Doing the thing, when you don’t have your things

For the last few years, my husband Vinny and I have traveled between Canada and the U.S. a LOT. Typically, we’re driving from Toronto to New York or Massachusetts. My favorite yoga mat usually accompanies me over the border both ways. I’m pretty attached to it.

I’m a yoga person.  I do yoga almost every day. I unroll my mat as a way to anchor myself and kickstart the ritual of “yoga practice time”.

So you can imagine my disappointment that time I arrived at our country home only to realize my yoga mat didn’t make the trip. After remembering that I kept a spare in the garage, I went digging through our storage only to find a total mess… 

Mice had chewed my lovely blue mat to bits, mixing its remains with various seeds, fluff and—of course—plentiful amounts of mouse droppings. There had been a mouse house party in my mat!!  

Rather than let this glitch stand in my way of getting a practice in, I thought of YOU—our Strong Bones community members—who are always finding ways to move in less traditional ways.

Our monthly Strong Bones challenges will get you standing in tree pose while brewing coffee - no mat required! They’ll get you practicing sit-to-stands at airport gates and pausing in doorways to do posture exercises. I do boat pose whenever the mood feels right on my living room rug. After brushing my teeth most evenings, I can be found next to my bed, doing bridge pose in my pjs (a bridge a day keeps bone density loss at bay!). 

That’s why I wanted to share a practice with you that doesn’t require a yoga mat. It’s a perfect example of doing what we can with what we have. I filmed it on my phone, with no fancy lighting or audio equipment. The natural light through the window worked beautifully and the carpet I’m practicing on provided just the right amount of comfort—I didn’t miss my mat one bit 😉. Let it be a reminder that perfect conditions aren’t required to make something still worth doing.

So whatever excuses you’ve been battling with lately—gym too busy? Classes not at the right time? Yoga mat chewed to bits?—let this be your invitation to get out there and do the thing you’ve been putting off. Enjoy this targeted practice that’s just over 12 minutes (meaning you can't even use that "not enough time" excuse!). 

You don’t need anything but yourself, some space, and maybe your dog (or cat) for moral support.

Cheers to strong bones,

Susannah