You may not do it all, but you’ll do more than you think.

This was the advice that got me to sign up for my first 30 day yoga challenge, from a yoga teacher who was in the middle of one herself. I was impressed and intimidated, and I told her so.

She laughed (kindly) and said “Oh honey, I go to yoga every day, but that doesn’t mean I go hard every day.”

More seriously, she said, “Sometimes I think all I can do is lay on the floor. But I always end up doing more than I think I will.”

I thought about her on Saturday as I added my name to challenge board.

I’m going to level with you; it is almost certainly impossible for me to do all 30 days!

But, I plan to take it one day at a time. I’ll plan my practice, ask my family for support; accept whatever I find in myself as I greet the mat each day.

If you’ve never done a challenge before, I recommend it.

It changes your perspective. “Will I go to yoga?” becomes “How will I go to yoga?” … “I could never get to a 6am.” becomes “I guess I’ll have to try 6am!” There are physical benefits, too, as your body adapts the increasing the frequency of your practice. Make sure you are conscious about drinking fluids, replacing electrolytes, and eating nourishing (and delicious!) meals.

Remember, the challenge isn’t about perfection. Yes, there are benefits to daily practice, and yes, you can win prizes if you to get 30 classes in the 31 days of October. But as with all that we do at Bonfire, the challenge is an opportunity to explore your relationship with yourself. Whether you’re planning to go all in, or take it one day at a time and almost certainly fail (like me!), the choice to take on the challenge is always worthwhile.