YOGA: The Relaxing Workout

A few weeks ago, I decided it was absolutely impossible to exercise at home. I have a whole list of excuses, starting with two kids who crawled under, over and around me while I attempted yoga poses or cried the instant the cardio routine started. Besides that (which would be my #1 excuse), I have to say I'm also rather unmotivated to work-out at home. After careful contemplation, I found it was due to my inability to focus on working out and the ease at which I succumbed to the all the distractions that are in the house (cleaning and the computer being my top two). In my defense, I certainly tried.

Last night, I took my first class at the gym: Mindful Yoga. I always thought yoga would be a cake walk. The women on TV made it look so easy and all you're really doing is stretching. But that's easier said than done when you're holding downward dog for a full two minutes!

At the end of the class, the cool-down was the most mindful part of the class; mindful of your breathing and relaxation, focusing on letting every muscle relax and every thought drift out of your mind. Every sigh was meant to be a let go...Let go of your problems. Let go of your to-do list. Let go of your worries. Just keeping on sighing, leaving it all in the room.

Throughout the day today, I was at peace in my mind. When forced to focus on every problem, so I could let it go, it illuminated them in detail. Once brought into the light, I was faced with the reality that most of the issues I had in my life weren't really that big and I was aware of the control I had over them. I could just stop worrying, because everything I was worrying about hadn't happened yet and I could spend my life worrying over something that could never come to pass. I could start being more patient, because in the long run, patience is the best fight I've got against the tantrums and the restless nights. I could stop asking what if and instead, enjoy the road I'm on because it's actually really great. I can stop spending time complaining about the things someone else has and instead appreciate the things I have, acknowledging that the grass is always greener on the other side. I can laugh, even when I want to cry, and dance when I would rather not. I can choose to do all those things and when all is said and done, my life and my problems, are completely in my control.

In everyday life that is the real trick, to stop and focus on your mindset. Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to take a few minutes to just breathe and to really think about where we are in the world at that very second in time. We are all guilty of rushing around, cramming every minute of the day with something to do, but not really focusing on the most important things. I want to enjoy my life. I want to relax my life. I want to just stop going all the time and just be in the moment without any thoughts of the future...Stopping to smell the flowers isn't just a figure of speech, it's a way of life. So I leave you with this question: When is the last time you stopped to smell the flowers?