C'mon Get Happy!

One of the great joys of my job, and perhaps the aspect I most enjoy about being a Pilates instructor is making people feel good about themselves and leaving my class feeling happy, healthy, and more relaxed. In the past I have struggled with anxiety issues and for a while it was so bad that I was having multiple panic attacks in a single day, seemingly over nothing. I felt constantly anxious and stressed but I knew I didn't want to go the prescription med route quite yet. This was around the time I started my Pilates training and began going to yoga on a regular basis--about a year and a half ago. I literally haven't had a panic attack since and I can confidently say it's due to the mind-body connection and awareness of breath that both Pilates and yoga teach. Here are some things I have learned along my journey that have helped me overcome my anxieties tremendously.

Find gratitude in something big or small. It can be that first smell of fall, your cat, your significant other, birthday cake...whatever it is that you are grateful for, take a moment, close your eyes and think about that. Take a deep inhale and open your heart to this thing you are grateful for, receiving all of it's goodness, and exhale completely sending your gratitude out into the world.

Let go of anger. Remember that anger toward others only hurts you. There is a great Buddha quote on this...one of my favorite quotes: "Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets burned." So the next time you feel your blood start to boil, take a deep breath and consciously let it go.

Along those same lines of letting anger go, you also need to be able to forgive. Here's another quote for you, from my favorite lady in the world--Miss Oprah Winfrey! "Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past could have been any different." Once we let go of our anger, we need to be able to forgive others so that we can move on with our lives.

Stop over-thinking everything. I am so guilty of this. I over-think everything from the most minuscule detail to all of life's major questions. I realize how much valuable time I waste ruminating back and forth over either stupid shit, or stuff that is completely out of my control. When I start to feel the wheels turning faster and faster in my brain, I try to take a step back, remember what is important, that things happen for a reason and everything is as it should be. When thoughts start to spin wildly out of control I envision those thoughts as a river gushing through my mind and I am standing on the riverbanks just watching them rush by without judgment or prejudice. Just let them float on by, and continue on with life.

You know that golden rule we learn in Kindergarten--if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all? Well this applies to YOURSELF as well. Be kind to yourself. Stop beating yourself up. So you woke up late today? So you ate ice cream for dinner last night? So you still can't do a pull-up? Who cares?! It's life and it's meant to be enjoyed, so stop being so hard on yourself!!

Know your limits. Learn about yourself. Know when you can push yourself a little further, and when to hold back. Only you can be that judge. Sometimes it's crucial to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Other times it's important to give yourself permission to take a break. Learning your limits is a journey, but the more you are in tune with your intuition, the easier it will be to figure out when it's time to push ahead and when it's time to pull back.

May love and light follow you on your path to happiness. Namaste.