don’t freak out: 6 yoga tips for when life goes nuts

9 pm. 10 pm. 11 pm. The hours tick by like minutes. So do the days. I’m fueled by a dream–my soon-to-be-shared officially incorporated dedication to spreading practical, inspiring tools for a life well-loved. So what does this mean for my daily routine? Gone are the seamless evenings spent writing or painting. Gone are the Friday afternoon mini-hikes at the park on the ocean. And the evening dance classes? Gone too. Enter endless hours logging time with my new best friend–my laptop. I’m okay with it because I know it’s temporary. (Of course, being completely in love with what I’m doing helps too.) STAYING HAPPY AND HEALTHY I’m staying happy, healthy and almost 100% stress-free because of my morning yoga practice, plus a few other tools I’ve learned along the way. Here they are, for you to have when your life goes nuts, too. 6 YOGA TIPS FOR WHEN LIFE GOES NUTS 1. Watch the sunrise. The scientific benefits of feeling awe are well-documented. Feel small. Connect to something greater than yourself. Feel a part of a much bigger picture than whatever’s worrying you right now. 2. Walking meditation. This doesn’t have to happen at a dedicated ‘meditation time.’ Whenever you’re wherever you’re walking to, simply be there completely. Notice the way your feet connect to the earth. Become mindful of every single thing around you: the cracks in the sidewalk, the sound of the traffic, the grass growing in the middle of that bunch of stones. Notice it all. 3. Mindfulness project management. Take the Buddhist/yogic practice of mindfulness into your work. Do one thing at a time. Don’t check email every time a new one comes in. Be engaged with whatever it is you’re doing. The work can feel as ease-full as a meditation. 4. Deep exhales. Continue to harvest the power of your parasympathetic nervous system–your rest and digest system. The PNS is in charge of all the calming responses in your body. It loves to help you out. Deep exhales help it do its thing. 5. Sleep. Take some transition time before you climb into bed—even if you’re getting there later than you’d like. You’ll sleep better if you let go of the busyness of the day before you try to sink into slumber. 6. Faith and flow. Unexpected stuff, random delays, and set-backs are gonna happen. I’ve had a ton. But somehow, things have actually worked out better in the end than they would have if those things hadn’t happened. This is a continual reminder to me that the universe likes taking care of us, and that having faith in the flow, and letting go, is all good.