All things human. Reflections and research on food, feelings, fads, sleep, sex, science, relationships, and everything that contributes to our well-being and human experience beyond the practice.
Last week, I went into the lab with Gil Hedley. I experienced my previous 6-day human dissection course with Gil back in 2012, so it’s been awhile since I shared space with the dead.
The dead are magical teachers.
Back in 2012, my steely-eyed intent was to “get” anatomy. I wanted to see the insertions of muscles, touch a hip joint, and palpate the knee ligaments. This time, I entered the space with less agenda. I spent time marvelling over tattoo ink on the reverse side of the skin, staring at chunks of fibrin that had condensed out of blood (a reminder that blood is actually a connective tissue), and turning over a human heart in my hand to admire the extraordinary size and swirl of its vessels.
Here are my top five wows from the week.
1. The body is fractal, not mechanical.
You know the movie Aliens? The alien ships are always looking strangely fractal, swirly, and everything gets coated in goo? Well…that’s actually more like real life! For some reason (“Euclidean geometry,” says Gil), we build our human environment in boxes and squares. We make walls and floors at perfect right angles. We apply this mechanistic metaphor to the body, thinking of it as a machine with parts that work, or don’t work. Our model skeletons look boxy and clean. But the reality is that the human body is full of swirls, whorls, and spirals. I don’t think there’s a right angle anywhere in the human form. Bones twist, arteries meander, nerves snake.
No wonder we get cranky in cubicles.
2. Stability is more than muscles.
As a yoga teacher, I’m a huge fan of muscles. (Oooo, and fascia! We LOVE fascia.) Give me tendons, bones, and ligaments and I’d think, “There, that’s stability!” This week, I became acutely aware of how much of our stability is provided by the tree like branching structures of our blood vessels and nerves. These vessels penetrate and snake through all of our tissue layers, anchoring us in some places and gliding easily in others. When muscle tissue disintegrates with barely a swipe of the finger, and you can lift a whole body by tugging on the celiac plexus, you start to get the idea that these structures are integral to holding us together.
3. Skeletal variation is just the beginning.
In recent years, we’ve all been very excited about skeletal variation. But this is only part of the story. What about when two livers look radically different from each other? When lungs can have different number of lobes? When the digestive system can be completely rotated around relative to where it “should” be? Human variation is the norm. So next time you’re in a twist, perhaps contemplate that the sensations in your posture could be about your spleen.
4. Your heart is a conch shell.
I didn’t say that. Gil said that. And it’s such a good reframe that I have to share it here. Your heart spirals on itself. I spent a couple hours with a heart, tracing its curves and figuring out how the blood flows through it. It’s not point A to point B, my friends. The best distance between two points is not the shortest, thank goodness (insert metaphor for life here!). Your heart is like the curving interior of an alien vessel, spinning blood into sinuous meander. Curves. Not lines.
5. You are one thing.
We think we’re many things. We pull stuff apart, name the pieces, and decide that that is reality.
The biggest lesson came from the physical labor that it required (six days with five people on each table) to take apart a human form. Why did it take so long? Because the human body is one thing. We are connected; no part is separate. Everything that is pulled apart, swept away and set aside is an artificial imposition. Sure, it’s useful to “dissect,” as long as we don’t lose sight of the fact that we are the ones creating the pieces.
My brain didn’t learn this lesson intellectually; my body absorbed this truth from the ass in chair/scalpel in hand labor it took to create parts from something unified.
Final thoughts
The greatest gift from spending a week in the lab is that the mystery is not solved. We may be able to locate and name these wondrous structures (pineal gland, aorta, vagus nerve, mammary bodies), but the mystery of our “aliveness” remains as awe-inspiring as ever. Peering our complexity and the crazy intelligence of the body only serves to highlight how jaw droppingly weird it is that we are alive. Right now, as I type these words, my brain is coordinating some kind of wild chemical thunderstorm to make my hands move (how? I have no idea!?).
Some answers can only be felt. And some mysteries can only be admired. And that includes looking in the mirror.
*After my first lab, I was inspired to write a rather sexy poem that you’re welcome to read. There’s something about spending time with mystery that inspires some juiciness.
I have uprooted my life in Vancouver, BC to follow my heart on a grand adventure. YAY! Fun, excitement and grand romance!
And….terrifying.
In taking this wild ride, I kicked out the support struts from under my own foundation. I’ve uprooted my job, access to friends, familiar surroundings, material possessions, and my happy routines.
Despite the romance of adventure, I feel like a cat in a strange house: ears back, tail down, looking for corner in which to hide.
We all know this space: let’s call it free fall.
Free fall happens when we change jobs, fall in love, break up, move across the country, get a divorce, get married, have kids, or undergo any manner of “major change.” Free fall also happens in little ways in our daily lives. We feel it when we screw up at work, fight with a loved one, fall short as a parent, or lose our sense of self-worth.
“Fear of death carries its own essence and predominates [the consciousness of] even the wise.”
Yoga philosophy tells us that fear of death (abhinivesa) is natural, even in the wise. (We can understand this “death” as both literal and metaphorical.) However, to live the soulful lives that we deeply want, we must be willing to face death again and again. We must risk dying to our ego, our attachments, our perceptions, and our habits.
“Chaos should be regarded as very good news.”
Pema Chodron
When we enter free fall – whether it’s a major upheaval or a minor tremor – we can regard it as good news. Free fall exposes our dependence on the external world – possessions, job titles, other people’s opinions, or even relationships – for our sense of wholeness. When the “bottom falls out,” we have the opportunity to recognize that there is in fact, another bottom. Beyond our ego, there is something that lies within us that is stable, consistent, loving, and whole. But usually we are so busy fortifying our sense of safety with the immediate stuff (jobs, possessions, praise) that we don’t recognize and our deeper Reserves.
“Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.”
Pema Chodron
When we practice yoga, we are – in a sense – practicing free fall. We come to our mats to create a space where we can exist – for a time – beyond the habitual identifications with our jobs, habits, and even family dynamics. We look across the room at other travellers practicing on the mat; we don’t need to know what they do or even their names: we are simply fellow travellers in Presence. When we give ourselves this breathing room – in a sense, creating our own “little death” – we create a space to arrive freshly in our lives as if for the first time.
It takes enormous courage to willingly come into Free Fall, to brush against death in order to dismantle the comfortable structures that can obfuscate our deeper selves. The next time that you find yourself in a Free Fall, can you – with sweetness and self-care – breathe into that wide open space of uncertainty?
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
We all experience difficult periods in life that leave us feeling sad, lonely, or scared. However, some of us deal with these emotions almost daily.
Depression is a
psychiatric condition that usually manifests in listlessness,
sadness, anxiety, and guilt. It often has internal or endogenous causes,
but can also be related to conflicts, stressful circumstances, or trauma.
We carry our
healing powers within us at all times, but sometimes they are hidden
by a lack of contact or familiarity with our inner self. Meditation,
self-reflection and the simple act of taking time for oneself, in addition to
the psychological benefits to be gained from any exercise, make yoga a powerful
component of the healing journey. Yin Yoga helps us get in touch with our emotions
and balance the energies that run haywire throughout the day.
If the feelings you
are experiencing are not just a temporarily more depressive mood, but are
indeed symptoms of depression, then treatment from a psychotherapist or other
mental health professional is recommended. Yoga teachers should never presume
to see themselves in this position. However, we can give valuable
support on the path to mental health and happiness.
Depression is
oftentimes kept secret due to embarrassment or anxiety. A diagnosis, or even an
awareness that one feels differently from the people around them, can lead to
insecurity and compound stress. Therefore, it
is particularly important to feel comfortable and confident in your yoga
practice rather than striving for a specific ideal in your poses. Because Yin
Yoga is adaptable to specific needs and capabilities, and because there is no
‘right’ or ‘wrong’ posture, the Yin method is easily accessible to
everybody. When I practice Yin Yoga, I become myself completely and
experience a deep feeling of peace and freedom with the realization that I do
not have to please anyone else.
Depression is often
related to suppressed emotions—for example aggression, grief, or anger. It
is therefore important to work through possible trauma or face your own
anxieties. Meditation can be very helpful here, but the inexperienced should
practice with a teacher who can help and support them if necessary. A doctor, therapist, or teacher can support you and open the door,
but remember that you must pass through it yourself.
Possible questions for
reflection are: Why am I anxious? Which of my emotions and
experiences wish to be seen? What issues from my childhood still need to
be healed? What is my calling, and how do I get back on my path?
Below is a series of
Yin Yoga poses to ground and comfort you in this difficult period:
Ujjayi Breathing
Ujjayi Breathing can
create heat in the body, but it can also be very relaxing. It is therefore
ideal for the start of
practicing exercises, if you feel unsettled, or your mind is very full. Ujjayi
translates as “victorious breathing,” as it triumphs over shallow
breathing. Breathe in Ujjayi as long as you like. In some styles of Yang
Yoga, Ujjayi Breathing is also practiced while doing the poses.
Sit in Easy Pose on
the mat, and straighten your spine while placing your hands loosely on your
legs. Now let the epiglottis narrow, with a deep flow of breath out into
the throat area, as though you were making a whispering sound with your mouth
closed or were breathing onto a mirror to clean it. The sound of Ujjayi
Breathing is reminiscent of a distant sound of the sea. With this sound in the
throat, you can inhale and exhale calmly and deeply. Come back into a
natural flow of breath and feel the effect.
