by: Julie Morris  Photo Credit: Pixabay

Many busy professionals don’t have the luxury to be able to take time off to decompress. The job pays well, and because they need to provide for their families, they can’t just walk away. It can actually put pressure on the weekends and vacations they do take to try to make up for so much built up stress.

Being able to relax, to sleep, to have calm moments throughout the day, is essential for self-care. And it can even be achieved without quitting the stressful job or taking an extended leave. While de-stressing may require a timeout to recharge the batteries, there are options available that allow continued work.

Stress and business go hand in hand
Business executives and other professionals often have a lot on their plates. Work never seems to slow down, and balancing demands with family responsibilities can be tricky. Sometimes the stress becomes unbearable, which can result in lashing out, internalizing problems, and even the desire to self-medicate. If there is a perception that the stress will never go away, that deadlines will always pile up, and sales goals will never be satisfactorily met, then the need for a remedy is critical.

Tips for self-care
A holistic or whole-person approach to de-stressing factors work life into self-care. If someone learns to manage their stress, the positive aspects of the career can outweigh the negative. Some holistic self-care options include:

• Meditation
• Acupuncture
• Nutrition
• Massage
• Exercise

Meditation
Even a busy executive can take an uninterrupted lunch. With just twenty minutes during the day, meditation can uplift your mood, increase mindfulness, and make you less emotionally reactive. This makes you work better with those around you and you are much more likely to enjoy your work interactions. Meditation can improve your performance and your overall well-being.

Acupuncture
A study from Georgetown University showed that acupuncture actually reduced the body’s production of stress hormones. This means it’s not just a placebo effect, or a feel-good therapy. It really works.


Nutrition
People will sometimes turn to food as a reaction to stress, and stress, in-turn can contribute to obesity. But the right foods can help manage stress. There’s a long list of healthy foods with benefits that can counteract the effects of stress: leafy greens, avocados, whole grains, bananas, nuts, dark chocolate, and fatty fish. And of course, you should also be sure to get enough water.


Massage
We all know that massages are relaxing, that’s the whole draw. But they’ve also been clinically proven to have positive effects. In the same way making time for meditation or acupuncture can help relieve the negative effects of stress, it may be that a regular massage would better fit your comfort level.


Exercise
Exercise is the ultimate preventative and it’s also really good at relieving stress. Even mild exercise can have benefits. Combining exercise with mindfulness can have double the effect. How many times have you been so upset about something, you were ready to quit your job, then after a walk, a swim, or a bike ride you felt much better, more level-headed, and you were able to find a solution that worked for everyone? Finding the time to exercise can save your life. Stress can lead to heart problems, and exercise can heal you.

If you don’t have time to head to the gym, consider adding a workout space in your own home. If you have an unfinished basement, you could renovate this area and transform it into the at-home gym of your dreams. Just remember that you’ll need to get at least three quotes from potential contractors, and note that your budget could go up if you opt for higher-grade materials or want more extensive renovations.


Meditation, massage, acupuncture, and good nutrition can really just pave the way for exercise and they can all work well together. If you meditate and it puts you in a good mood, you’ll be more likely to want to exercise. If you’re sore from your workout, massage or acupuncture can help with the pain and get you back in the gym sooner.

Most importantly, with stress reduced, you can enjoy your job and the people you work with. By making the time to introduce stress relief into your day, you can make the work environment less stressful for others too.

If you’re looking to add yoga to your daily routine, look no further than Yogaaah! for online and onsite yoga training and classes.

Image courtesy of Pixabay
Written by Dylan Foster www.healthwellwise.com

During the holiday season—which seems to get a little longer every year—regular self-care practices can fall prey to the hustle and bustle. Then people spend all of January and February trying to get back on track. Instead of losing a third of the year to chaos, take control of your self-care practices year-round, starting with these strategies.

Tip 1: Build in Daily Movement
It might be harder to get to the gym or run miles outdoors in the shortening daylight, but that doesn't mean you need to hibernate the winter away. Mayo Clinic recommends that you practice winter safety strategies when you workout outside, like dressing appropriately for the temperature and conditions. It’s a great way to beat the stress, and it’ll feel good to catch some sunshine and fresh air, even if it’s chilly. The cooler temperatures may also inspire you to take your yoga practice outdoors. If you’ve been slipping in your yoga practice, now’s the perfect time to reconnect by taking online classes through Yogaaah.

Whether you work out outdoors, walk in the mall, or stick to a home gym, you can track your daily movement and heart rate with a fitness tracker. For instance, the Apple Watch offers a variety of features, such as heart rate monitoring and fall detection. It’s also safe in weather conditions like snow and ice, thanks to water-resistance and durability.

Those looking for something less complex can find it with the Fitbit PurePulse. It’s a simpler fitness device with fewer bells and whistles, but it does provide continuous heart rate monitoring so that you can track your health over the long term. Devices like these allow users to have a baseline for daily activity that can help them stay active even when the days get full. 

While there is some debate over exactly how many steps you need to take each day, the biggest benefit of monitoring movement is making sure you stay at your own daily average. Harvard Health Publishing recommends aiming for 150 minutes of cardio-level heart rate elevation a week. If you get 30 minutes of heart-pumping movement five days a week, you'll be set.

Whether it's walking through fields to pick out the best Christmas tree or having a dance party with the kids, regular movement can be added into the holiday festivities with some thoughtful planning. 

