Hello, fellow yogis and yoginis! It’s Tiki here, feeling very refreshed and rejuvenated after a nice, quiet snow day this past Friday, and eager to get back to my job as the studio guard dog, official student-greeter, and, as you can see, Assistant Holiday Decorator!

Sometimes we forget how important it is to take a little time for ourselves. Before the snow caused me to stay snuggled in at home all day, I was feeling a little run-down and tired, but I just kept pushing myself (and believe me, guarding the studio and encouraging you guys during yoga class can be a tiring job!). I found myself running around all the time and just not taking any down time. Before I knew it, all the things I normally love to do just started feeling like work. And this stress began to manifest itself in my little body – my muscles and joints were achy and sore, and I even had a Chihuahua-sized headache. But last Friday turned out to be a perfect mini-vacation, and of course a great lesson, for me.

Because of our snow day, my body had a chance to recover, and my mind had the chance to quiet down. I felt myself re-connecting to my true nature, to that part of me that loves to run happy laps and to guard the studio. And after even just a little bit of this relaxation, I felt like a new dog! Just a little relaxation was all I needed to feel re-inspired and excited to be performing all my duties at the studio.

Now I know we all feel like this from time to time; we’re exhausted, but we feel the need to just keep pushing. When we start to feel like this, it’s important to give ourselves some quiet time so that we can come back to that place where our jobs and our lives are fun again, not just work. Even if this means just taking a nice long walk (that’s one of my favorites!), or enjoying a yoga class or a massage, these things can work wonders to make us feel like ourselves again. Sometimes we feel that we just have too many responsibilities and too many people counting on us to be able to afford that time for ourselves. But it’s important to remember that if we’re burned out, we’re not going to be at our best for those we love. It’s a weird paradox: we end up being better able to perform our jobs and to be there for our loved ones if we take a little time away just for ourselves.

You can also see how this principle carries over into your yoga practice. Sometimes there are poses that we work and work at, but we don’t seem to get anywhere. We push ourselves until we’re exhausted, but we can’t quite seem to get that posture. Then one day, we just relax and let go of the pressure to “accomplish” that pose, and magically you feel your body lighten up and ease into that pose effortlessly.

So this week, take a little time all for yourself to relax and rejuvenate. Even if it’s just an hour to read a book, take a bubble bath, or snuggle with your own doggie, this will work wonders in helping you feel like yourself again and feel joyful and excited about all that life has to offer!

Namaste,
Tiki