You don't need to toil through the work week, just hoping to make it through till it's finally time for your weekly yoga class or private yoga session. Sneak in mindful movement and deep breath anytime you can throughout the day! This cat/cow flow can be done at your desk and will help you slow down and relax, especially on a stressful day. Give yourself at least 5 full breaths in and out and be sure to notice what happens. Check in with both the obvious and more subtle chang

Over the weekend I came across this headline in the Charlotte newspaper: “Boomers ready to retire from holiday hubbub, but their kids won’t let them.” Oh boy. There was definitely a time when I was guilty of putting pressure on my poor parents to relive old holiday traditions! Giving people the nostalgic holiday experience that they want can become overwhelming if it’s directly at odds with your own self care. In my last blog post, I shared my one holiday eating “rule”:

About 5 years ago, I had a really bad cavity. When I left the dentist’s after the filling with a numb, drooling mouth, I was already panicking about my next check-up. Overnight I went from flossing infrequently to brushing, flossing, and using fluoride after every. single. meal. When I first started my 3x daily ritual, it was a slog, but the terror of more cavities kept me honest. Even so, it got boring VERY quickly. I started experimenting with new ways to approach fl

One surefire sign that I’m going through some stressful stuff is when I catch myself sucking in my stomach while I’m at home alone. Even moreso than clenching my jaw or tensing my shoulders, a squeezed-in belly gets my attention. Even after 10 years of practice intentionally accepting and appreciating my body, if I’m not careful to manage stress and self criticism my stomach just seizes up on reflex. Catching the tension as it’s happening is an important opportunity for refle

This brief 3-part breathing practice is my go-to for times of stress. It helps me slow down my heart rate, soften my shoulders, and come back to my body. The Sanskrit name for this breath technique, which you're likely to encounter in a yoga class, is Dirga. Click the above image to open the audio and enjoy. Remember: you can download any Mindful Minute to your phone or ipod using this icon: #breath #mindfulness #stress #selfcare

One of the things I frequently say to my students is that the goal of yoga isn't to make interesting shapes with our bodies. The poses are designed to make our bodies feel comfortable enough that we can meditate without distraction. This brief progressive muscle relaxation practice will help you interrupt stress in your body and mind with a minute of rest. Click the above image to open the audio, and enjoy. #littlehabits #meditation #stress #mindfulness

Confession time: I'm a people pleaser in recovery. Even as a shy little kid I wanted to do what would make those around me happiest, even if it didn't feel comfortable or enjoyable. This happened in little ways, like going to a sleepover even though little introverted Emily hated being with any strangers for even a brief time, let alone an entire night with my stomach tied in knots. It also happened in larger ways, like befriending someone because they seemed lonely, even if

December can be a lovely month full of delicious flavors, connection with people we care about, and those sweet, sweet vacation days. But the excitement and busy-ness of the holiday season can easily displace our center in the here and now, as we pack extra obligations into our already full schedules and accumulate more belongings. This can easily make December heavy with "shoulds" and "wants". It can become a month of clinging to social mores. We may take on more social comm