Why is letting go so hard? When it comes to human interactions, I am constantly trying to control every situation, conversation and outcome.  Which just creates more suffering in my life.  Can you relate?  Maybe not specifically to controlling relationships, but possibly something else where you can’t seem to let go?  Today I’m sharing how you can start to let go of attachments so that you can reduce your anxiety and feel a bit more ease and freedom in your life.  

The season of fall is a time of abundance, prosperity and maturity. As the heat and humidity of summer starts to subside, the days become shorter and the air becomes more crisp. We crave warming and comforting foods such as stews, soups and crock pot meals. We turn our ovens back on and start to bake more. Pie anyone? There is truly something magical about taking in the colors of the leaves and the smell of autumn while feeling the chill in the air. It is that time of the year when we start to accept change as we prepare for the bitter cold of winter.

The only problem is that autumn (and ultimately winter) can also mean being too cold, experiencing dry skin or feeling restless or anxious. Thankfully, like with the other seasons, there is something we can do to find more balance and grounded-ness in our lives. Here’s how to adjust your yoga practice during autumn with clarity and ease by applying ayurvedic principles to your regular practice.

I am the first to admit that I don’t really like moving.  If I had a choice, I would prefer to sit over pretty much anything else.  Napping is my favorite.  And, even after realizing all that, I know that I feel more balanced and at ease after I move my body in some way.  And that sitting with my thoughts sometimes just feeds my anxiety and makes things a bit worse.  

I also have friends that are constantly exercising, which can lead to physical pain, injury or an over stimulated mind.  These friends tend to avoid their anxiety by working out all the time.  

So how do we find the balance?  And why is moving so important anyway?  Today I’m sharing the importance of moving your body and how to find the right balance so that you feel confident to better manage your anxiety using your own movement routine.

It’s not uncommon to hear a teacher give the instruction to “listen to your body” during practice. But what is your body trying to tell you? This week, Michele and Steve will help you interpret what you’re experiencing in a pose, and discuss how, with that understanding, you can appropriately work with your physical “edge” during practice.

There’s something about reading motivational quotes, especially when I am feeling anxious, that help put things into perspective and calm my overthinking mind.  They also act as little reminders that “this too shall pass” and that I can overcome anything.   

Here is a list of my favorite quotes about overcoming anxiety.  I hope these provide the motivation, encouragement and support you need to feel a little less anxious and a little more confident to take on whatever life throws at you.  

Although I had been practicing yoga for a long time, my first formal introduction to Pranayama was during my 300-hour Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training in October 2017. I had practiced many of the techniques before 2017, but I never really understood the true impact of pranayama until my amazing teacher, Larissa Hall Carlson, opened my eyes to its incredible power. With each practice, I felt grounded and light, clear and open, joyful, happy and satisfied. I absolutely fell in love. Each time I practice, I feel more alive. And I want the same for you! Today I’m sharing the foundations of a pranayama practice so you can begin to explore these practices in order to improve your overall well-being and feel more alive.

Not only is our world full of distractions, but for those of us that struggle with anxiety, our overthinking minds fill up with intrusive thoughts about the past or future that have nothing to do with the task at hand, leaving us feeling scattered, forgetful and frustrated! And if you are anything like me, you might even beat yourself up for not being able to concentrate. Or at least that’s how I used to handle my lack of focus and concentration. But I’m here to tell you the good news! You can learn to cultivate a more concentrated mind, even when it feels almost impossible, so you can reduce your anxiety in order to feel more calm, creative and confident in your life.  

If I had $1 for each time I said, “I’m sorry”, I would be a multimillionaire. I am an over-apologizer. I have been most of my life and until recently I thought I was apologizing to be polite and compassionate toward others. And although those are great reasons to apologize on occasion, over-apologizing because of my anxiety has become an involuntary response and it usually has nothing to do with me actually feeling remorse. If you can relate, I’m here to tell you there is good news! We can absolutely do something about this! After reading today’s blog, you’ll learn how anxiety impacts your need to apologize and how mindfulness techniques can help, which will give you the confidence you need to stop over-apologizing and reduce your anxiety.

Today I’m going to share why it’s important to warm up the joints and spine before any exercise or yoga practice and the 10 movements you can do daily to keep your body healthy and happy.

Our world is a pretty chaotic place right now. As a society, we seem to be more divided than ever.  

Whether the topic is politics, the pandemic, the vaccine or social justice issues, opinions from both sides are very high and heated.  People can no longer have a conversation with someone they disagree with for fear of being judged or canceled.  Family and friends are divided and some no longer talk to each other.  In general, we seem to have lost the ability as a society to see the good in people and to be open to another’s opinion and perspective.  And there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it. BUT- there is! We can practice gratitude. In today’s blog I’m sharing how a gratitude practice can begin to shift your own negativity bias so you can reduce your anxiety, improve social connections and feel happier in life.  

“Have you tried meditation - I hear it’s really good for you!”

