habits

30 Days of Yoga Together

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They say it takes twenty one days to create a new habit. I am not sure who “they” are but it seems like a logical and probably pretty true statement. Years ago when I had my great wake up and decided that I needed major changes in my life, I wanted the results to happen immediately but was kindly reminded by a friend that for as long as it took to get unhealthy, it would take that long to get healthy. And, it really did.

What began for me as a weight loss program became a life changing experience that altered the path that I was on and opened hundreds of doors for me. I not only lost the 80+ pounds and created many healthy habits I also discovered a holistic approach to living and an incredibly grateful heart.

One of the biggest game changers came by learning the beautiful practice of Yoga. After a few years of practicing I became a Yoga teacher and sixteen years later, here I am. I teach many classes a week but have honestly lost much of my personal practice. I am like anyone else and make a million excuses as to why I don’t “have the time” to unroll my mat or pull up a chair. I decided it is time for that to change!

Starting August 1st I am inviting anyone to join me in sharing accountability to practice Yoga consistently(again). Each day I will send out a 15-30 minute Yoga gentle session directly to your inbox that you can do on your own time and not have to worry about logging in at a certain time. Knowing that I have people like you counting on me to get on the mat, I am hoping to cultivate that glorious habit of practicing Yoga consistently again. If you need help creating a home practice time and space, check out this blog post.

Will you join me in this habit creating Yoga accountability month? It is simple to sign up!

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About Stacie

Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an E-500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes.

In addition to teaching classes at a variety of local centers and health clubs, Stacie also continues to offer Yoga and Wellness coaching individually to those seeking private sessions.

Beginnings

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“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”

– Vincent Van Gogh

We have all had that initial beginning of something.

That first time taking a fitness class, embarking on a new way of eating, beginning a mediation practice, or as simple as increasing water consumption. Sometimes the first class, or the first recipe, or the first time you sat with awareness is often the hardest.

If you are embarking on a new something consider these 5 tips:

1. Remember it is about the journey. While enthusiasm is fabulous, it can be so easy to jump from your starting point with only the end result in mind.  Whether you are looking to lose weight or increase your overall well-being it is imperative to enjoy the steps along the way.  If your only focus in losing those 20 pounds, I guarantee you will miss the joy in planning, shopping, cooking and eating that amazing meal. The tastes you experience are the end result, but the joy that can come from loving what you are creating is the journey.  Enjoy each step.

2.  Stop and breathe. Every single day find 10 minutes to simply breathe.  Inhale. Exhale with intention and awareness.  This practice will keep you grounded as your life changes.  As you embark on a new way of being, people around you will challenge you.  It is imperative that you have this tool in your tool box.  Breathe.

3. Be tender with yourself. Yes, you will stumble.  And you will miss the Yoga class because of work.  Yes, you will eat that cookie the kids leftover.  Yes you will choose soda over water.  It happens.  Start again without a litany of negative self-talk.  Instead remember that the sun does come up tomorrow and you can begin again.

4. Ask yourself those hard questions. As you begin anything new it is key to get into your heart and know what it is that you are seeking. Are you doing this for you or for someone else?  Are you doing it with the hope that you will be happier? Do you have a goal in mind or are you wanting to just explore the experience?  Are you willing to make choices and changes?  What are you willing to do to make those changes?

5. Be open to a mind shift. Do you notice that you have a series of limiting beliefs about yourself or your life? You know, things like “I don’t have enough time or money”, “I am not flexible”, “I can’t sit still long enough to meditate”, “I don’t like the taste of plain water”.  Consider what might happen if you turned those limiting beliefs into statements of hope—“I have the ability to choose where I spend my money”, “I choose to make the time, because I am worth it”, “I honor my body in a Yoga class and not compete”, “I am capable of sitting for 5 minutes today”, “I am grateful to have fresh, clean water to drink”.  Consider shifting to a belief of positivity and hope.

Why? Because YOU are worth it.

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Aligning Your Thoughts with Your Actions

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The month of March has been historically a month when where major changes occur in my own life. As I look back I see that I started the wakeup of my life that I refer to so often, I took my first Yoga class, did my first Yoga teacher training, taught my first Yoga class, and hosted my first community inclusion Yoga class where able bodied people practiced along side people in wheelchairs and other disabilities all in the month of March. You can see something fiery happens to me during the month of March and magic really starts to happen.

About seventeen years ago I woke up exhausted again and said to myself, “I am done being fat”.  I literally heard the words “I am done”. I had lived with extra weight since my first pregnancy when I was eighteen years old.  Within just four years of my first kiddo, I had three little babies and a bunch of added pounds.  I was fully investing in being a momma and unfortunately at that time I had no idea that not investing in myself was actually a disservice to them.

Carrying the extra weight also meant that I was clearly eating foods that were not the healthiest and I was doing no exercise or self-care at all. I had every excuse in the world as to why I was unable to lose weight; healthy food costs so much, I don’t have time, I am too busy, I can’t afford a gym, etc.

Clearly my mind, body and spirit were so disconnected.  I was so lost.

The day in March that I woke up and decided that I was done was in alignment with the world around me where spring was just beginning. When I think back of that time, I realize that I too was in a rebirthing or awakening from a dark and long slumber. I was beginning the journey of my own form of blossoming.

