"you're not doing enough"

Over the past two days there's been a gremlin in my ear whispering those words...
"You're not doing enough. You need to be doing more."

I'm also thinking about how this translates on the mat, in our yoga practice. When the nagging gremlin voice says, "You're not doing enough in (insert pose name)." I think that in general we are very familiar with pushing ourselves. Perhaps to the point where the asana doesn't even feel good. Hey, I totally admit it.

So tonight I'm flipping my middle finger to the gremlin (nope not my peace fingers) and declaring a whole list of dont's.

As in:

1. You don't have to look perfect in your pose.
2. You don't have to love all the poses. You don't even have to like all of them.
3. You don't have to practice (insert number) minutes for your practice to be considered a "real practice".
4. You don't have to do sun salutations, standing poses, backbends, etc. in every practice. Maybe your practice today will be savasana.
5. You don't have to do what your teachers says. Or what the person next to you does. Or what the book says.
6. You don't have to light incense and candles for every practice.
7. You don't need a yoga mat to practice.
8. You don't need the perfect spot to do yoga.
9. You don't have to enjoy every practice.
10. You don't have to do it the way you did it last year. Last month. Or even last week.

Ahhh, totally feel better now. Alright Love's, have a sweet day (with a dash of mischievousness, just for good measure and balance.;)

PS - Wondering what the gremlins whisper in your ear? And how you tame them?