Tip 2: Learn to Say “No”
While the holidays are often jam-packed with fun and joy, many of us end up saying “yes” to events out of a sense of obligation. As your calendar starts to fill, take some time to reflect on what is truly fulfilling. Saying “no” can be difficult because people fear hurt feelings or ostracizing themselves from important professional connections. However, saying “no” is an important part of setting healthy boundaries and taking control of your time. 

Instead of trying to rush from party to party to avoid letting anyone down, pick the event that truly helps you connect meaningfully with the people who are most important to you. Let everyone else know you appreciate the invite but are already committed elsewhere. Clearing your other commitments also frees up your mental energy to truly be present at the events you do attend. You might be at fewer places, but the people there will get to see a truer, more connected version of you. 

Learning to say “no” also applies to your family. For example, if your children are begging you for the latest video game, it’s okay to tell them “no” — especially around the holidays. This could be a good time to introduce them to an allowance, which you’ll give them based on conditions you both agree upon (dusting, cleaning up around the house, etc.). Not only will this help your children learn the value of money and spending, but it can also provide you with a little assistance around the house!
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Tip 3: Build in Calm Traditions
So many holiday traditions are built around being busy. Cramming ourselves into crowded shopping malls, competing online for the best flash sales, and visiting limited attractions in crowds of people are all expected. These activities can be fun, but we can end up getting pulled along for the ride rather than intentionally creating traditions that fit our goals. 

Reading aloud together as a family on Christmas Eve, playing board games after a holiday dinner, or simply lounging around in pajamas for a whole day without any other plans can all be meaningful traditions. These little moments of calm can become the stepping stones to move you through the holidays with peace and purpose. 

The holidays are almost universally stressful. It takes some intentional practice to keep the chaos of the holidays from derailing the self-care routines we work to build the rest of the year. However, the end result is worth the effort! 

Photo via Pexels
Written by Cheryl Conklin  www.wellnesscentral.info

Boost Your Confidence with These Healthy Habits

Stress, illness, anxiety, and depression have touched the lives of many people during the pandemic, leaving long-lasting impressions that can be tough to shake. As we move toward a new normal in the world, it’s important to make time to focus on our mental and physical health, and there are several simple ways to do so. For example, you might consider hiring a life coach or speaking to a therapist who can help guide you through the everyday events that bring you stress. Learning coping techniques and figuring out an action plan for staying on track is part of the process. Ready for healthy, happy changes? Read on for tips!
​

Focus on your body and mind
There are many ways to feel better about yourself. Once you shift your focus to a healthier track, you can build confidence through multiple channels, including eating healthier, moving more, and focusing on your mental wellbeing. Healthy living comes in many forms, so find the ones that work best for you. Yoga and meditation, hiking or playing a sport outdoors, and mindfulness techniques are all great ways to get your mind and body in sync.
When you’re ready to give yoga a try, instructor Nora Benian offers online courses in a variety of yoga disciplines. Once you’ve upped your practice, you can join her for workshops, retreats, and even teacher training.


Manage your money

Financial worries can be a big source of stress, especially if the pandemic has created changes with your job. Getting that stress under control requires a bit of money management, so it’s important to take a look at your spending habits, work up a realistic budget, and think about how you can free up some cash to prevent the anxiety that comes with living paycheck to paycheck.


Change your future

Money troubles come from many different sources, but if you’re tired of working hard without seeing any rewards, it could be that you need a job change. It’s never too late to pursue an interest by going back to school, and the benefits are numerous.

Whether you want to take courses in business management, marketing, or management leadership, there are several online degree programs that will help you learn at your own pace when you have time. For instance, if you want to become an entrepreneur, learn computer science, or pursue a career in the medical field, accredited institutions offer inexpensive and flexible solutions. Not only is this a great route for your future finances, it can also help you develop new skills and boost your confidence and self-esteem.

And if you make mistakes along the way, don’t beat yourself up about it. Acknowledging your missteps and using strategies to overcome them is much more effective than an internal tongue-lashing. So, don’t be so hard on yourself; instead, focus on why you made the mistake and learn how you can avoid it again in the future.


Change up your surroundings

Sometimes, making healthy changes has to extend to our surroundings. After all, you can’t live your best life if your home doesn’t reflect how you want to feel. Start by eliminating clutter and give your home a good deep-clean. Then take a look at each room and decide whether the spaces are working for you or against you. Are they organized? Are you able to utilize each area, or is there wasted space? When we change our environment to make it more in line with our goals, those goals suddenly become much more attainable.

Focusing on your mental and physical health sometimes requires a lifestyle change, so look for small ways you can integrate new habits into your routine in order to ensure that it’s not a stressful transition. For instance, you might start adding a simple fifteen-minute workout to your day rather than attempting an hour-long gym session.

