We all know that, more than just being great exercise, yoga is all about mindfulness. As well as getting into the poses, it’s about using the focus on your breath and awareness of your body as a form of meditation.

But sometimes after a long day, or if you’re just distracted by tiredness / stress / hunger / gossip / that pass-ag email your boss sent you just as you were leaving the office [delete as appropriate], it’s hard to be zen af, amiright?!

So let’s be real. Even if you’re trying to be the most focused yogi your instructor has ever seen, there are going to be some sneaky unwanted thoughts that creep in. Damn them. Any of these sound familiar?

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1. “Sweet, a nice relaxing yoga class. This is gonna be the best!”

2. [Five minutes later]. “Wait, it’s power yoga? Did I sign up for power yoga? But I wanted to lie down and do some gentle stretches for an hour. This is gonna be the worst!”

3. Then there’s the realisation when you arrive that all the spots at the back are taken and you have to use the mat right at the front and centre of the class.

4. Time to get started: “OK, downward dog. I got this. Easy breezy.”

5. But just as you’re getting into your groove someone stomps in ten minutes late and disrupts the whole class to make a space for their mat:

6. As the class restarts: “OK, clear mind. I got this”

...but it’s never as easy as it sounds.

7. “Argh why do I keep getting so distracted? And now I’m distracted thinking about being distracted. This is not zen AT ALL. I suck at this.”

I mean, there are so many things to get distracted by...

8. The music: “Oooh I love this soundtrack. Is it acceptable to pretend I have a question about the pose and actually ask what song this is?”

9. That girl who keeps going into insane poses when you thought you were just supposed to be doing a forward fold…

"How does she even bend that way?!"

10. And the fact that yoga is actually really hard work: "Holy cow this is hard - why did no-one tell me this was going to be so hard."

11. Especially when the instructor throws in ANOTHER plank and you just can’t.

Like, really can’t.

12. Or they’re demonstrating a crazy-hard pose that a circus performer would probably struggle to get into. “You think I’m going to be able to do that? Yeah right”

13. Although sometimes (just sometimes) you’re possessed by some awesome yogi power and actually manage to do it. “Omg I nailed it!”

14. And then just as you think you could do this forever, the class comes to and end. “Savasana. FINALLY - lying down is my favourite!”

And you’re so determined to have a kick-ass savasana meditation… but it mainly consists of uber-zen thoughts like:

15. “So what food do I actually have at home. Could I make lasagne?”

16. “Oh crap. Did I leave the oven on?!”

and

17. “Focus-on-being-relaxed-don't-fall-asleep-don't-fall-asleep-don't-fall-asleep…”

18. “Is that person asleep? How embarrassing!"

But then, before you know it your hour is up and it’s time to go home.

19. “That went by so fast!”

But it’s OK because yoga is you’ve got another yoga class in a few days. Yey.

20. “Can’t wait til Thursday!”

'Words by Melissa Hobson'