Body Love

The scale is not my friend today. We just returned from a short few days of travel to see family and friends, and while we had an amazing time, I now feel bloated and my scale has informed me that I have added a few pounds to my frame.

The truth is that I love food. I've always had a good appetite. Nothing wrong with that, as we all need food as fuel that keeps us going. Yet, I've also come to realize that I have really deeply engrained ideas in my head that tell me food is fun, food is celebratory, and food is either 'good or bad.' In addition, without realizing it, I can quickly fall into some pretty significant self-loathing and an inner dialogue that is a whole lot less than kind and nurturing....especially when I have been busy overriding what my body actually prefers and feeding myself poorly.

For me, body image and awareness is another example of how much I need my yoga practice. I need time to slow down enough to pay attention to my inner voice, and I need to thoughtfully consider what my body might really want from me in terms of nourishment and food. I know that I feel better physically and mentally when I avoid fried foods, excess carbs, sugar, and alcohol.  Yet somehow, when I am traveling or at a social event, a not-so-tiny voice starts whining about wanting ice cream and demanding treats!  When I tune into my own awareness and allow my body to lead the way, I know that fried foods give me a bellyache and I prefer it when I don't eat enormous portions that leave me feeling stuffed and sick. Let's face it: I do not have any more fun when I am eating potato chips instead of a nice piece of summer fruit. The fun is always in our surroundings and the company we keep, not inside a candy wrapper!

I'm just sharing this in the hopes that if you are also someone who can get overly critical and nasty with yourself about your weight, looks, or other body concerns, I hope you can pause long enough to consider what you really need. If you're like me, I sometimes do need a return to a bit of discipline and limits, but I need to impose these in a way that feels supportive and in my best interest. I need to remember that I can choose to behave in ways that counteract all of the food commercials and marketing that have sold us on the idea that food equals fun. What's really fun? Feeling healthy and vibrant and able to meet the demands of the day. Having quality relationships; with myself and with others. So, for today, I'm choosing good health and treating my body with the care and attention it deserves.

Finding Clarity in the Land of Overload

Sometimes the world just feels like too much. Violence and starvation. Climate change with devastating and scary storms. Personal challenges and health concerns.  Petty arguments and an overall sense that just too many of us are simply pissed off.

How do we find our way back to a solid foundation and a sense that we are strong and capable, no matter what comes our way? I'd like to suggest several strategies for finding clarity when you feel overwhelmed and over loaded:

    Limit your tech and social media time. Kinda funny that I am suggesting this notion on social media platforms!! But it is so very necessary. Social media is designed to capture our attention, our emotions and even our outrage. While tech is an amazing tool for social connections, too often it can also be an enormous waste of our precious time and energy. Be careful how much you consume!

    Get outside. Mother nature is amazing! Studies are now being done showing the benefits of time outdoors and it's amazing ability to help us re-set our nervous system and outlook. A walk to the mailbox or around the block...whatever you can fit in will reap big benefits.

    Limit your news. We all want to be and should be well informed. In today's day and age, it takes a bit of effort to consider sources and find fact over biased and inflammatory information. Be willing to listen to other viewpoints and seek understanding and truth. Then, find something else to do! I'm old enough to remember the time before news that was available around the clock. Be informed, but not consumed.

    Find your people. This one is super important. In a world of so-called increasing connectivity via technology, we are leading more isolated lives and loneliness is being reported at extremely high levels. As humans, we are social beings. Get out there and find some 'in real life' interaction. Find your tribe and your community. A place where you feel accepted and supported, whether it is a faith-based group, a civic organization, a yoga class, or a volunteer opportunity, get yourself around some other people that you can get to know and trust.

    Finally, learn and establish some sustainable practices that help you stabilize your mood and tension levels. Of course, I have a bias that yoga practice is a fantastic way to move, bend, and breathe in ways that help us feel settled, calm and more secure in our own bodies. Meditation, positive affirmations or mantra, prayer time, journaling, and creative pursuits can all be beneficial and help us find a flow to our day. Finding something you enjoy and can stick with is important. Healthy practices help us build reserves for when times get tough and provide us skills we can access when we need them. If you're already spun out and at wits end, it's unlikely you'll decide its time for a healthy new habit. Have something that is already established to help see you through. Life is full of problems. Be prepared.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about these ideas. Leave a comment and let me know what resonates with you. We can create some positive support and ideas together. Have a peaceful and healthy day!

Being an Ambassador of Love and Peace

I've always been interested in coincidences. The big questions about how God/the divine/ the universe/higher good might be active in my life. When topics or ideas keep poking me or nudging me along, I eventually take time to pay attention and listen.  What's been poking me lately? I keep hearing words about just doing the next thing, the question: what is mine to do, or what's my purpose in life? Do I have a divine appointment here on earth?

This winter I received a note from one of my yoga students. Let me just pause there and say how blessed and lucky I feel to teach and be in community with so many amazing yoga students who let me know if they'll be absent from class (even though I have never made this request), and who send me cards and notes and the occasional encouraging email. Anyway, I received this note that ended with "keep on being an ambassador of love and peace." What the??? Who me? Being an ambassador of anything sounds lofty and terribly important and I'm not sure that's me! Yet, the words wouldn't let me go. How could I try to be an ambassador of love and peace? How could I step into this and try to live it out? As is so true of any endeavor, you just begin to try.

