FALLING ON MY FACE AND GETTING BACK UP

Sometimes you have to take risks. You have to risk falling flat on your face and totally failing. And sometimes you literally fall right on your face.

I can speak from experience. Yesterday, I left yoga with a swollen, bloody lip, because I quite literally fell on my face while extending myself a little too far. The worst part was that it was during a pose that I had done so many times without much trouble. I don't know what happened. Maybe my concentration was off, maybe I was going too fast, and maybe I was just having an off-day.

But regardless, I now know exactly how it feels to fall flat on your face. As I started to taste blood, I immediately pictured the worst. What if I chipped a tooth?! I felt around my mouth with my tongue checking that all my teeth were still in place. I actually got up and left the yoga studio for a minute to make sure that everything was still there.

Here is what I was supposed to be doing:

Here is what happened: 

Here is how I felt: 

Moral of the story? So, I fell. But I picked myself up, recomposed myself and made sure that no one saw what had just happened. Sure, it hurt. I left with a cut up lip and bruised ego. But I will recover and so will my ego.

And next time that I step in that yoga studio, I am going to rock that crow pose.

So, the when you're having a bad day and everything seems to be going wrong, remember that everything is going to be okay. If you fall (literally or figuratively), pick yourself back up. Next time, you are going to be stronger, and you will remember what went wrong, so that you can do it differently the second time around.

You are stronger than you think. We all have off-days where everything seems to be going wrong and just gets a bit overwhelming. But there are better days ahead. Sometimes it takes literally falling on your face to remember that it could be worse. I could have severely chipped my front teeth. I could have left with a bloody or broken nose. I could have given up.

Some of the best advice I have ever gotten is to not take life too seriously. Instead of sulking in my failure, I laughed about it. I cleaned myself up and recognized that I could do better and I will do better.

If anything, imagine me falling on my face in the middle of a crowded yoga studio and maybe you'll get a little chuckle out of it.

How Yoga Changed My Life

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Life is stressful. Someone cuts you off on the freeway. Work piles up, and your boss doesn't seem to get that you are human, too. No one else seems to understand what you are going through. Then one day, you say something that you don't mean to someone you care about, because you have bottled up your frustrations of the day. 

Yoga allowed me to see things differently. I see the stressful events in front of me. I might even feel a twinge in my chest or the anxiety approaching, but I stop. I take a breath, and I actively combat the stress with calming thoughts and soothing breaths. When I am actually in the yoga studio, it becomes even simpler. Suddenly, the worries shrink, until they disappear. My breath is louder than my thoughts, as I mentioned in my post "Breathe in, Breath out." And I am able to stay focused on the present poses.

Via The Mayo Clinic

Child's Pose// In child's pose you are faced toward your mat--arms stretched out, legs bent, forehead on the mat. Many of the instructors I have had start the class with in child's pose, reminding us to return to this pose if we are overheated (I do a lot of hot yoga) or out-of-sync with our breath. While I am not going to go into this pose in my everyday life, when I am fatigued or overwhelmed it serves as a reminder to stretch my body and calm my mind.

Downward {Facing} Dog// Whenever I have a conversation about yoga with someone who doesn't practice, they seem to bring up the downward dog if anything. It is the one pose that many people recognize, and sometimes like to poke fun at. But while they are laughing, I am reaping the benefits of stronger arms and decreased back pain. 

Active.com lists other benefits including,

• Stronger hands, wrists, low-back, hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendon
• Decrease in back pain by strengthening the entire back and shoulder girdle
• Elongated shoulders and shoulder blade area
• Decrease in tension and headaches by elongating the cervical spine and neck and relaxing the head
• Deepened respiration
• Decreased anxiety
• Increased full-body circulation

Cobra// I like to do yoga in the morning. Have you ever heard people say they work out in the morning, because then they are conscious about what they eat throughout the day? It's a motivator to stay healthy, because you don't want to ruin the benefits you gained from working out. Well, for me, yoga is a way to stay grounded and focused throughout the day. It is a reminder to remain calm and appreciative after my practice. The cobra involves you lifting your chest away from the ground, stretching your heart forward. With that in mind, I keep my heart open and full throughout the day.

The Art Of Living mentions benefits such as,

• Opens up the shoulders and neck. 
• Tones the abdomen.
• Strengthens the entire back and shoulders.
• Improves flexibility of the upper and middle back.
• Expands the chest.
• Improves blood circulation.
• Reduces fatigue and stress.
• Useful for people with respiratory disorders such as asthma. (Do not practice this yoga pose during the attack though).

