I remember the days when I would take a 90 minute Bikram Yoga class at a local studio in the Chicagoland area... the class started at 5 pm and I would leave work 16 minutes early to get to the studio by 4:59 (I ran a lot of red lights). I was desperate to get into the hot room. It was my therapy. After class I would relax and take my time to shower then leave for my 35 minute drive home. All in all it was about a 3 hour commitment. I think about that now and wonder who has 3 hours of time on their hands and can do something like that?!?! To be fair, in those days I didn’t have the three children I now have.
As the years have gone on and time has become more and more precious to me. I’ve realized I don’t have to take a 90 minute class for me to get my shit together every day. I have learned tools and techniques over the past decade that can help anyone find yoga & peace in small moments throughout the day. Here are my top tips to help you when you’re in a pinch!
1. Be in the now! Don’t worry about passed experiences you missed out on, or things that may or may not happen in the future. If you allow yourself to be where your feet are you can truly ground in and feel the essence of this very moment! It’s a beautiful thing to #beherenow.
2. Connect with your breath! Cleansing and sighing breaths have been known to help relax the nervous system and take us out of fight or flight mode. Try taking a long breath in through your nose, and sigh the exhale out the mouth. Do this 3 to 5 times with an intention of releasing and letting go each time. Watch the shift happen right before your very eyes. #peaceineverybreath
3. Look UP! So many times we are looking down (specifically at our phones), and are missing out on the world around us. Give yourself a break from the matrix. Don’t miss out on your kid staring at the clouds talking about the shapes and realizing there is actually a unicorn out there. Watch how this will bring some peace and joy into your life. #lifeismadeofsmallmomentslikethese
4. 5 minutes is better than no minutes! Sometimes we don’t have time for 90/60/45 minutes of yoga asana, but some is better than none! Taking 5 minutes to breathe and connect with your body can go a long way for setting up or restarting your day. Try it RIGHT NOW! Find a comfortable seat, tune into your breath and just offer some gentle movements. 99.9% chance you feel more clear after.
5. If its not a “Hell Yes” it’s a NO! Stop staying yes to things that you don’t actually want to do. I have done this in my life so many times until I realized how valuable my time is, and the importance of spending it with the people and things that matter the most to me. This brings me a lot of peace and I think it will bring you some too!
I hope these tips add some value and peace to your life. I hope you use them throughout your days. It is during the challenging moments often times where are true colors come out. When all the work you've been doing on yourself is put to the test, use these tools to find peace, and be the calm in the boat. Remember that a little bit goes a long way.
Tip number 5 has been the biggest game changer for me. Try it this week! Find the power in NO. I hope to see you on the mat soon! I am grateful to be a guide on your path.
I would love to know which one of these tips is most helpful to you. Shoot me a DM on Instagram at @yogawithpedro.
Peace!
About The Author:
Pedro Luna is a south Florida based yoga instructor, lululemon ambassador, podcast host, event host, and international retreat leader. Pedro is on a mission to share the gift of yoga with the world, one person at a time.
Practice with Pedro and his community online at www.yogawithpedro.com/onlineclasses.