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Get Grounded. Feel Balanced. Live the Life You Want.

Yoga and mindfulness learnings, teachings and tips & tricks to support you through this thing called life.

Yoga 101 Michele Lyman Yoga 101 Michele Lyman

10 Reasons Why Yoga Is Great for Kids

The world's pretty wild right now, right? For grown-ups and kids alike. Imagine juggling school, sports, trying to make friends, squeezing in time to play, and keeping up with everything else on your plate. Phew, it sounds exhausting. Thankfully yoga can help! Here are 10 reasons why yoga is great for kids!

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Postures & Poses, Pain Relief Michele Lyman Postures & Poses, Pain Relief Michele Lyman

Reduce Head and Neck Pain With These Simple Self-Care Techniques

After teaching yoga for 20 years, in addition to low back pain, I can also say that probably in 4 out of 5 classes I teach, at least one person will share that they are experiencing head and neck pain. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic! For almost two years people have been working from home with improper ergonomics and slumping into their couches late at night. Nevermind the amount of tension and stress we all have these days that tends to go straight to our upper back and shoulders. I know when I sit at my desk too long, I start to feel my upper back ache and my neck hurt! We may not be able to reduce our stressors, but we can do something about the pain in our neck. Today I’m sharing how you can improve or even eliminate your head and neck pain with awareness, self care and specific yoga postures designed to rebalance your muscles.

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Corporate Mindfulness Michele Lyman Corporate Mindfulness Michele Lyman

How to Combat the Mental Health Stigma In the Workplace

Do you hold back telling others that you struggle with stress, anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns because you are afraid they will think negatively of you?

And, do you specifically hold back from sharing your concerns with your managers or co-workers because you are afraid it will negatively impact your job, career or relationships?

Yeah, this is a real thing, and it’s called a “mental health stigma”.

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Yoga 101 Michele Lyman Yoga 101 Michele Lyman

How Has Yoga Impacted Your Life?

Oh my gosh, I LOVE this question! I have been practicing and teaching yoga for so long that it has become such a huge part of my daily life and I take for granted how it has impacted me. So when someone at a networking event asked me this very question a few weeks ago, I was so excited to reflect back on all the positive changes throughout the last 20+ years! But you don’t have to take my word for it (I mean, after all I do teach yoga for a living!). Here are a few amazing responses from the students at Serenity Yoga & Wellness!

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Yoga 101, Mindfulness Michele Lyman Yoga 101, Mindfulness Michele Lyman

The Power of Transitions

Transitions in yoga, and in life, are hard. We tend to want to push through the uncomfortableness of moving through something to get to the destination. But what if the destination is the transition? Here’s how to make the difficult transitions of your life a bit easier to manage.

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Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman

Your Step By Step Guide to Stop Overthinking the Bad Stuff  

It feels almost impossible to stop your mind from overthinking - especially when we are caught in worry about bad stuff. It’s exhausting! When you are worried, your mind jumps from one thought to the next - spending tons of energy but getting nowhere. And The worst part is that it is all consuming. You can’t focus on anything else, you feel sick to your stomach, you might spend hours researching your concerns on the internet, or you might even jump to conclusions and react to situations that can end up damaging relationships. But mindfulness can help! Here are three simple steps you can take to ease your worry and better manage your anxiety.

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Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman

10 Mindfulness Activities to Reduce Anxiety and Feel Better

When I’m feeling anxious, stressed, angry or anything unpleasant, I typically want those feelings to just disappear. I mean, who wants to actually sit in feelings that make us uncomfortable? I might binge a show on Netflix, dive into work, eat a pint of ice cream, or make other “bad” choices to avoid feeling my feelings. And while these types of activities can be helpful in the moment, I also know that avoiding my feelings will make them more intense and have a negative impact on my health over time. Thankfully we can practice mindfulness activities to face our emotions in a healthy way instead of just ignoring them. Here are 10 mindfulness activities you can do in a short amount of time to reduce your anxiety and feel more calm.

