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!

 Lessons on emotions

I was reading an article yesterday on Mother's Day and the topic was messages and words we heard from our mothers when we were small. I started thinking about my own growing up. I remember being held to strong standards and expectations, but I feel blessed that I never faced harsh criticism or the put downs or name calling that some kids lived with and experienced. What I do remember is the strong message I received about anger being a negative thing. "Oh, don't be so angry" was a common refrain in my household growing up. I'm not sure why, but anger was the one emotion that was really not accepted and was quickly shut down. I'm not sure if it was part of not "talking back" or arguing with my parents, or if there was a larger discomfort with anger itself. I just figured out pretty quickly that being mad and angry was not pleasing or accepted.

As a result, I have had to take time as an adult to learn how to be angry in appropriate ways. Lashing out and being too passionate about certain subjects has certainly gotten me into hot water in the past. I also know that I actively avoided conflict and hard conversations that had the potential to make someone angry whenever possible. Imagine my surprise when as a young therapist at a conference, I heard for the first time that an appropriate response to anger in others was "You're really angry." Yikes. Talk about just naming it and calling that emotion out, just as it is!

What emotions are difficult for you to express or sit with? You might be wondering, what on earth does this have to do with yoga? I believe that my yoga practice helps me regulate my emotional state and safely explore all facets of my being. Through breath work and new postures that are challenging and not as simple as they look, I learn that sometimes my assumptions are incorrect. I get reminded over and over again about the need to be flexible and open minded. When I can 'be with' all of my thoughts and emotions on the mat, I find I can see them through a lens of compassion and less judgment. I no longer have to accept the idea of 'oh, don't feel that way' or other messages that somehow tell me my emotions are anyone else's business but mine.

Progress!

Yesterday, I completed the first draft of my reflections book! For me, this was HUGE! Writing a daily reflection book has been an idea of mine for years, so to finally have a draft completed, is an amazing accomplishment for me. Of course, so much remains. I still have re-writes to do. Then the big learning curve about editors, publishing, selling books, etc!

My goal with the book is to bring something useful to my yoga students and fellow yoga teachers. Every yoga class ends in savasana or final relaxation. In my Yoga Moodra classes, I have always included a quote or short reflection as my students are entering their relaxation time. My hope is to provide some small bit of inspiration or wisdom that students can ponder in the last few minutes of class on their mats.

I'll keep you all posted as the book develops and when I am ready to share it with you. There have been so many moments of interesting coincidences, new ideas, and gentle nudgings from the universe that tell me to keep going with this creative effort. 

Peace!