Dragonfly (Upavistha Konasana)
1. Sit on the mat with
outstretched legs, and open your legs wide until you feel a comfortable
stretch in the sides of the legs. Take a yoga bolster or a rolled-up
blanket and lay it centrally lengthways in front of you so that your
stomach is touching the bolster when you bend forward. If you want to massage
the lower stomach organs, then lay the bolster flat on the floor. You can reach
the upper stomach organs better if you place one or two blocks under the
lower end of the bolster. If you are not very mobile, you can also place
additional blankets or blocks on the bolster to raise it. Then relax your
back and legs, and bend forward as far as your body will allow. Rest your head
on your hands or props. Direct your breath gently to the stomach and
pelvic area.
2. Alternatively, you
can also go into Half Dragonfly by stretching your leg out to the side and
bending the other one inwards, pulling your foot to
your pelvis. You can then also change the position of the leg.
3. Another variation
is Dragonfly with a side bend. Sit up straight again and tilt your upper body
to the left. Place the bolster on the left leg so that your arm is
supported comfortably. You can either take your right arm behind your
back, or lift it at an angle over the head to increase the stretch.
Remain in Dragonfly
for three to five minutes, including Dragonfly in the supine position or Half
Dragonfly, and changing sides. You can stay in the side bend for one to
two minutes per side, and in the rotation for around five to eight
breaths. Then come back to the center and relax into Supine
Position. Alternatively, you can just do the forward bend.
Dragon (Anjaneyasana)
Come onto all fours,
and place a blanket under the knees if you are sensitive to pressure
here. Then take your
right leg from between your hands and place your left knee on the floor. If
you want the position to be gentler, then pull the left knee forward
slightly; for more intensity, take it further back. The right knee can be
placed in front of, above, or behind the ankle, but this should not cause
any pain in the knee. Let the pelvis sink towards the floor very passively. Now
place the hands either left or right next to the foot, or both on the
inside. The position becomes more intense if you support yourself on your
forearms, and it is slightly easier if you use props—for example, blocks
or a yoga bolster.
Embracing Wings
Lie on your stomach
and cross your outstretched arms at shoulder height under your body. Your
right arm is in front of the left one, and your palms are facing upwards.
Place a block or folded blanket under your forehead, or a yoga bolster
under your chest if you wish. Give your weight up to the floor. If the
tips of your fingers go numb in this position, then you should change it—for
example, with the head up higher or moving your arms a few centimeters up
or down.
Remain in the position
for two to three minutes and then change sides. Release your arms again
and then relax into Supine Position.
Cleansing
Meditation
Practice this
meditation daily as you wish, as long as you feel completely freed by this.
Recall something that
made you feel uncomfortable: something that annoyed you, for example,
or an injustice that was done to you or something that sucks your energy.
Now think of an energizing place in nature, a place where you really feel
good. Sense this place precisely. Imagine gentle drops of rain
falling on you, which are colored violet. These drops are running over your
whole body, first outside and then inside too—like an external and
internal shower. The violet water flows over your hands and feet and out
of you again, and takes everything with it that should no longer be part
of you. If you feel externally and internally cleansed, then imagine your
crown chakra opening up and radiant white light flowing into you. The rays
are flowing through your whole body, and they replace everything that you
have just given up with new positive energy and strength.
* * *
This article includes
poses from Be Healthy with Yin Yoga: The Gentle Way to Free Your Body of
Everyday Ailments and Emotional Stresses by Stefanie Arend (She
Writes Press, August 2019).
Anxiety is the most common mental illness
in the United States. There are many kinds of anxieties, ranging from social
anxiety to obsessive compulsive disorder to specific phobias. Most of these are
associated with a loss of confidence, and particularly with a lack of basic trust,
which is marked in childhood. However, anxiety is also correlated with a
complex and variable set of risk factors such as brain chemistry, genetics,
life events, and personality.
Easily recognizable physical symptoms of
anxiety include quick, shallow breathing, muscle tension, high blood pressure,
and feelings of narrowness or rigidity.
Anxiety is treatable, but unfortunately the large majority of people affected never seek professional help. It is important to face your fear in order to discover its cause. Depending on the severity and depth of your anxieties, this does not have to be something you face alone—almost anyone can benefit from the support of family or friends, and for traumatized or depressed people, working with a therapist can be very helpful.
In China there is a
lovely expression which goes: “Anxiety knocked on the door, trust opened it,
and nobody was there.”In the spirit of
that wise proverb, some possible questions for reflection are: What exactly do I fear? What is the trigger for my anxiety?
Where and how can I feel this anxiety? What happens when I face the anxiety?
What happens if I feed my anxiety with trust and love? Oftentimes, though it may seem counterintuitive, the
simple act of accepting our feelings of anxiety for what they are, rather than
feeling stressed about being anxious, can go a long way toward
alleviating mental and emotional discomfort.
Yin Yoga teaches us a
simple but powerful method for soothing the worries that have become so
prevalent in our daily lives. Please join me below in a series of accessible
poses and a guided meditation to help leave our anxieties behind
and find physical, emotional, and mental equilibrium.
Full Breathing
Sit on the mat in Easy
Pose and straighten your spine. Be aware of your natural flow of breath.
Let it deepen with every breath. Place your hands on your abdomen, left
and right of your navel, and consciously direct your breath there. Then
take the hands onto the lower ribcage and breathe into your chest area. Place
your hands below your collarbone and breathe into the upper apex
of the lungs. As you inhale, lift the hands upwards or forwards, and
lower them again as you exhale. Put one hand on the lower abdomen and one
hand on the upper abdomen. Now link up the breath across all three levels.
Become aware of the small pauses between breathing in and out, and extend them
a bit further. Now either breathe with an extended inhalation, very
evenly, or with an extended exhalation—depending on what feels harmonious to
you. However, always breathe in such a way that the breath can still flow
easily. Come back into the natural flow of breath and notice whether
anything has changed. Alternatively, you can also do Full
Breathing while lying down. Place your feet on the floor and leave
your hands resting on the abdomen. This version is ideal before going
to sleep, for example, or if you are lying awake and unable to sleep
at night.
Easy Pose with arm
and shoulder stretch (Sukhasana)
This position opens up
the hips and stretches the whole back as well as the arms and shoulders.
1. Come into Easy
Pose, your right arm crossed in front of the left. Bend forward in a relaxed
way with a rounded back, and cross your arms so that your right arm is in front
of your left arm and the palms are facing upwards. Alternatively, you can grip
the opposite shoulder.
2. Then change the arm
position by placing the palms downwards on the opposite knees. Remain in Easy
Pose for three to five minutes, including both arm positions. Then straighten
up again, release the arms and legs, and move to and fro loosely a few
times. Then change sides—crossing the left leg in front of the right one, and
the left arm in from of the right—and repeat the process.
Butterfly
Sit on the mat, place the soles of your feet together, and pull the feet towards the pelvis. Let the knees drop gently outwards, or support the outsides of the legs with two blocks if this stretch is too intense for you. You can also sit on a blanket or a cushion. Relax the back, let your upper body sink forward passively, and place your arms where it is comfortable for you.
Rainbow Bridge (Modified Urdhva Dhanurasana)
This position
mobilizes the thoracic spine, opens the heart chamber, and stretches the
shoulders and insides of the
arms.
Place a yoga bolster
and a rolled-up blanket straight across the mat. Then lie down with your back
on the bolster, which supports your pelvis and lumbar spine. Your shoulder
blades are on the blanket, and your arms are placed alongside your head. If you
would like to intensify the stretch, you can extend out your legs, or for a
gentler variant, leave your feet placed on the floor.
Stay in Rainbow Bridge
for three to five minutes. Then either sit up again with activated pelvic floor
muscles, or roll to one side out of the position. Relax into a supine position.
Protective
Meditation
You can carry out this
meditation any time you need protection on an energetic level.
Concentrate on a color
that gives you strength. Now imagine a column of light appearing in
front of you in this color. Take a step forward in your mind and place
yourself into the light. You are completely protected in this column of light.
It connects you with the energy of the earth on the one hand, and with the
energy of the sky on the other hand. You can help the effect further and use
the following affirmation if it feels right to you: “May only light and loving
energies come through to me, and may all negative energies remain outside,
starting now.” Then give thanks to the universe for this energetic protection.
* * *
This article includes
poses from Be Healthy with Yin Yoga: The Gentle Way to Free Your Body of Everyday
Ailments and Emotional Stresses by Stefanie Arend (She Writes
Press, August 2019).
Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches us that Yin and Yang are inextricably linked; there is no Yang without Yin, and vice versa. Yang represents energy and activity, while Yin is calm and steady strength. We are only physically and mentally healthy when the dynamism of Yang and the nourishment of Yin work in harmony. If the body and mind don’t rest, our Yin becomes exhausted, often resulting in anxiety, burnout, difficulty concentrating, and a host of other symptoms.
The age we live in is saturated with Yang. Wedance to a draining, dizzying tempo: we creep through traffic in the mornings, toil diligently at work, then rush to tend to our daily lives and those of our families before it’s time to hit “repeat.” When we squeeze in some precious self-care time around our careers and personal obligations, it is always with an eye on the clock. There never seems to be enough time to rest, to center ourselves and to nurture our Yin energy.
For this reason, it is crucial to tune into the mind and body. This is where Yin Yoga comes in. Although many other yoga practices (ashtanga, power, aerial, etc.) can strengthen and stretch our muscles, Yin Yoga cultivates and sustains our basic energy. It therefore has a positive impact on overall health as well as many specific ailments, from back pain and high blood pressure to anxiety and women’s issues like infertility, menstrual cramping, and menopause.
The reality is that every body is different, and everybody is seeking something unique in their yoga practice. Yin Yoga is adapted to the individual; our inner teacher is most important, and I believe there is great healing potential when we listen to our bodies and trust ourselves as we practice, allowing the pose to develop as our bodies direct.
