COMMITMENT

I was skiing a few weeks ago and found myself having great difficulty navigating some heavy, chunky, powdery snow. After a few frustrating runs, I ran into an instructor and asked him to give me a tip. "Commit and lean into your boots", was his emphatic reply. I had been skiing very tentatively and wasn't really having much fun. What a difference it made to commit! Up to that point, I wasn't fully in it. I had an immediate attitude shift and, though my legs were exhausted by the end of the day from all that committing, I had fun and more success navigating my way down the hill.
I can take that same advice when it comes to my practice. I can begin by committing to practicing for a couple of minutes every day - maybe I'll do some sun salutations to get me going in the morning or to release tension in the evening. Research shows that it takes about 30 days for something to become a habit. I can set my sites on one month, forgiving myself if I miss a day or two here and there. If I miss a few days, instead of beating myself up, I can recommit the very next day. I want to be committed, but not punishing. To add a twist to the old adage, if at first you don't succeed, commit, commit again! You'll be glad you did.