The business of being a Yogimom – Seven tips for holiday survival and beyond

I feel incredibly grateful to have the good fortune of active kids and a thriving business. Although there never seems to be enough hours in the day, there are a few practices I follow to try to keep in the stream of life at this extra busy time of year.

1.   Getting to my yoga mat to take time for myself. When I do this I know that I am better able to take care of those around me. I notice when I am unable to take time for myself in this way (or even giving up other self-care practices) that I seem to be more defensive, quicker to anger or overreact to situations. When I do yoga for myself, I feel less stingy with my time and can operate from a place of abundance which I feel is more of my true essence.

2.   Staying hydrated. I take water everywhere with me. You can find my trusty water bottle with me in my car, by my bed, by my yoga mat and by my computer (*NOTE: I am really careful to close the bottle lid after each sip as I’ve been know to knock things over!).

3.   A sense of humor goes a long way. I really try not to take myself too seriously. I know I will make mistakes —flub-ups are inevitable. I strongly believe in failing forward, and even when I end up with some egg on my face, laughing through it all and trying to see the humor is a lot easier then being too hard on myself or having regrets.

Laughter is the key!

4.   Staying on point with a healthy dietincluding lots of greens is paramount for me. I have been juicing a lot this season and have recently learned the benefits of the super food—chia! My fav is to soak 2 T of seeds in water then blend with strawberries and refrigerate for 2 hours for a nice pudding that leaves my sweet tooth satisfied. Then I don’t snack on all the lovely treats I used to go overboard with at the holidays.

5.   Journaling is part of my self-care practice. My mentor shared a journaling tip from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way that I love! Upon waking journal three pages. Often when she finds she has a lot to write, she will cut herself off at three pages and likewise, on days when she feels she has nothing to write she challenges herself to write three pages and she is often surprised to see what comes out. I have a set of journals–one to write in for each month of the year. It’s been eye-opening and interesting to read what I was doing and where I was at this time last year. It seems to me that my life moves so fast (and my memory is not so good). This gives me an opportunity to give gratitude for where I am RIGHT now. Reflecting on past years helps provide the rhythm and ritual that I seek in my life.

6.   Getting on the floor with my kids everyday–to read, or wrestle and play. Keeping this agility and flexibility ensures I will get to do this when I am ninety years old with my great, great grandkids. Along with family time, we always ask around our dinner table, “What was your favorite part of the day?” So one child will answer and then ask someone else. That way everyone gets a chance to listen, to share and to be heard. It’s one of the ways we stay connected as a family.

7.   Finally, take a day off. Ever since we opened The Family Tree we have vowed to take Sundays off. We don’t see clients, answer phones or emails. We spend the day as a family not talking about our business so we can be even more excited on Monday to get back to doing what we love to do.

Those are my tips for being a busy mom/yogini. I hope you might find these helpful for you, too!

~ Sandi

Welcome to the new Family Tree blog!

As fellow yogis, classmates and students, we cannot wait to begin this journey together! Each month we plan to delve in to a new host of topics – from poses and breathing techniques, to mantras and the power of Reiki. Just like in our studio, this is a place of acceptance and peace. The calm that you feel as you roll up your mat after each class is the emotion we hope to help you tap into each day out in the “real world.”

We understand that each of you have an and factor. You are an aspiring yogi and a mother or father, sister or brother, co-worker or boss, or friend. That juggling act makes your practice even more important – so we want to help provide all of the knowledge you crave at your fingertips!

As we begin down this path together, there is a central theme you will see woven throughout each of our messages:

You have everything you will ever need right now.

This is such a hard concept to really grasp. So take another look. Really read each word. Say it out loud.

You have everything you will ever need right now.

This is the essence of yoga – beyond the stretching, the breathing, the movement and the peace. Acceptance of your self is the supreme outcome. Every pose has modifications to allow for tight muscles, injuries and the inevitable long day that has zapped your energy. There is no way for you to practice yoga “wrong” as long as you are respecting your body and the boundaries it has given you each day.

That same principle can be applied to your life. There is no way that you can do it “wrong” if you are respecting yourself and those around you. You have it in you to be strong, to be present, and to make the tough decisions. And you also have it in you to cry, to need comforting, and to need time alone. Giving your body, mind, and soul what it needs will allow you to be everything you need to be, every day.

In the coming weeks and months, we hope to be able to provide you with ways to use all of the gifts you already hold to bring yourself into balance. We hope to challenge and nourish you – as you evolve and strengthen your body, mind, and soul. Take hold of the posts that call to you and please tell us if there are questions you seek answers to.

Namaste.

Photo courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1758