“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
Leonardo Da Vinci

One of the biggest and most common problems with improving your life or the success you want out of it is that you may not take consistent action over a longer time period.

Now, consistency isn’t the sexiest or most exciting word.

But it is, coupled with time, what will give you real results in your life.

Sticking with the program and doing something consistently – and not just when you feel inspired or something like that – is very, very powerful.

This is something I have struggled with a lot in the past. And on some days I still do.

But over the years I have found a few things that really help me with this.

1. When you’re taking action, focus only on the process.

I use this one, for example, when I do my workouts and when I write. I don’t take responsibility for the results in my mind.

I take responsibility for showing up and doing my workout/the writing. That’s it.

The results come anyway from that consistent action. And this makes it easier for me to take this action because:

• I know that is all I need to focus on. And so my energy and attention is only focused in one direction and I do a better job.
• I feel a lot less pressure on myself. And so I’m more relaxed and prone to continue compared to if I stare myself blind on the potential results that never come as quickly as I may want and if I’m on an emotional roller coaster from day to day.

2. Remember why you are taking action.

Find your top priorities and reasons for why you are doing what you are doing.

It could be to provide for your family, to save up for traveling, to get the job you really want or to improve your self-confidence. Or something else.

To not lose track of why you are taking action and to stay focused:

• Write down your most important reasons. Take a few minutes, sit down with paper and a pen and write down the top 1-3 reasons for why you take action and want to keep doing that in your life right now.
• Put that note where you can see it every day. Like for example in your workspace or near your bed so that you see it every morning when you wake up.

3. Reminder: you don’t want to hurt yourself.

When you disappoint yourself and don’t think and do as you really deep down want to you hurt yourself by lowering your self-esteem.

Whatever you do during your day sends signals back to yourself about what kind of person you are. Do the right thing like being effective, kind, going to the gym or simply rest and you feel good.

Get lazy, negative or just plain mean and you tend to feel worse after a while.

You don’t get away, there is no escaping yourself. And there is always a price to pay.

4. Take smaller steps on the days when the big ones seem to daunting.

On some days getting started with any of the the most important tasks may seem daunting. And so you start to procrastinate.

When that happens, one thing that has worked for me is to be kind.

To nudge myself forward instead of beating myself up.

So at such times I take:

• A small step. I may make a deal with myself to just work for 5 minutes on a piece of a bigger and more difficult task.
• An even smaller step. If that small step feels like too much and I start to procrastinate I make a deal with myself for 1 or 2 minutes of work.

Sometimes that results in a few dents put into a big task, a couple of smaller tasks being completed and many breaks being taken throughout the day.

And sometimes the easy start or restart to the day is all I need to get going again and to have a good and very productive time before the evening arrives.

Either way, I move forward instead of standing still.

5. Celebrate what you did today.

When you appreciate your good work you feel even better about your life and yourself.

And over time taking more action with less inner resistance becomes possible and you associate action with more positive emotions than you may at this time.

So….

• Take two minutes at the end of the day to think about what you can appreciate about what you did today. Or write down a couple of self-appreciative things in your journal.
• Have a tasty treat or a bigger celebration.
• Tell someone how nice something turned out, how you learned a good lesson or how proud you are over something important you did today.

Reward yourself for the things you did right today to strengthen your action taking habit.

And remember to be kind to yourself for the things you may have missed or not gotten done.

No point in trying to beat yourself up. No point in trying to be perfect.

See what you can learn from it and perhaps try another solution tomorrow and see if that works better.

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The yogic concept of Karma has become commonplace all around the globe. Most likely because the law of karma is simple and understandable–you reap what you sow. Karma yoga is one of the four main branches of yoga that uses the intent of one’s action to control the chain reaction of cause and effect. It is an ancient practice that uses the law of karma to make you a better person and to make the entire world a happier and kinder place. Karma yoga is best suited for persons who are naturally generous and kind, but anyone can easily start this practice. It can provide many of the same benefits as the other yoga practices without as much of the physical or mental challenges.

What is Karma Yoga?

