When you’re on the road for as long as I’ve been (3 months and counting), staying active becomes a necessity. And while some days are way more “let’s do this!” than others, exercise is still a priority. It has to be.

‘Cause if you haven’t seen my Instagram, I literally eat my way around whatever city I’m currently calling home.

Travel provides a constant stream of “new-ness” – which is one of the reasons I adore it. When it comes to exercise, that means one day I could be jogging along the beach in Balmoral, Sydney and another day hiking up Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai.

I’ve never been one to go all die-hard for one specific type of exercise. I like variety. So my philosophy is simply to stay active, get your heart pumping and try to lift heavy things every once in a while.

But this week I arrived in a massive yoga capital – Ubud, Bali.

To say I am surrounded by yogis at every restaurant, shop and street corner would be an understatement. Yogi-ness is dripping from the rooftops, more than the seasonal typhoon rains. It’s gobbled up with more fervor than raw, vegan bliss balls at every cafe.

And trust me, bliss balls are addictive!

So it got me thinking. Could I, girl who likes to switch it up, survive 30 days of yoga? Could I stretch myself (literally and figuratively), in new and profound ways?

To be honest, I’m not sure.

But here’s the truth. My posture is starting to resemble that of Quasimodo (I fully blame laptop work) and my flexibility has seen far bendier days. My villa is also walking distance to the famed Yoga Barn – where students from around the world train and certify as instructors.

Hello, convenience.

But the clincher was when a local yogi mentioned that regular yoga practice will “break open my heart and set me free.”

Seriously? Who doesn’t want that?

Sign. Me. Up.

My 30 day yoga challenge

First things first. I need to keep this challenge realistic and doable. That means I’m not even gonna try to dazzle you with the goal of an everyday practice. Not for this formerly once a week novice yogi. I’ve got sights to explore, work that needs doing, food that needs tasting and waters that need snorkeling.

So I’ll need a few days break here and there. I’m sure my muscles will as well.

But here’s what I will commit to – a minimum of 4 days a week. And just between you, me and the wall, I really wanted to say 3. But since this is a challenge, I upped it to 4.

Why it’s important to push ourselves

I’ve been thinking a lot about this self-imposed challenge for the last 24 hours – and more specifically why it’s important to continually challenge ourselves.

The short of it is this. Because we’re capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.  Let me repeat. We’re capable of so – much – more.

Once we break free from daily routines and safe harbors, the world opens up. LIFE opens up. I think my entire last year is a testament to that. 

So with first-day-of-school nerves, I’ve eagerly laid out my yoga clothes for tomorrow. Clean, bright and friendly. Perhaps a little mental “dressing for the part” if you will. But tomorrow is showtime. The real deal with the truest of true yogis in Bali.

My class starts at 7am – wish me luck!

—

If you’d like to follow my 30 days of yoga challenge (and keep me motivated!), follow me on Instagram or Facebook.

---

What challenges have you set for yourself? Share one of your most amazing adventures or life-defining moments below? I’d love to hear!