Full disclosure: I might be a bit of a control freak. Okay, I’m one of the most plan everything in advance, always be prepared people I know (except a good friend of mine who’ll remain anonymous ;). Did I mention my Style Statement is Tailored Flow? That’s 80% custom-fit, made-for-me, just how I like it-ness. It’s part of the whole anxiety parcel. (Yoga teachers are human, too.)

So I’ve never been the best at making last-minute decisions, or changes to my schedule. (You want me to change the plan only two days in advance?)

Thank the gods for yoga. Be present. Be present. Be present. We’re reminded again and again to drop out of our minds, which live in the past and the future–mostly caught up in worry, about what happened or might happen, and planning–and into our hearts, which live calmly in the present. Practicing this is changing my life.

I don’t miss out on as much anymore. You need me to teach that class in an hour? Sure thing. You’d like that writing done for today? Got it. You can’t make it for tea? Let’s do this weekend.

By staying present, I don’t worry as much, so I don’t feel the need to plan a way out of it. Life just flows better.

Take-Away Tip: Even if you weren’t born as anal as me, practicing being present can bring relief. From worry. From stress. From rigidity. Ahhh. Into joy.