Photo via Pixabay Writen by: Dylan Foster https://healthwellwise.com

​Planning a wedding is both exhilarating and stress-inducing. From deciding where to have it to figuring out who to invite — not to mention paying for it all — brides face a ton of stress. And with all the challenges of navigating wedding planning, many brides begin to feel like their health is faltering. Courtesy of Yogaaah, here are two major reasons modern brides are freaking out, as well as what you can do to get back on track and feel better before your big day.
Freaking Out Because: You Never Seem to Eat Right
With all your rushing around, you may forget to eat. Or, you might snack on unhealthy items that just happen to be available. You might be cutting calories to slim down in advance of the big day. At the same time, you want to look and feel your best pre-wedding, so nutrition matters.
Even if you’re eating lots of lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, you may still be missing crucial nutrients. Deficiencies such as a lack of vitamin B12, for example, can cause symptoms like nausea, weight loss, fatigue, diarrhea, and even weak muscles.
How to Deal: Add a Multi-faceted Multivitamin
First, go easy on yourself. Just because you’re in love doesn’t mean everything is perfect, including your diet. If pre-wedding planning is taking over your life — and steamrolling your meal planning — consider adding a multivitamin to your diet.
Choosing a multivitamin can help boost your energy levels, enhance your gut health, and allow your body to access crucial nutrients. Make sure to pick a vitamin with bioavailable forms of essential nutrients, instead of synthetic options that your body can’t break down.
Freaking Out Because: There’s Too Much to Do
While most brides appreciate the help of family, friends, and even the groom when it comes to wedding planning, there’s still so much to do before the big day. Even months before the wedding, it can feel like you’re in the crunch zone.
From confirming contracts to making deposits to tastings and creating menus, it probably seems like you’re always on your way to or from a meeting (or answering endless phone calls about the plans). In short, you’re probably freaking out because it frequently feels overwhelming to plan such a massive — and important — event.
How to Deal: Focus on Making Time for De-Stressing
Sure, you need to check things off your to-do list. However, more important than your lists is your mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, stress can have many negative effects on your body. You might develop muscle tension, respiratory symptoms, an increased heart rate, or even tummy troubles in response to ongoing stress.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for you to de-stress before your big day. Research shows that people who socialize often have lower levels of stress (along with other benefits). While you still need to knock out your to-do list, consider doing it with friends or family to make the experience beneficial for your mental health.
Another stress-reduction solution is to take up (or increase your practice of) yoga. Yoga is beneficial for your body, mind, and emotional state — not to mention it can help with your nerves when it comes to fitting in your dress, too. Invest in some cute yoga wear to make it feel more fun, and get started with your oms. When you’re ready to get started, you can sign up for online and onsite classes through Yogaaah.
Last but not least, carve out some time in your schedule to just relax. If you enjoy listening to music, treat yourself to a new portable speaker you can pair with your phone, pick somewhere to relax, and kick your feet up. Sometimes, you need to regather your thoughts before you can push forward, so do something you enjoy for a few minutes — it’ll make you feel much better.
While your wedding will mark an enormous milestone in your life, it’s essential to remember that it’s not the only thing that matters. Your health and well-being should be a priority, even if you need to take time away from wedding planning to feel ready to tackle the next challenge. And by the time the big day rolls around, you’ll feel healthier, more at peace, and prepared to enter marriage with a healthy body and mind.

Witten by Cheryl Conklin at Wellness Central
cherylc@wellnesscentral.info
www.wellnesscentral.info
Wellness is central to a happy life.

​Through Yoga Therapy, Nora Benian prescribes Yogic practices along with counseling to help bring clients back into alignment, build strength, and clear energy channels to increase the life force.
Check out our online 200-hour Yogaaah Teacher Training today!


Modern Yoga: Marrying Ancient Art and Cutting-Edge Technology

As far as ancient fitness arts go, yoga has been around for years. LIVESTRONG notes that even beginner yoga practitioners can tell you how much more strong and flexible they’ve become since taking up yoga. Yet just because yoga comes from antiquity doesn’t mean you can’t adapt it for modern living. In fact, Nora Benian explains what you might not know about how you can marry this ancient art with cutting-edge technology to create a thoroughly modern fitness experience.


Go Mobile to Practice at Home

Practicing at the studio is certainly cathartic, but sometimes you don’t have the time or budget. This is when practicing from home becomes the next-best option; all you need is a smartphone to gain access to mobile yoga apps. This does, of course, require you to have a phone that can handle everything you might need to practice in the comfort of your own home, such as having a solid data plan that can handle any streaming without incurring overage charges.

If your current device can’t handle these apps or power the data, it’s time for an upgrade. This doesn't have to be a difficult process. If your current plan has expired or if you’re due for an upgrade, look for promotional offers from rival service providers. Most carriers have trade-in specials that make it easy to grab the latest iPhone or Android smartphone you’ve been eyeing.

In addition to a capable smartphone, you’ll want to invest in high-quality Bluetooth-enabled audio devices like earbuds, headphones or speakers. Music is a great motivator, and if exercise videos are part of your practice you can stream a number of popular yoga vids to keep you going. With wireless audio, you’re able to listen or watch from any spot in the room or from any pose you’re in. So, find a payment plan that works, a data plan that flies, audio components that pump life into your workout, and you'll be flowing at home in no time.


Modern But Low-Tech Works Too

It’s not all mobile apps and smartphones when it comes to modern approaches to yoga. In fact, when it comes to supporting your yoga workout and providing you with that little bit of extra support you might need, simple tools like yoga blocks can turn painful or difficult poses into ones that become much easier to achieve and master.

Another excellent method for supporting your yoga workout to make it both safer and more effective is through the use of yoga straps. Yoga International explains that they provide different types of support, mostly when used in stretches or extensions that you might find challenging due to balance issues. You can even use both straps and blocks in tandem if a particular yoga pose you’re practicing calls for them.

