It is easy to make goals but when it comes down to it, getting motivated is the hardest part. It is really easy to procrastinate and avoid situations that will take a long time or be challenging.  Motivation, the emotion, technically doesn't exist.  It is just a combination of emotions like desire, fear, and hope.

When beginning a journey to reach a new goal or dream, motivation is key to success.



Here are 10 steps I use to get motivated-

1. Get positive.  I can’t remember a time I got anything done when I was in a bad mood.  Positivism is the ingredient to a happy, healthy, and productive life.

2. Have a plan of attack.  I find it very useful to define each step along the way to get to the ultimate goal.  When I know where I am going and have to do, it is easy to plan ahead knowing I am one step closer.

3. Kick start your day.  I think that planning is so important.  When you know what to expect the next day it is easy to build momentum to carry through the days to come.  Feel motivated the moment you open your eyes in the morning.

4. Find a mantra that fits the goal.  Find a few words or statements that drive you in life and towards your goal.  It can be anything.  I like, “do everything you can today, tomorrow isn’t a guarantee.”


5. Make working towards your goal fun.  Doing something that you think is “fun” has so much more of a positive stigma that doing something just to do it.  The second I decide to make something fun, I automatically am more positive and motivated.

6. Find something or someone who inspires you.  I like using quotes to motivate me to do better and work harder.  I write my favorite quotes in my journal so that every time I open it to write, I see them.  I also look for inspiration in people.

7. Reward yourself when making progress.  I always make sure when I accomplish a milestone along the way I reward myself with something that will continue to motivate me.  Treating myself is one of my favorite ways to stay motivated. :)

8. Positive peer pressure makes me stay on track to reach my goals.  My partner is my best peer pressure.  When we commit to doing something, he always makes sure that I follow through and stay motivated.  I do the same for him.  I suggest finding friends that want the similar thing and motivate each other.

9. Don’t let one setback be the end of it.  It is easy to get discouraged when on a long path to a goal.  It is so important not to let one step back dampen your motivation.  I look at steps back as a chance to get better and have more confidence.



10. Take personal pride in what you are doing.  When I really commit to something, it is so much easier to stay motivated.  When I know of what the end result is going to be I focus on that, and all the negativity and procrastination get overruled by the positivism.

Believing you can is the best motivation.  “I think I can, I think I can” is not just something the little train said, it has meaning and can help stay motivated.  Developing a desire, confidence, staying focused, and maintaining motivation are all the key components to successfully reach your goal.

Namaste.

Have you ever met someone and immediately felt captivated or very uncomfortable before they had even spoke to you?  Today that happened to me; as I was walking down the street and I observed this woman approach a couple sitting on a bench.  The woman was clearly flustered and waving her hands everywhere.  Before she even got to the bench it was visible that the couple was feeling very uncomfortable.  Have you ever thought about who much body language impacts the way others perceive you?


I believe that body language is even more important than the actually spoken language.  Good communication is the key to any successful relationship.  It is important to understand the way your body language impacts the way others feel and how to recognized others nonverbal communication.
I find this documentary about non-verbal communication very intriguing and educational, I highly recommend it.



When we interact with others, we are constantly giving and receiving non-verbal cues.  The littlest things can change the way words are understood; the gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or loud we talk, how close we stand, how much eye contact are all aspects that make up our non-verbal communication.

Here are 5 ways body language depicts the way you are feeling or acting.

1. To show power or confidence stand tall with shoulders back and the head held high.  Keeping this stance shows that you know what you are talking about and that you are confident and knowledgeable.

2. To stimulate good feelings smile.  As simple as that, a genuine smile stimulates your own sense of well-being, as well as those around you.  Smiling directly influences how others respond to you.

3. To show agreement, mirror the emotions through expressions and postures.  I have noticed when I am having a conversation with someone and they agree with what I am saying, they have the same delayed movements and expressions right after me.  It is a reassuring non-verbal cue.

