WAYS TO LIVE NOW FOR A HEALTHY HAPPY SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
Are you someone that is always striving for perfection and waiting for the right time to take the leap or worried about the challenge to even try a new routine? Perhaps you're stuck in your own thoughts and brain fog so much that you talk your way out of anything because you're fearful of leaving the comfort of your routine?
If that sounds like you, then I just wanted to reassure you that we can all feel like that and that there doesn’t need to be a right time to start yoga. There is no expectation and yoga will be a rewarding personal journey whenever and however you start. You just need to take that bold first step and begin. We all have to begin somewhere and it's very empowering to take that leap!
Success lies in mapping out what we need to do, prioritising what matters and setting boundaries and, if there’s a hard part, then it is holding yourself to those promises. We schedule in our car for servicing and MOT but where are we in all that? We may feel we are in limbo in a “post-pandemic flux” struggling to find connection back into the world as we have shifted into being isolated, stuck and still nervous to be out interacting again. However, doesn’t that just make it even more important that we take care of our physical, emotional and mental well-being?”
We, as a society, are living for longer, working longer, doing unsociable hours, spilling our work into our homes and private life now with the new “work from home” scenario. We are not allowing headspace or escapism away from our work emails and deadlines or our busy home routines. When did you last have time as just you (warts and all!)? It is no wonder we have high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. We are taking these triggers along with us, sometimes buried deep and not dealing with the issues before it's too late.
If you have a vision of enjoying the freedom and flexibility of an abundant life into your retirement then now is the time to ask yourself whether you are investing sufficiently in your mind, body and wellness. If we keep going at this pace and not taking any time to breathe - let alone move our bodies away from the static shapes we are locked in at our desks that cause neck, back and wrist pain to name a few - then we are surely not going to be able to dream of that fulfilled life leading into a relaxing retirement travelling around the globe and climbing Machu Picchu when we’re 60.
By starting now with investing in your self-belief and health you may be able to see your Grandkids grow and get on your hands and knees to play with them. As we age it is vital that we treat our body as an asset because naturally our joints start to lose strength and bone density reduces and we need to start consciously mobilising our joints. It is vital that we stay dynamic and use our bodies to stimulate muscle tone, blood flow and flexibility.
We can start by implementing small amounts of exercise or mindfulness. Even 10 minutes a day of focused breathing, mobility or meditation will do amazing things for your body and mindset. Yoga can help develop a direct correlation between the brain and movement of the body in reducing stress and at the same time boosting immunity. We can help establish a calm central nervous system instead of living in a heightened state, this is science. We all know how stiff and sluggish we can feel when we first wake and sometimes you can’t shake it off. A change of habit to consider is to take a 5-10 minute morning dose of yoga to alleviate some (if not all) of those aches and pains. Just search ‘Emma’s Yoga Tribe’ on YouTube to find my channel and see my short clips.
If you repeat one activity or sport all the time, your mind and body will become good at that one movement or habit cementing it. I hear so many people who run, cycle or use the gym and they have these injuries that they can’t shift due to poor mobility and lack awareness of the body and mind - the two are connected! Whilst it’s great to be active and excel at one sport, it can be to the detriment of your body. Having always been active and enjoyed competitive exercise, I find that Yoga gives me the balance between mobility and strength.
This is so important to protect me from injury and reduce recovery time. I still love to do a HIIT class (with safe movements of course!) and weighted workouts, but yoga is my core ethos for encompassing all the fundamentals.
Time for me, mental headspace away from the desk and personal growth. Giving yourself permission to just be here in the moment good or low mood its all part of acceptance.It’s an investment that pays dividends both physically and mentally, and if I sustain my practice it will pay back for years to come.
What would a better life look like for you if you chose to invest more in your health?
