Mountain Pose... Oh Look, a Squirrel!
Published on June 18, 2024
By Kara V.
I love to do yoga. When I commit to the practice, I feel invigorated, rested, and ready to conquer what life throws at me. At the height of my yoga phase, I had yoga pants, a mat, blocks, and workout tops. I committed to 30 minutes every day for myself and my body. It was great. Until.... my life got busy, I got tired, and my source of downtime became reading my next romance novel, not doing yoga. (Hey, I am not knocking reading romance—they are a viable source of rejuvenation.) Now, my yoga pants are stuffed in the bottom of a drawer, and my mat sits rolled up by the TV, waiting for me to return to the practice. I have the best intentions.
It is amazing how best intentions are disrupted by real life. The things that are good for us tend to be put on the back burner and saved for a day when we have more time, feel more rested, or have more conviction that now is the time to commit. We try to listen to what our body tells us while also doing what our mind thinks is best. Sometimes, they are in conflict. When I’m in this funk and start to tinker with the idea that my body needs nourishment, movement, and self-care, I start to do research. I consult webinars, books, and magazines to find the right fix for my RIGHT NOW.
During my explorations, I find sources of information affirming that I will be okay. They acknowledge that life is hard, and we are all just doing the best we can. Then, they give me a list of handy steps to make my life easier. Some of my favorite resources to affirm that life is good:
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
After I read this book, I passed it off to friends and anyone else who would read it. I even bought the bookmarks with the agreements on them and placed them in my planner as a reminder. This little book makes a person feel good about themselves and others.
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become the Person You Are Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
This book is empowering. It will rev you up and send you out to conquer the world, but only after you wash your face.
Grace Not Perfection: Celebrating Simplicity and Joy by Emily Ley
I love this idea. Ley focuses on living a simple life and embracing joy in little things. She reminds us not to seek perfection but to allow grace.
Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance by Jessamyn Stanley
I admit I have not read this book, but it is on my TBR. It sounds like just the right thing for when life gets hard. It applies the concept of yoga to your everyday life, making connections between yoga poses and what we need to do in life to help us cope.
How to Relax by Thich Nhat Hanh- This is a tiny book. I read a page a day just to take a breather. To remind myself to slow down, look around and see what the world has to offer.
How to Train Your Brain for Maximum Growth hosted by Pete Mockaitis: I was surprised by this webinar on LinkedIn Learning. I was expecting a webinar on brain development, but I got a podcast about caring for myself and my brain. It is 30 minutes well spent.
Yoga practices: hoopla has yoga practice videos! Just download the app to your phone or tablet and log in using your library barcode, then you can downward dog to your heart's content!
Shelf Care Book Club: Shelf Care is a new library book club for introverts. Gather with like minded quiet people and read your book. Towards the end of the hour, you will chat with fellow readers about your story. The more the merrier, and there is no pressure. The next Shelf Care book club will meet June 24 at the Downtown Library.
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For the kiddos in your life who might need a little bit of de-stressing, too... because no matter how old you are, life is stressful:
Keep Calm! My Stress Busting Tips by Gina Bellisario
How to Handle Stress for Middle School Success by Silvi Guerra
Transforming Stress for Teens: the HeartMath Solution for Staying Cool Under Pressure by Rollin McCraty