The Yin practice is intensive but also very passive. Our breathing remains effortless and our muscles relaxed as we hold each position for several minutes. These deep stretches make our tissue supple and have a positive effect on the fascia and deep layers of the body. Aside from reducing pain and encouraging mobility, Yin Yoga harmonizes the flow of energy, directs us to look inwards, and can activate our capacity for self-healing. Eventually, energetic connections become perceptible, and practitioners become aware of the links between our thoughts, our emotions, and our Chi.
In my book Be Healthy with Yin Yoga, I include a section that offers insights into both common and unusual symptoms. I explore much more than yoga poses because, as a holistic practitioner, I believe it is important to understand the deeper roots of our ailments and take a comprehensive approach to healing them. Along with breathing suggestions and questions for reflection to better understand what is going on inside, I include information on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and recommend a series of poses to alleviate symptoms and strengthen our bodies.
I do not feel comfortable claiming that individual poses can cure a certain illness. However, I am convinced that we have extremely good opportunities for healing with regard to many symptoms if different therapeutic approaches are used to complement one another. If Western conventional medicine and alternative healing techniques—such as TCM or Ayurvedic medicine—are used together, this gives individuals more personal responsibility; a great deal can be achieved overall.
When I practice Yin Yoga, I become myself completely and experience a deep feeling of peace. In Yin Yoga I am fully myself and do not have to please anyone else—either proverbially or in reality. I hope you will discover this joy as well. Today and every day, take some time to step away from the whirlwind of our Yang world. Yin Yoga puts us back in touch with our mental, emotional, and physical selves, nourishing our energies and bringing us peace of mind and spirit.
This meditation is one of my favorites. I often use it before going to bed to bring my energies into harmony. I hope you enjoy the practice!
Yoga Alliance has been on track to create new certification standards and has released their update. Here is what you need to know to stay on track.
Your Timeline
New Yoga Alliance applicants:
New 200 Applicants: You will have to apply using new standards starting in February 2020.
New 300/500 Applicants: You will have to apply using the new standards by February 2021. (As you will have to resubmit your application with the new standards by Feb 2020 anyway, I suggest that all new 300 and 500 applicants simply go ahead and use the new standards.)
Current Yoga Alliance members:
You will have to resubmit your application. Yep. (I know. I’m feel ya.)
Everyone must be upgraded to the new standards by February 2022. This means that when you hit your first renewal date after Feb 2021, you will have to resubmit your curriculum to meet the new standards. If you are an eager beaver, you can apply on your next renewal date and get ahead of the crowd.
Everyone:
February 2020: “Yoga Alliance will ask all credential holders to sign onto a strengthened, contemporary ethical commitment upon registration or renewal beginning February 2020.” This new agreement includes three parts: Scope of Practice, a Code of Conduct, and a responsibility to equity in yoga. Yoga Alliance is also creating an online course to help people understand this commitment, which you will be able to take for free.
Major Changes
The major changes fall into three categories:
New requirements for trainers
More room for online learning
Slight changes in curriculum categories
Enhanced (more rigorous) application process
We’ll look at each change individually.
New Trainer Requirements
This is the doozy. Until the new requirements, 200 hour trainers could be E-RYT 200. But under the new standards, all lead trainers must be E-RYT 500.
Beginning in February 2022, all Lead Trainers of any RYS 200 must hold the E-RYT 500 credential and teach at least 150 of the minimally-required 200 hours of the foundational teacher training program.
If you are currently an E-RYT 200, then you need to become E-RYT 500. You must:
Earn your 500 HR cert by February 2021,
Teach an additional 500 hours of classes as a RYT-500 (for a total of 2,000 hours of logged teaching hours),
Apply and get your E-RYT 500 by February 2022.
Also, the lead trainer(s) needs to teach 150 hours of the 200 hour curriculum, which means no more parsing out your training hours to non-lead trainers and specialists. It’s all you, baby.
Online Learning
Under the new standards, 40 hours of curriculum may be delivered online by non-lead trainers.
For online learning, you may have:
Anatomy: up to 20 hours online (out of 30 total hours; you must still have 10 hours in person)
Philosophy: up to 20 hours (out of 30 total hours; you must still have 10 hours in person)
Non-Contact Hours
Remember how we used to have 20 non-contact hours in there for homework and outside work? No longer. There are no more “non-contact hours.” You may have 40 hours online learning, and 160 in person in the classroom. (And remember, your lead trainers will need to teach 150 of those in person hours). So kiss goodbye to those non-contact hours.
Curriculum Changes
This adjustment doesn’t seem like too much of a big deal. You’re basically reshuffling what you’ve already done into slightly more streamlined categories. Rather than having Five Educational Categories, YA will now have four:
Techniques, Training and Practice – requires 75 classroom hours
Anatomy and Physiology – requires 30 hours (20 can be online)
Yoga Humanities (philosophy, ethics) – requires 30 hours (20 can be online)
Professional Essentials (formerly teaching methodology, practicum, business, and electives) – requires 65 classroom hours
Enhanced (Harder) Application Process
As everyone probably knows, applying for YA has been a bit of a joke. You could apply, and then create your training afterwards. However, now schools have their training together before they apply. In other words, you have to submit your completed manual and all materials (quizzes, tests, etc) in advance.
So, no more flying by the seat of your pants, yogis.
I’ll be submitting my new application as soon as possible to run this gauntlet for you, and will report back on any challenges.
As always, I’m here to help. So if you’re freaking out about your submission, then before you grab that glass of wine, grab your phone and give me a shout for a chat.
Yoga has been around for many centuries, but its official festivity, the International Day of Yoga (IDY), is only entering its 5thannual celebration.
And what exactly is it all about? In a nutshell, this day serves to raise awareness about our beloved practice and all the benefits anyone can attain through it. From stress relief and a more flexible body to a healthier lifestyle, most of us could use a little bit of yoga.
We still have a long way to go to spread the word about all that yoga can give us. With the participation of all yogis, we can inspire others to hop on the mat and feel the benefits by themselves.
Also referred to as International Yoga Day or World Yoga Day, it is what this day is essentially all about – to further raise the awareness of yoga across the globe.
In this guide to International Day of Yoga, you’ll find:
History of IDY – how it started and its purpose
Previous years’ celebrations and themes
Upcoming events and activities happening in India and across the world
What you can do to partake in the celebration to make Yoga Day 2019 the best one yet.
How did it start?
Yoga might have waited quite a bit to have its ‘own’ day, but thanks to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, since 2014 this special occasion is observed all over the world.
Being such an ingrained part of India’s history, the Prime Minister went to the United Nations in 2014 with a proposal to create a special day for yoga. In the assembly, he gave an inspiring speech that convinced more than 170 countries to approve the International Day of Yoga, which would take place annually on June 21st.
“Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition.Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action… a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it’s a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.” — Prime Minister Modi at the UN General Assembly.
In its first year (2015), around 36,000 yogis gathered in New Delhi for a record-breaking event, where people of over 80 nationalities performed the largest yoga session in history (although the number has increased every year since then). It marked the biggest celebration of the first ever Day of Yoga with the theme of yoga for harmony and peace.
The reason why PM Modi and the UN assembly had selected June 21st is because of the significant relevance of this date. This is when the summer solstice occurs, which is the day with the most sunlight of the year and an ideal time for transformation. No better excuse for a couple of sun salutations to recharge one’s body and mind!
What’s the purpose of International Yoga Day?
IDY was created to recognize its universal appeal. It reminds us that yoga is for everyone regardless of our beliefs, nationality, religion, race, gender, etc. Its intention is to keep spreading the word about the benefits of yoga all throughout the world, a hectic world that could use that peace of mind gained through the practice.
However, every year has had a different specific purpose. 2015’s celebration was aimed at yoga for harmony and peace. The reason? Well, that’s probably what humanity needs the most – to live peacefully and harmoniously.
2016 focused on the youth and the necessity to connect with the younger population. Connect the youth was the theme to remind us of the importance of new generations. Promoting yoga among children and stimulating mindfulness from early ages is the way to go to create a better world.
In 2017, the focus of IDY turned to the wellness of body and mind. Yoga for health was the slogan, encouraging yogis and non-yogis alike to live a healthier lifestyle. The asana practice (poses) on the mat is a good starting point, but there are many more factors we can incorporate to our routine like a balanced diet, a couple of meditation sessions, good relationships and a positive mindset.
Last year, it was decided to go back to yoga for peace. With so many conflicts and polarization around the world, it seemed like a good time to push for a peaceful planet, for it to become a better and safer home for all.
Yoga Day 2019: Taking care of nature
Everybody knows that we need to take care of our planet if we want to keep calling it home for years to come. Well, this may not entirely be true. Unfortunately, there are those who are still in denial of climate change and ignore the irreparable damage that humankind has inflicted.
In an effort to stress the importance of taking good care of Mother Earth while we still can, it’s been decided that this year’s theme for IDY will be climate action. And while a yoga session won’t reduce global warming on its own, the practice does teach us to connect with nature and respect all forms of life on a daily basis.
How has the world celebrated?
What started in New Delhi has expanded to other cities in India. The original record for the largest yoga class didn’t last for long. Not only has the number increased year after year, but in 2018, an estimated 200,000 people gathered in Kota to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
This year, there’ll be plenty of more events to celebrate, public yoga sessions, festivals and yoga retreats in India. But the festivities aren’t exclusive to India, many countries all across the globe have joined as well. From China to the USA, there have been spectacular events to commemorate IDY, and these are some of the most representative:
France
The Eiffel Tower had one of the most emblematic celebrations of IDY 2018. On June 17th, thousands of people gathered in front of the iconic structure for an incredible yoga session. Paris had a high commitment with the event and also had yoga session at the Grand Halle de la Villette and another one on-board the Bateaux-Mouches on the Seine river.