 
Warrior Series// Even the name suggests strength. There is Warrior I, Humble Warrior, Warrior II, Reverse Warrior, and Warrior III. In Warrior II, I feel strength in my arms and legs. In Warrior III, I fight to balance (the more concentrated I am, the more likely I am to stay balanced). Yoga is not an extended version of stretching; there is so much more to it. It is mental, physical, philosophical, and psychological. Yoga is also about achieving courage, grace and peace.

Corpse Pose// This final pose, Shavasana, is often emphasized as the most important. Many yoga instructors encourage yogis to stay at least 3-5 minutes after the class has ended to remain in this pose to soak in the benefits of the practice. In yoga it is important to keep your focus inward. Nothing matters beyond the four corners of your mat, which includes not feeling discouraged by the practice of the people around you. It is in our nature to compare ourselves to others, but it is often destructive, and everyone is at different places. Some people are brand new, while others have been practicing for many years, so they might be able to push a little farther. This pose is meant to be even more about you. With your eyes closed, you focus on your breathing and the present moment. It is meant to be meditative and relaxing. 

Yoga: Art + Science shares benefits of these pose such as, 

• a decrease in heart rate and the rate of respiration.
• a decrease in blood pressure.
• a decrease in muscle tension.
• a decrease in metabolic rate and the consumption of oxygen.
• a reduction in general anxiety.
• a reduction in the number and frequency of panic attacks.
• an increase in energy levels and in general productivity.
• an improvement in concentration and in memory.
• an increase in focus.
• a decrease in fatigue, coupled with deeper and sounder sleep.
• improved self-confidence.

Via Pinterest

What helps you stay relaxed? Do have any other tips and tricks for combating stress?

Color Me Crazy

Running is a funny thing. Once upon a time people only ran for two reasons: catching dinner and running from a predator. Now, people run for exercise, for sports--dare I even say, for fun. Today I willingly woke up at 7:30am on a Saturday to run a 5K. 

Once we were all up and running around the apartment, we were scouring for a quick breakfast and panicking about our lack of preparation for transportation. We signed up for this 5K in the spring and neglected to pay attention to the fine details, like where it was and what information we need beforehand. That was a bad idea. The night before we learned it a few miles off of campus and that we would probably have to bike there. Only problem was one of our roommates doesn't have a bike--and we didn't arrange to have her borrow anyone's ahead of time because of our poor planning. As it turns out, our other friend that was running with us is in way too good of shape. So our roommate rode his bike, while he ran in front of us (he managed to stay ahead of us the whole time running, while we were biking.) He ran a couple miles there, ran the 5K, and then ran back. Here I am dying from barely running or riding in bike this summer, and he appears to be taking a colorful stroll in the park. 

On our way home it started raining so hard that I couldn't see because it got into my eyes and clouded my contacts. I couldn't put my sunglasses on to guard my eyes, because they were covered in the powder from the race. It was a really safe bike ride home as you might imagine. 

This whole event was a learning experience. So if you happen to have that crazy urge to pay to run approximately 3.1 miles in an organized event, there are a few things you may want to consider before arriving at the Starting Point.

Most importantly,

Find out where the race is and how you are going to get there before the night before. (If you choose to bike to and from your 5K, realize that you are exercising before and after you exercise.)

If you're doing a color run, make sure to have proper attire. Don't just focus on getting a white shirt and shorts. Dig out those old shoes that you don't care about getting messy--not the new ones you just got giddy over wearing to the gym. (DO NOT under any circumstances wear converse. Like I have mentioned, it's never a good idea.)

Check the forecast. You might not be able to do anything about it for a 5K you have already registered for, but at least you will know what to expect. If you have a trustworthy psychic on hand, maybe they can help you out when to plan your organized insane decisions exercising. 

Get proper sleep, and try to avoid pizza around 2 AM the night before the race. Just trust me on this one, guys.

If it is a color run, prepare for powder everywhere. Your body might be marked with color even after you shower.

Don't bring children. One child threw a temper tantrum around the 3rd kilometer. Boy did that motivate me to run faster though. So maybe you should bring children.

RUN the entire time--as fast as you can. Just kidding, especially if you don't take my advice and wear converse. Do you have any idea how much it hurts to run in converse? 

Hopefully you feel a little more prepared for your next 5K or at least you can laugh over the troubles 5K runners might encounter.