haves.
5. host a charity-centered soiree. reconnect with your fave friends and invite them all over to raise awareness and funds for a special cause dear to your heart. this month’s focus is breast cancer awareness. how can you help others think pink?
6. self-nurture with a girl’s (or boy’s) night in. gather all the ingredients needed for a decadent evening at home – aromatherapy oils, your fave bubbly beverage, an organic oatmeal facial scrub, and heaps of chamomile tea. indulge in some sacred candlelit bath time with your favorite lime flavored sparkling water nearby.
7. challenge yourself. take up a new hobby, start writing that novel, schedule a vacation alone, study a foreign language, learn to knit, or sign up for that salsa class you’ve been thinking about for years. take yourself out of the comfort zone and watch a new, exciting world unfold.
8.get organized. clean up your finances, clear off your desk (or kitchen table), sort through your kitchen cabinets, organize your paperwork into files, and put your accessories into labeled drawers. clearing clutter frees the mind and opens up space for renewed creativity.
9. join a group of like-minded people. how about a political group, entrepreneur group, volunteer group, book club, toastmasters group, or knitting circle? these connections will help you grow and open up new possibilities.
10. create soulful surroundings at home. set up an altar with photos of loved ones and/or teachers, scatter your favorite scented soy candles throughout your home, light nap champa incense, invest in easy-to-care-for plants such as philodendrons, play invigorating and inspiring music, and learn to love your special oasis.