Whatever type of props you use, whether they be yoga blocks, yoga straps, or anything else, remember that these have all been designed to provide the best support possible for yoga practitioners. They’re made of modern materials and feature modern engineering. Don’t be afraid to shop around or try out a number of different brands to find the perfect ones for you!


Stay Comfortable

It’s obvious you should be wearing comfortable clothing that easily stretches with you, but cotton T-shirts and sweatpants can throw a wrench into your flow. These days, moisture-wicking and cooling fabrics are specifically engineered to enhance one’s practice and keep you comfortable through all your activities. And with so many stores getting in on this technology, you can easily find bottoms and tops for as low as $16.

Yoga helps build a stronger core and more flexible joints and limbs, making it a favorite around the world for a low-impact but effective approach to fitness. This ancient art becomes even better at providing you strength and flexibility when you combine it with modern technologies. Whether that technology comes from a smartphone app, a set of precision-engineered blocks and straps or comfortable clothing, using these approaches will make your workout even more worthwhile.

by: Nora Benian E-RYT500, Yoga Therapist
When you get so much out of doing something it makes you want to do it more. It makes you wonder why you are just learning this now. You'd think that learning to breathe properly, how to think positively, how to stay focused, how to be patient, be present, be aware would be of greatest importance. How is it, that we have had this knowledge available to us for centuries and it wasn’t taught to us when we need it most, during our formative years?


Reason no.#1 Knowledge is Power
Learning in itself is like a breath of fresh air. But wouldn’t it be great to learn how to breathe for fully and regularly? How about to be able to control your breath so that it doesn’t control your thought waves? Or even how to change a a negative thought into a positive one?
There is so much to learn in Yoga.

• Philosophy which takes you to higher spiritual understanding.
• Theory of yoga practice so you learn to practice safely, intentionally and effectively.
• How to be calm and still even when there is chaos around you.
• Understanding the energetics of the body
• Understanding the mechanics of the body
• Understanding the hidden workings of the ego and more.

Reason no.#2 Our Future
Why learn to teach yoga? Do it for the next generation who will lead this world before you know it. It’s a knowledge all parents and teachers could do with to give their kids a leg up on life. Show them how to evolve. Kids just soak it up as part of life, and it is life. So…

Reason no.#3 Live a Successful Life - Heal
Can you imagine success as being able to heal yourself and helping others do the same? How about helping people to feel joy or peace?
‘Success’ means moving forward, to advance. Being successful means that we have learned our this lesson and now we are ready for the next one, the one your soul chose to experience to evolve. We have sorely neglected our personal and spiritual development in pursuit of material gains only to gain fear of loosing them. This causes anxiety not peace.
But thankfully, times are changing. We have been shaken. We have been rocked. We have been shifted and now realize there is more to this life than material gains and status. We have lived in the darkness long enough. It’s time to live a life that is evolving purposefully. Do what makes you feel good. Good things come to those who do good. It’s a law of karma.

Reason no.#4 Develop Compassion for Yourself and Others
Yoga develops awareness of yourself and others. It broadens your perspective and shows you what you could not see before. It illuminates the hidden. Yoga gives you insights into secrets of the universe and the human psyche.

Yoga develops sensitivity, in a good way, so you can sense more about yourself and your fellow humans and animals needs, like how they may be feeling or why they acted a certain way. So instead of taking their behavior personally, you don’t react, instead you see, and offer compassion. That heals!

Reason no.#5 Discover Your Strength. Develop Confidence
Yoga makes you strong, not just physically but mentally and emotionally. It also develops focus and discipline so you can do more in your life by staying on task and seeing things through to completion. Yoga tests your ability to stay positive even it appears that life is not going your way. Yoga makes you strong enough to accept what you cannot change and also develops the strength that it takes to change the things you can but are hard to, even if you know it’s for the best. I don’t need to give examples here, we all know these struggles.

Reason no.#6 Increase Love Energy
Once you practice yoga regularly and open up to the flow of energy your freedom soars. You just cannot have it any other way anymore. Because of this, you do it. You get on the mat, you sit on your meditation cushion because you need the peace that comes with the practice. Once you taste the feeling of calm insight and vibrant energy that comes through you with practice nothing else will do. Because of this, you must share it because you are tired of watching others suffer while you are healing. It’s a knowledge that cannot remain secret anymore. It must be shared. Practicing yoga becomes a way of life. When you emanate love, other feel it and respond to it and heal too. They want what you have - love for oneself.

Are you with me? Decreasing negative energy (purifying) through yoga practice increases your ability to love. Love attracts love. Love heals. Love is what we are when you purify the mind, body and heart.


Reason no.#7 We need more Light Leaders.
More of us are awakening now but we still need to be guided. Not by our political leaders, but by our own inner knowing. We can learn from those who have learned to do this. Some call them masters. Some call them gurus. A guru is one who points you toward the light. We all have access to our own inner guru. How do we access it though?

Yoga, to me, is a lighthouse that shines on the very aspects of my life I need to focus on to heal, to advance, to learn and grow. It’s a way to get real with myself. A pointer to what needs doing next and what type of attention it needs. We can find this divine connection within us, to guide us. All we need is someone who knows the way to keep us moving in that direction.