My plan consisted of many things but the foundation of it all began not with the outer or my physical body, but instead it started with cleaning up my inner world.  My thoughts.

My first course of action was that I chose to wake up one hour earlier each morning and start my day with quiet, contemplative reading.  I journaled every single morning.  My journal entries at that time were not a recount of my day or diary-like at all, instead I wrote affirmative statements such as “I am worth it”.  I also wrote down all that I was grateful for in the present, and all that I was grateful for that was coming to me.  It was something like this: “I am grateful for the food I have chosen to eat.  I am grateful for my healthy body”. The quiet and contemplative time was like a drink of cold water on a hot day; refreshing, awakening and invigorating.

The time spent still and quiet each morning began to stoke my inner fire of mindfulness.  As I became more aware of my thoughts and was purposeful for those sixty minutes, I began to train my brain to be more aware of my thoughts throughout the day.  I began to notice when my thoughts would shift to lack or negativity and I would immediately pause to reframe them to something that was positive, and true. I found that many times I was attaching myself to a made up story or a future based fear.  For example, when my thoughts were something like, “I am so heavy….I am a pig…..I can’t afford that…..I wouldn’t look good in that…..I am broke…..I am a mess”, I would stop and tell myself that all of that was a story and the truth was/is “I am worth it….I have plenty of money….I am beautiful….I am amazing….”

Once I began to remove the heavy and sludge-filled thoughts that were literally weighing me down, I became more deliberate in my actions.  Through the act of being mindful, I interrupted the patterns that were contributing to my extra weight and replaced those actions with healthier ones:

  • My walking shoes were placed on the steps that went from my garage to my house and every day when I came home from work and before ANYTHING, I slipped on my shoes and walked 40 minutes.
  • The dog’s leash was set out and every morning–rain or shine–I walked my dogs 40 minutes before work.  I slept less but as I moved more, my body was less fatigued and required less sleep that ended up actually being more restorative.
  • The kids snacks were put in the cabinet above the fridge so it literally took a step stool to get to them.  The extra work allowed time for me to really think about how much I wanted/needed cheetos.
  • Instead of going straight to the kitchen when I got done walking, I went straight to the bathtub.  Not only did this give me a self-care ritual, it interrupted a pattern of snacking before dinner.  By the time I got out of my bath, it was time to cook and I eliminated extra calories in mindless snacking.
  • I used small salad plates for every meal which tricked my brain into thinking I was eating more.
  • I taught the kids how to wash and load their own dishes because I was eating thousands of calories in leftover chicken nuggets and fries after I just ate my dinner.
  • I invested in measuring cups and a food scale.  I did this deliberately for a short time so that I would be more intentional with my choices.
  • I logged EVERY single calorie that passed through my lips.  I did this for two and a half years!  Eventually that was an obsession that I had to let go of because it was getting in the way of joy and pleasure with food, but for the time,  I needed to learn just how much food I was over-eating.  Portions and extra wasted calories were out of control.
  • I started to love who I was.  I became passionate about ME.  I was investing in myself and the results were astounding.  I was happier, my relationships improved and my life began to be incredibly vibrant.

When asked how I did it, my answer is this:  I woke up.  I opened my eyes to my life and I said yes to me.  I cleaned up my inner world of thoughts and as a result my actions became more deliberate.  I began to see my self-worth and choose to love myself by honoring my thoughts and actions. You see, it was not a crazy diet that was restrictive or extreme and I wasn’t killing myself at the gym (although that did come later and had its own set of deep lessons).  I just woke up and put intent into my life.

The teaching that I always return to is really so simple: align your thoughts with your actions and your life will change.

Every Action You Take

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Although I am probably once of the most disciplined people you’ll ever meet, I’ve been digging deep into Atomic Habits book written by James Clear all thanks to the amazing podcast Unlocking Us with Brené Brown.

I am learning about myself that while I hold myself at super high standards when it comes to my work and my exercise, I definitely avoid the things that seem scary, hard or vulnerable. For years and years I held back on doing things that would cause me to be seen more and I often make a millions excuses in my head as to why it is better to just sit back. I opt for the easier way out when it comes to the scary things that I want to do, but always make excuses for.

No more. I am committed to making small consistent changes that will help me become the type of person I want to be.

Since I have chosen my word of the year to be DELIBERATE, I am pulling my shoulders back and looking some of these things straight in the eye. I know that with consistent habits, I can maybe the changes where I become the identity of the hat I am striving for. I mean, I lost 80 pounds and totally changed my life with consistent habits that created an amazing lifestyle so I KNOW I can do this.

I was once terrified of becoming a yoga teacher and healthy person. In many ways it was much easier to complain about the things I wished were different than actually getting my little self busy on making some changes.

Every action you take is a vote for the person you want to become.

I know I can do this. You can, too! If you are already wondering how or why that resolution or goal isn’t working for you, I highly recommended reading Atomic Habits and go listen to the Unlocking Us Podcast.

Be ready to be amazed and scared all at the same time. And don’t ever feel like you are alone on this journey, because I am right here being amazed and scared with you!