The Struggle is Real - Barriers to Overcome for Yoga Practice

We all have an ideal image in our head of rolling out our mats on a weekend, spending an hour floating through a practice before meditating serenely perched on a cushion in perfect stillness.

The reality, for most of us, looks very different:

A few minutes slotted in here and there. Booking a block of classes and ending up for one reason or another missing half of them. When I asked you recently what challenges you struggle with most in your practice the number one response was consistency - closely followed by time. Here's my view on the most common barriers faced by you when it comes to practicing yoga:

1. CONSISTENCY

Life gets in the way of our best intentions - none of us are immune from struggling to find the time, the energy or the will to roll out our mats.

On socials in the past I have said that the key thing to remember about being consistent - is to make it realistic and to be aware that consistency changes according to what is going on in your life at any given time.

Consistency with a young family and busy job might be 20 mins of an online class once a week.

Consistency when you are retired will be going out to a morning class, when your kids are older you’ll make that evening class and might even get a couple of times a week. The thing to remember is to go easy on yourself and remember that yoga is not about the end goal, it's not about having the perfect practice - yoga is about the experience of getting there.

ASK YOURSELF: WHAT DOES CONSISTENCY LOOK LIKE FOR ME RIGHT NOW?

2. TIME

The second stumbling block was time. And this is going to sound harsh - but how much time do you waste? I can ask this because I know I am guilty of it. The doom scroll has eaten more hours of my life than I care to admit - but I’m working on it!

I have used the time excuse a lot - but what I’ve found is that once I commit - everything else just slots around it. I end up wondering what made me think I didn’t have time in the first place?! To try and create time a key thing is asking for help - making sure we communicate with our partner or family at home - eg ‘can you be home for x time on a x-day so I can make time for that class’

ASK YOURSELF - AM I WASTING TIME ON POINTLESS TASKS? CAN I SET A FEW MINUTES ASIDE OR HOW WILL IT WORK IF JUST BOOK THAT CLASS?

ASK OTHERS! - FOR HELP AND SUPPORT TO ALLOW YOU TO TAKE THIS TIME FOR YOURSELF

CAUGHT TIME WASTING.

3. I’M NOT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH….

One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga is that you need to be flexible to start. The truth is, yoga builds flexibility — it’s not a requirement! It’s completely normal to feel stiff or limited at first. Yoga is about meeting your body where it is today, not forcing it into shapes.

4. I’M TOO NERVOUS TO START - EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE BETTER THAN ME

Walking into a studio for the first time can feel nerve-wracking. You might worry about what others think or whether you’ll “do it right.” Here’s the secret: everyone is far too focused on their own practice to notice what you’re doing. Yoga is a judgment-free zone — it’s your space to breathe, move, and grow.

THE TAKEAWAY

Yoga isn’t about perfect poses or a flawless practice. It’s about showing up for yourself — even when it’s challenging. Whether you’re feeling stiff, self-conscious, or strapped for time, remember: every yogi started exactly where you are. The hardest part is simply getting on the mat.

Reach out on socials or by e-mail to yogawithsarahfee@gmail.com if you want some guidance on getting started or staying consistent.

Namaste

S.