Awe February … the month of love.

Or at least that’s what Hallmark would like us to believe!

And I believe we could all use a little more love in our lives these days. Our world is a pretty chaotic and divided place right now. Whether the topic is politics, the pandemic, the vaccine or social justice issues, opinions from both sides are very high and heated. People can no longer have a conversation with someone they disagree with for fear of being judged or canceled. Family and friends are divided and some no longer talk to each other. In general, we seem to have lost the ability as a society to see the good in people and to be open to another’s opinion and perspective.

And this saddens me deeply. It seems there is nothing that can be done to stop these dividing conversations. But, I’m here to tell you that there is something we can do - we can practice gratitude and loving-kindness. It starts with self-love and moves toward seeing our shared humanity and experiences with others. In today’s blog I’m sharing how a gratitude practice can begin to shift your own negativity bias so you can improve social connections and feel happier in life.

“Have you tried meditation - I hear it’s really good for you!”

*CRINGE*

I’m not sure about you, but getting that question used to make me shutter. And I’ve been practicing yoga since 2000! There was no way that meditation was going to quiet this overthinking mind. Not to mention that the idea of sitting with my crazy, anxious thoughts was too scary to even consider. That is until I realized during a required 9-day intensive meditation teacher training in 2016 that meditating was not about quieting my mind, but more about watching my thoughts in order to change my relationship to them. And now, I use meditation regularly to soothe my anxiety - and about 500 other things! If you are anything like I used to be, you want to keep reading! Today I’m breaking down the basics of meditation so you can understand and apply a few simple techniques to help you feel more grounded and balanced during your day, even if your time is limited.

When I first started my yoga practice in 2000, I had NO desire to meditate.  In fact, I didn’t think it was possible for someone with anxiety to completely quiet my mind.  Each time I tried to meditate, I got frustrated because my overthinking mind would kick into gear and I didn’t think I was “doing it right.”  So, eventually I stopped trying. 

Has this happened to you?  

If so, I’m happy to share that since 2016, when I was forced to learn how to meditate as part of an advanced yoga teacher training certification, I have been meditating regularly to better control my anxiety and I want the same for you! Today I’m going to share the basics of meditation so that you can use it with confidence to reduce your anxiety as well.