The 3 Most Important Things to Do When You're Stressed Out

1.    Breathe.

We breathe Naturally. Involuntarily. Continuously. We don't ever NEED to think about it.  

But when we do think about it, the mind changes, and we get a little more PERSPECTIVE. 

Turning our attention to something so simple creates a mentality that says, 

Hmmm... maybe life is a little more simple than I thought. 

Everything that is creating stress in your life just gets a little more manageable.

2.   Breathe deeper.

Let's talk science for a minute here. 

When we are under stress of any kind, our brain naturally shifts into a kind of auto-pilot -

- a.k.a. - the sympathetic nervous system -

- a.k.a. - the fight-or-flight response -

All this means is that under stress, our decisions tend to be dominated by our instinct. We make choices based on our brain's natural ability to determine whether we should stay and fight the stressful situation, or run from it with our tails tucked. 

Now, as COOL as it is that our brains can make decisions without us, for survival purposes, this doesn't always work to our advantage. 

For example, when I'm under stress, I tend to run from it (i.e., the FLIGHT response), which means that I lose potential opportunities, I lose self-confidence, and I lose the important life lessons I could have learned from facing my stress. 

Someone more aggressive than me might attack the problem head-on, without evaluating the cost-benefit ratio (i.e. the FIGHT response). You see, not every problem necessarily needs to be attacked. Sometimes the damage done by fighting costs more than it is worth. 

So that's the sympathetic nervous system in a nutshell. 

Now, we also have a parasympathetic nervous system, which is the half that dominates our brains when we are NOT under stress. This is the side that is more relaxed, and deals with the easy stuff like 'rest-and-digest.' It holds the ugly fight-or-flight response at bay, saying, 'Chill out, bro, it's all good.' (Like my science explanation?) 

Okay, so where am I going with all this? It's simple. 

When we're under stress, and we breathe more deeply, we actually alter the brain's information processing. *GASP.* I know. I know. MIND-BOGGLING. We can shift the nervous system away from its sympathetic dominance to its parasympathetic side, so that we're actually inhibiting the brain's neural responses to stress. The beauty of it is that we are able to face stress with calm, rational thinking, instead of freaking out.

So if you enjoy the feeling of freaking out, losing control, and behaving in irrational ways, then please, by all means, don't bother breathing deeply.

3.   Breathe some more.

There's a saying that goes way back in yogic tradition: 

You can live for weeks without food, days without water, but only a matter of seconds without air.

 Love it. 

This Moment is PERFECT...

I think one of the toughest things about being human is our tendency to live outside of the present moment.

For me personally, I tend to live in the past. My mantra is "I wish I had... I wish I hadn't..." I am constantly regretting my actions - wishing I hadn't said or done something, wishing I could go back in time and change things, even wishing I could just start my life over again

For other people (like my husband), worries about the future are the primary struggle. Shane's mantra is "What if...?" He is constantly thinking about all the things that could possibly go wrong in the future and wondering what he'll do.

 The problem is ultimately the same for both of us. We're both plagued by things that are not happening right now, things that we have no control over. We are unable to enjoy what is right in front of us, because our minds are consumed by things that have already happened, or haven't happened yet (and probably never will).      

One of my favorite things about dogs is their contentment in the here-and-now. (The above picture is Anya, my border collie, who is my greatest mentor in living for the present.) Dogs always live for whatever is happening right now! They are happy when they're sleeping, eating, playing, exploring, walking, observing, cuddling... every moment, whatever it is they're doing, they are happy to be doing it. 

And one of my favorite things about yoga is the practice of meditation and asana - the whole purpose is living in the moment! That's why we focus on the breath, which is one of the easiest ways to bring your awareness to the present.

The other day I read the line: "This moment is perfect." So simple. But it hit me so hard. 

I NEVER think that!!! But when I stop and think about it, every moment IS perfect. 

Sitting at my desk in my pajamas drinking chai tea... PERFECT. 
Walking the dogs through the neighborhood early on a crisp morning in December... PERFECT. 
Driving to work listening to my favorite song... PERFECT. 
Stirring cookie batter... PERFECT. 
Vacuuming the floor... PERFECT. 

