Discovering Peace Through Meditation & Yoga
10 ideas That May Lead To A Spiritual Shift in Your Life.
~ how to find peace within ~
Through stillness.
disclaimer:
I never thought I could do or would enjoy doing yoga.
Last fall, I discovered a new workout called barre which incorporated ballet with pilates to create a toned physique.
I became an avid barre-goer at a local studio near me called 'Barre Body,'
trying to get that dancers figure that we all admire.
watching one of my favorite T.V. shows, 'Dancing With The Stars.'at night,
wishing I could look even close to something like Emma Slater or Sharna Burgess.
Step 1: STOP comparing yourself to others!
my typical pace was "go walk the dog, go eat, go to a barre class, go get ready, go to work, hit my monthly quota, try to impress the boss, give as much energy as I could to others, go walk the dog again, go clean the house, go cook dinner, look at what others were doing on social media, try to finish reading that 20th book on my shelf, figure out what I really want out of life, Oh and don't forget to go on a date cause I should probably get married soon. go, go, go!"
a completely overwhelming and never satisfying mentality.
Absolutely NO energy left for creativity and peace..
One night I had missed a barre class by two minutes (worst part about trying to make a class) and saw that there was a yoga studio right next to the Barre studio.
I decided to see if they had any classes that would fill that void.
After taking one yoga class, I was hooked.
it wasn't until I discovered yoga that I realized that the goal is to actually learn how to chill out....
slow down for a minute, appreciate what this life is offering me right now:
fresh air, clean water, food on the table, a roof over my head, good health, amazing friends and family, opportunities for growth and so much more goodness.
This is the most important..
Step 2:
Find stillness. Spend at least 5-10 minutes a day meditating, praying, and thanking the Universe for having a chance to be born and being alive on this earth.
This is Yoga.
If you're not sure how to start finding stillness or meditating..
Try the app: Headspace
It's free!
That's how I started.
Easy 10 minute guided meditations.
Through meditation you will enhance more creativity & focus.
Step 3: Don't have regrets!
Your life choices can lead you back to where your heart desires, If you wish.
Re-evaluating my college choices, I sometimes considered what my life would have been like if I committed to an art major instead of studying business and sales.
I started off in college as a dance major at SCC in Scottsdale, Arizona.
(After getting my certificate in Cosmetology.. And Yes, I have that creative outlet that I still enjoy. But I craved more.)
I was scared to stay in the creative field because I wasn't sure where I could go with it.
I just wanted something with some kind of financial security because of the Fear I had that came from my childhood of not having enough money.
If there is one thing I would advise to other creatives it would be that fear is just "False Images Appearing Real."
Step 4: Live by faith & not by fear.
Luckily, I had the opportunity to take classes in ballet, modern, jazz and hip-hop, guitar, musical notes and painting in community college to help keep me sane at the time.
I knew I was the happiest around creatives but I never felt that I was good enough in any particularly art to pursue it.
I was in love with the creativity of being a Dance Major and enjoyed being in that community. However, when I transferred to LDS Business College in Salt Lake City, Utah, I didn't have the opportunity to pursue dance unless I paid out of pocket.
I wasn't prepared for that at age 21 since I paid my own way through college.
When I picked my major as business, I felt incredibly pushed into this box when I knew I was really a circle.
I studied 2 1/2 years of business until I decided that I would rather be an Entrepreneur/Independent Sales Representative because I knew I could offer more than what I was forcing myself to do.
I was offered an opportunity to move to sunny, San Diego, California for a job.
Far away from the cold in Utah.
I had no idea how I was going to make it with my rent and expenses quadrupling.
But I knew something inside me was itching for more than the corporate world I was leading towards through business school.
Step 5: Discover the light within you so you can bring more joy and appreciation into the external world around you.
I discovered that I love inspiring others through taking that risk.
Step 6: Listen to your intuition & trust yourself.
After all the hard work you may put into something, trust that it takes time to become great and that you are progressing on your own level. Don't be swayed by other's distractions (I sure was) but if you feel the need to change your direction, do what is best for you.
I sucked at my finances for a very long time. Like most young adults, unsure what to do with money when I got it.. I would spend, spend, spend. Spending more to see if it would make me happier.
It only left me feeling drained at work. Unsure how I was going to afford that lifestyle, I had to create a new perspective.
To be a person who had basic needs and does not need to try to spend all their money to impress others or "buy happiness."
It's a hard shift and it takes courage but in the end, what matters most is our relationships in our lives, not materialistic things.
Step 7: Have courage to push yourself out of your own comfort level to promote growth.
Contradictory, yet a necessary part of life..
Step 8:
Forgive yourself when you fall short and understand that it is all part of the process.
Step 9: Go back to the basics when all else fails.
You are your biggest opponent! Most of the time it is you fighting you vs. you.
Step 10: Do what you want to do.
I recently watched a documentary about 'SloMo' in Pacific Beach and felt very impressed to share the link with my friends on Facebook.If you haven't watched the video yet, you can check out the link on my Awakenmint Facebook page: www.facebook.com/awakenmint
Basically he talks about how important it is to DO WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO. Obviously not hurting anyone or harming animals or Mother Earth. The point is to follow your passions and gravitate towards what it is that makes you feel more connected to yourself. Part of that is through mediation. Again, check out the app HeadSpace to start a free, ten minute guided meditation.
https://www.headspace.com
Thank you for reading and I look forward to meeting with you all soon. I will be creating an event for our first meet up so send me a message if you would like to be involved!
Xoxo,
Anna Adele