Indonesia
In 2018, the Embassy of India in Jakarta organized a series of events throughout 10 cities in the Indonesian archipelago. Malang, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Bali were some of the places where IDY events where held. But the Prambanan Temple Complex in Yogyakarta was the highlight, where over 10,000 yogis simultaneously performed their asanas.
Nepal
Being one of the most traditional countries for yoga, Nepal couldn’t fall behind. They took the practice to ‘new heights’ at the Muktinath Temple, situated 12,500 feet above sea level in Kathmandu. Monks, locals and visitors performed a yoga sequence, transforming the sacred temple into the most mystical studio on Earth.
USA
If Nepal brought the Zen-mystique, New York has its frenzy counterpart in Times Square. Each year, people from all over the world gather in front of the red steps for a massive demonstration of yoga. The event, Solstice in Times Square, has been organized for about 15 years. With over 12,000 participants in 2018, it’s now considered one of the most popular events to celebrate International Day of Yoga.
China
Yoga was brought to China around the late 1980s by the famous yoga teacher, Wai Lana. Since then, the popularity of yoga in this country has been rapidly increasing. Last year, it was the second country with most people celebrating IDY after India. The official event took place at the Indian Embassy in Beijing where over 500 practitioners joined for an open-door yoga session.
Events for the 2019 International Day of Yoga Worldwide
The official event is going to be a yoga session with recognized masters at the United Nations to celebrate the fifth IDY on Thursday, June 20th. It will be followed by a panel on the 21st where topics about the environment and yoga will be discussed.
However, the Ministry of Ayush, the Nodal Ministry of Yoga, has commanded to start with the preparations 50 days before the official day. The University Grants Commission of India (UGC) has issued a letter to universities and affiliated colleges to organize run-up events for IYD since May 2nd.
In addition, the Ministry organized a National Seminar on Art & Science of Common Yoga Protocol. It was held on May 2nd at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi, where various aspects of the common protocol of yoga were discussed.
Here’s a video that outlines last year’s protocol:
As it’s become a tradition, many places all across the globe will join. Here are a few events you could attend:
Bali, Indonesia
Starting at 3 pm on the 21st, the Anand Yoga Foundation will collaborate with the 11th international Bali Meditators’ Festival to put together a 6-hour event in Ubud.
Bangkok, Thailand
There’ll be a free yoga session at Chulalongkorn University. On June 16th at 5:30 am in the lawn in front of the Royal Statues of King Chulalongkorn and King Vajiravudh.
New York, USA
Solstice in Times Square is perhaps the most famous celebration in the world. It starts at 7:30 am; if you can’t register, walk-ups are accepted but you need to arrive well in advance.
California, USA
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in San Francisco is hosting a full-day event to celebrate yoga. It starts at 6 am. There’ll also be a big event at the Veterans Sports Complex in Carson, starting at 6:30 pm.
Houston, USA
The Consulate General of India has organized a public yoga session at Midtown Park on June 21st at 6:00 pm.
Florida, USA
There’ll be a sunset yoga class in Jacksonville at 7 pm by the river.
Washington, DC, USA
The Embassy of India is organizing a public yoga session at the Washington Monument. The event will be held on June 16th at 8:30 am.
Boston, USA
On June 21st, there’ll be a giveaway at Newbury Street at 6:00 pm. Afterward, you can head over to the Public Garden for a public yoga session.
Chicago, USA
The Consulate General of India will have its official celebration on June 15th. Starting at 9:30 there’ll be a yoga session at the Naperville Yard Indoor Sports Complex.
Australia
One of the most iconic celebrations of IDY, the annual Yoga Day Festival, occurs in many places around Australia. Brisbane, Gold Coast, Darwin, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne will all be holding events for the annual Yoga Day Festival. There are many things to do throughout the month of June, from yoga sessions to workshops.
London, UK
There’ll be a big yoga event as the sun sets on the Parliament and the Thames river. The event starts at 4 pm and it consists of 4 hours of yoga sessions, workshops and lectures by yoga gurus.
Manchester, UK
An open day will be held from 10:00 to 16:00 at the Trinity Methodist Hall in Stockwell.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
There’ll be an open yoga session in Dam Square, on June 16th from 12:00 to 7:00 pm.
Berlin, Germany
Run for Yoga will take place in Volkspark Jungfernheide on June 23rd, starting at 11:00 am, with a race starting in Strandbad Jungfernheide. After it, there’ll be an open yoga session.
Madeira, Portugal
The Yoga Festival Madeira will take place from June 20th to June 23rd. This comprehensive event will have yoga classes, workshops, surfing, hiking, concerts, paragliding and activities for kids.
Torino, Italy
Starting on June 21st until the evening of June 22nd, there’ll be dozens of yoga classes all over the city.
Stockholm, Sweden
The Indian Embassy and Art of Living, will celebrate the 5th IDY on June 18th, at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Center. It’s open and free to everyone.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Over 5,000 people will gather in Johannesburg on June 22nd. Starting at 8:30 pm, there’ll be several events at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium.
Cape Town, South Africa
In Cape Town, at the 14 Hope Street Gardens, there’ll be an event to celebrate yoga and raise funds for the EarthChild Project.
Do your own celebration
Can’t find an event to celebrate nearby? Travel to the destination you want and go on a yoga retreat for International Yoga Day. You’ll get to practice intensively, make new yogi friends and give yourself some time to reflect on all the good things that yoga brings to this world.
Or maybe you can find your own original way to celebrate yoga on its day. Organize a yoga session in a public park, plan your mini yoga retreat in a secluded area around your city or at least go to a yoga studio to learn a new style.
Another idea, in honor of this year’s IDY theme, you could get more creative and help the environment hand in hand with yoga. Gather with a group of friends and find a good place to plant trees; afterward, you could do some sun salutations and tree poses as a symbol to help them grow tall and strong.
Whatever you do, just remember that the intention of International Yoga Day is to be united with all living beings around us.
Happiness is one of the great mysteries of life. Although we continually wonder what will make us happy and try to work for more of it, we often get frustrated and discouraged. Even with the best of intentions, we often unknowingly get in our own way. The first step to happiness is becoming aware of where you are blocking your own path so that you can “own your happy.”
Here are eight myths about happiness that may be holding you back. Change them you and notice an immediate difference in how you feel!
Myth #1
You have to be perfect (or at least try) to be happy.
There’s a difference between striving for excellence and pursuing perfection. We often believe that being perfect can keep us safe from hurt, rejection, judgment, and failure. However, this actually works against us! Because the end goal of perfectionism is to get someone else’s approval, you end up doing things and being someone that does not actually make you happy.
Antidote: When you find yourself striving for perfection, embrace the 80% rule and focus on doing the best that you can at that moment! Remember, “done is better than perfect.” Consider: is it fear that is driving you? Or a desire to be of value? Whose approval are you seeking? Practice making it your own.
Myth #2
Engaging in habits that help you “check out” will make you happier.
There are a variety of things we do to ”unwind,” but in reality, we are checking out and avoiding uncomfortable feelings. The obvious villains are food, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. But there are so many other more subtle “tools” that we use to numb our feelings: overextending ourselves, hanging out in overwhelm, worrying, internet surfing and overspending. These behaviors may be immediately gratifying but over time, leave you disappointed in yourself and prevent you from dealing with what is actually making you unhappy.
Antidote: Next time you’re reaching for a cookie or glass of wine, take a moment to check in with your thoughts. Are you feeling stressed or worried about something? Perhaps you’re feeling lonely or disconnected? Once you identify what you are feeling, try taking an action that would actually help you to feel better. This may be connecting with a friend, finishing a project you’ve been putting off or getting some exercise!
Myth #3
Hiding out from the world makes you feel better.
When we feel unhappy, we may hide from the world and isolate. A little alone time is helpful, but being an island on your own is overrated. We feel happiest when we are connected to others. Going it alone may look impressive from the outside, but sharing yourself with those you can trust will help you feel understood, accepted, loved and happier – especially when you are feeling down.
Antidote: Although you don’t feel like it, often connecting with others is exactly what will make you feel better. Next time you feel like isolating, take a deep breath and call a friend, go for a walk, or put yourself in a situation where you have the opportunity for positive interaction with others.
Myth #4
I’ll be happy once I __________.
Happiness and a mindset of scarcity or lack cannot coexist. If you believe some part of yourself is not enough, you will live as if it’s true. There is always an opportunity to find ourselves insufficient; then the trashy self-talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! The truth is, you are enough when you are doing your best and are feeling proud of who you are.
Antidote: Next time you experience self-doubt, notice if it is tied to something you’re avoiding. For example, if you’re feeling “not good enough,” are you using it as a justification to not take a particular action, be vulnerable or stretch outside of your comfort zone? Experiment with taking a small step despite the self-doubt. This is exactly what will build your self-confidence!
Myth #5
If I feel too happy, I’m just setting myself up for disappointment.
Experiencing happiness can be uncomfortable, scary and even anxiety-producing. We sometimes feel as if our happiness is just setting us up to fail. You may even think that negating your happiness will help the bad stuff be less painful. Don’t waste your joy! When hard times and challenges do come along, embracing your happy times will make you stronger.
Antidote: Next time you feel resistance to allowing happiness in, bring your focus back to the present moment. Recognize that you are happy and everything is okay. The future is always uncertain; living in the present moment will help you relish your joy and actually give you more resources for the inevitable challenges.
Myth #6
Your happiness depends on someone else.
Often, we make our happiness contingent upon another person or their actions. Outsourcing your happiness leaves you powerless and often feeling like a victim. While other people can – and will – bring you joy, placing your happiness in the hands of someone else is a dangerous game and puts a tremendous amount of pressure on another person. Taking responsibility for your own happiness can be initially uncomfortable, but it ultimately gives you greater power, autonomy, and control over your life.