So now back to why I took teacher training. Obviously I cared about myself enough to go on the healing journey, but I also cared about others too. How could I end my suffering if others are still suffering. Yoga has done so much for me and I wanted to make a difference in the world. Yoga is my way to do that.

When deciding whether to take a teacher training you must first consider with whom. If the teacher draws you in, resonates with you, and offers you a deal you cannot refuse you don’t have to decide. If you are allowing the mind to weigh pros and cons, perhaps it isn’t right for you or not at this time. This is when you must follow your heart, or your intuition. No training will be a mistake. But the training that fits you well will be a catalyst to great strides in personal development and success as a teacher.

What if you don’t want to teach yoga? As said before, Yoga opens you up to love and healing. That is the best thing you could do for yourself and others. They feel your energy and respond.


What you should know about diving deeper into yoga
It will change you. It will make you let go of what no longer serves you. It will help you loose those who drag you down and haven’t a hope in coming up with you when you rise. It can be painful but also very liberating. At worst, you evolve. At best you help others evolve too. It’s a win win, but you must be willing to go for the ride of a lifetime and let go of the past.

Being a successful yoga teacher requires you to stay on top of your own development. You do not what to let it slip because your career depends on it. Of course you will have forgiven ups and downs but it’s a commitment to yourself, to keep at it and to share it with others, that you must take seriously. You must practice it to be able to share it well!

When selecting which training to take, check in with your gut, your intuition and your heart. Who do you want to learn from? A good training can be translated into any style. They all stem from the same place. I would recommend doing a Hatha training before anything else. It is the sources of all other yoga styles, except Kundalini which is advanced energetic yoga. From there you can branch out to other styles. As long as it feels good in your body, it’s a great place to start. Once you understand the basic fundamentals, philosophy, and theory and also have some opportunity to practice teach, you can take mini courses and other trainings later to advance your knowledge and to get inspiration.

Go with what feel good and right. Do it for yourself first. And do it for others too.
‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ Ghandi


How I became a Yoga Teacher
When I was 25 years old I had taken a 12 week yoga series with a teacher in Toronto whom I cannot remember well, but it was Hatha yoga. Then while in LA, I was off on a journey to find myself, living at a hostel with other self-seekers and we had an impromptu yoga class using a video. And Viola! There is was, my light post. I was to do yoga, I certainly was. But I was also to have a child. Not planned either, but, I faced my truth bravely and accepted the challenge. And I’m not saying anything about choosing not too because I once did that too.

Even though the intervention to my birthing experience was damaging to my body, both my daughter and yoga healed me.
Now this is not an instant type of healing, it is very gradual, like how your body replaces it cells over 7 years, healing takes time. My daughter showed me how to parent, how to love myself more and how to love others with complete acceptance. Yoga taught me the same and both contributed to the healing of physical and emotional trauma that kept me feeble and depressed.

So now, I will tell you about why I took the Yoga teacher training that I did. As a part of my healing journey I learned how to do Thai Yoga Massage on a whim. I went to the Yoga show for my birthday and found a 3 day intro to Thai Massage. Love it. Then followed it with the certification course. Such a valuable education it was, for understanding the body, the meridians and about healing, but also it attracted me to my yoga teacher.

I was living in Guelph, On. at the time and was looking for a studio to offer Thai massage at. Rita, the studio owner, liked having Thai massages. She was starting a Yoga teacher training. She asked me to be her first teacher trainee in exchange for massages. How could I say no?
I was a single, unemployed Mom, I wanted to heal, I wanted to learn and I wanted to work. But most of all I wanted to help people.

Rita is not a typical yoga teacher. She was in her 60’s at the time, had suffered physically and had learned a therapeutic style of hatha yoga from Esther Myers in Toronto (Vanda Scarvelli Inspired- Iyengar taught). Rita also did TTC at the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas. The knowledge from both these styles of yoga offered me the healing I needed.

I had gradually come to appreciate the slow, methodical, deliberate and gentle style of yoga she taught. All with the Hatha yoga principles of course, but with milder approach that lead to comfort and ease in the body rather than pushing and pain. (Which is what i was used to as a previous Competitive gymnast).

It took quite some time to adapt to the milder yoga practice but over time, I healed. I was able to teach therapeutic yoga because of this. But I also advanced in my yoga practiced with the healing and enjoy the more challenging asana (poses), and now love teaching them too, to the appropriate group, of course.

I didn’t stop there. I went to Sivananda Yoga Ashram and took their 200 hr training and gained the spiritual teachings and practices that help me to evolve mentally and spiritually as well. I then continued to study Yoga therapy with several renowned Yoga therapists and Mukunda Stiles, Joseph Le Page, Gary Kraftsow, Dr. Epstein to mention a few. I was grandfathered into the International Association Of Yoga therapists early on before they developed the 800 hr standard of training. I still take courses whenever I can. Right now I am learning a lot from Tiffany Kruikshank of Yoga Medicine.

By Cheryl Conklin at www.wellnesscentral.info

Running your own business can feel like a Sisyphean task. If you let up for one moment, you're doomed to fall behind. That's why over half of small business owners work at least 9 hours a day, and a good portion of those are also working weekends. Self-care sounds like something for those other guys, the ones who aren't trying to run a business. However, the truth is that you absolutely have to take care of yourself for your business to meet its full potential. Nora Benian shares how.


