Thursday, May 2, 2013
Can't work your way out of a problem? Here are some fresh ways to find new perspective.
We’ve all experienced times where we feel stuck. We struggle to find a new way to approach a problem. It could be about money, relationships, career, family or even our schedule. In situations like this, we need an infusion of fresh energy around the issue as well as a new way of thinking. There is no way out of approaching a problem from the same perspective unless something shifts. Einstein said that the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” So, how do we find this new way of thinking? 1. Exercise. When we feel stuck, we need to refresh our brain and move the stuck energy of feeling defeated through the body. The best way to do that is to move. Walk, run, practice yoga, hike…
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Arm yourself with a strategy to save money and shop healthy!
Back in November of last year, my neighborhood of Charlestown lost its grocery store. As a result, instead of walking up the street and shopping in familiar surroundings, I’ve been relegated to shopping in a variety of locations, including some of the big superstore grocery chains. This has been an experience for me. Shopping in these big grocery stores is a chance to experience everything that frustrates me about the food industry; it’s loud, (can be) unhealthy, obnoxious and manipulative. Just look at the physical space when you walk in: it’s assaulting. Bright, loud and colorful, it’s meant to seduce you into buying things you don’t need. The busiest and often unhealthiest options are conveniently placed on the ends of the aisles or in …
Friday, March 22, 2013
Do you drag yourself out of bed each day? Read on and take these tips to heart to make your mornings better!
Over the years as a yoga teacher, I’ve had (and currently have) early morning classes that require me to get up before 6 am. This never gets easy. The funny irony about it is that I am not a morning person but yet I teach several early morning yoga classes. When I was growing up, my father would call me “Lucy” (from the Peanuts comic strip) because I was so grouchy at breakfast. I was thinking today, as I checked in students for the 6:30 am class, about how we motivate our body and mind to get up early. There are certainly better ways to do it than others. I see people on their way to work pounding energy drinks, while running to the bus. This is, of course, an awful way to start the day. So what are the best ways to ensure you’ll get up …
Monday, December 10, 2012
Feeling stressed due to holiday madness? Check out the list below for ways to stay healthy and have fun!
It’s that time of year again- the holiday season. There are gifts to buy, parties to attend, family to visit and it all happens around your existing crazy schedule. This can be a time for joy and celebration but it can also be a time where people experience sadness, anxiety, stress and exhaustion. Here are ten ways to stay healthy this holiday season: 1. With the exception of one night a week, stick to the same sleep schedule. Don’t try to make up for lost sleep by sleeping late. Instead, try to nap once or twice during the day for 15 minutes. Drink lots of water or other vitamin infused drinks. Use cold compresses on your eyes to decrease swelling and increase brightness. 2. Set a limit for gift giving and stick to it. Use cash as much as…
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Stressed at work? Here are ten tips to help decrease your stress and increase your productivity.
I worked for many years in the corporate world, both before and after teaching yoga. After I started teaching part-time, going to work seemed more and more unhealthy. The florescent lights, the constant stream of emails, the unpredictability of the flow of the day and dealing with stressful co-workers all made my blood pressure rise. Now that I work for myself, I can say with certainly that my stress level around those issues has decreased, while it’s increased over other things (nothing is perfect, right?) But now that I have the perspective of working in both environments, I can share some of the tips I have for decreasing stress while working in a corporate setting. Many of these tips have little to do with exercise (although that’s a …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Your yoga practice is helpful for more than your physical and mental health. Here are some tips for bringing yoga's benefits to any presentations you do in your job or elsewhere.
Many of us have given presentations in our jobs. It could be talking to a group of people in a staff meeting, doing a sales presentation to a customer or giving a talk to a large group. Some of us are in jobs where our role is, literally, to speak in front of a people (as I do, in my job as a yoga teacher). For many, the prospect of speaking to a group brings on paralyzing fear. Yoga, as a practice, has many practical applications outside of all the wonderful physical and mental benefits you get when you practice. There are many things that you can take from your practice that can help you when you need to give a presentation. Feelings of being grounded, centered and relaxed are just a few. Here are ten ideas to think about: While these …
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Feeling stress related to money? Here are some good reasons to save.
As a yoga teacher, I work with people from a health and wellness perspective. However, in that context, I learn what their challenges are to staying well, feeling good in their bodies and living with less stress and more happiness. While many people struggle with finding time to exercise, finding something they can do consistently, working with injuries or work-related stress, many times people also experience stress due to financial issues. Although dealing with lower paychecks, the fear of lay-offs or being out of work can be incredibly stressful and once you have a job, the last thing you may do is save money. However, one of the best ways to decrease stress around money and help you feel more in control is to save. I like to use a …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
You don't need to do yoga to use these concepts with kids to help them return to school stress-free!
Many people view yoga as a physical practice only, and while they know that there’s a philosophical side, many feel that they’re not “spiritual” so they can only relate to the physical aspect of the practice. The fact is that many of the central principles of yoga are very basic, relatable thoughts and can be appreciated and utilized even if you never step foot on a yoga mat. Additionally, most of these concepts can be appreciated by both adults and children and can provide kids with an understanding of how the practice of mindfulness can help them scholastically as well as physically and emotionally. Here are a few you can share with children during this stressful and exciting time of a new school year: Feel better fast: take 10 deep …
Saturday, September 8, 2012
You don't need to do yoga to use these concepts with kids to help them return to school stress-free!
Many people view yoga as a physical practice only, and while they know that there’s a philosophical side, many feel that they’re not “spiritual” so they can only relate to the physical aspect of the practice. The fact is that many of the central principles of yoga are very basic, relatable thoughts and can be appreciated and utilized even if you never step foot on a yoga mat. Additionally, most of these concepts can be appreciated by both adults and children and can provide kids with an understanding of how the practice of mindfulness can help them scholastically as well as physically and emotionally. Here are a few you can share with children during this stressful and exciting time of a new school year: Feel better fast: take 10 deep …
Monday, August 20, 2012
Need to feel better about yourself, fast? Check out these action steps to a positive outlook on you and your life!
One of the best ways to stay healthy is to feel healthy about yourself. In my work as a yoga teacher working with both adults and children, I find that often it’s the last person you’d expect to have low self-esteem that is struggling with putting themselves first. There can be no typical profile for someone like this; financial success, being in a relationship or having a great job can all exist in the life of someone who just doesn’t feel good about themselves. Sometimes these habits are ingrained from patterns we learn as a child. While it can be helpful to go back in time to try to understand the origin of these behaviors, the bottom line is that if you’re in a cycle of feeling down about yourself, you just want it to stop. Here are …
CC
9:41 pm on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
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