Wellness Wednesday: Your Calm Center Activated

Let’s face it. Today’s life compels us to rush. Because we feel pressured to be the better and best, the moments to ourselves are often the first to be scarified when we are in a hurry. We tend adopt to the pace of the environment around us and eventually forget what stillness feels like.

So when we become poured with many things that need our attention all at once, it can be difficult not to lash out with an unintentional reaction. It is essential in these times we remember that we are never given more than we can handle. However we tend to question this…and the power of a deep breath.

Our calm center is available to ground us at any time. A deep breath can help guide us to turn within to find the space to work from in the midst of all the constricted chaos our schedules contain. As we turn inward we give ourselves the opportunity to begin again by drawing our focus to the present moment, detaching ourselves from reactive thoughts and emotions. We can accept what is and let be in the present challenge so can collect all the scattered thoughts, emotions and energy in a strong container in which we can productively dwell. We notice a lightness on our shoulders, inspiration will strike and what seemed impossible will either become possible or we will realize it has become unnecessary for us at this time.

As this chaos diminishes, we have the chance to learn from the situation with proof that we are never given more than we can handle. We have shown ourselves our true capabilities. These situations can then help us to fine-tune our lives mindfully with a clear outlook. We may realize in the moment we took on too many responsibilities and obligations without insight but maybe this situation was a lesson the hard way or it was simply the way life flows. Our calm center is available to us at anytime if only we allow it.

Namaste,

Angie

Mindful Monday: Remember and Honor

Good morning, dearest ones. Happy Memorial Day!

As we enjoy this day with family and friends, let’s take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Today we honor all Americans in all branches of the Armed Services who made the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives in service of our great nation.

I am so grateful for all of the liberties my family and I are able to enjoy because of the service and sacrifice of these brave and selfless men and women.

Sending so much Love and gratitude to the families who have lost their loved ones in the service of the United States.

We remember and honor all who serve.

Wellness Wednesday: The Healing Energy Around You

This past week I had the rare opportunity to meet up with a dear friend for a much needed yoga class. Not only was it refreshing to see my friend but many other faces I have not seen in quite some time, too!

Our multitude of responsibilities make it seem almost impossible to spend time with those that make us happiest. Our eagerness to socialize makes up for the lost time by focusing our attention on connecting with our favorite people. We become uplifted when we spend time with those that bring us joy. It becomes a nourishing, synergistic relationship for everyone involved. When we surround ourselves with those that keeps our inner light ablaze, we clear away the negative energy that exists around us and create more space for the nurturing energy we need. This enriches our lives but also allows our interactions with others to develop a supportive and healing space that creates further growth, understanding and compassion for ourselves and those in our lives.

Being in the presence of those that bring us joy may help us realize that we have a placement in this universe. Treating others the way we wish to be treated sets the stage to create healthy relationships. When our intention is simply to be social, our interactions with others may become superficial. However authentic time spent with others allows us to share our innermost thoughts with one another which can create a richer relationship. Fortunately it is a gift they give us, and one we can give back every day to energize our lives and those around us.

Namaste,

Angie

Mindful Monday: the Antidote to Overwhelm

Good morning, dearest busy ones!

As a human being in the 21st century in America, you have things to do! Places to go! People to meet! Stuff to do!

You are juggling your career, caring for your family, managing your household, paying bills and taxes, squeezing a yoga class in … and of course, you have a burning desire to improve every area of your life.

Sometimes you have so much going on, you feel like you cannot possibly get it all done. You are trapped in the cycle of hurry-worry. Hurry. Worry. Hurry. Worry. And you literally just want to drop into childs pose and make it all go away!

And that’s just your normal routine. Throw in the unexpected: moving, death in the family, car accident, new baby coming … and bam! You’re spinning out of control. You are overwhelmed!

And you’re not alone. This feeling of overwhelm is spreading like a disease throughout our modern culture – and rightfully so.

Our limited human attention spans are in a constant tug-of-war with countless demands, distractions, and desires – and they’re increasing exponentially with each passing year.

The modern world’s incessant need for “more, better, faster” and NOW creates a false sense of urgency and inadequacy, and leaves us feeling that our happiness, contentment and desired state of being are perpetually “just around the corner” — always the next goal away, just out of reach.

Even as the highly conscious, uber-intentional yogis we are…

We all face challenges in life that threaten to swallow us whole.

Enter emotional overwhelm… that paralyzing cocktail of stress, worry, helplessness and disempowerment that tries to convince you of your inability to cope with the circumstances and challenges of life.

Overwhelm overrides our ability to see things clearly and take conscious action, by making our problems appear bigger and closer than they actually are.

But here’s a truly life-changing secret:

Overwhelm is less about what’s going on outside of you, and more about what’s going on inside of you.

Sure, it feels real. Because inner chaos actually creates outer chaos.