Why Entrepreneurs Need Self-Care
Self-care is a necessity if you want to avoid burnout. Burnout can happen to any worker, but when you're an entrepreneur there are two primary causative factors. Owning your own business places you under high stress with no time off, and there are huge consequences for failure.

Burnout is more than feeling tired; its symptoms include fatigue but also frustration, lack of hope, even depression and anxiety. According to the World Health Organization, it also results in cynicism about your job and an inability to be productive. It manifests as procrastination, frustration, exhaustion, and forgetfulness. Spending more time on the job can just exacerbate the problem. The only solution is taking care of yourself.   


Physical Steps to Self-Care
Self-care means taking care of your physical and emotional needs. One of the best things you can do for yourself physically is exercise regularly. In a recent study at the University of New England, Australia, participants who took part in four weeks of consistent, monitored exercise felt more positive and "less psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion." Yoga is one practice that is known to have both physical and mental benefits.

Another important physical component of self-care is getting enough sleep. A study at the University of Pennsylvania showed that people who only got 4.5 hours of sleep per night experienced increased stress and exhaustion. If you are already experiencing stress because of your business, lack of sleep compounds the issue. It can be difficult to solve because the anxiety of running a business makes it more difficult to sleep even if you have the time. Following the other recommendations here can make sleep more accessible.


Mental Steps to Self-Care
It is also important to support your mental health. Again, yoga combines physical release through movement and deep breathing with mental self-care through the practice of mindfulness. Together, they counteract the stress hormones that contribute to burnout. Other mental exercises include writing a gratitude journal to adjust your perspective and focus on the positive and setting aside screen-free time each day.


Business Steps to Self-Care
You can approach your business from a self-care perspective. Find ways to save time at work so there is time to focus on yourself. These can be basic structural decisions like using a DBA name for your company. When you file a DBA, you may be able to find a domain to market your goods or services even if your main name is unavailable. It also gives you a convenient way to branch out into different product or service offerings.

Other organizational changes include outsourcing jobs that don't add value to your day. Try a virtual receptionist to avoid hours of spam calls. Hire a marketing firm to handle your social media campaigns. Even simple changes like hiring housekeeping for your home or office free up your time.

Burnout is a real concern that hampers your ability to reach your business goals. By practicing self-care through physical activity, mental focus, and better business planning, you ensure your ability to reach for your dreams and enjoy them when you get there. Start with a healing and invigorating yoga therapy session. Reach out to Nora today.

Teaching yoga at school might help students feel better and improve their grades, new research suggests.BY BETHANY BUTZER, LISA FLYNN | NOVEMBER 20, 2018At Edmunds Elementary, a diverse inner-city school in Des Moines, Iowa, yoga is on the daily schedule. Each morning, every classroom begins the day with a “Be Well” discussion about topics such as gratitude, good citizenship, being a peacemaker, and getting enough sleep. Breathing, yoga-based movement, and a mindful meditation follow, helping students bring their attention to the present moment and preparing them for learning time.

​After lunch, the lights are dimmed and soft music plays as students return from recess for 10 minutes of quiet mindfulness and reflection activities, such as journaling, coloring, or listening to a guided relaxation story. Teachers even integrate yoga at other times of the day as needed, and they unanimously agree it’s time well worth taking.
One teacher shared, “Practicing yoga and taking these mindful pauses throughout the day is like hitting the reset button, for all of us. I was going to leave teaching I was so overwhelmed. Not anymore.”
Thanks to that reset button, the school is seeing results: Test scores increased more than 18 percent and the number of students being sent to the office decreased by more than two-thirds over two years. The school’s principal notes that everyone is feeling a greater sense of community, connectedness, and engagement in school.
Edmunds Elementary, which uses a program we developed called Yoga 4 Classrooms, is not alone. Schools around the country, from San Francisco to D.C., are implementing yoga in classrooms and beyond, with students, teachers, and parents reporting tremendously positive effects. But does research back up their experiences? And what kind of results can we hope to see from yoga programs in schools?
While the science behind school-based yoga is relatively new, the initial evidence from a growing number of studies is promising. Here are seven ways that integrating yoga in schools can support students and teachers, while helping schools address many of the challenges common in education today.

1. Emotion regulationIn order for students to succeed at school and in life, it’s crucial for them to develop self-regulation skills: the ability to monitor and adapt their behavior, attention, and emotions in response to internal cues, the environment, and feedback from others. And research suggests that school-based yoga may benefit students’ self-regulation.
For example, a randomized controlled trial of 37 high school students found that doing 40 minutes of yoga three times per week for 16 weeks significantly improved their ability to regulate their emotions, compared to participating in a standard physical education (PE) class.
In addition, another study of 142 sixth-graders compared students who performed four minutes of mindful yoga at the beginning of their English Language Arts (ELA) classes over an entire school year to students who received regular ELA classes that included a few short discussions about mindfulness (but no mindful yoga). The results showed that this mindful yoga program also led to increases in self-regulation, according to student questionnaires.