Antidote: Next time you notice you are waiting for someone else’s approval or actions to make you happy, take a breath and check in with yourself. What can you do at that moment to take responsibility for your own happiness? Reclaim your power and do something for yourself!
Myth #7
When life slows down I’ll be happier.
We often believe that life will get better “someday!” But time is your life going by. If you postpone feeling and engaging in activities that make you happy now, you are wasting your precious time. Live as if every day is a gift. By embracing what brings you happiness today, you’ll create the life that you want in the here and now.
Antidote: Next time you catch yourself procrastinating taking an action that will bring you more happiness, stop and decide to do it anyway. Focus on propelling yourself forward in the moment versus waiting for the “right” time.
Myth #8
It’s too late, and too much has happened to be happy.
Our minds, bodies and spirits are incredibly resilient! Living in the mindset of “it’s too late” is a cop out that gives us permission to wimp out and not try. This kind of attitude allows you to stay stuck, unhappy and justified. It’s never too late to recommit to yourself and find happiness. Often we’re afraid to try because we are afraid of being vulnerable and failing. Take a deep breath and muster your courage! Even a tiny effort will go a long way to restoring your sense of potential and hope.
Antidote: Next time you catch yourself feeling life may be passing you by, deliberately take even a small action in the direction of your goals and notice the immediate change in how you feel. It is usually the small and consistent actions that lead to accomplishment and happiness.
With over 10 years experience as a yoga practitioner, I have learned that being a male yogi can be a completely different experience from being a female yogi. Knowing what to expect can make all the difference in taking the bold step to attend your first class, but more importantly, in committing to a regular yoga practice.
Here are five things for a man to consider when starting to practice yoga.
Embrace being the odd one out
Although it is becoming increasingly popular for men to practice yoga (at least in the western world), yoga is predominantly a female environment. From the way that classes are marketed to the vivid Lycra yoga pants, it can feel as though we are entering an exclusive club. This can be an uncomfortable experience – and that’s even before setting foot on a mat!
It’s easy to feel like the odd one out when you are surrounded by a room full of super supple women, breathing in sync while we are breathlessly struggling to touch our toes. With experience, I have learned to be proud of my individuality. Let go of focusing on those external factors (such as being the only man in a yoga class or being less flexible than other practitioners!), and instead focus on the benefits of being present on the mat and prioritizing your health and wellbeing.
Do not be afraid to be your true self
As men, we have a tendency to learn from an early age that revealing our vulnerabilities is a weakness if we are to succeed in a (downward) dog-eat-dog world where often only the strongest survive. The way we act can give an impression of a hard shell that does not necessarily reflect our true self beneath. Learning to let go of this image when we arrive on the mat can be such a powerful tool in transforming our lives. Being present in the class provides us with a platform to be truly who we are – and not who society perceives us to be. Embracing this opportunity to be authentic can be a liberating experience. A yoga practice provides the means for us to delve deep within ourselves, become consciously self-aware, and proud of who we truly are.
Play with your edge – and use props
When we consider male role models (particularly sportsmen), it’s often those who succeed at competitive sports that are most widely recognized. We learn that being competitive is the pathway to success. But this can be to our detriment. Pushing ourselves beyond our own limitations can put us at risk of injury – and this applies to a yoga practice, too. We can end up trying to do yoga poses that we believe we ought to be able to do, when our body is telling us differently.
Using a yoga practice to ‘tune-in’ with our own body and mind enables us to play with our ‘edge’. Framing our yoga practice to take account of our aches, tensions, medical conditions or injuries means that we are more likely to practice safely. A yoga studio will typically have yoga props such as blocks, straps and eye pillows for use. Do not be afraid to ask how to use them to deepen into and support your practice.
Find a class that works for you
You may have any number of reasons for practicing yoga. The multi-faceted benefits of a yoga practice mean that it can touch upon and complement many aspects of your everyday life. Perhaps as a father, it is important for you to have some personal reflection and meditation time when so much of your energy must be focused on your children. If you work in a super stressful job, a more restorative yoga practice may work best for bringing calm and clarity to your life. Or, if you are a keen sportsmen, your yoga practice may be about improving your flexibility and developing balanced strength to prevent injuries. There are many different styles of yoga and the options can be bewildering. Go ahead and try different classes and teachers to find a class that works for you.
Commit to a regular yoga practice and reap the rewards
A yoga practice can be a transformative and life changing experience, and that transformation can often be felt after only a few classes. Committing to a regular practice may mean adapting a routine so that yoga can be part of everyday life. So, think about when the best time is for you to practice yoga, and slowly incorporate that practice into your daily routine.
It’s easy for us to be hard on ourselves when we miss a class, and we can discourage ourselves from returning. Being a father of twins and in a high pressure job for the UK government, I’m well aware how everyday life can get in the way of a regular yoga routine. I know that as a teacher, I am just as happy seeing students attend regularly as seeing those that have missed a few weeks before returning to the mat. Their return demonstrates how much yoga matters to them.
Investing in a yoga mat can also be a great way of deepening your commitment to your practice, as it means that you can practice yoga anytime at home. With so many competing pressures for our time, it’s so important to still find those pockets of “me time.” Even if your practice is only taking a few slower, deeper breaths, this can make the world of difference. I have found online resources such as Do Yoga With Me to be particularly beneficial for my regular yoga fix at home when I’ve not able to get to a studio. Take advantage of all that’s on offer and reap the rewards.
Do you ever leave the office feeling utterly exhausted? After sitting for 8+ hours and staring at your computer screen, you know that you should get some movement and head to the gym or catch a yoga class. But instead you instead find yourself at home – and completely spent.
According to Healthyway, some of the ways ways in which your office job can leave you feeling tired include lack of light, lack of fresh air, and lack of movement. Take this a step further, and think about the effect that a desk job has on your overall posture. Many office jobs will encourage sore wrists, tight forearms, neck strain, shoulder issues, and aching hips. We need to offset these habitual strains with movements that help to counteract these effects. (Sorry gym buffs, it’s not more squats for your already over-taxed hips!)
While adding a structured, lengthy, or intense workout after a long workday might not feel attainable (let alone possible with scheduling demands), carving out just 15 minutes for this yoga sequence that will help combat your desk fatigue from your work day.
It’s important to make time to help re-energize and refresh your body and mind after a long day at the office. This 15-minute yoga sequence for desk fatigue will help stretch your hips, open up your front body, bring length to your spine, and give you the opportunity to slow your thinking brain down. Pro tip: like any new routine, set yourself up for success; set a reminder or an alarm and leave your mat out where you can see it to help you make it happen.
Heart Opener On Blocks
Take two yoga blocks, place one in the middle of your mat, so that your spine can rest along the block. Place the other block on it’s tallest height and rest the back of your head on it. You can keep your knees bent or take your legs long (as long as your low back doesn’t feel strained).
Let your arms stretch out and relax your fingers. It can take a few breaths to get settled into this posture.
Stay here for 10 breaths.
When you are done, slowly roll off the blocks onto one side and take a few breaths.
Cat/Cow
Move to your hands and knees, and come to a table-top position. Stack your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists.
Move through 3 rounds of cow / cat. Notice the movement through your spine, as well as how it feels to open through your chest and stretch through your back body.
Easy Seat With Forward Fold
Come to a seat with your legs crossed. Sit up tall, and then fold over your legs. Walk your arms out in front of you while you send your sitting bones and hips towards the space behind you.
When your left shin is in front, walk your hands over to the right to stretch through your left side body. When your right shin is in front, walk your hands over to the left to stretch through your right side body.
Repeat the seated froward fold and side stretch on the other side.
Come back to centre, sit up tall and shrug your shoulders up to your ears. Roll your shoulders back and down. Repeat 5 times.
Neck Stretch
Bring your chin to your chest to find a gentle stretch through the back of your neck.
Nod your head over to the left to find a stretch through the right side of your neck.
Come through centre and then nod your head over to the right to find a stretch through the left side of your neck.
Do this 3 times on each side.
Come back to centre and lift your head so you are looking straight ahead.
Downward Facing Dog
Move to your hands and knees and come into Downward Facing Dog. Feel free to “walk your dog”, move through your hips, whatever movements feel good. Stay here for 5 full breaths.
Forward Fold
Walk your feet to your hands and come into a forward fold. Take your feet slightly wider than hip distance as you take your hands to opposite elbows. You can stay still or give a gentle sway from side to side.
Bring your feet to inner hip-distance and release your hands towards the earth. With slightly bent knees, press through your feet, take your arms out wide, and rise to stand. Bring your hands together and through heart centre.
Tree Pose
With your hands on your hips, externally rotate your right thigh and place your right foot anywhere on your inner left leg. Press your right foot against your left leg (as long as it is above or below your knee), and lengthen your tailbone towards the ground. Keep your hips level, and you can use your hands to help you balance or challenge your balance and bring your hands to heart centre or reach your arms towards the sky.
Hold here for 5 breaths.
Move your right knee to centre, bend your left knee, and lower your hands to the earth as you step your right foot back.
Low Lunge With Your Hands Clasped
Lower your right knee to the ground, and place your hands on your hips. Level out through your pelvis again, from left to right, as well as front to back. Find a stretch through the front of your right hip and / or thigh.
Root your tailbone towards the floor and then reach your arms behind you and interlace your fingers. This will help open up through your chest.
Hold here for 5 breaths.
Place your hands on either side of your left foot and step your right foot forward. Slide your hands up your shins to lift half-way, and then forward fold.
With slightly bent knees, press through your feet, take your arms out wide, and rise to stand. Bring your hands together and through heart centre.
Repeat tree and low lunge on the other side.
Plank
From Mountain Pose (Tadasana), reach your arms up, and fold over your legs. Lift half-way, and as your hands plant on the ground, step each leg back until you are in plank pose.