Each of the moments that make up my entire life is perfect. Even with unpleasant events, there is always a way to look at things positively - If I'm driving to work and get stuck in heavy traffic, it almost always makes me anxious and puts me in a bad mood. But if I stop and think about that very second... Forget about that person who cut me off (it's in the past)... Forget about possibly being late for work (that's in the future). In this moment, I'm warm and comfortable, I'm singing along to one of my favorite songs, and I'm happy. Quite simple, really.

I need a lot of practice with this idea I'm preaching. But ever since I read that line, I've had several moments where I've taken a deep breath, and reminded myself that this moment is perfect. What a beautiful thing.

I hope you do the same. 

Happy holidays, everyone.

NAMASTE.

A Note on Holiday Moderation

With the holiday season here, I've been thinking about our culture of excess. Thanksgiving and Christmas usually bring up quite a few frustrations for me, mostly with our tendencies towards gorging ourselves on ridiculous amounts of food, spending exorbitant amounts of money on things we don't need, and spoiling kids with tons of gifts that they probably won't be satisfied with.

I saw an ad yesterday for Walmart that said "Hurry! MUST HAVE gifts!" The list included a 72" flat screen TV, an XBOX, and The Call of Duty video game. Really?? Must have gifts??

What came to my mind was a childhood memory of reading Little House on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls and her siblings always got a new pair of knitted socks, a piece of rock candy, an orange, and a shiny new penny. They also got ONE extra special gift, like a handmade doll or a pair of ice skates. And the children were thrilled. They treasured those gifts more than anything. Laura's doll was the most special possession of her childhood. The kids, because they had so little, took perfect care of their possessions, so they lasted for years.

I'm not going to say I'm jealous of Laura's life of hardship on a farm without heat or cars. In fact, I really can't talk much in the first place, since I was one of those kids with tons and tons of presents. But I do wish we still had some of the ideals of minimalism and simplicity of that era. It's all too easy to fall prey to the brilliant marketing ploys of commercial businesses and advertisers. They know how to make us think we NEED things. It's tempting to want things I don't need and buy things that are just going to be thrown out in the next year.

I want to create a SIMPLE holiday season for myself - less stress, more meaning. I want to embrace MODERATION.  Gifts, spending, decorating, eating. All of those are GOOD things... there's nothing wrong with any of them.

But even a good thing, once it becomes excessive, can turn into trouble.

Basic Pose Breakdown: Downward Facing Dog

Basic Pose Breakdown 

            Downward Facing Dog = Adho Mukha Svanasana

Down Dog is my best friend. I could stay in it for 10 minutes, just breathing and meditating, but it wasn't always so friendly to me! When I began practicing yoga, my hamstrings were so tight, I couldn't touch my toes, so the full pose was painful. The idea of getting my heels to the ground seemed absolutely impossible. And quite frankly, the first few yoga classes I went to, I just didn't "get" Down Dog. But I'll never forget the first time I eased into Down Dog and thought, "Oh... THAT'S what it's supposed to feel like." Something finally clicked, and it didn't really take that much longer for me to absolutely adore the pose. Four years later, I still love it! I hope you learn to enjoy it as much as I do.

   

Origins

If you have a dog, then you definitely know where this pose got its name. Dogs stretch by moving from "Downward Facing Dog" to "Upward Facing Dog."

Benefits

• Stretches feet, ankles, calves, hamstrings, spine, shoulders, wrists, hands, and neck.
• Strengthens upper back, arms and legs.
• Calms the mind and relieves stress.

 

Anatomy

           

How to do the pose

1. Begin on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders (or a few inches forward) and your knees under your hips. 

       

2. With your feet hip distance apart, tuck your toes under and lift the hips up and back.

                        

Do: 

• Press firmly into the hands, paying special attention to pushing down through the bases of your fingers.
• Feel free to keep a gentle bend in the knees if your hamstrings are tight.
• Lift the tailbone up and press the heels down.
• Press the chest back towards the knees, to open the shoulders.
• Externally rotate your shoulders. (Biceps spin toward the ceiling, triceps spin under.)
• Pull up through your abdominals
• Gaze towards your feet, keeping the ears in line with the arms.

Don’t:

• Lock your knees or elbows completely.
• Feel pressure to get your heels to the floor, or get your legs straight!

Variations

• I LOVE the feeling of pedaling out my feet, especially in my first Down Dog of the day. Do this by bending one knee at a time. You can hold each one for as long or short as you like.

• "Three-legged Dog" is lifting one leg up into the air. 