2. Academic performanceMost schools use academic performance as the primary criteria for student success. Unfortunately, many students struggle to achieve or maintain adequate grades, which can lead them to disengage or drop out. But research suggests that yoga might improve attention and memory and alleviate academic stress, three factors that are important for academic success.
School-based yoga might also improve students’ grades. For example, one study randomly assigned 112 high school students to participate in either yoga or PE twice per week for 45 minutes across the entire academic year. Among students who had high levels of participation, the yoga group ended up with a significantly higher grade point average (GPA) than the PE group.
Another similar randomized controlled trial assigned 95 high school students to participate in either a yoga program or a standard PE class. The study found that students who participated in the yoga program were able to maintain their GPA, whereas students in the PE group showed a decline in GPA during the 12-week program.
The authors write, “Yoga may improve academic performance by enhancing self-regulation which may, in turn, mitigate stress, thus leading to enhanced attention and learning.”

3. Reduced anxiety and tensionChildren and adolescents are exposed to a variety of stressors at school and at home. These stressors can range from extreme, chronic stress such as living through poverty or abuse, to relatively minor stressors such as test anxiety. Adolescents with unmanaged stress are at a higher risk for developing mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, which is why some researchers have explored whether school-based yoga might help reduce anxiety, tension, and stress.
One randomized controlled trial of 97 fourth- and fifth-graders assigned some students to participate in a mindful yoga program that met four days per week for 45 minutes. Compared to attending school as usual, 12 weeks of mindful yoga led to significant reductions in students’ problematic responses to stress, such as experiencing repetitive negative thoughts and strong, intrusive emotions.
A study of the Yoga 4 Classrooms program found that a group of 18 second-graders who participated for a half hour per week for 10 weeks showed a significant decrease in cortisol concentrations from before to after the program. Cortisol in our saliva tends to increase during stress, and heightened cortisol concentrations as a result of repeated stressors may be detrimental to our mental and physical health. This study provides preliminary evidence that school-based yoga might help mitigate these negative effects. 
In addition, one study enrolled 49 inner-city high school students to participate in a semester-long yoga and mindfulness program several days per week, and students reported significant reductions in their anxiety. Another study randomly assigned 51 high school students to participate in either a 10-week yoga program or a PE group that met a few times per week. The study found that tension and anxiety worsened in the PE group but improved in the yoga group.
4. Resilience to stressSchool-based yoga may also help students cope with negative life events, like troubles at home or getting a low grade in an important class. For example, a randomized controlled trial of 155 fourth- and fifth-graders assigned some students to participate in an eight-week mindful yoga program that met for one hour per week. The study found that the yoga program helped students cope more often with difficult life events, compared to regular schooling.
Another study found that 30 elementary and middle school students who participated in a 10-week yoga program once or twice per week improved their resilience—the ability to successfully cope with challenging life events.
The authors concluded, “Yoga practice may increase the [students’] sense of control and self-efficacy with respect to stress and emotion, thereby increasing resilience.”
5. Fewer problem behaviorsBullying occurs quite regularly in schools; in 2011, approximately 28 percent of U.S. adolescents reported being bullied during the past school year. Bullying can lead to a variety of negative effects on students, including difficulties with academic performance. In addition, problem behaviors such as bullying often result in suspensions and disciplinary referrals, which means those students end up missing out on important academic material, too.
But research suggests that yoga might help. For example, third- to fifth-grade students who participated in a 10-week yoga program for one hour per week reported bullying others less after the program.
Similarly, another study of 159 sixth- and ninth-grade students assigned some of them to a semester-long, yoga-based social-emotional wellness program several days per week for a half hour. The results revealed that students in the yoga group had fewer unexcused absences and detentions, and became more engaged in school, compared to students who went to school as usual.
These positive effects might be due to yoga-based improvements in students’ awareness of their emotions and behaviors. That might help students “control impulsive behaviors and negative reactions in order to meet situational demands and achieve personal goals,” the researchers explain. 
6. Physical well-beingNational surveys estimate that nearly one-third of youth in the United States are overweight or obese, and that a lack of daily physical activity is a key factor at play. As a form of mindful movement, yoga is particularly well-suited to provide non-competitive, gentle ways for youth to engage in physical activity.
This 12-week study of 16 first-grade students who participated in 45 minutes of yoga twice per week found that yoga can improve motor abilities, including balance, strength, and flexibility. In addition, based on surveys from hundreds of parents, students, and PE teachers, another study found that a year-long program of yoga-based activities for 5-15 minutes per day improved students’ physical well-being, including their body posture, sleep quality, fatigue, and diet.
“Yoga appears to be simply a stretching activity, but the variety and sequencing of postures coupled with the practice of deep breathing creates an extremely diverse and effective method of enhancing a range of health-related fitness skills,” the authors write. 
7. Teacher well-being and classroom climateAdvocates for school-based mindfulness programs suggest that the benefits of these programs might reach beyond students to impact classroom climate and teacher effectiveness. Preliminary research on yoga programs for educators suggests that yoga might be good for teachers’ well-being, too.

• YOGA 4 CLASSROOMSIf you’re interested in reviewing more evidence, check out the Research Repository: Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness for Children, Adolescents and in Schools, a free ebook compiled by Yoga 4 Classrooms.
  