Hold for 5 breaths.
Lower onto your belly.
Locust (Salabasana)
Interlace your hands behind your back and press the tops of your feet into the earth. With your leg muscles engaged (you’ll know as your knee caps will lift slightly), lengthen your spine and reach your heart forward.
Lift your chest and forehead away from the ground as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.
You can stay here and breathe or lift your legs away from the ground.
Your arms can stay where they are or you can lift them away from your back body (be sure to pay attention to how this feels in your shoulders).
Hold for 5 breaths, and then lower onto your belly.
Make your way onto your back with your feet on the floor, and underneath your knees.
Figure 4 / Eye of the Needle
Lift your right leg and take your right ankle to your left thigh (closer to your knee than your hip).
Flex your right ankle.
If you need more of a stretch for your right hip / glutes, lift your left foot so your left shin is parallel to the ground.
Flex your left ankle.
Be sure your chest is open and your shoulder blades are on the ground. Your workday has brought enough rounding through your front body, so keep space across your chest.
Hold for 5 breaths and lower both feet to the ground.
Repeat on the left side.
Bridge
With your feet inner hip-distance apart and your feet under your knees, inhale to lift your hips away from the ground.
Draw your shoulders away from your ears, interlace your fingers underneath your body, and draw your shoulder blades closer together.
Press down through your feet and see if you can lift your hips higher.
Feel the back of your head gently press into the floor so that your chest lifts up towards the sky.
Hold here for 5 breaths.
Release your hands, move your arms out from under you, and slowly lower your hips onto the earth.
Savasana
Let your entire body rest on the ground. Take your legs out wide, let your palms turn up to the sky. Let your eyes soften or completely close.
Stay here for at least 3 minutes (if you are on a schedule, set an alarm to be sure you don’t stay here longer than you can).
Slowly bring movement into your body, stretch long through your body, roll to one side. Sit up tall, bring your hands to heart centre, and notice how your body feels.
I’m not a fan of the way that we use the word work.
“I’m going to work,” “I’m going to get some work done,” “how’s work?”
These are common phrases we use daily to refer to the activities that we do with the intention of generating income, or other desirable results. The word work is defined: “activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.” I take issue with the latter part of the definition, which is to achieve a purpose or result. When we consider activities work, we take the focus away from the process of the activity, and fixate on the purpose or result.
By contrast, the definition of the word play is defined, “to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” While the purpose or result is an important motivator for getting us to the “activity,” I’ve found that the best way to actually enjoy an activity that achieves a purpose or result is (paradoxically) to completely detach from the purpose or result, which, by definition, turns the activity into play.
In other words, instead of sitting down at your desk and immediately thinking about the pay check, promotion, or praise from a client or boss as motivation for plowing through your to-do list, the key to turning work into play is to find ways to make the process of the activities on your list more enjoyable.
We think of work and play as opposites, and by definition they are. However, as I experiment with my activities as a business owner, I find that that the more that I find ways to enjoy them as if they are play, the more easily, and enjoyably, I can arrive at my intended result.
Here are three tips for turning work into play.
1. Plan out tomorrow, today.
When you sit down at your desk to work and haven’t taken the time to organize your list of activities, your valuable creative energy and decision-making goes to solving the problem of, “What do I need to do?” instead of “How can I make this activity more enjoyable?”
Make your to-do list for your day the night before. Make your list chronological and assign rough estimates for what time you’ll start and how long it will take, so when you sit down to work, you know exactly what activity you’re going to do first, and approximately how long you will spend working on it.
I like to outline my schedule on iCal, beginning with when I’m going to wake up. I schedule both personal activities (like my meditation time, breakfast, pleasure reading, and walks) as well as specific professional activities (writing articles, answering emails, brainstorming, and doing bookkeeping).
If you decide, for example, that your first activity tomorrow is going to be bookkeeping at 9AM, you can get creative about the ways of making the process of bookkeeping as fun as possible.
Bookkeeping? Fun? You may think those words should never reside in the same sentence. Bookkeeping is often cited as one of the most dreaded tasks by entrepreneurs. However, I worked with an amazing accountant who helped me come up with a “bookkeeping ritual” that I do on the first of each month, and now I’ve come to really enjoy the process. (Read on to find out how!)
2. Make your activities a multisensory experience.
Before I sit down to do bookkeeping, I make sure my workspace is very tidy. This contributes to peace of mind, and also takes away the option of cleaning any clutter instead of doing the activity I’ve intended (which I rationalize doing often.)
I meditate right before doing bookkeeping, and put on some relaxing music (I’m loving this Meditative Mind station on YouTube) and prepare a cup of coffee or tea to enjoy while complete this activity.
After meditating, I light a candle or some incense, and then sit down at my desk. Burning something helps create an ambience that reminds you of the activity you’re working on, and keeps you focused.
I have all windows on my computer closed (except for my bookkeeping software) and emails and texts on Do Not Disturb.
Before starting the activity of bookkeeping,I take a few minutes to journal. I write out anything, personal or professional, that’s bothering me, with the intention of letting my journal “hold” the thoughts for me while I get things done.
I think of journaling for business as having a mud room for your thoughts. Keep the thoughts in a separate “room” from your creativity so you don’t track the mud of distraction into your work…or play.
I then set a timer for thirty minutes (I like to use the bells on Insight Timer, which are the same bells I use for meditation) and get started with categorizing expenses, looking at my income, and tracking my monthly goals.
This may sound like a lot of song and dance before sitting down to get things done, but I’ve found that doing this intentional sequence of multi-sensory practices before something tedious is actually the fastest way to get it done, and most enjoyable.
Using all of your senses while you work on your activities keeps you present – and play only occurs in the present. Our senses are related to things happening in the moment, so by having pleasant sounds, smells, tastes, and a tidy environment readily available, you more easily stay in the moment.
3. Acknowledge all of the activities you complete in a day.
When I make an effort to optimize the process of bookkeeping, I fly through the four-step process I created, and actually enjoy the experience.
At a different point in my business, I would sit down at my desk, haphazardly make a list of to-dos, and jump between them frantically.
I would start an activity like bookkeeping, get frustrated, go on social media, curse everyone I followed, go back to bookkeeping, get frustrated again, start reading financial blogs, go back on social media, and continue similar cycles until about 5PM when I would reach a level of despondency and then storm out the door to go sulk on my yoga mat.
I’m learning that today’s planning determines tomorrow’s success, and that scheduling your days ahead of time gives you the chance to turn your activities into experiences, instead of labor.
A small shift I’ve made to even further enjoy the process is to quickly list everything I’ve accomplished at the end of my workday. Emotions like anxiety surface when we mentally exaggerate thoughts like, “I got nothing done,” “I can’t focus,” or “I’m not making progress.”
Making a list of everything you’ve accomplished, even if it wasn’t everything you scheduled, is a great anti-anxiety mechanism, much like the process of building a sandcastle and taking a step back to admire it.
Sure, the tides will wash it away overnight and you’ll have to start over tomorrow — but taking a moment to bask in its glory reminds us that in some ways, all we’re doing is building sandcastles each day. So best to enjoy the playtime.
Lisa is frustrated because she hasn’t been able to get her first yoga retreat scheduled yet. She keeps committing to new announcement dates, but says she hasn’t had the time to actually book the trip.
In reality, it’s not time holding Lisa back: it’s her resistance to confronting her fear.
Have you been saying you want to expand your business or take specific actions, yet still find yourself standing in the same place? If the answer is yes, you may unknowingly be letting fear stop you from achieving your goals and dreams.
Fear is inevitable. You can either let it stop you or use it to propel you forward. I promise you will never do anything great without pushing through fear!
What are you most afraid of? Do any of these resonate?
Building your career
Dealing with money
Raising your standards
Making a commitment
Making decisions
Saying no
Envisioning a different future
What is fear?
Fear comes from experiencing something outside of our comfort zone. It’s an emotion we experience when our mind contemplates CHANGE in the future– even if it’s for the better.
Where does fear come from?
As a child, you probably had some big dreams of what you wanted to be or do in your life. If you have been around children lately and listened to their conversations – they think big. They dream of being president, of flying to the moon, or becoming a world-class ballerina. Personally, at age 10 I was fully committed to becoming a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader! As we get older, the world seeps in and the more we listen, the bigger and more debilitating our fears become.
It’s important to know there is nothing wrong with feeling afraid.
If you are continually growing and stretching, fear will regularly come up. Fear is not the problem; it’s the way we deal with it that creates obstacles. Instead of fighting or ignoring fear, think about working with it.
Fear will only subside once you face it.
Yes, you will feel scared and it’s impossible to be fearless. You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable and not always knowing the answer or outcome.
Courage is not fearlessness.
Courage is simply the willingness to move forward fear and all. The better you are able to manage and push through fear and discomfort the greater the quality of your life and achievement of what you want will be.
You are not alone. Everyone is afraid sometimes.
When you see people who have succeeded and wonder why they weren’t afraid – most likely they were. The people that succeed in achieving their big dreams and goals just took action in spite of feeling fear.
Here’s where to start
The first step to shifting your relationship to fear is taking action. More specifically, it’s taking imperfect action. If you keep waiting to figure out the exact, most perfect way to start something – STOP. It’s not going to happen. You’re not going to be perfect and that’s OK. The road to success is paved with imperfect action. Don’t let fear stop you from living your dreams!
Food for thought
What would you do in your life if you weren’t afraid to fail?
I’d love to chat about it and help with a plan to get there. I offer complimentary, no obligation 30-minute coaching calls. Click here to schedule your complimentary session.
I know you. I see you, my yogi friend. You want to be a better person, you want to do good. And maybe – like many of us – you think that doing better means that you have to work harder.
But here’s the irony: at some point, you have to work less to move ahead.
