Spending money on (overpriced) workout classes sets a certain level of expectation. Like, you expect it to be good and exactly what you were looking for every single time.  These expectations are especially high for me when I go to a yoga class.  I think it’s because during yoga you’re really right there with yourself and start to feel super mindful. Just you and your breath; in and out and in and out. Sometimes I don’t really want to be along with my breath – I want to just flow.  I want the class to be exactly like I want. (Hello, home practice)

I remember going to a yoga class where I started feeling so anxious I was crawling in my skin.  I could barely sit still and nearly left.

Worst. Feeling. Ever.

But really, all of this over a yoga class? Yes. All of this over a yoga class. You should know that this wasn’t a single occurrence; this happened relatively often. Too often.

It also happened in social situations I didn’t want to be in and in meetings that I felt bored.

In hindsight, the causes seem pretty clear:

• Pressure to get really good physical workouts
• Lack of trust in myself and other people
• Judgement of myself and other people
• Energetic focus to avoid other things

Fast forward to some years later, it was the morning after….a long run.  My mind was a bit tired and my body a bit achy, but I was still craving a good morning flow.  I hopped on the 6:45am subway downtown to one of my favorite yoga studios.

I settled in on my mat in my favorite restorative pose, began mindful breathing, waiting for the class to start. 15 minutes later, about 10 minutes into class, we were still in that same restorative pose I had started my practice with.

Left side of brain starts racing…

….what time is it?

….how much longer are we going to be here?

….I seriously came all the way from home for this?

….when are we going to start to move?

….not a single pose?

Right side of brain reacts….deep breath.

….where are you right now?

….here.

….why?

….to be at yoga.

….where is here?

….yoga.

….what is yoga?

….where I need to be.

Left side of brain calms down.

It has taken me a long time to get to this place and honestly, sometimes I can’t get away from the left-side of my brain giving me a hard time.

I realized that being in a ‘bad’ yoga class or undesirable social situation never hurt me.  In fact, it benefitted me in so many unexpected ways.  The only thing hurting me was the stress I was putting on my mind and body by feeling overwhelmingly anxious and judgmental.

Sometimes what we’re looking for or what we think we need for is not it.

Today, when I’m in a less than desirable yoga class, I let the left side do its thing, accept those feelings and then choose that this is what my body needs at that time.

When I’m in a social situation, I’m not loving, I try to embrace it.  Who can I talk to that I could learn something from or who would make me laugh?

Each of these things must have some reason or some benefit.

When we start to believe in purpose, we can let go of our judgements and anxieties to gain trust and relieve ourselves of pressure.

Imagine a world where you trust your body and the world to let good things happen to you.  Moving through life with more ease has been a game-changer for me.

4 Ways to Release Anxieties & Stress to Increase Mindfulness 

Note: I am not a doctor, psychologist, or anxiety expert.  I am sharing my personal experiences.  If you feel like you have severe anxiety or stress, please contact someone who can help.

FIND A MANTRA

I recently lost my full-time job.  After crunching the numbers, I realized I was in a fairly good place financially.  I used my points and booked a flight out to California where I would spend 2 weeks visiting friends in a few cities.  Then all of a sudden, every dollar I spent was stressing me out. I knew the numbers, and there was no need to stress.

After talking it through with my mom and a friend who always calm me down, I decided to use this when I started getting stressed about my job and the future.

This is okay.

It might seem simple but it has more meaning to me than 3 words…

You are okay.

Your finances are okay.

Your job situation is okay (for now).

It’s okay to not save as much for a bit.

It’s okay to spend money that you have.

It’s okay to go on a trip even if you’re spending money from savings.

It’s okay to buy a coffee.

It’s okay to buy lunch.

It’s okay to not spend all day applying to jobs and doing work.

It’s okay to enjoy having a bit of time off.

This one mantra covers so many areas of my life that I tend to stress about.  When I find myself stressing or feeling anxious, I just put it on repeat.

WHAT ARE THE FACTS?

I use this one a lot with negative self-talk. When I find myself being mean to myself, I’ll say ‘Hailey, what are the facts here?’  As I talk myself through the facts, I can generally start to feel less anxious and fearful.

IT’S A PROCESS

Life is a journey and it’s dynamic.  Be kind to yourself along the way. There will be great days and there will be really shitty days, but the shitty days help us keep the process moving along so we can have more of the great!

WHEN YOU’RE THERE, BE THERE.

No one day, week year, or month is going to be the same. Wouldn’t it be pretty boring if it was? Understanding that life is unpredictable, scary, exhilarating and exciting helps me live more enjoyably.  I can’t control everything, and that’s okay.  Letting go of the things I can’t control in the past, present, and future helps me live for the right now.

Being fully involved in what I’m doing in any given moment can be really hard for me.  I have ten tabs open and an overactive brain, but I don’t actually like feeling that way.  I love being present in conversations, moments, and my work.  To do that I try to meditate at least once a day to feel more grounded and focused.  I also take time in the morning and evening to wake up and calm down.

Do you ever feel stressed out or anxious? How do you deal with it? Tell me in the comments below or send me an email!