Let your heart be light.

Let your heart be light.

As we find ourselves in the midst of the busy holiday season, I have to continually remind myself to slow down and “let {my} heart be light”. Let’s be real – It’s not an easy task. Especially when your to-do list is longer than Santa’s nice list.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety and the occasional seasonal sadness, I am thankful to be able to navigate it with yoga and prayer (and the occasional CBD) instead of medication.

Today, I’m talking yoga. If yoga isn’t your thing, hang in with me. You’d be amazed how many lessons you learn on that mat that are applicable once you step off the mat as well. So, whether you practice yoga or not, I hope you can take something away from this to make this busy season a little more enjoyable!

1. Every day is different. Be exactly where you are without judgement. Your body and your mind can vary day by day. It’s no reason to cast judgement on it. In yoga, you’re constantly encouraged to focus on YOUR growth and YOUR practice, not what anyone else around you is doing, for better or for worse. Wouldn’t that be nice if we stopped looking around and found peace in exactly who and where we are? Don’t let your ego get in the way. We’re all just practicing our way through life. Water your own grass and you won’t have time to worry about whether someone else’s is greener. And if you do happen to notice theirs, maybe you notice that it’s a different shade of green instead and choose to cheer them on. God has given us all a different race to run. Let us run it with perseverance.
2. Tune out the outside noises. This applies to your loud mind as much as it does the hustle and bustle going on around you. I’ve been practicing at OneLife here lately and it’s always a fun task for me to tune out the outside noises from the rest of the gym. A couple of the studios I practice at also have trains that sometimes swing through during class. Whether it’s a train or background noise or the chatter of your mind that has too many tabs open, remember this: you can’t control what goes on around you but you can control how you respond to it. You also can’t control your first thought but you can control how long you hold it. Let it come and then let it go, if it’s not something that is going to serve you.
3. How you respond on your mat is practice for how you respond off the mat. Learning to deter my disappointments or frustrations when I’m practicing yoga is much easier than trying to apply this to daily life but at the end of the day, it’s a good thought to take with me. Be slow to anger and quick to love (yourself, your body, those around you). At the end of most practices, the teacher will tell you to thank your body for the work it just did. Show yourself some love and gratitude and rest when you need to. Your calendar has you like stretch armstrong during this season, I get it. Don’t forget that you have the right to say no to make room for a yes that will serve you better or to give your body and/or mind a chance to rest.
4. Set an intention. Wake up in the morning and set an intention for your day, as one would do for their practice. Say affirmations, journal, whatever it is that is going to give you something to go back to when things go awry. Some days, I find myself claiming BOLD intentions – I am strong, I am courageous, etc… Other days, it serves me better to claim peace, surrender (for my control freak/high D self) and sometimes I just need a reminder that I am ENOUGH.
5. Remember to BREATHE. Sound silly? Try it. You’d be amazed what a few good cleansing breaths and/or minutes of meditation can do. When you focus on your breathing, it brings you back to the present moment. You know who needs that sometimes? Everyone. When you own your breath, no one can steal your inner peace. Next time that anxious feeling kicks in, inhale for 6-8 seconds, hold at the top, and then exhale for 6-8 seconds. Repeat for 10 UNINTERRUPTED rounds – uninterrupted meaning your mind doesn’t hop elsewhere and you forget what number you’re on on the inhale or exhale.

Everything is perfect, nothing is permanent. Be present, live intentionally and make sure those you love the most know it this holiday season (and not just by giving them a gift).

Namaste.