The Motivation Question:

How to Stay Consistent When Movement Feels Hard

Most people come to me asking how to stay motivated. They want the secret formula, the magic trick that makes showing up feel effortless.

Here's the truth I wish someone had told me years ago: motivation is fleeting. Some days it's there, bright and energizing. Other days? It's nowhere to be found.

But consistency—that's different. Consistency doesn't require you to feel inspired. It just requires you to show up.

When Motivation Isn't the Real Problem

I've worked with enough students to recognize the pattern: someone starts with enthusiasm, practices for a week or two, then life happens. A busy workday. A flare-up. A family obligation. The mat stays rolled up in the corner, and guilt creeps in.

But here's what I've learned—motivation isn't what keeps you going. Commitment is.

Motivation gets you started. Commitment keeps you there when it's hard, when your body feels stiff, when you'd rather do anything else.

The Small Win Framework

If you're struggling to stay consistent, stop trying to do more. Start trying to do less—but do it reliably.

Five minutes counts. Three breaths count. Unrolling your mat and sitting on it counts.

The goal isn't perfection. It's presence.

One of my students told me she couldn't commit to a full practice, so she made a deal with herself: put on workout clothes and sit on the mat for 60 seconds. That's it. No pressure to move. Most days, once she sat down, she stayed. But even on days she didn't, she honored her commitment.

That's the framework: make the barrier to entry so low that you can't talk yourself out of it.

Reframe What "Motivation" Means

We think motivation is supposed to feel like excitement. But sometimes, motivation is quieter. It's the knowledge that you'll feel better after you move, even when you don't want to start.

It's remembering that practice isn't about how you feel in the moment—it's about how you want to feel tomorrow, next week, next year.

Motivation isn't always a surge of energy. Sometimes it's just remembering why you started.

Build in Accountability

Here's something I personally don't talk about enough: practicing alone is hard. 

If you're struggling to show up, tell someone. A friend, a partner, a teacher, me.. Make it known. When you externalize your commitment, it becomes harder to ignore.

And if you don't have that person yet, find them. Join a community. Schedule check-ins with a teacher. Send me an email. Don't just try to do this alone.

The Practice Isn't Always Linear

Some weeks you'll feel strong, motivated, ready. Other weeks, your body will fight you. Pain will flare. Life will demand your attention elsewhere.

This is normal. This is not failure.

The students who succeed long-term aren't the ones who never struggle. They're the ones who expect the struggle and keep showing up anyway.

Practice isn't linear. It's messy, unpredictable, and deeply human. And that's exactly why it works.

What to Do When You Really Can't Practice

Sometimes, you genuinely can't get on the mat. You're traveling, caregiving, recovering, overwhelmed.

Here's what I tell my students: stay connected.

Read something about movement. Watch a short video. Do three conscious breaths while you're making coffee. Even if your body isn't moving, your mind can stay engaged with the practice.

Because here's the thing: yoga isn't just what happens on the mat. It's how you think about your body, how you move through your day, how you return to yourself when things feel hard.

Motivation will come and go. But if you build the habit of staying connected, even in small ways, you'll always have a way back.

The work you're doing matters. Not because you're doing it perfectly, but because you're doing it at all.