Let me share a story. I’ve been seeing a speech pathologist to clear up some bad vocal habits (teaching public yoga classes and teacher trainings for fifteen years can wear on the voice after a time). At my last appointment, she looked me (as readied myself to “be a good student”), and said, “What do you think about EASE?”
I immediately flinched. Ease? No, please say something else. Tell me what to do, tell me what action to take, but please don’t tell me that I have to “let go,” or “release” or some hippy nonsense like that.
But of course, that’s exactly what was needed.
Why We Get Tense
Over time, we all get knocked around a bit by life. We fall in love, and get hurt. We fail, and we armour up to hide our vulnerability. We laugh to hide our feelings, we smile to hide our fear. We develop compensatory patterns to deal with any variety of challenges: emotional, physical, and mental. We call these habits of tension our “personality.” Yogis may refer to them as samskaras, or deep, habitual patterns of conditioning. In your yoga practice, you may be all sthira (effort) and no sukha (ease).
We all have these tension patterns. And once you’ve been walking around on the planet for thirty years, these patterns of tension may start to have unforeseen side effects. You may start to develop back pain. Or maybe you become emotionally withholding. Maybe you’re in a relationship rut and don’t know how to break the cycle. Or maybe you have vocal issues.
Unfortunately, we can’t overcome these engrained habits through direct effort. That’s like adding a layer of “effort cement” on top of a faulty scaffold. The only way to find a pathway to greater functionality is to ease up and untangle the essential patterns of tension that have gotten you there in the first place.
This process can be enormously disconcerting.
When you come from a culture that encourages “working harder to get ahead,” letting go feels all wrong. In fact, letting go is actually harder than doing more (take that, workaholic brain!) because it takes incredible vigilance and care to inhibit your conditional patterning from arising.
While my vocal situation illuminates the particular challenges of unwiring a physical dysfunction, unwiring emotional and mental triggers provide a similar challenge. (In fact, they’re all the same thing.) Like my vocal habits, the emotional patterns that have served you well in the past may now be getting in the way of how you want to move forward.
However, letting go of these habits derails the familiar pillars of support and “self-ness” that have guided you thus far in your life. Inhibiting a defensive smile of politeness may feel as vulnerable as taking off all your clothes. Because, in a way, you are. You are taking off the layer of tension that you somehow associate with self-protection and “you-ness”.
Letting go of my throat tension isn’t just about releasing some physical muscles. Letting go unravels a sense of “Rachel-ness” to which I have become identified; it unhinges a sense of my own perceived I-ness. However, when I do inhibit that tension, I am in a greater space of possibility and presence.
Being present gives us the opportunity to “de-scaffold” ourselves from the layers of habitual reaction that will otherwise guide our actions and responses. When we become present, we can practice (practice! practice!) relaxing and opening to what is really going on. How do I really feel right now? If we can gently inhibit our conditioned responses of tension and reaction, then we are suddenly awake to a world of complete possibility. And while this is a little being thrown out of a window without a parachute, it’s also the only place where you really get to see the sky.
Your challenge?
More ease. In your yoga practice, but also in your life. Be willing to relax in the moment without immediately grabbing for the conditioned responses that may feel safe. Explore the no man’s land, and see what arises.
Practicing yoga has never been more accessible! But even so, getting a yoga at home practice started isn’t always easy. Here are five tips to get you started.
1. Create a practice space
Your home practice space doesn’t have to be fancy. While it’s luxurious to have a designated space that’s only for yoga, your practice space will probably double up as something else (for example, when I practice at my sister’s, my “sacred” practice space is actually the living room floor!). If you’re able, de-clutter your space and add something that brings you a feeling of zen (a candle, a picture, a plant). Putting a little energy into your space will help it feel special and important.
Having a designated practice creates an imprinted memory. Over time, as you practice in that same area, you will create some good energy there, making it easier for you to transition into a zen mind state.
2. Don’t sweat the props
Yoga studios have lots of fun props – bolsters, block, and straps. At home, use pillows, books, and towels instead! In fact, you don’t even need a fancy mat (I’ve been known to just practice on the carpet or to throw down a big towel). The wonderful thing about yoga is that there is nothing that you need to make it happen. You only need yourself.
3. Get a team
The hardest part of your home yoga practice is just starting! However, these days, it’s easy to put a team in your back pocket. With so many free online resources (like Do Yoga With Me, for example, where I teach), you can easily find a class that fits into your life and your skill level. If you’re not sure where to start, try a beginner level class.
Here are a few of my classes you can check out right here:
Your yoga practice can be just five minutes long. That’s it! On days when you feel busy or overwhelmed, just make it to your mat and commit to five. Often when we start a mini-practice, we realize that all the crazy voices in our heads (“You don’t have time,” “There’s too much to do!”) are simply anxiety voices. They often fade when we simply take a few deep breaths. And if you really only have five minutes, then great. In my experience, a quick 5-10 minute practice can be as profound and nourishing as a longer practice.
5. Let yoga fit your life
People often ask me questions like, “when should I do a home yoga practice,” “how long should I practice,” “how often should I practice yoga at home?” The answer is, “when you can!” Yoga can fit into your life and support what you need. Your home yoga practice can look like many different things:
a ten minute wake up practice in the morning
a twenty minute practice after you get the kids to school
a thirty minute practice on your lunch break
a fifteen minute practice to get ready for bed
a 75 minute Saturday afternoon practice
The yoga practice can fit into your life, beautifully. There’s no “right” way to do it. Feel free to ask me any questions, and happy home practicing!
I have a straw in my mouth that I am humming forcefully into. “HMMMMMMM…HMMMMM…..HMMMMM.” I sound like a deranged duck honking. Nasal. The vibration is jaw-jarring. “HMMMMM….HMMMMMM…..HMMMMMM….”
Face red, lips pursed, straw dangling. It’s not glamorous.
But many of us feel that the “right” life should have a little glamour. We like the idea of effortless perfection and smooth edges. We crave a sense of order, certainty, and elegance. Looking at the whitewash of social media, we think (quite logically) that that is reality. We’re supposed to look like that.
“What no one will tell you is that it’s okay to struggle.” – Chis Chavez, global yoga teacher
I’m blowing through a straw because I have vocal nodes. Vocal nodes are small callouses that develop in your vocal folds due to heavy vocal use. In my case, the heavy use comes from day job as a yoga teacher and teacher trainer, which means a lot of talking. I’m also an opera singer. And if I want to sing again, I have to take time off from hitting high notes and instead blow in straws.
Here are some other examples of unseen struggle:
Ballet dancer. The bone fractures, the time off for physio.
Perfect mom. The “baby food in hair at 6 AM/shouting at the children” moment.
Actors. The team of make up and hair artists manufacturing their beauty for every shot.
Yoga Journal. The coaches on the sidelines fixing poses.
With everyone selling the idea of effortless perfection, it’s not surprising that we have started to think it’s bad to show our struggle. We bring this into our yoga practice: we think we’re bad yogis if we fail, fall over, can’t hit handstand, can’t climb into wheel.
“…we’re expected (and sometimes desire) to be perfect, yet we’re not allowed to look as if we’re working for it.” – Brene Brown, Daring Greatly
I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to struggle. In fact, it’s essential. If we spend most of our time thinking that we’ve got to look cool, we’re never going to be able to do the work that will get us out of status quo. Most of life is composed of the grubby, dirty moments where we grunt, fall over, fail, get set back, and need a time out with a teddy bear for comfort. In the yoga practice, it takes years of falling over before we figure out how to get into an arm balance.
Rather than turn these failures into moments of shame, it’s time to celebrate our courage in getting up and trying again. These everyday small acts of faith and courage are the best of the human spirit. It takes great courage because we don’t know if we will ever “get there.” I may not be able to sing again, but I’m going to blow into those damn straws. You may not get handstand, but you show up and you try.
We can’t control the whole world, but we can start with our practices. If your yoga practice has become infected with perfectionism and a “cool kids only” vibe, it’s time to reclaim the authenticity of the struggle. Dare to get deeper into the fire of warrior 2, try the weird arm balance, and fall over in tree. Risk looking like you haven’t got it all figured out.
As you reveal your own struggle, those around you will feel the absolute relief of being able to drop their own perfection masks. We need this.
Let’s start the struggle revolution. Share your humanity. And pour your heart into it.
This is part 3 of a three-part series. To read part one of the series on goal-setting, click here. To read part two on Taking Action, click here.
Goal setting is a critical part of achieving what you want in your personal and professional life. Taking steps to accomplish your goals is incredibly powerful and cultivates a sense of personal responsibility, pride, and confidence.
But what happens when you map out a clear goal, take consistent action, yet the results don’t show up in the time frame you planned?
It happens, and it’s frustrating.
But it also allows an opportunity to reflect and make shifts in the present. Often we focus so much on building for the future we neglect the opportunities are right in front of us. Too much focus on the future also breeds stress and negative thinking. Achieving your goals requires flexibility when things don’t go as planned as well as being open to reassessing your goals.
Eckart Tolle summed it up perfectly when he said:
“Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now.”
Tips For Staying Focused
Realize the present is all you have right now. The past is history, and the future is entirely unknown. You have today. Now. Don’t squander it.
Remember life is unpredictable and you can’t control everything that may happen in the future no matter how much you plan and prepare. Don’t waste valuable time and energy focusing on what might happen.
Be open to not knowing and discovering new opportunities. Some of the best opportunities present themselves after a big disappointment. Sometimes it takes hardship to shake you up and realize your strength and capabilities.
Focusing too much on the future is stressful. Although some stress can help to motivate you, the importance of not living in the present can be detrimental to your emotional and physical well-being. Trying to over plan and control the future just prevents you from living in the present.