When you’ve got a million and one things demanding space in your mind, and a whole slew of emotions weighing heavy on your heart, it’s impossible to slow down, prioritize and actually get things done.

So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, give yourself close your eyes and take three deep, conscious breaths. And try these six steps toward calm, unhurried conscious action.

1. Do a brain dump

Take 5-10 minutes to get everything out of your head and onto paper. No matter how large or small… everything must go! In addition to the obvious deadlines and pressing demands of your daily life, be sure to include the little tasks that keep you up at night, the things you’re constantly telling yourself you should be doing right now, the nagging reminders in the back of your head that won’t let up. Don’t stop or edit until your mind feels blissfully emptied of all of them.

2. Let go of what you can’t control

Looking at your list you may notice items that are simply outside of your control — things like wanting someone to act or feel differently, or wishing for an outcome that simply can’t be predicted. Here, you have one of two options. Either change the goal/task into something you do have control over — that you can actually take action on… or draw a big fat line through it to remove it from your list (and your life) forever. Liberating, isn’t it?!

3. Challenge your assumptions about what you must do.

We all have those to-do items that follow us from week to week and never actually see the light of day. These are usually the things that suck — that we feel obligated to do but aren’t passionate about. Sometimes we really do have to complete them (hello tax returns!). But more often than not, we have the power to free ourselves from feeling of the constant frustration and failure over these half-hearted commitments. Again, you have one of two options: Roll up your sleeves and commit to executing it once and for all… or remove it from your list and free up that mental-emotional real estate.

4. Prioritize and number your tasks

Wahoo! Now you have your real to-do list — the most important and meaningful tasks in your life right now. The next step is to prioritize them. Take a look and order them by number – starting with the most urgent and pressing items, and working your way down the list.

5. Schedule your tasks into your calendar

Now that you know what order you’ll be working in, you can plan your tasks into reality — through your calendar and daily work schedule. This is the final and ultimate step in releasing them from your thoughts. Once you have everything organized and scheduled, all you have to do is hit the ground running with each day’s task. Which leads us to the next step…

6. Take one step at a time.

You absolutely must learn to be content with taking small steps, because really that’s all life is. By taking small, meaningful steps each day (that you’ve consciously and thoroughly plotted in advance), you’re finally able to give yourself permission to reside in that place of happiness and contentment — because you know you’re doing your very best, and for the first time, you believe in your heart that that is enough.

You can do ANYTHING. And you can do EVERYTHING. Just not all at the same time. Or in the same day.

Have a great week, yogi friends!

Wellness Wednesday: Yourself as a Whole

Happy Wellness Wednesday, Friends!

“Health is a state of body, wellness is a state of being.” 

Wellness is the state of all aspects of ourselves: mind, body and spirit something we focus heavily on in yoga. Our desire to take care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually introduces us to a whole new level of self healing.

A self-healing day addresses your vital needs as a whole. Often times when we have the opportunity to have a day to ourselves we realize we need more solitude. Solitude is an important part of this self healing process as it allows us to renourish and reflect but it is up to us to decide what we need in order to cultivate wellness into our lives. Intentions transform what seems like a simple, peaceful day into a day of healing. Savor the stillness and simplicity by giving yourself permission to take advantage of this time. A day for ourselves is often looked at as being lazy or passive but to do so requires so much awareness and presence. It is vital for us to stay energized! We each find different activities that bring us tranquility. This can be as simple as preparing a nutritious meal, gardening, studying, journal writing. etc. The list goes on!

We begin to attune in the present moment when we draw our focus into the calm around us. The needs of the body, the heart, and the soul are then revealed. We then have a clear outlook of what we need in order to heal. Each day of healing you experience will be different because our needs are constantly changing day to day. Whatever mechanism you decide to engage in will leave you replenished. Yourself as a whole is the ideal image of health!

-Angie

Mindful Monday: Meditate and Feel Great!

Hey, Mindful Ones!

I’m so happy that more and more people are practicing meditation as they continue to reap the benefits of this life-changing practice.

Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.

You can use it to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Many people think of it as a way to reduce stress and develop concentration.

People also use the practice to develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns and even increased pain tolerance.

Other benefits include:

*Reduction in stress, anxiety and tension

* Increases immunity

*Lowers blood pressure

*Contributes to an overall sense of well-being

So what are you waiting for? Set your timer for just five minutes today and watch your thoughts as you feel tension and stress melt away.

Let’s make it a great week, friends!

Mindful Monday: May 2019 Pose of the Month Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana or Compass Pose

Hi, friends! Happy May!

Our pose for May 2019 is Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana or Compass pose. It’s also called Sundial pose.

It is a deep and twisty shoulder, hip and hamstring-opening seated pose that requires a great warm up and a good sense of humor!

