Motivating Mantras

lavender sky

I’m finally back to teaching yoga. Not as a full time gig because my children are still little, but enough to keep my yogi toes wet and yogi mind nimble.

My maternity leave gave me a much needed sabbatical to reset and recalibrate my mindset. The short time away made me question: What keeps me motivated?

Now that maintaining a healthy lifestyle jumped to the forefront, I realized that I need constant reminders of why I do what I do.

Why do I love teaching?

Why am I so strict with my diet?

How can I incorporate essential “Me Time?”

Without these questions/motivators all my hard work can be easily sabotaged at my own volition. Do I want pizza? Fuck yes, I want pizza! Now what? Remember the larger picture and I think about the woman I want to be. She is a woman who is self-disciplined and wants to teach her kids that creating what you want out of life takes work.

So what keeps me motivated to teach yoga?

My self practice because when I practice, I am walking my walk. When I practice I discover uncharted nuances of a pose or of how breath moves that I can then pass on to you. I love to see other people excited to move their bodies freely and without pain or discomfort. I love to see other women accept and adore their bodies no matter what age or size. I want to give someone the gift of exploring their bodies potential.
I keep my body active and strong to be healthy and show others that any body holds the power to transform.

Why am I so strict with my diet?

I’m an all or nothing kind of girl. I learned the hard way with alcohol that my willpower and ability to make good choices gets trashed the second I give in to alcohol and sugar. Yes, sugar! There’s no such thing as me having one drink or one cookie so therefore, I have no room for either in my life. OK, I might have a cookie as a special treat. I DO eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein and I also admit that I can get bored with this, so I look for inspiration online, television shows, or restaurants. Being adventurous with food and loving to cook really helps me with exploring options so I can feel satisfied. I remind myself, as an intuitive, my abilities thrive when I’m nourishing my body with high quality foods.
I nourish my body for fuel and focus.

How do I find “Me Time?”

This is tricky with two little kids. I take me time every chance I can. Early morning tends to be my best option or I ask for some time in the evening to be alone. It’s important for me to have solitdude and sit with my own thoughts because in being alone comes major self discovery. Sitting silently, meditating, or just being quiet to hear your own thoughts, connects you back to yourself. To do this I unplug and desensitize from social media, the TV, and phone, then my mind can relax.
I give myself the gift or relaxation to become a better me.

So there you have it. Also, and this is important, I remind myself to have fun and not take myself so seriously because I am, as we all are, a work in progress. Nothing happens over night.

Xoxo. Namaste,
Monica