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Improve Sleep, Postures & Poses Michele Lyman Improve Sleep, Postures & Poses Michele Lyman

Three Restorative Yoga Poses for Better Sleep

In my opinion, there is nothing worse than a bad night’s sleep.  Lately, I’ve found myself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, throwing off my comforter one minute and then pulling it up the other, and checking the clock to see how much time I have before morning.  There really is nothing more tiring than trying to fall asleep.  If you can relate, then this blog is for you. Today I’m sharing 3 restorative yoga poses you can do right before bed to bring your awareness to the present moment, slow down your nervous system, reduce your stress level, and get a better night’s sleep.  

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Mindfulness Michele Lyman Mindfulness Michele Lyman

How to Improve Your Self-Love

A lot of people confuse self-care for self-love. Although they are closely related, they are not necessarily the same thing. We spend a lot of time talking about the importance of self-care, how to make time for it even when we don’t have time, and how without it we are left feeling depleted, unproductive and generally unhappy. However, no matter how important you think self-care is, you’ll probably never make it a priority if you don’t have a strong sense of self-love. Which is why today I’m sharing exactly what it means to have self-love, how self-care plays a role, and the importance of improving your self-love in order to show up in life as your very best self.

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Anxiety Relief, Breathing Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief, Breathing Michele Lyman

How Breathing Reduces Your Anxiety

When someone is feeling anxious, the first thing most people say is, “take a deep breath.” Instinctively, we know taking a deep breath will help us pause, relax, and reset in order to continue on with our day. What’s interesting is that sometimes when people say this to me, I actually get frustrated! I don’t want to breathe! I’m in panic mode over here! But then I learned why the breath is so important and how to breathe in a way that almost instantly reduces my anxiety. And now it’s my number one go-to tool when I’m feeling anxious. And I want the same for you! Today I’m sharing exactly why taking a deep breath works and how to do it properly so that you can slow down your nervous system and reduce your anxiety.

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Yoga 101 Michele Lyman Yoga 101 Michele Lyman

10 Most Commonly Asked Questions About Yoga

I’ve been teaching yoga for almost 20 years, which means that I’ve been asked a LOT of questions about yoga.  But there are a few questions that tend to come up time and time again. So today I'm sharing my answers to the most commonly asked questions so that you can feel more confident and informed as you begin or continue with your yoga practice. 

Here we go! 

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Mindfulness Michele Lyman Mindfulness Michele Lyman

How Slowing Down Improves Your Overall Health

I don’t know about you, but I have a REALLY hard time doing nothing.  If I’m awake, my mind is on and I feel like I need to be productive every moment until I go to bed at night.  If I’m not productive, my inner critic chimes in and makes sure I feel “less than” because I wasted the day away.  

Unfortunately our anxious minds want to be “doing” all the time - and if we aren’t physically active, we sure as heck are mentally active.  But this belief has a negative impact on our nervous system and our overall health.  Pausing to slow down, even just for a breath or two, can make a big difference in how we feel.  Here’s why rest is important and various ways you can start to slow down in your life in order to reduce your nervous system and reduce your anxiety. 

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Mindfulness Michele Lyman Mindfulness Michele Lyman

How to Eat Mindfully 101

I used to love eating lunch while scrolling through my phone and standing at the kitchen counter.  Or watching TV while plopped on my couch with dinner.  But I noticed that I was also feeling a bit scattered and really stuffed after each meal.  And I was having a hard time digesting my food, especially after overeating when out to dinner with friends.  And then I learned the practice of mindful eating.  I am now fully present for most meals, which has helped slow down my nervous system, improve my digestion and ultimately reduce my anxiety.  And I want the same for you.  So today we’re breaking down what mindful eating is, how it works and what you need to get started right away to help you reduce your anxiety too.

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Mindfulness, Pain Relief, Postures & Poses Michele Lyman Mindfulness, Pain Relief, Postures & Poses Michele Lyman

Yoga and Mindfulness for Headaches

Headaches are the worst.  And they usually show up at exactly the wrong time.  Even though there are so many types and tons of causes, headaches have one thing in common - they are unpleasant, extremely painful and can be down-right debilitating.  Thankfully the practice of mindfulness and yoga can help.  Whether it’s a specific movement or pose, simply breathing or practicing meditation, the practice of staying present allows you to reduce stress and tension in your body and mind, become more aware of what might be triggering your headaches (so that you can avoid those things in the future) and build resilience to life’s challenges so that you can handle difficult situations with more awareness, calmness and ease.  