*CRINGE*

I’m not sure about you, but getting that question used to make me shutter. And I’ve been practicing yoga since 2000! There was no way that meditation was going to quiet this overthinking mind. Not to mention that the idea of sitting with my crazy, anxious thoughts was too scary to even consider. That is until I realized during a required 9-day intensive meditation teacher training in 2016 that meditating was not about quieting my mind, but more about watching my thoughts in order to change my relationship to them. And now, I use meditation regularly to soothe my anxiety - and about 500 other things! If you are anything like I used to be, you want to keep reading! Today I’m breaking down the basics of meditation so you can understand and apply a few simple techniques to help you feel more grounded and balanced during your day, even if your time is limited.

You may not notice it, but if you’re reading this article, you’re breathing. A lot. In fact, on average, we take more than 20,000 breaths every day! We do plenty of breathing, but are you breathing well? This week, Steve Sampson gives us a look at the mechanics of breathing, what differentiates between efficient and inefficient breath patterns, and how your yoga practice comes into play.

When I first started my yoga practice in 2000, I had NO desire to meditate.  In fact, I didn’t think it was possible for someone with anxiety to completely quiet my mind.  Each time I tried to meditate, I got frustrated because my overthinking mind would kick into gear and I didn’t think I was “doing it right.”  So, eventually I stopped trying. 

Has this happened to you?  

If so, I’m happy to share that since 2016, when I was forced to learn how to meditate as part of an advanced yoga teacher training certification, I have been meditating regularly to better control my anxiety and I want the same for you! Today I’m going to share the basics of meditation so that you can use it with confidence to reduce your anxiety as well.  

Being caught in an anxious moment can be extremely debilitating.  How you feel during that moment can range from butterflies in your stomach to a full-on panic attack. And while it’s normal to experience anxiety from time to time, I’m talking about the feelings you have due to an anxiety disorder. 

During an anxious moment, you’re left feeling overwhelmed, scared, and unsure of what to do next.  I get it because I’ve been there too - A LOT.  And even though I still have anxious moments, I’ve learned how to remain more calm and relaxed, and I want the same for you. Today I’m sharing how you can better manage your anxiety with confidence and ease by using mindfulness techniques during anxious moments.    

“I really regret going to yoga today …” Said No One Ever!

Although yoga has been around for over 5,000 years, and was actually introduced in The United States in 1893, it was the hippie and new age movements of the 1960’s that really popularized the physical aspects of yoga. Then in the 80’s and 90’s, the fitness craze and VHS tapes made yoga even more popular. Now, tens of millions of people practice yoga in probably just as many yoga studios across the U.S.

As yoga became more popular in the west, a variety of styles of yoga were created to meet different needs of the students. Now yoga studios and teachers differentiate themselves by styles of yoga all across the U.S. Unfortunately, all these different options can be very confusing for beginners! Today I’m going to share the main types of yoga styles and who might benefit from each so that you can choose the right style for you and get the most out of your yoga practice!

Today’s blog is all about Social Anxiety Disorder, also known as Social Phobia or SAD. It’s when you fear being judged or rejected in a social situation and although you logically know your thoughts are irrational, you believe there is nothing you can do to change. I’m here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with you and there is something you can do to feel better! Although I can’t make your anxiety go away, I can share with you how SAD impacts your day to day life and how mindfulness techniques can help you better manage this specific type of anxiety.

Balancing poses have become a staple of social media feeds everywhere. And why not? Those pictures of someone serenely holding tree pose on a mountaintop as the sun crests the horizon can convey yoga’s ability to help us work towards broader equilibrium in our lives…and generate lots of “clicks” and “likes” for the page. This week Steve Sampson takes a deeper dive into what balance is, what can affect your balance, and why working on balance is important (spoiler alert: it’s not about looking cool on Instagram, LOL).

If you already have a morning routine, you probably understand the power it has on the rest of your day.  If you don’t have a morning routine, you’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to start one.  My own morning routine really didn’t take shape until COVID-19 slowed everything down.  Before COVID, I found myself flailing about, reading all sorts of advice and trying to find that perfect mix of things to do so that my day would start out “right”.  Unfortunately I just felt more anxious - not only did I not have a morning routine but I was also frustrated that the “text book” ideas were not working for me.  If you can relate, today’s blog will help!  I’m sharing how you can feel more grounded and confident to create your perfect individualized morning routine so that the rest of your day is a whole lot better.   

Ah … Summer. The days are long and the living is easy! Summer is a time for growth, for trying new things and for self-development. The only problem is that summer can also mean sunburns, physically overheating, and more frequent feelings of anger and frustration. If you hate the heat (like I do!), summer may not be the most ideal time of year for you to practice yoga. But the good news is that you can adjust your practice to manage it! Ayurveda, considered the sister science to yoga, helps explain why you might feel discomfort in summer and what you can do to clear away any feelings of aggravation. Here’s how to adjust your yoga practice during summer with clarity and ease by applying Ayurvedic principles to your regular practice.

Ah … Summer.  The days are long and the living is easy!  For kiddos, it’s a time when school ends, alarm clocks turn off and a sense of freedom is in the air.  Summer is a time for growth, for trying new things and for self-development.  And, summer can also mean sunburns, physically overheating, and more frequent feelings of anger and frustration when we find ourselves out of balance.  If you hate the heat (like I do!), summer may not be the most relaxing time of year for you.  But the good news is that you can do something to manage it!  Here’s how to better manage your health during the heat of summer with clarity and ease by applying Ayurvedic principles to your daily life.