Yoga is a popular practice for improving health, boosting energy and reducing stress, but very few people can say they are truly addicted to it. Now, what if we were to tell you that you have been addicted to yoga for years and you didn’t even know it? These 10 signs can help you confirm that you really are a yoga addict.
Heres a question. Do you love yoga? Yoga is cool, right? You love it! You have been learning that new pose that looks so cool when you’ve been practicing it for years. You love breathing. You love feeling the stretch in your body when you hold it for 10 breaths. You love that peaceful feeling after you’ve been doing it for an hour. You love that feeling you get when you’ve been doing it every day for two months.
Gratitude is a powerful tool we can use to live a more meaningful and compassionate life. The amazing thing about gratitude is that you can cultivate it within yourself simply by being more grateful. The analogy of pretending until it works applies: The more we practice gratitude, the more grateful we become.Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough conducted one of the many studies that confirmed this concept by comparing the well-being of participants who wrote down what they were grateful for each week and participants who kept lists of things that bothered them. As expected, participants who focused on gratitude improved their well-being, and it was inferred that conscious attention to charity may have emotional and interpersonal benefits.
When you feel overwhelmed by life, put your hands on your heart, close your eyes and repeat one of these simple phrases to yourself.
1. Every experience I have is perfect for my growth.
This quote from Louise Hay can remind us that in every moment we are exactly where we need to be, and that every experience we encounter contributes to our growth.
2. Nowhere to go, nothing to do, nothing to fix.
I love using this reminder, especially at times of the day when I’m trying to relax and my brain just can’t shut down, like at the end of a yoga class or when I’m relaxing after a long day at work.
3. I have everything I need.
Is there a problem now? Is there anything you really need right now? Chances are you have everything you need right now.
4. I appreciate the abundance in my life and allow myself to grow in gratitude, success and joy each day.
Try this simple exercise:
Sit in a comfortable position, place your hands over your heart and close your eyes. Think of one thing you are truly grateful for right now. Breathe in that person or thing and focus on the sensations in your body that come from gratitude and joy. How do you feel gratitude in your body?
Take a few deep breaths as you continue to focus on these feelings of gratitude or love. Then, with each exhale, imagine this feeling spreading through your body. As you exhale, keep expanding this feeling of love and joy until it completely surrounds you and expands to touch everything around you. Keep breathing and imagine the light of gratitude surrounding your entire town or village until it spreads throughout the planet.
5. Dhanya Wad.
This Sanskrit phrase meaning I am grateful can be used as a mantra throughout the day to naturally calm your mind.
6. Thank you for your food, and thank you well.
Before each meal is a good time to practice gratitude. Whether you say a prayer or give thanks in your own way, take a moment to focus on the food on your plate. Look closely at the colors and textures and think of all the hands that helped get this dish on your plate. From the farmer to the truck driver to the person who prepares the meals, be grateful.
7. Gratitude brings me to a harmonious relationship with the good in everyone and everything around me.
Gratitude has the ability to naturally lift you up, place you in a higher vibration and attract better energy, so don’t forget it!
8. Life is a dream. Whatever I’m looking for is on its way.
This gentle reminder is a great affirmation to use when waking up in the morning or right before bed.
9. Right now, I’m grateful for …..
Take a moment in your day, perhaps before you start your work day, to think of something you are grateful for. This simple exercise immediately gets you out of your routine and helps you sink into a state of contentment.
10. I can clearly see what I have to be grateful for in life. I acknowledge with gratitude the blessings I have received in my life.
You may think many things are obvious, but as we go about our day, we often forget to tune into that understanding. Instead of noticing the many blessings that are already around us, we often fall into patterns of lack and scarcity. We hope you will use these ten simple reminders or mantras to help you feel grateful throughout the day.