#YogaADay Days 1-9
#YogaADay Days 10-18
#YogaADay Days 19-27
#YogaADay Days 28-31. These might be my favorite images from the series.
For 31 days in October, I participated in Grow Soul Beautiful’s Instagram Yoga Challenge. I first heard about the challenge at Fitbloggin’ when Grow Soul Beautiful set up a yoga photo booth at the conference. It seemed like a fun idea and thought that I would play along.
I didn’t expect to love the challenge as much as I did. It pushed me to embrace certain poses or asanas that, frankly, I don’t really love – like Camel pose and Wide Angle Forward Bend. But doing Camel on the beach in St. Kitts made it a wee bit more pleasant. I also loved the challenge of coming up with interesting photos each day (thank goodness for auto-timers!!)
This was also the first time that I’ve ever seen myself practicing yoga. At first, it was a little odd to see myself in various poses as they didn’t always reflect what I envisioned in my mind. While seeing photos or video of yourself can be a powerful tool for coaching since you can pinpoint specific things to work on and improve, I started to become critical of myself – my hips are uneven or should be squared off a bit more, my hearts not open enough, my shoulders are tense.
As the days passed, the internal chatter slowly started to quiet. From the month of yoga, I took away one important lesson – I began to have fewer expectations about what a pose should be like and not to judge experiences before they happen.
The yoga community on Instagram is incredibly supportive. So many joined in on the challenge that Grow Soul Beautiful is continuing the yoga Instagram challenge into November.
I think that the last group of four photos, along with Triangle Pose (Day 5), are my favorites from the series. What’s your favorite?
I absolutely LOVE this idea. I wish I had the diligence to keep up with something like this!
Mila @ Tales From The Kitch recently posted..Thanks to give, November goals and a little bit of ‘Mo!
Too hard to choose a favorite. I love them all!
Heidi @BananaBuzzbomb recently posted..Caution: Deep Posts Ahead
I LOVED all of your pics especially Bow! How fitting with the sculpture? I, too, felt the same way as you at first – I looked horrible and didn’t do the pose just right. But then I just had fun with it.
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..A Month of #YogaADay
Such a wonderful post! I love what you have written & how using yoga+photography has given you a new appreciation. One of the many reasons I love pairing them together.
You are up in NY, no? Survive the storm ok? I’m headed up there for the marathon this evening- going to be an adventure!
Be sure to enter the contest on our blog to win a yoga prize pack.
Grow Soul Beautiful recently posted..Virtual Curve Fest with Curvy Yoga
Thank you for creating such an awesome little oasis out there through this challenge. I am up in NYC and we are all fine. Thank you for asking. Are you running the marathon or spectating? I’ve been torn about the marathon but now that they’ve made the decision, I really hope that it’s a good experience for people. Good luck and safe travels!
I’ll be running it! I totally get the controversy & could understand if they’d cancelled it. I imagine it will be greatly modified and different than the normal, I’m just hoping they are fully prepared & can pull it off without too much disruption tot he runners or the people of NY trying to recover.
Grow Soul Beautiful recently posted..Virtual Curve Fest with Curvy Yoga
I’ll be out cheering at Mile 7!! Good luck and fast feet
this is awesome! love the variety of different backgrounds you have!
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean recently posted..Fitness Friday 37
you inspired me to do more yoga, yes! and i want to participate. You are beautiful!
lindsay recently posted..Feed Me Friday: Food and Friends
I love that you did this challenge! You look amazing in all those poses–so peaceful. Way to go!
Fantastic!!
So beautiful Chtistine!!!
Kierston recently posted..1 Day Out: The Last Competition Of The Season!
I love how artistic your shots are! Seeing these all over Instagram definitely reignited my interest in yoga… beautiful!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..October Recap and Pumpkin Tofu Pie
Your pictures are all beautiful. I love the idea for this challenge, but your pics take the cake. Many of your outdoor ones are my favorite. So creative!
Amanda @ Run Principessa recently posted..Running Questions Answered
I love this idea! All of your pictures came out gorgeous as well. I might make it a goal to learn/do 31 different yoga poses next month!
Thanks Lynette! I hope that you do get a chance to learn more yoga poses. Many of these were new to me!
These are so stunning!!! Really really beautiful! Makes me want to do yoga right now and travel. Gorgeous!
It was fun to be able to do some of these poses while traveling. Much more interesting background than my living room!!
I loved seeing your poses you did such a great job!
Kat recently posted..Flashback Friday – 6 month anniversary
I LOVE how you did these poses all over the place!! You could make a photobook with all of these!
Mo recently posted..A Change In My Routine
I LOVED checking out your yoga poses on Instagram. Some of those photos are fit for print!
Michelle recently posted..Best Green Smoothie, Ever!
Love that you totally took advantage of the life events you had in this month. Beautiful pictures!
I have LOVED seeing your pics every day! These are gorgeous! LOVE the last four too. I think you should turn these into a collage and put them up in a frame. They are stunning!!
jobo recently posted..Resetting and rejuvinating.
What a great idea! I have been working a bit more yoga into my week.
Loved looking at these pics.
Elle recently posted..November Brings 3 New Challenges
You have some wonderful photos! I’m not sure which set to pick…they are all so good.
Carli recently posted..Running After Rings: #FitnessFriday No. 1
Oh, man. I wish I could fall in love with Yoga. Just can’t. Oh, well, I’m teaching (forcing) myself to fall in love with running and I already love cross-training and interval training. I guess you can’t love it all……
Jonathan Aluzas recently posted..Fitness for a Lifetime: Don’t Forget to Turn YOUR Clock Back!
It’s impossible to love it all. I think that you already have some pretty great things on your list.
I’m joining the Nov yoga-a-day! Great photos and perfect way to recap the challenge.
Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness recently posted..Fitness Friday || October In Review
Yay! I will look for your photos this month!
I agree love the 4 on the bottom! I also loved your chair pose. Is that your house?? So cute!! It was fun to do this challenge with you!
Ali recently posted..Yoga A Day
I wish that was my house! Unfortunately, my place doesn’t have as much character
These pictures are so beautiful! What a great challenge. Thanks for sharing.
Emily @ The Busy Mom’s Diet recently posted..XBox Kinect Fitness Game Review: Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012
Thanks Emily!
Gorgeous photos! I love that you took part in this and recapped them all here too!
Whitney @LiveRunLoveYoga recently posted..Workout Peace
Thanks Whitney! It was really fun and I’m glad that I did it.