Namaste to everyone, and hope you’ve all been having a great summer! As the days get shorter and we start to pay a little more attention once again to work and school, it’s hard not to feel the pressure of a busier schedule, especially when there’s less daylight to carry us through. Yoga is a great way to relieve the stress, of course, but what if you don’t have the time?

Though we might not be able to sneak away for a rejuvenating yoga class whenever we need that “boost,” it helps to remember that you don’t always have to do a full 1 1/2- to 2-hour session to benefit from yoga’s power. Even doing only a few poses here and there – or a quick series of Sun Salutations – can keep you going and leave you feeling energized.

To make taking a spontaneous “yoga break” even easier, I recommend owning two yoga mats and leaving one at home and the other either at work, at school, or in your car, if you have one; that way, you’re hopefully never without your own personal sanctuary in which to keep your yoga practice alive. Wherever you are, just roll out the mat and you’re there, for however long you can allow yourself to stay. (And if there are other people around, don’t worry: yoga is best when you keep your eyes closed.)

If you’re interested in learning more about how to make the most of your yoga time when you don’t have much to spare, stay tuned. I’ll be posting more in the coming weeks about what poses and exercises are most suited to a 20-minute session. Until then, remember: breathing deeply is one of the best ways to calm yourself down and relax… so when in doubt, just breathe.

I’d like to congratulate Lillian, one of my yoga students who also happens to be my mother, on her 95th birthday. She started practicing yoga at the age of 82; you can see her doing various yoga postures in the photo gallery. She is featured in several of the press clippings as well.

Jag önskar Lillian en underbar 95 års dag. Lillian är en utav mina yoga elever och hon är även min mamma. Hon började träna yoga när hon var 82; du kan se henne när hon gör olika yoga positioner i fotogallerin. Hon är också i några av tidningsartiklarna.

It’s the beginning of a bright new year, and as we roll back our calendars and prepare for the months ahead, it’s a good opportunity to reflect on what we want to accomplish with this precious time that we’ve been given. Ask yourself, what do I want to achieve in 2015? Are there any long-term plans or projects that I’ve been putting off? And if so, what can I do to get back on track? When a week can seem to fly by in an instant – and an entire month, nearly as fast – it’s important to clearly acknowledge our goals and to give ourselves a reasonable time frame for reaching them.

This is also a perfect moment for re-evaluating what we thought we once wanted and for letting go of hopes and dreams that might no longer be relevant. People change, and life moves on, and sometimes we find ourselves holding on to ideas that hold us back more than they help us. Goals aren’t static. They can and should be constantly reshaped to fit our visions for the future… and it’s very possible that the future you envision for yourself today is one that you could never have imagined a year ago. Don’t be afraid to grow, even if it means having to adapt and evolve; releasing the burden of old ambitions can give you the strength you need to identify new and better ones, more suited to who you are now and who you now want to be.

Above all, don’t give up! Be patient with yourself: the quickest way to failure comes from being unable to recognize your own progress and potential. Learn to see even the smallest step as a breakthrough, and know that, little by little, you will create your own path forward.

Namaste, and Happy New Year!