If I could engage in just one fitness activity a week, it would be yoga. Yoga is more than exercise; it is a practice that helps you build strength of mind, body, and spirit. Many of the lessons I have learned through yoga have become analogies for how I do my best to live a yoga-inspired life off the mat.

1. Set an Intention

On the Mat- When we begin a yoga session, we are asked to set an intention. It must always be something positive that you wish to cultivate during your practice. Bringing a desired intention to your focused mind will assist in harvesting it into reality. Some examples might be: paying attention to your breathing, being grateful for where you are at this moment, passing no judgment on yourself or others, having patience with yourself, getting rid of negativity, and opening your mind and body to receive peace, love and gratitude.

Off the Mat- Setting intentions in our daily lives can help us to achieve our most-desired hopes and dreams. Setting intentions allows us to trust in the universe or greater power to assist in achieving those dreams and relinquish some of our personal control. Depak Chopra’s,”5 Steps to Harness the Power of Intention” discusses the power of setting intentions and the importance of remaining present and unfocused on outcomes.

2. Dedicate your Practice to Someone

On the Mat – We are often asked at the beginning of class to dedicate our practice. We are encouraged to select someone who is struggling and could use the extra comfort and support. Dedicating our practice helps us to stay present and propagates the sharing of the positive energy we have gained through practice.

Off the Mat- By dedicating our practice to someone, we are offering up that we are all in this journey of life together and are part of a greater effort to breed peace, love, and kindness throughout the world.

3. Maintain the Integrity of a Pose

On the Mat- If you are in Warrior One pose, your muscles should be engaged from the ground up, from your toes to the tips of your fingers, pointed up to the sky. When assuming the pose, you should be using your entire body–every muscle engaged and doing its part to add to the pose. If one part is sluggish and not fully performing its role, the integrity of the pose is lost.

Off the Mat- As a nutritionist, I prefer a holistic approach when looking at health. We need all the systems to work synergistically, not concentrating on a single area of diet or body function that might be falling short of it’s duties. We also must honor the parts that are sluggish and understand how they fit in aggregate. Sometimes it takes time, strength, and patience to achieve the full expression of the pose–and this is aligned with our health.

Mindfulness and Difficult People: Learn 4 Mindfulness Techniques to Deal with Difficult People
By Debbie Lyn Toomey, Health and Happiness Specialist™

Much of what we hear about mindfulness has to do with how it can enhance the stillness of our mind, soothe of our nerves, and awaken our senses for stress management and wellness. But rarely do we hear about how mindfulness can help during encounters with difficult people.

No matter how many self-care practices we embrace, or stress management workshops we attend, we will always encounter people in our lives who have complaints in some form or another. I am sure that you have heard these things said to you or someone near you at one point in your life.

I want to talk to the manager!

You’re not listening to ME!

NO, I WILL NOT QUIET DOWN!

Mindfulness can help. It has helped me in more occasions than I care to imagine. When faced with difficult people or circumstances, mindfulness allows me to keep present in the moment and feel calm and in control of not only myself but also the situation.

If you are new to mindfulness the techniques shared here will seem like common sense to you especially during those regular days when things are going well. But what if your day is not going well and you are overwhelmed with work and someone approaches you all upset, wanting you to fix a problem. Often, an unexpected stressful moment can make common sense seem not so common. When our fight or flight reaction gets triggered it is difficult for our prefrontal cortex, the rational part of brain to think straight. In fact, the amygdala, the alarm part of our brain, takes over, making it difficult to calm ourselves down. If you are a mindfulness practitioner (or even a mindfulness dabbler) then the skills that you are about to read will be good reminders for you.

What is Mindfulness?
Before I share with you the techniques let me just briefly define mindfulness so as to avoid any misconceptions of what this practice is all about. Mindfulness is not yoga. Mindfulness is not a religion. Lastly, mindfulness is not about emptying our minds. It is more than that! I like to describe mindfulness as the awareness and acceptance of the actual of ebbs and flows of life— without attachment or judgment. It is purposely living in the moment.

Mindfulness Day In and Day Out
Hundreds of studies have proven that practicing mindfulness is effective in lessening chronic pain, depression, stress and so much more. Fortunately for us there are many ways to practice mindfulness in everyday life. We can practice mindfulness day in and day out if we want. In fact, anything we do in life when done with purpose and with full awareness of our senses can be considered a mindfulness practice like, bathing an adorable little baby, eating a piping hot cheesy pizza, or hugging someone you love.