After a thorough warm up of hips, hamstrings, shoulders and spine, here’s how:

• From a seated position extend your left leg long in front of you, round your spine a bit, and take your right knee into right elbow and right foot into left hand. If there is more space, wrap arms around shin and slowly, as it feels good, bring spine upright. Breathe for 5 deep breaths. (If you want to rock shin left to right like rocking a baby, that is also great to loosen up the hip joint.)
• From shin cradle, take right hand to right ankle, and take left hand over your head and to the outer edge of your right foot. You can use your strap here! Round your spine and shinny your right shoulder underneath your right knee. Start to lengthen spine as it feels good, and breath for five deep breaths.
• From here, release your right hand to the ground, fingertips facing away from you, soften right elbow as much as you want, and start to poke your head under your left shoulder.
• Start to lengthen right leg to any degrees that feels good, and breathe there for five deep breaths.
• Now repeat on the left.

Mindful Monday: Spring Cleaning of Your Soul

Good morning and Happy Monday, dearest mindful ones!

My goodness, this weather is out of sight!

It gets you up and moving and out and about! I hope you were able to enjoy this gorgeous spring weather over the weekend.

Time for some spring cleaning of your soul! Let’s take inventory of where we are and get rid of all of the heaviness we no longer need. Isn’t it so satisfying when we purge and shed and scrub and polish new life back into our homes? Imagine how that will feel with your life!

My spring cleaning is next level this year! My son is graduating and turning 18 and I’m moving all – And it’s all happening on a single day: May 24!

Wouldn’t it be great if it was as simple as just sweeping through everything and purging? It would be amazing if I could just hit the suspend emotions button and get rid of all of my son’s childhood memorabilia. Well the physical act is in fact the easy part! It’s navigating our attachments and emotional needs that get all tangled up with all of the stuff in the garage!

So our spring cleansing becomes the greatest opportunity to look within and see where we need some inner soul cleaning. As we declutter our tangled emotions and release fears and past narratives, it becomes easy and so satisfying to clear out the physical manifestations of our cluttered souls.

First, start with the physical. Your actual physical body. A three day juice fast is on tap for me this year! I’ve never done one before! I’ve always had 1 million reasons about why I love to eat too much to do a juice fast. I’m ready this year! You may like to do one as well. Or perhaps you just decide to give up some of the more heavy, starchy foods that have been a staple of your winter diet. A few days without processed sugar or heavy animal proteins is a great gift to body and soul! It creates more clarity in your mind and life.

Next, take inventory of how you spend your time. Your time is your greatest wealth. Unlike money and material things which come and go and are readily accessible in our society, your time is finite and non renewable. You cannot ever get it back! Check out how much time you spend on social media. And how do you feel after you squander an hour seeing what Becky from third grade had to eat for lunch and how horrible/wonderful her boss/husband is? Social media definitely has a purpose in life – are you using it for the wonderful tool that it is to keep connected with loved ones and find inspiration? Take inventory of your friends list, unfollow or defriend those who don’t elevate you!

And that’s just social media. People come into your life for a reason or a season. Perhaps this new season helps lighten your load of the energy vampires in your life. Or those who are convenient but not really bringing you joy. Take a look at those who you invest your actual time with. How do you feel after interacting with them? This one is all about energy. Does your energy flow and vibe higher? Or does it feel heavy and trigger unhealthy behaviors and reactions?

Nature is literally a master class in self-love, self-help and self-improvement. And we as human beings are an integral part of nature! Yet we go through great trouble and time and expense to shelter ourselves from it! Huge homes, HVAC systems, expensive coats and boots. Put down your phone and other devices, and spend some time outdoors. Breathe in deeply (be mindful if you have allergies). Do some earthing. Close your eyes and feel the warm sun on your face, listen to the symphony of the outdoors and feel the buzzing of nature. You are an important part of this planet’s ecosystem!

Now, focus the next few moments on recapturing your post-yoga feels. And then think about how it feels when you’ve done three classes a week. How does your life flow when yoga is a consistent part of it? Have you been practicing? Are you making time for yourself? Especially as the weather warms up, it will be very tempting to skip out on a practice to go sit outside and have a nice beverage. Recommit to yourself and to your practice this season!

In this quieted space, revisit your new year’s resolutions or affirmations. Have you accomplished them? If so, great. ✅ Time to create new focal points for your growth. If not: is it something that is still relevant to you? Have you made progress? How can you reframe or freshen up your approach?

After taking inventory, ask yourself what am I most looking forward to this season? Where do I want to effect some shifts? Take a moment to visualize yourself living at your highest and best. What do you suspect you must purge in order to get there?

Our ultimate pursuit in life is to feel happy! All efforts that we take in life our ultimately to reach that elusive state of happiness. As we declutter our souls, we’re creating a new space for happiness to flow within.

We start to see we won’t find it in the external: more and more and more makes us less and less and less.

What are some of your soul cleaning rituals this time of year? I’d love to learn more!

Make it a great week, friends!