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Mindfulness Michele Lyman Mindfulness Michele Lyman

What the Heck Is Mindfulness, Anyway?

The word “mindfulness” gets tossed around a lot these days. I think a lot of us that use it on a regular basis assume that the definition is pretty straightforward.

But is it?

I’m not entirely sure that the word itself explains its true meaning. And, I think a lot of people who struggle with anxiety don’t practice mindfulness because they aren’t exactly sure how to do it, how it will benefit them, or how much time it will take to feel a difference. So today I thought I’d break down the meaning of mindfulness so that you can start practicing these techniques (without spending a lot of time!) in order to feel relief from your anxious mind right away.

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Yoga 101 Michele Lyman Yoga 101 Michele Lyman

Guys…Here Are The Answers To Your Yoga Questions!

Medical journals, instagram posts, and everything in-between have highlighted the benefits of a regular yoga practice. Yoga can help improve strength, balance and flexibility. It has been linked to stress reduction, lower blood pressure, and a stronger immune system. But while these benefits are found across all demographics, statistically less than 30% of yoga practitioners in the U.S. identify as male. So guys….what’s it going to take to get you to a class Here are a few frequently asked questions that may help you decide to experience the benefits of yoga for yourself.

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Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman

Overwhelmed? Here’s How To Rethink it.

The word “overwhelmed” seems to be how most people explain how they are feeling these days.  There seems to be too much to do and not enough time.  Tough projects seem impossible and even knowing where to start is a challenge when there is so much on your plate.  It’s all just too much. I completely get it.  But what if I told you there are ways you can rethink overwhelm in order to reduce your stress?  Today I’m sharing how reframing the issue can create the space you need to stop feeling overwhelmed and start being productive.  

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Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman

5 Ways To Help Someone With Anxiety

For me, when I’m feeling my most anxious, I tend to reach out for help. Even if it’s just a quick text to my bestie saying, “Wow, my anxiety is high today” can be helpful. But sometimes, it’s hard for me to share exactly how I’m feeling and I find myself in situations with people that aren’t necessarily helpful. My favorite non-helpful response is, “Oh, just don’t worry about that.” Sure - if it was that easy, I would already be doing that.

If you have loved ones that never know what to say or do when you are feeling anxious, then be sure to send this blog to them! And if you are someone that wants to be more helpful, but doesn’t know how, then definitely read on because today I’m sharing five ways you can be more effective at supporting someone with anxiety so that you can help them live a more confident and happier life.

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Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman

30 More Quotes to Help Ease Your Anxiety

In September 2021, I shared 40 Supportive Quotes that you could use as reminders and to feel supported to better manage your anxiety. Since then it feels like our lives and our world have become even more hectic, chaotic and downright hard to understand. I don’t know about you, but this environment makes my anxiety go through the roof!

But one thing still really helps - reading motivation quotes. There is something very calming about these little reminders that “this too shall pass” and that I am not alone. When I connect with these quotes, I feel a perspective shift that creates a sense of ease and freedom from my overthinking mind.

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Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman Anxiety Relief Michele Lyman

Take That Anxiety! How to Be More Confident When You Are Feeling Anxious

It seems like everywhere I go, someone is talking about how stressed or anxious they are right now. And to me, sometimes I feel completely powerless over the stress and anxiety in my life. I don’t think I can manage it and even if I could, I sometimes don’t have a clue where to start. Thankfully, self-observation without judgment can help. When you are aware that you are having anxious thoughts, you take their power away. Which then creates a space for you to take a step back from the situation and choose to react in a way that helps you feel better. And even if you feel just a small amount of relief, you’ll begin to realize you can better manage your anxiety and learn what techniques work best for you! So today I’m sharing how to develop this self-awareness without judgment so you can build the confidence and resourcefulness you need to better manage your anxiety.

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