If you think I'm this highly evolved spiritual being, who emanates peace and tranquility, you don't know me. I am a fiery redhead with a temper and a high need to control (my husband knows this very well!). Yet I'm trying. To be more peaceful. To try to see those who upset me with more compassion and understanding. When the world feels like too much, I remember to just do the next thing. To do my job as a yoga instructor and let forces larger than me be in my words and actions. Then it hit me. This is not my job to do alone! I can be an instigator! I can offer the ideas and asanas in yoga practice that build a sense of feeling grounded, balanced, and connected. All of my yoga students can take these ideas and skills and use them in their lives....doing the next right thing. It feels big, really scary, exciting, and even revolutionary. It's a calling. I'm finding my way. Wanna join me as an ambassador of love and peace?

Pause and Productivity

Time is precious. Most of us feel we run out of time or feel pressed for time, or it seems as if there are simply not enough hours in the day. As a result, we scurry around, trying to complete lots of chores, tasks, and details and end up feeling exhausted and depleted by days end. 

How then do we live in the present moment and use our time most effectively? The short answer: slow down and pause. Let's look at why pausing can be such an effective strategy:

The myth of multi-tasking. Our brains cannot do more than one thing at a time (there's a clue there!). Instead, when we think we are multi-tasking, we are just rapidly attention switching which often leads to a lack of attention and detail. As a result, we don't do our absolute best. We fail to get the details right and rush through projects and feel exhausted rather than proud of a job well done. Slowing down and paying attention to what is in front of us right now helps us focus and complete tasks more quickly than if we were trying to do several things simultaneously.

Don't just do something, sit there! Pausing and taking time to simply be still and at rest for a few minutes can be restorative and aide our productivity. None of us would run a power tool until it is squeeling and overheating. We know that electronics sometimes just need a re-boot. A bit of time unplugged can solve so many problems!

Finally, pausing and taking a bit of time outside can do wonders for our outlook and overall energy. Getting out in the sunshine for a short walk in the morning or over a lunch break can make a huge difference in our energy level and attitude. The natural world is also a great place to be reminded of the fact that growth takes time and nourishment. As living organisms, we all need water, sunlight, rest, and time to grow and bloom.

So the next time you find yourself rushing through your day, or bemoaning the fact that time feels fleeting, slow it down. Pause and do just one thing. Or pause and do nothing at all for a few minutes. Taking time to restore and re-energize leads to improved functioning and better productivity. You'll get more done and you'll feel better as you take a more restful path to moving forward.

Coping 101

All of us have days where the demands and relentless pace of work and home life can feel overwhelming. We end up feeling depleted, exhausted, anxious, and struggling to cope. It can feel like there's not enough time to catch our breath or tend to our personal needs. None of this means we're failing. What if we recognized these feelings as a signal that we simply need a break, a pause, and some time for self-care? 

Start small. Set some boundaries. Get up and move. Do some yoga, or take 5 minutes to breathe and find stillness. Over time, small efforts start to ease the pressure and can become habits we can rely on to restore our resilience, bring clarity, and help us feel more balanced each day.

National Say Something Nice Day

When you hear the phrase "be nice" what do you think? Does being nice sound like a difficult or easy thing to do? Does being nice sound wimpy and cheesy? Do you know of people that you wish would just "be nice?"

In actuality, being nice, kind, and affirming can be quite challenging. We live in a world that values speed, quick decision making, and mental toughness. Being kind and taking time to consider others and how we might lift them up is rather revolutionary in a culture that says me first and hurry up!!

How to begin? Small actions and simple words can be powerful. Saying something nice may look like quieting our own inner voice that is harsh and sometimes cruel. Instead, we can try telling ourselves something encouraging. Saying something nice might be as simple as sharing a compliment with a stranger, or noticing how hard someone is trying as they work toward learning something new.

In the Metta meditation, we practice being nice and wishing ourselves well: May I be Happy. May I be Healthy. May I Live With Ease. The next part of the meditation is to expand those thoughts to others: first to those we care about, those we are in proximity with, and then on to people who are difficult or hard to be around. Finally, our well wishes extend out to all of the world and humankind. If you've tried this meditation, then you know it can be challenging. The Metta is a disciplined and strength building practice. In no way is this meditation practice easy or wimpy.  

May you say something nice today. To yourself. To someone you love. To someone you don't know. I hope it makes your day to choose to share positive energy in a world so full of negativity and pain.

I appreciate you! Thanks for reading.

Self Care

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! I thought I'd share a few thoughts on self care as a way to address our mental health and overall wellness.

When people are asked about what good self care looks like, they often mention activities: getting a massage, taking a bubble bath, going out for a walk, or taking a nap. While all of these can be helpful self care pursuits, the bottom line is that self care is not a 'one and done.' Self care needs to be the habits and routines we develop over time, so when things really do get rocky and we're feeling depleted, we have some habits behind us that can sustain us and see us through. If you're like me, when you're feeling overwhelmed and out of gas, it is not the time to consider adding something new....you're just trying to get through the day!

Here's an example: most of us have a habit of brushing our teeth for a minute or 2 each morning and evening. We do this because we want to maintain our teeth and have a pleasant smile. If we end up one day with a flu that has our energy down to a nub, we may lay in bed and skip our toothbrushing routine. When we start feeling better, we get right back to brushing our teeth, because we've missed it (maybe those around us have missed it too!). Our teeth brushing is a non-negotiable healthy habit that is sustainable and important for us. Overall self care needs to be the same. Not just something we do occasionally to rest and release tension, but something that we do that is sustainable over time. 

So, in this month of May, take some time to consider: what do I love to do that brings me energy, joy, and a sense of good health? It may be some kind of exercise routine, or a journaling habit, or time to get together with friends or family. Make time for things you love and activities you can use on a regular basis to fill your own personal gas tank. 

May you be well!