In today's society, the push to do our best is almost inherent. We are constantly seeking to do better, to be better, and to achieve more. This competitive nature, whether with ourselves or with others, follows us even to our yoga mats. In yoga class, we may strive to achieve that perfect pose — the one the teacher demonstrates, the one we've seen in yoga magazine, or that one pose we must attain.

It can be easy to get caught up in a competitive nature even in yoga class, despite the teacher's instruction to the contrary. When given the option to take child's pose or downward dog, many will take downward dog even when their bodies call out for rest. While it is healthy to push your edge — that intense place when you can feel strong progress — it's far too common that yoga practitioners push that edge, and then fall off, with an injury or frustration.

It is helpful to think of your yoga practice as just that — practice. Yoga will always be simply practice. There is no final show. There is no final competition. We are all just practicing. So sit back and relax. Find steadiness and ease with each pose, letting an even breath guide you to your edge. Revel in each breath. Know that each moment is important. If you find yourself wishing you could lift your leg higher, balance easier, or hold a pose longer, remember that yoga is practice. Come to your mat regularly, and the practice will unfold. Be curious about what it has in store for you. This will help you deepen your yoga (and yes, even then it will still be practice).

Take for example paschimottanasana, or seated forward fold. It is very common to see people reaching for their toes, with a rounded upper back and plenty of space between the belly and thighs. The hinge in this pose should come from the hips, however, and not the back. It is more helpful to focus on maintaining a relatively straight spine, with heart open and shoulders back, and to work on getting the belly to the thighs first. This will seemingly take you way back out of the pose — something the ego defies — but taking your time in paschimottanasana will take strain off your back, and allow your entire back body to open comfortably, and in due time. Practice each pose with patience and acceptance, and your practice will naturally evolve just as it should.