• You can also twist in Down Dog to reach back to the opposite leg. It's a great stretch!         

  

Modifications

• Tight hamstrings or pain in your lower back? No problem! Bend your knees.

                      

• Discomfort in your wrists? Roll up your mat to pad the heels of the hands.

                       

• Just hate Down Dog no matter what you do? Try Down Dog with a chair or against a wall. You'll get all the same stretches, and maybe you can build up to the full pose over time.

Class Locations & Times

Midwest Chiropractic Clinic - 6524 W. Archer Ave. Chicago, IL - $5
             Thursdays 8:45am

World of Fitness - 9652 S. Roberts Rd. Hickory Hills, IL - 7 classes for $49
             Mondays 7:00pm
             Tuesdays 5:30pm
             Thursdays 5:30pm
             Saturdays 10:00am

The King of Poses

My friend Lindsey and I were walking through the campus of University of Chicago, and stopped by this beautiful willow tree to practice the King of Poses: Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand). We're always finding cool spots to show off our yoga moves. :)

Believe it or not, this picture was taken just one week after Lindsey did her FIRST headstand! Even though she had been practicing yoga for more than a year (and could rock much tougher poses like Crow, Handstand, and Wheel), she had been petrified to try the pose. The thought of putting all her weight on her head and neck, and balancing there without falling over, was just too scary. I kept telling her that Headstand is much easier than it looks, as long as you have core strength and balance (which I knew she did).

So finally one day before a yoga class in the park, I demonstrated how to do Tripod, moving into Headstand. All she needed was the education of how to get into the pose safely, and me standing there as a "wall" behind her. She went up on her first try, without me even supporting her! She couldn't believe how easy it was. Now she's obsessed with the pose, and can do several different variations and transitions.

Fear can hold us back from experiencing some of yoga's greatest poses. 

Here are a few benefits of Headstand that fear could hold you back from experiencing:

HEADSTAND:

• Supplies blood flow to the brain, increasing mental alertness and clarity.
• Calms and soothes, reducing anxiety.
• Improves sleep and memory.
• Strengthens spine, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and abs.
• Reverses pull of gravity on the organs, cleansing the intestines, and gives the heart a rest.
• Aligns the spine, improving posture, and relieves back pain due to spinal compression.
• Encourages deep diaphragmatic breathing and reduces muscular stress.
• It's FUN, and looks really cool, and gives you confidence! :)

If you're afraid of an inversion because you're afraid of falling, you may be missing out on a lot! Honestly, I still occasionally fall out of a balance like Headstand, but I'm not afraid to fall, because I've experienced it many times (even on hard floors!) and have never been hurt. Falling is just part of the learning process.

Don't get me wrong - a healthy amount of fear keeps us alive - that's what it's for! But when you are afraid of a yoga pose, ask yourself, "What's the worst that can happen?" If the worst thing is falling, you really don't have much to fear. Try poses against the wall (I'm still practicing Handstand and Forearm Balance against the wall), with a spotter, or on soft surfaces like grass or even your bed. :)

Don't let fear overcome your yoga practice. There are too many fun and rewarding poses to try. Don't take yourself so seriously. Be bold, try new things, and you'll be so glad you did!

10 Step Guided Meditation in Savasana

1. Acknowledge your accomplishment just for being here and trying.

2. Allow your breath to deepen. Do not try to control your breath - let it take its natural rhythm.

3. Relax your lower body, releasing tension from your toes, feet, ankles, calves, thighs, and hips.

4. Let go of your upper body, relaxing your abdominals, lower back, moving up the spine, then your chest, shoulders, arms, wrists, and fingers.

5. Release every last bit of tension from your neck, throat, jaw, and forehead. Feel the muscles behind your eyes grow still. Let everything become heavy, melting into the floor.

6. Turn your attention inwards. Your ears are closed to outside noise. Your eyes are only searching inside yourself. Seek the light within you, feeling its warmth. It radiates kindness and good will toward all other beings.

7. Remember that you cannot change others. You can only change yourself.

8. Embrace your significance - you are an important person who has much to offer this world. Accept who you are, and look forward to becoming a better you.

9. Acknowledging your significance, also realize that life is so much bigger than your mind - how small you are among the vastness of the universe!

10. Acknowledging all your thoughts, and now let them pass. Feel your mind cleansed. Feel nothing, no worries, no attachments. You are one with everything around you. You are at peace.