4. To see the truth in words look at feet.  We often forget about the lower body when we are talking about non-verbal communication. But foot movement is the telltale sign that someone is lying.  When people are stressed or nervous they typically express it through their foot movements.
 
5. What to improve your memory? Keeping your arms and legs uncrossed is believed to help improve memory and attentiveness.  Crossing arms and legs is a non-verbal cue for defensive behavior.



Observing body language is a very useful tool wherever you are and whatever you are doing.  Often our bodies say much more than words do.  I hope you take the time to watch the documentary and understand how non-verbal cues impact your life.

In world where we are obsessed with language; try not to listen to the words, watch the body language.

Namaste.

I have previously discussed the connection between spirituality and creativity, but I also believe there is a connection with spiritually and health.  Spiritual people often have a greater feeling and appreciation for their bodies and take good care of their health.

Spiritual individuals habitually exhibit fewer self-destructive behaviors like suicide, smoking, and drug and alcohol abuse because they are often less stressed and have a greater total life satisfaction.  Spirituality has also been shown to reduce depression, improve blood pressure, and boost the immune system.




To me being spiritual means a belief in something larger than life and finding peace from within.  Spiritual beliefs are important in the way people deal with lives up’s and downs, and happiness and hardships.  My spirituality enables me to cope in difficult situations and see hope for the future.  Spirituality is a powerful tool and important for personal growth and strength in trying situations.
I believe that spirituality can help promote good health because people tend to have a philosophy that all things have a purpose, including the body.  Because of my spiritually I know I have better coping skills and know how to deal with stressful times.

I find comfort and strength through mediation and positive actions.  I have an increase of energy and positive experiences when I focus on my optimistic outlook on life through spirituality.  Through my actions, my sense of well-being increases and my moral is enhanced.



My spirituality practices provide me with a connection to a world bigger than myself and provides me with a perspective that minimizes day-to-day struggles and maximizes constructive advances.  Although I do see the connection I cannot pin point one single factor that benefits my health other than my general spirituality.  I believe that by adding spirituality in daily activities I become a better, more healthy, more rounded person.

I will leave you with a quote by Joan Jet about living a healthy life, it completely depicts my life and how I live it.

“I’m concentration on staying healthy, having peace, being happy, remembering what is important, taking in nature and animals, spending time reading, trying to understand the universe, where science and the spiritual meet.”

Namaste.

A few weeks ago I went to a yoga training course and the topic of theming classes came up in conversation.  Theming classes has never been my main emphasis is classes but I do theme them subconsciously.



To me theming classes consists of the way I speak, the words I choose to use, the pose sequences, and adjustments all make each one of my classes unique to my style.  Compassion, grace, perseverance, and courage are all themes I consider when I am teaching a traditional class as my authentic self.

Although, I often let my subconscious guide the way the theme of the class goes, I sometimes intentionally set a theme for class.  I do this by creating a playlist by choosing a word or a holiday and searching for songs to base it off of.  Sometimes I chose a value or word and focus on that intention through the entire class.  I also sometimes pick an experience that will benefit my students.

Here is a list of some idea’s I have come up with to create a class theme-

• Holiday playlists

• Experiences-
o Exploring the feeling of being still- even while moving
o Seeing the body from every angle and every muscle
o Every action has an equal and opposite reaction- Newton’s Third law of Motion

• Focus on each part of the body and how it feels in a single pose
• Keeping drishti on the third eye throughout class

• Inspiring quotes
o “Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.” –Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk
o “Life is beautiful because of you.”
o “The highest spiritual practice is self-observation without judgment.” –Swami Kripalu


It is not important that my students realize that there is a theme to the class; but that the intention and energy are subconsciously expressed through movement and emotion.  I don’t put a huge emphasis on theming but it will always happen regardless if I do it intentionally or not.

Yoga is about the subconscious benefits.

Namaste.