For example, one study randomly assigned 64 educators to either participate in a 20-minute yoga and mindfulness program four days per week, or go about their work as usual. The results revealed that the 16-week program helped educators improve their mindfulness, positive mood, classroom management, and physical symptoms, compared to regular work. These educators also showed improvements in blood pressure and cortisol.
The promise of school yogaResearch on school-based mindful yoga is still in its infancy. Several research reviews support implementing these programs, but it’s important to keep in mind that some studies have found limited or no effects from them. And many studies use “self-report” questionnaires where students rate themselves, rather than collecting objective data or reports from parents and teachers. Larger, more rigorous research needs to be done to clarify the benefits of these programs and what causes them, including the optimal amount of practice time and best practices for implementation.
In just the past two years, more than 350 new studies have come out exploring the benefits of yoga and mindfulness for youth—a clear sign that interest in this subject is growing rapidly. We’re confident that the evidence for yoga in schools will continue to expand, and that it will help students cultivate social, emotional, and physical health; academic success; and a positive school climate.

By Dylan Foster - www.healthwellwise.com.  Image courtesy of unsplash
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Nothing relieves stress the way yoga does. It challenges your body while encouraging your mind, and when you’re done, you leave each session feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. However, even the best yoga regimens can become stale. Thankfully, there are many ways you can improve your practice, incorporating tools, technology, and equipment. You can make new friends, reset your mind, and develop a hobby you truly love. Start by exploring these tips, courtesy of Yogaaah.

Your Failures Don't Make You
Yoga Journal explains that a failure shouldn’t make you run for the hills and call it quits. Embrace the risk in trying something new and look for ways to improve each time you practice. You may not be able to do every pose, and that's okay. Sometimes it simply takes getting used to something new before you're comfortable in class.
When you're at home or somewhere you can practice privately, you can face a mirror so you can see ways that you can refine your poses. Set up a space that is clean and invigorating. You'll appreciate your own effort and find confidence in watching yourself as you grow. With that in mind, Original Wombman suggests tracking your milestones, which you can do on your phone. And throughout it all, just remember, your failures don't define you.

Comparing Yourself Will Hurt You
As you watch videos, read and practice, don't make the mistake of comparing yourself with those who have many years of yoga behind them. Most teachers work hard every day to make sure they bring you the best content. Also, when you're joining one of their sessions, it's okay to take breaks when you need to. If you feel that you're not doing your best, aim for a better session tomorrow.

Technology Is Your Friend
Getting into a yoga groove can be challenging, especially if you have a busy schedule and can't stick to a routine of showing up for a class in-person. However, whether you connect on your phone, tablet or tv, you can put technology to work to help you with your yoga practice. Just make sure you have plenty of data to enjoy your sessions, since there is nothing worse than a lagging video or one that won’t even load. Review mobile phone plans to find one that can be tailored to your needs and budget.
No matter how you improve your yoga practice, there is much to gain. Don’t let failures get in your way, and keep your eyes on your own growth. You’ll find it’s a satisfying and joyful addition to your lifestyle!

Connect with Yogaaah to learn more about how to make yoga part of your life.

By Cheryl Conklin  www.wellnesscentral.info

Starting or growing a business under normal circumstances can be taxing. Add the strain of the pandemic to that, and it's no surprise you may be feeling burnt out while working toward your entrepreneurial aspirations. There are steps you can take to ease the stress, though, and find more balance in your life.

1. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Reduce or eliminate entirely small demands on your time and energy. Make a list of everything you might need to do during your normal workday, and then choose three of these that are the least important or time-intensive. Alternate lower-level tasks so you aren't doing them every day. For instance, cut back on posting on your business social media accounts or reuse or repurpose content so that you don't have to create new content each time.

2. Don’t Drop the Big Stuff
Nothing will cause you more turmoil in your business than basic functions not working when you need to be able to rely on them. Give your time and mental energy to those things that you do best, and let others handle the rest.

Managing business finances can be a full-time job, and miscalculations and late payments can come with serious penalties. Avoid the stress and hire a CPA. They know how to make estimated tax payments, find the right business deductions, and offer quality advice for your company’s finances based on data.

Consider your early stage checklist: Payroll comes first. Payroll is one area where mistakes can be expensive in both quantitative and qualitative ways. If you deposit employee taxes late, you can be slapped with serious fines. If you deposit employee pay cheques late, employees will become frustrated, less invested in producing quality and timely work, and more likely to abandon the company. Use a service that handles payroll for startup companies to run your payroll for you and save you the stress of producing pay cheques. Ideally, this should allow for direct deposit, time tracking, and even tax filing.

3. Give Back to Yourself
As much as you want it to succeed, you can't give your whole self to your business and expect not to burn out, especially with COVID still adding stress to the world. Carve out some time in your schedule to help keep your mind and body in good shape and capable of handling what the workdays bring.

Make time every day to exercise your body, even if it is a simple walk around your block. Exercise gives the brain both immediate, short-term benefits such as the release of endorphins and long-term benefits by building a better blood supply to the brain that helps improve mental health.

Some forms of exercise like yoga have added benefits like increasing focus. According to Harvard Medical School, yoga also helps those with depression and anxiety manage their symptoms by improving the body's ability to manage stress. With online classes from Yogaaah, you can practice yoga right from your office during your lunch break. Or bring Yogaaah to the office with a qualified instructor who can teach your group right on the premises.

Meditation has also been proven to help reduce stress and manage anxiety, as well as improving emotional connections. It's also been shown to improve sleep quality. Adequate sleep is an important part of staying healthy as sleep deprivation can lead to any number of serious health problems, but its role in mental and physical health often is overlooked.

Don't let the stress of COVID and running your business run you into the ground. Prioritize what you must at work, delegate when and what you can, and give back to your mind and body so they can see you and your business through this stressful time.