I often emphasize in my private yoga sessions how important our practice is not only for the body but also for the mind. There’s been multiple research was done that proves that yoga and meditation help people heal from physical and mental illnesses. Today I read one of the articles that talk about a young woman who was able to fight cancer a few years ago. She attributes her success to two things: support of her loving son and her yoga practice.
My own yoga practice is not necessarily taking a yoga class every day. My meditation practice is not necessarily sitting in a lotus pose and concentrating on my breath. This his how social media and the Internet portray modern “yogis”. But let’s be real- many people are so busy with work and family they have no time or desire to go to a yoga class and/or meditate.
I suggest you practice yoga, mindfulness, balance, and presence throughout the day, every day. The best way to do it is to concentrate on the activity you are involved in at that moment. Doing many things at once is the opposite of that.
For instance, if I’m having a conversation with another person, I am present and attentive with them. I’m not on my phone texting back to my friends or checking my Instagram feed.
Another example, when I exercise (and you know, I do all sorts of physical activities every day), I’m present with my breath and movement. I do my best to keep distracting thoughts in the back of my head.
Something as simple as taking a morning walk with your dog or commuting to work can and should be done mindfully in order to get the most benefit out of it. The more mindful moments we have in our lives, the happier we are.
I encourage you to follow this simple advice and hopefully you notice changes in your mood and happiness level 🙂