Karma yoga is often defined as “the yoga of action” or “the path of selfless service.” The Sanskrit word “Karma” is derived from the root word “Kru,” which translates as “work, deed or action.” Yoga is a set of practices to unite the body, mind, and heart into a state of oneness. Karma yoga is a disciplined and conscious path to attaining this unitive state through unselfish, kind, and generous actions. This yoga of action involves renouncing the future fruits of our efforts as a spiritual offering rather than letting the ego to become attached to the results of our actions.

What is Karma Yoga’s Purpose?

Karma yoga’s primary goal is to attain moksha (enlightenment) through one’s actions and work in the world. One does not need to wish for wisdom in order to practice this yoga. This yoga is a way to help others while lessening our own suffering and our egoistic tendencies. When practicing Karma Yoga, one’s actions are viewed as a form of prayer or worship to deepen one’s spiritual connection to the Divine or to the oneness of all life.

Benefits of Karma Yoga

Karma yoga is said to purify the mind and cleanse the heart. It promotes positive feelings like humility, kindness, compassion, honor, gratefulness, generosity, love, and joy. Karma yoga reduces and removes negative emotions like envy, hatred, fear, greed, selfishness, and jealousy. As Swami Vivekananda writes, “Every act of love brings happiness; there is no act of love which does not bring peace and blessedness as its reaction.” Karma yoga also has the power to transform your ordinary everyday actions into mighty acts of spiritual connection and mindfulness. It is also a great way to create and build a strong community of similar-minded folks around you.

History of Karma Yoga

The foundations of Karma yoga were laid in one of the first Upanishadic scriptures, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which was composed around 500 BCE. The yoga of action was further explained in the epic text, the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna explains the practice of Karma yoga and links it to one’s fulfillment of Dharma or personal duty. He associates this yoga as a form of worship when one’s actions are selfless, given to the right causes or like-minded others, and with a positive feeling and attitude.

How to Practice Karma Yoga

You often hear yoga teachers talk about taking “yoga off the mat” and into the world. Karma yoga is one of the easiest and simplest ways to practice yoga outside of the yoga studio. Ideally, any type of yoga practice will have the best success through constant and dedicated effort, but any effort that you can put towards this will move you towards attaining more unity and peace in your life. Karma yoga can be fun and easy, but if you are not a naturally humble, kind, and generous person, you will find it challenging. Notice where the practice feels challenging and difficult for you, as this is where you should focus your work.

You can approach the practice of Karma yoga in many ways. Big or small acts of kindness and generosity can be woven through our everyday work and actions. The size and frequency of your actions do not matter as much as having pure motives to help others with no expectation of receiving any benefits for yourself.

How to start

The best way to start is to look at ways to be kind and generous to yourself and your loved ones. Pay attention to your attitude towards chores and work duties. Try to approach all of these actions with a positive attitude. Realign your goals to be less focused on your ego and more centered on benefiting others around you. As you get comfortable with the practice, expand this circle outwards to include more people and organizations. Look for opportunities to volunteer or help out non-profits and charities. If you practice hatha yoga, your local studio may have Karma yoga classes and events you can participate in.

Reflection questions

It will be necessary to check-in and reflect on your intentions and attitude throughout your practice. Asking yourself, “What is in this for me?” will help root out any egotistical motives. Here is a list of other questions to help guide and refine your karma yoga practice:

• How can I share my gifts and talents with others?
• What would be most helpful to this person or organization?
• What is most needed right now?
• Who has the greatest need for help?
• Are there any underserved places in my community that could use more help?
• When do I have the most free time or feel the most ease to help others?
• Who or what do I feel the most compassion towards?
• What are my motivations and intentions in giving this help?
• What actions will best serve all people everywhere?
• Are my actions respectful and considerate to others?
• Are my actions kind, loving, and generous?
• How does my heart feel when I do this work?

Karma yoga is a powerful way to broaden your spiritual pathway. Rather than boxing yourself in with want, desire, and need, you can instead create freedom, ease, and joy through selfless action. If we focus on being genuinely good to all that is around us and consider how our actions affect each other, we will slowly make our way to being a better person and move closer towards enlightenment.

If you have given Karma yoga a shot, let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. We would love to hear how you are spreading your love and kindness out into the world!

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