The challenge of practicing yoga while travelling

Its been a long while, like months since I have posted anything on this website, a whole 2 seasons have passed.

Not that I don’t intend to write at all, I have dozens of unwritten blog posts saved on my laptop. I actually found that I have a fear routine, of overly researching, then being completely overwhelmed, leading to self sabotage.

I learnt this in Courageous Kate’s book, that Self Sabotage is when you just do nothing because you’re so overwhelmed by the possibility of doing that thing, that causes you fear and anxiety.

How can a blog cause anxiety? Well I kept reading that I must have a “niche”, that every blog post must be curated to that and well that’s one of the big reasons why blogging seemed too difficult.

However, if I don’t get used to blogging, how am I meant to spread any kind of message that I have, plus the whole niche thing will come together and for now I have been motivated by seeing that people have actually signed up to my mailing list!

So if you’re reading this, hello! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to read this, if you haven’t already, subscribe to my mailing list to hear more updates on yoga, wellness tips and pretty scenery from the Japanese mountains. Click here, to subscribe!

So to the whole point of this blog.

Is it possible to travel and practice yoga?

All of my energy since Spring 2018, has been focused on one thing. Going to Europe!

For my friend’s wedding, in a Chateau, that’s a castle, A REAL CASTLE! Where I was also kindly asked to be a bridesmaid. I usually wear a mix of leggings (thanks to yoga) or snowboarding gear. So the idea of seeing my friend, get married, see other friends and wear clothes like a real lady was beyond a dream.

The issue is Money! So to be 100% honest, I am not loaded, but living in a rural Japan, my bills and living expenses are a lot cheaper than if I lived in the city.

However spending a little over a month in Europe, to go to this wedding, getting some travelling in, then seeing family and friends. Is costly!

I airbnb my newly renovated home in the idyllic forest of Myoko, Japan, in the winter (here’s the link) for extra income. However the laws changed and now there are regulations to put your airbnb on their website (which I’ve done). I also work at whatever job I can find. So I taught English for 3 months, which I am more than capable of doing, I speak French, English and Japanese, I don’t require a visa and I like children, so it’s a win for any English schools.

While my husband was able to work on renovating houses, as there’s a boom of western bought properties where we live, as it’s close to ski resorts and because Myoko is such a lovely area of course.

Anyway after saving, crying, stressing and manifesting (more on this on another blog in the future) we both went to Europe!

So there’s also one thing about a yoga practice, it requires discipline and it is mainly about building a habit. Which I mostly could keep up with, back at home, having the space and waking up a little earlier.

Then while travelling, you’re always with people, family and friends. I’m a little like a cat, I need my own quiet space to practice and this isn’t always possible when you’re moving from one place to another.

So my point is no personally, I couldn’t continue my yoga practice while travelling!

However I want to make sure to discuss that, this isn’t a problem!

We live in this social media world, where these amazingly good looking (like ridiculously good looking) women, with their beautiful bottoms out in public, practice the most beautiful poses from the airport, to the streets of New York.

Honestly though these images are curated, they are not spontaneous and they’re not a real representation of a yoga practice! These ladies are working, for their followers or for their sponsors.

So I would like to let you and me, take some of that pressure off and practice when you are able to and not to feel this weird shame on what your practice is like!

I couldn’t bring myself out to do a yoga pose in front of the Eiffel tower, I’m not very shy but I just didn’t do it!

Something that I also realised is that a yoga practice for me, is soothing for my mind, body and soul. Well I discovered that travelling, after being only in Japan for 2 years, is something that I really love!

Yes it’s a lot of stress and effort. But I love finding a great airbnb to stay at or a flight at a reasonable rate! I never grew up being part of tour operator groups, which I always thought were silly and expensive, which I now realise save you a lot of time and money (if you count your time as money).

If you’d like some tips, which I have many from travelling in Europe, I’m happy to write a blog post about this.

So the whole process of organising this trip and experiencing being back in Europe, made me feel like I didn’t need my usual yoga practice.

I was also creating a very strong baguette and all the carbs core at the time, which also took a lot of my time and energy (haha).

I’m back home now, I can build up my practice when I want again. Although once you’ve stopped a good habit, it is so much harder to get back to it, than to get out of it. Surely that’s because my inner lazy sloth is just too damn strong!

As the Japanese say, Ganbare! Which is to persere! Which I will.

Until next time, I’ll be posting my yoga schedule for the rest of Autumn.