As we enter this month I have been focused on discipline – something I put more of an emphasis on during Lent. I have always enjoyed the challenge of giving something up or adding a new routine during this time. To me it's another time that involves setting a goal, making plans and adhering to them; and that goal should be a personal sacrifice that challenges my self-discipline.

Lent is 45 days long – the perfect amount of time to develop good habits. In the past for Lent, I have given up eating meat – that was about 30 years ago and I haven’t gone back. Last year, I gave up shopping on Amazon – that lasted about 9 months but I developed the discipline and have reduced my footprint to only shopping on Amazon once a quarter (at the most).

To me, Lent gives me the option of voluntarily abstaining from a particular indulgence or habit and see how it feels to be without. I don’t think of it as a form of penance but as a challenge that could prompt a better habit in its place. The 45-day period also gives me the ability to try a personal sacrifice but also go back to that old habit. And there have been many habits that I haven’t changed. Over and over I have tried to develop the discipline of making my bed every day – that one never seems to stick.

I believe this period is appealing to me because while life feels out of control and chaotic at times, setting a goal for myself that is challenging allows me to focus on making conscious choices and exerting willpower to resist the short-term gratification in favor of long-term benefits.

Setting a goal to make it to your mat and practice yoga is a great routine to set during this period or any. Your yoga practice can be cultivated and strengthened through consistent practice, effort and self-awareness. Join Satsanga Yoga this month to develop your practice into a healthy habit.