Pay attention to your thoughts. Our thoughts are often so clear and specific they feel like facts – although they haven’t even happened yet. When you notice yourself projecting or worrying about the future, realize they are just thoughts and not reality. Once you are aware of your thoughts, you can redirect your attention.
Flexibility is crucial. Often the most significant results happen by not achieving precisely what was planned and being flexible enough to spot the win.
I would love to talk to you about your goals! If you’re interested, click here and schedule a complimentary 20-minute coaching session.
This is part 2 of a three-part series. If you missed part one of the series on goal- setting, click here to read the article.
You have identified a goal. Fabulous! However, now the “real” work begins. It’s one thing to have a goal but quite another to commit to consistently doing what it takes to get there. It’s challenging to propel yourself into action – but even more so to stick to your plan.
Why is that?
The biggest obstacle is your mind. Your mind is incredibly powerful and can work hard for or against you. The stories you tell yourself and what you believe about yourself can make or break your plan of action.
If you buy into thoughts like:
I don’t have enough time…
I can’t do it…
I have to wait until “x” happens to get started…
Then the game is over before you’ve even stepped onto the playing field!
It’s evident that type of mindset will result in either complete inertia or quitting before reaching your goal. Also, once you get started, if you don’t take consistent action, you’re not going to make real progress. Will Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
Here’s the truth: it’s the daily actions you take that will change what you believe about and for yourself. The key to success is not only creating an action plan but, more importantly, sticking to it. Commit to the process of taking daily actions instead of worrying about attaining the end goal.
Here are 8 tips for taking consistent action towards career success:
Make time for yourself and your career. Take a close look at your priorities and don’t be afraid to say “no” to people and things that don’t align with your career and personal goals. Be willing to reduce or give-up your involvement in activities and projects that aren’t a high priority.
Think creatively. If you keep hitting the same brick wall, consider other alternatives. Many roads lead to success so you may have to take an unfamiliar detour.
Be willing and open to learning and trying new things. Thinking you know it all and resisting help and advice is not productive. Be open to listening and learning from knowledgeable people and resources. If something doesn’t work for you or sit right, you don’t have to continue.
Review your progress regularly and be accountable for your results. If you are busy spinning your wheels and making little to no progress, it’s time to re-evaluate and re-organize.
Don’t compare yourself and your progress to other people. There’s a reason for the saying, “compare and despair.” Stay focused on your goals and actions.
Be consistent in taking action. There will be days you “don’t feel like it” and want to procrastinate. Don’t fall into that trap; it’s usually a slippery slope!
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Nothing great ever happens inside your comfort zone. If you think back to your most impactful accomplishments, you will find tolerating discomfort and pushing through fears was part of the process.
Enlist the help of a mentor or coach. If you are stuck, confused or overwhelmed, a coach can help you see a way through it and regain control.
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers
If you would like to discuss your career goals and progress with a coach – I would love to hear from you. Just click here to schedule a complimentary 30-minute discovery session.
Next Steps:
What actions are you committed to taking to achieve your goals right now? Remember to be as specific as possible; “I’ll have a conversation with my manager by Friday” versus “I’ll talk to my manager.”
This is the last part of a three part blog, Live Your Yoga: Making A Decision. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 here.
Making decisions – especially big life decisions – can be very challenging. We can feel pulled in every direction. Which choice is “right?”
The Bhagavad Gita offers us insight into how we can live our yoga in the midst of our daily life struggles and choices. In this epic story, our hero (Arjuna) is counselled by Krishna (his charioteer and the voice of Arjuna’s “higher power”) on how he can live yoga and still take action as a warrior. Yoga isn’t only for peaceful times; it’s for every moment of our lives. Especially those times that seem full of conflict.
The third yogic path that Krishna offers to Arjuna is LOVE.
Now, this is a radical departure from the “meditate/know thyself/think your way into enlightenment” kind of practice everyone had been doing up until this point. Love does not require intellect, action or fancy yoga clothes. There is not barrier to practice, Krishna says, devotion can be expressed with the gift of a leaf. Love simply requires an open heart.
Try this (really, try it, it will only take about 30 seconds):
Sit quietly.
Bring to mind the face of someone (or something, like a beloved pet) that you love very much.
Take ten deep breaths, focusing on what you love about this creature.
Breathe, and bring to mind all the little details.
How do you feel?
“We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” – Brene Brown
Isn’t life better when we are just a little bit in love?
The human heart has incredible capacity for love and devotion; when we allow this feeling to permeate our being and infuse our daily actions and relationships, we are able to effortlessly embody qualities such as kindness, forgiveness, generosity, and compassion. When we open our hearts, we can begin to feel the interconnectedness of all beings.
Krishna shares with Arjuna that “everything is Krishna.” Seen from the highest perspective, everything – including us – is part of this Oneness. When we express devotion and love through our daily actions, we can also remember our divine connection to all things. When we remember that we are connected to all things, we can infuse more love into our small daily acts. Love creates more love. Every act becomes a gesture of devotion, a remembrance of our participation in the divine dance.
“All beings are words of God, His music, His art.” = Meister Eckart
Practice:
Sit comfortably.
Close your eyes.
Bring to mind someone or a creature that you love. Think “just like me, you want to be happy.” Repeat this for about a minute.
Expand your consciousness to the city around you, all of the inhabitants. Think “just like me, you want to be happy.” Repeat this for about a minute.
Gradually expand your consciousness beyond your city to the country, the continent, the world. Think “just like me, you want to be happy.”
Partisan political fighting, cantankerous global politics, dire climate change, and a frenzied media all make the world feel like a very unfriendly place. Technology is more powerful than ever; we’ve had the capacity for self-annihilation since the 40’s. So it’s worth asking the question: do you think we’ll make it?
What will our future will look like: Terminator or Star Trek?
I’m voting for Star Trek. And here’s why.
We agree upon what a hero looks like.
Go to any movie and you know who the good guys are. You want the bad Terminator to lose and Sarah Connor to win. We cry when the good Terminator self-destructs in order to save the world. We admire the characters who make the “right” choice: they go back for Newt, they fight the Corporation, they bring the Millennium Falcon back to win the battle, or they put themselves in a nuclear reactor to save a starship.
We identify the good guys by traits like honor, bravery, self-sacrifice, integrity and kindness. Something deep in our human soul says, “Yes, that’s how we should be!”
Recognizing these traits is not a 21st century phenomenon; older literature shows the same themes. So does the Bhagavad Gita. And as long as most of humanity recognizes and agrees upon what elevated human behavior looks like, we have a north star to steer towards.
Frankly, we’re pretty clumsy as a species. We screw up, we fall back, we forget, we wimp out. But – and this is the important part – we continue to try. The world is a better place than it was a hundred years ago. Civil rights, gay rights, better medicine, less violence (though you may not know it to watch the news). Slow as it may be, we are making progress. And we must carry on.
Every day that you act a little more like John McClane and a little less like Hans Gruber is a day that you can count yourself a hero of your own story. Your small acts matter. And we need these small acts more than ever. Every heroic choice that you make – and every heroic act that you admire – is a step towards a future where the good guys win.
You want to take your career to the next level and move beyond that survival mindset. You’re ready to feel like you’re proactively creating versus scrambling and reacting. But, what do you want? Take a few minutes to really think about what YOU desire. Maybe you want to create teacher trainings or impactful retreats. Maybe you’re ready to get out of a survival mindset and stop scrambling. It’s time to think bigger about your career path and be deliberate about taking steps to get there.
It can feel scary to actually dream about and declare what you want. What if you fail? Where do you even start? It often feels overwhelming to even THINK about your career dreams and goals.
Let’s start at the beginning:
The first step to achieving career success and happiness is being able to clearly articulate where you want to go. Most people don’t walk around thinking about what they really want and creating a plan to get there. If you want to achieve your goals, you actually do need to do the thinking and planning about what you truly want. Otherwise, your life is lived by default. Thinking and writing out your goals is the first step to making them happen. Your dreams and goals are your internal picture of the future. Everyone has them yet many are unconscious and based on personal history versus deliberately created.
Here are five tips for designing your goals and creating a career plan:
Your goals should be a stretch for you but achievable. Many times we go from one extreme to the other when setting goals. If you think too small, you probably won’t be excited to go for those dreams. On the other hand, if you design goals that aren’t realistic, most likely you will feel like it’s too much and set yourself up to fail.
Put aside the “should’s” and other people’s opinions. Often we set goals based on something we think we “should” do but either aren’t ready to do or it’s not truly what YOU want. Don’t set your goals based on someone else’s opinions or desires. Either of these scenarios will result in you having no real connection to the goal or why you’re even putting in the effort to achieve it.
Focus on the positive versus limiting yourself a negative mindset. You don’t want to create goals based on what you don’t want. It is easier to envision change from a mindset of positivity of what already exists. This calls for you to be imaginative and push aside the limitations you may have created based on where you are right now.
Watch out for the mediocrity mindset. Settling for mediocrity is tempting. It’s easier and more comfortable to sit in “it’s not great but it’s not terrible”. We tolerate, justify and have a list of reasons why it’s OK to not reach for our greatest potential. I promise you weren’t put on this earth to be mediocre or live an “it’s just OK” life. Challenge the human tendency to just settle!
Share your goals with people in your life and who will be supportive. Steer clear of talking about your dreams with those who are prone to focus on the negative. Having positive people in your corner helps with accountability and support. Also the more you talk about your goals, the more likely you are to stay connected to them and follow through.
Action Step:
Take some time to think about what you really want and why. Take the time to research and investigate what you would need to do to get there. Let go of the negative and limiting internal chatter that may tell you it’s not realistic, too hard or you’re not good enough. Focus on deliberately designing goals that reflect what success looks like for YOU.
Stay tuned for the next instalment of this blog series, Taking Action!
