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A Moment of Calm is all about hitting pause. Taking one moment, whether it's a minute or an hour, a day to stop what you're doing and look inward. We have created ten guided Moments of Calm that you can do in your home, so grab your yoga mat and get ready to relax.
A Moment of Calm 1 - Breathing Techniques
Sounds relaxing, right? It is also likely one of the things we don’t do enough in our fast-paced, over-scheduled lives. Finding time, especially a moment of calm, can seem daunting or maybe even a little frivolous. Kids, jobs, maintaining healthy habits, keeping commitments to friends and family, I could go on…
But what if I told you finding little moments of calm throughout your day can actually help you get more done, be more efficient and feel more balanced? Crazy, right?
Be here now. Maybe one of the most popular Zen, albeit cliché, phrases of all time. When we take a moment to actually be present in what we are doing, when we can be present in our busy, that is where we find those tiny pockets of calm. That is when we are able to support ourselves better and become more effective human beings.
How in the world can you find calm, peace and balance without taking a trip to a tropical island and forgetting about everything?
It’s simple. You learn to breathe on purpose. You create your calm, one minute at a time.
Did you know that it is physiologically IMPOSSIBLE to experience stress or anxiety and take a deep, full breath at the same time? Let me say it louder for the kids in the back. You cannot be stressed or anxious and breathe deeply at the same time. WHOA! I wonder why people say “take a deep breath” when somebody is upset. Coincidence? I think not.
In the first episode, we will go over breath retention and alternate nostril breathing. Both are helpful, easy techniques, each with a different purpose.
The first technique is breath retention. Simply put, breath retention is holding your breath in and exhale out. This has a physiological effect on the brain, allowing for more oxygen into your cells and more carbon dioxide out. This technique has a very calming effect on both your physical and emotional body. Ahhhh.
The second technique is alternate nostril breathing. This type of breathing has an energizing effect on your systems, as it integrates both hemispheres of your brain. Alternate nostril breathing improves attention, fine motor coordination, and performance. It is also beneficial for your heart and lungs. If you need a little midday energizer, this breath is for you!
A Moment of Calm 2 - Integrating Poses
How many times do you go out of your way for others? Whether it's your kids, spouse, friends, or family, you repeatedly put them before yourself. We are women, we nurture, we take care of others, but sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves.
That is why these little moments of calm can be a game-changer. You start with a minute, and then you create a self-care snowball of positive momentum. You feel better. You have more to give others because you feel supported and balanced.
Integration quite literally means incorporating. So, how on earth do I incorporate something else into my day? The answer is simple, but it isn't always easy. You just do it - one minute - or one moment of calm at a time.
You see, by slowing down and intentionally treating yourself to a little moment of calm here and there, taking in a purposeful breath, doing a few stretches after lunch, you will be able to get more done. You will fill that empty cup right back up.
Sometimes less is more but sometimes more CREATES less, less chaos, less anxiety, less bullshit, and less of the stuff that is holding you back.
When you live your life, or at the very least, start practicing living from a place of being half full instead of half empty, things begin to shift. You don't seem to be as easily frustrated or overwhelmed or whatever it is that you may be feeling. Taking just a moment to check in with yourself and genuinely ask, "What do I need right now?" is such a powerful tool for navigating through this thing we call life with a little more grace.
A Moment of Calm 3 - Awakening
How long have you been waiting to slow down or take a break? Well, now is the time to do it. Our lives are usually hectic, running around endlessly because our day-to-day schedules are BUSY. Today we can slow down and take a moment of calm to recenter.
Each day we put so much pressure on ourselves to have a spotless house, take care of the kids, eat healthily, workout 2 hours a day, etc., and to do it all flawlessly. Then there is the (usually self-imposed) pressure of things like Pinterest. We are a lot of things, but a Pinterest mom and Instagram-worthy yogi, we are not.
We've heard all the excuses. "I can't start something like yoga because I don't have the time to do an entire practice." or "I can't start eating better because I have dinner plans with girlfriends." We have all been there! But I will bet you dollars to doughnuts that if you did one Down Dog, just one, every day for a month, you would feel a little looser.
What if you just started? Started with one moment of calm at a time. What if all that was needed was one minute of "good" in your day so you can simply watch that good pile grow? What if you could let go of all the other stuff? Because really, it's just noise.
Today, we are continuing to put one foot in front of the other. And seriously, if all you did today was show up for one minute, for only one Down Dog, we are proud of you. You are already on the right track, and we would take progress and presence over perfection any day of the week. Simply moving through a couple rounds of sun salutations can help awaken the "good" and serve as a superb platform to expand upon, once you feel ready, and it makes sense for you.
