New Years Resolutions

First of all, we would like to send you our very best wishes for the New Year 2012, may this be the Year when you get everything that you would hope for. Good health and successes for your family, loved ones and children and have many small events coming your way whether friends meetings or encounters that remind you to keep fun in your life!

New Years Resolutions: Do One Thing, Do Yoga

We took a call earlier this week and spoke to a lovely lady Carol who quoted an article of the Surrey Mirror in December last month ‘ if you do one thing  next year, Do Yoga’. Thank you Carol for this.

It is just amazing how the benefits of Yoga are now commonly spoken of, often in the press or around friends, on TV. There is not a week that goes by says my Mum when Yoga and its amazing benefits get mentioned on French TV and Radio. And the French know one thing or two about well being… There is such a long list of Yoga Benefits that I could not possibly be listing them all.

If your New Years Resolutions Are About Physical Fitness

Just to name a few on the physical side: general flexibility and tone of muscles, joints and ligaments, cardio vascular benefits,slowing down and regulating breathing and heart rate, reducing blood pressure, strengthening bones (great prevention against osteoporosis), losing weight, improving sleep quality etc,.. If your New Years Resolutions are anything to do with general fitness then it may be that yoga is for you.  See if you can find a class that suits you here

Or It May Be that Yoga Helps You Emotionally and Spiritually

You can take your Yoga off the mat and like me write down the few things that you know Yoga can help you focus on this Year. I had not until now written down my New Years Resolutions however I know that it is always best to write them down so here they are:

1) Remember every morning what you are grateful for: this is just a very simple trick to get yourself in a positive and loving mood. Just write a list of what you are grateful for,loving family, good health etc….. and remind yourself every morning before you get up. This will help counter any stressful or negative thoughts about getting up. Imagine if everyone out there on your commuting track had practiced the same? would not it help everyone to slow down?

2) More emotional control to enjoy space and ease especially when you feel you have too much to do: practice breath awareness any time you feel restricted simply focus on your breath and remember your inner resource, your inner smile to find ease, space and control.

3) Discipline: practice small and often your chosen effective Yoga poses whether your focusing on Core Strength, Upper Body Strength or Pelvic Floor Health, there are lots of simple poses you can practice at home or at your desk often.

4) Take care of yourself first: it is a common concept that one needs to be able to love oneself, and take care of oneself before being able to love others and take care of others. Well this year, I decided to take this one quite literally and prioritise so that I get to do the things I enjoy rather than letting it be pushed down the bottom of the household long list. I discovered that If I do this, then I am much more tolerant of other family members doing the same… Bingo!

and most importantly…..

5) Have fun: life is too short to go around your life like it is a long string of chores. Bring more awareness and fun into the very small tasks from everyday life. If you become focused on the task and slow down then the activity – however mundane -becomes more fullfilling. Otherwise, why not practice laughter Yoga along the way?

And Finally…. like Carol who called us earlier, when it comes to making New Years Resolutions,  Take Action, give that phone call, find out about what it is you would like to do, and Go For It….:)))