My Yoga Brain

In my yoga classes I often discuss how yoga has changed my brain.  Yoga has changed me in many ways, but I am continually surprised at how yoga philosophy inspires the way I think and the way I organize my thoughts.  I'm sharing this because as I start planning the Best Me challenge I know I will approach it with my yoga brain.  As we set our goals and plan our meals and exercise our bodies, I will constantly be considering how each goal will impact us in mind, body, and spirit.

When I plan meals I see food as fuel not only for myself but for my family, as well.  I remember how carefully I ate while I was pregnant and nursing.  I remember how I honored and cared for my body.  Why did I stop having this same reverence for myself after I was done nourishing children??  I deserve to have healthy food just as much as my kids.  In fact, I don't deserve healthy food...I need it to to survive and thrive.

However, when I plan meals I also consider how I will feel emotionally after I eat the meal.  Will I feel guilty for indulging in a greasy burger?  Will I feel full?  Will I be proud that my plate was filled with fresh veggies?  We all know that what we eat can not only make us feel full physically.  We can feel emotionally burdened with guilt or regret.  WHY DID I EAT THAT?!!  More on letting go of guilt later on.  We can feel refreshed and fortified. We can have a sense of accomplishment when we don't overeat. When you take the time to plan meals I think you will find yourself less rushed...which means you won't be eating prepackaged foods. That feels soooooooo good. One of my biggest goals for this project is encouraging you to cook meals at home absolutely as often as possible, and I don't mean popping a Stouffer's lasagna in the oven. You will remove almost all of the guilt from your eating if you make as much as you can from scratch. I promise.

Meal time is also an amazing opportunity to sit down with your family and discuss the day. I want meal time to be enjoyable for everyone, so sometimes that means preparing meals that the kids love but maybe aren't nutritionally the best choice. My kids love pigs in a blanket, and even though I use nitrate free hotdogs and make my own "blankets" from scratch, it still isn't a meal I'd feel good about feeding them every night. However, I feel good knowing that I made something they love and something they will probably look back on fondly when they are older.

The point of all this? I hope that you, too, can begin to analyze each goal on your Best Me journey with a yoga brain. I hope you begin asking yourself how decisions impact you not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. I believe that if you can find a yoga brain of your own your journey will be much more enjoyable.

Namaste, friends! I leave you with some photos of me using my yoga brain. :-)