- by Master Admin
It’s incontestable – we. are. busy. Work, appointments, friends, family life and deciding what to wear, add to that technology and social media, and we’re alwa— hang on, just let me check my Instagram.
When was the last time you took a minute for yourself? Um, cant remember. Yeah, I thought so.
We all know we need to make time to reset our mind and bodies, yet barely do we do it.
I think we all get the importance of ‘me time’ all too well. For years we have all resisted any form of relaxation, even though our body’s was bellowing out for some TLC!
As far as we are concerned, we are way too busy – you’re either tapping away at a keyboard in your stressful job or running around for the kids and your family.
Our poor little minds never stop and we are the ones to suffer – nearly burning out entirely. Check out Katie’s experience below to see how she is using her mid week yoga session with our resident yogi Frank to find her inner zen.
Hi everyone so I have been training with Lorraine at The Leading Edge for approx 2 years now. I run my own business from home (which causes me some high levels of stress) and like most mums I am very busy with kids sports etc during the week and weekend. After a session one day chatting with Lorraine about my daily stress levels – she suggested to me I try the Yoga class The Leading Edge offered with Frank. Whilst skeptical as to how yoga could really help me – I decided to give it a try – what did I have to lose!!! Well was I surprised – I have been taking the class for 4 weeks and already I have noticed a difference in my stress levels. I am loving how different my body is feeling – with just that one session per week where I can completely shut off to the world and concentrate on me and me alone. When else would I allow myself one hour out of my week to sit and meditate/relax??? I honestly recommend the class to anyone – Frank is extremely experienced and I honestly just find myself completely and utterly relaxed during the class which allows me to get through the week smoothly!!! – Katie
Excuses like ‘meditation’s too hard’, ‘I don’t have time to relax’, and ‘really, who am I to be so selfish anyway?’ whirl through your mind on repeat I’m sure. Do any of these crafty one-liners resonate with you?
These are often the thoughts of your inner-critic, the internal dialogue we all have that holds us back from stepping into our true zone of genius.
Often we don’t understand that juggling so much means we would reap the benefits of switching off more than ever – that in fact it would help us all, greatly.
Since regularly incorporating relaxation and meditation into my lifestyle – I meditate twice a day for 10 minutes – I feel far more calm and rested. Getting still to chill lets my body and mind synchronise and reset, and I actually polish off more work in the remaining time I do have.
Skeptical? Maybe.. But are you willing to give it a go?
Ive previously shared my thoughts as to why us modern day gals are searching for more ways to bring more peace and calm into our lives. Here, I’m serving up a couple of shiny tips to help you get your chill on.
Create a Zen Zone: A Zen Zone may be the missing ingredient. In your bedroom, study or a spare space in your home, create a special space to get all calm and cosy. Grab a tray or side table and pop some candles, flowers and any little trinkets in a little arrangement and when it’s time to meditate, light the candles, pop on some relaxing music, pull up a cushion and sit. This tiny tweak gave meditation some real sticking power for me.
Go Techno-camping: Once a month, take a 48 hour hiatus from your tech devices. Enjoy disconnecting. Nourish your real-world connections. My advice? Call your girls ‘round for a nature walk, grab a smoothie at your local cafe and ‘do life’. I tend to think that a huge chunk of our monkey minds come from skimming through Instagram too many times a day. Most often, we don’t even realise ’til we go out and live and are reminded of how sweet life really is! (Plus, do this and you’ll have tonnes of photo ops for when you’re back on the gram… but I didn’t say that, did I?)
Get Appy: If you’re new to meditation – my favourite way to chill – you may feel a little intimidated or resist giving it a go. But we all know how great it can be, so this is what we’re gonna do. Download a meditation app, and build your mindfulness muscle with regular guided practice. Some of my favourite beginner meditation apps include Smiling Mind, Headspace and Omvana – which has a great intro meditation from Spirit Junkie Gabrielle Bernstein.
Which of these tips will you try this week? Tell me and share some zenspiration tips of your own!