As a full-time yoga instructor it's funny how people sometimes assume I have heaps of time to just relax. On a typical day you'll find me running from class to class, cooking meals for my husband and I, caring for my four-legged children (which one could argue that i'm almost borderline obsessed with!) doing loads of sweaty laundry, making funky playlists, writing, organizing workshops, fitting in my own yoga and workouts and grabbing a glass of wine with a friend.
Truth be told- I love it all. But I do get exhausted and run down from it every so often. I feel the exhaustion in my body. When I feel it creep in, I know it's time to slow down! So for those of you that don't take daily or weekly 'time outs,' I'd love to share with you what I turn to during times like these in order to chill out, de-stress and relax:
*rent a movie and curl up on the couch for a couple of hours
*hot bath with lavender essential oils and epsom salts
*reading a book in bed
*a long walk with the pup (or family!)
*lighting incense
*10 minute meditation
*journaling
*hitting up a hot yoga class
*20 minute nap
*getting a massage
*calling up a good friend and having some laughs
*unplugging from FB, my phone, my laptop and any other electronics that keep my mind buzzing
*indulging in some alternate nostril breathing (http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2598)
Do you have things you do or practice to help you relax? Do you make relaxation a priority or wait until you're over-stressed or overworked to think about it?
Take a moment to find what relaxes you most and see if you can commit to it everyday. Make relaxation one of your daily priorities. We can even become more productive and clear-headed when we practice daily relaxation techniques.
xo b
photo cred http://depositphotos.com/5520106/stock-photo-To-relaxation-sign-pointing-to-beach.html