I’m trying really hard not to dwell on what’s past and to not think too far ahead. But I’ve had fleeting thoughts about how 30 days is totally doable and maybe I could do more. I’m not making any promises or changes to the game plan. I’m relieved that I’m not panicking or wanting to quit at this point.

While every class is different regardless of how often you go, I’ve found that a daily class has really pushed me mentally towards truly accepting each day as it is and not dwelling on it. If I have more to give, I give it. If I don’t, I just don’t and I let it go. That was advice given to me when I started asking around about doing a challenge. Now I’m actually feeling it. The woman that gave me that advice did her 95th class of her 100-day challenge today.

She also advised me to plan my classes out just a bit at a time. Planning just a week out is working well. Putting classes on both home and work calendars is helpful and motivating. Fortunately, I have day time hours to spend so I’ve been getting my classes in even when my evenings are booked. Going forward, I’m going to keep with the day time classes as much as possible, even if my evenings are free. I like being able to get them over and done with and also not have to worry about managing my food and water that much longer. Plus it makes for a nice break in the day and I get more done at work when I return.

I still have problems with feeling competitive with people, which I really need to get over, for real for serious. Everyone’s anatomy, ability, and inclination are so different, it’s ludicrous for me to compare myself to other people, but I do. The only benefit in looking at what anyone else is doing is if I’m specifically looking for someone to demonstrate the correct way to do a pose.

I’m really grateful that I have access to laundry on a daily basis. It feels wasteful, but you can’t not do the yoga laundry every day, unless maybe it were summer and I could dry the mat outside. If I could at least let the mat air out, I could rotate two sets of clothes and towels and maybe even another mat. Then I could just wash every other day. But it’s in the single digits here in Minnesota. I’m-a have to work on that one.

It’s kinda weird to take a totally short utilitarian shower most days. I have new appreciation for the space in my own shower, the smells of my regular products, not being rushed, and having time and space for miscellaneous grooming. The number one pitfall of post-class showering in the studio is that I haven’t stopped sweating yet but I have to get dressed in my work duds anyway. In the summer, the heat prolongs my still-sweating period. In the winter I have long underwear and multiple layers to contend with. #firstworldproblems, I know.

Going into this challenge, I didn’t have any goals other than to do the 30 days. There are things that are going to happen that I just can’t know ahead of time. I know my weight just because I weigh myself every day anyway (yeah, I know). No changes there so far. I didn’t measure any inches. I feel like my pants are fitting a little differently, but it could just be that I haven’t washed any of my jeans in a while so they’re all loose.

I think my hips are very gradually opening up. A little. That’s a difficult process. Those are big joints with strong muscles and tissues around them. I’ve noticed some progress in getting my toes wrapped in eagle pose. I never thought that would happen, so that’s encouraging. I had blamed this inability to get my toes wrapped around my shin on my thick thighs but I think it’s much more a matter of my hip joints moving. It’s all about the angles. Eagle pose toes has emerged as my one pose-specific hope for this challenge.