Real Life: A week in my life

In the age of social media, it's easy to get caught up in the curated versions of people's lives that are seen on Instagram and Facebook. While I am sure there are some Yoga teachers whose lives are filled with sunrise meditations, beautiful organic, vegetarian meals, time spent journalling and making vision boards between classes, and bedtime self care rituals everyday, that is not my reality as a Yoga teacher (if this is your life - show me your ways!!). There is a lot of work, hustle, and non-instagram worthy stuff that goes on behind the scenes and since I believe in capturing real life on this blog (check out my other real life series post here) I thought I would give you a little peek into what a fairly typical week looks like for me as I try to balance work, Yoga, and life. This life may not always be filtered to perfection, but it is mine and I am loving what I am creating and living everyday. 

Monday:

7:00am - Wake up with my alarm - check my emails, and social media on my phone. Get ready for the day and pack up my breakfast, lunch and vitamins to take to my day job. 

Bagel, cream cheese and apple for breakfast, mini meatloaf and mashed potatoes for lunch

Go to the computer to publish the blog post for the week that I worked on and finished over the weekend and then get out the door and head to work by 8:30. 

I get home from work around 5:00, quickly make some dinner - often I make food on Sunday that I can easily reheat and this week it was individual meatloafs. While I eat, I review my classes that I will be teaching this week. 

6:45 - I leave to teach my class at Dakota Community Centre

Savasana

I get home around 8:30 and usually shower, relax while watching some netflix and am in bed by 10:00. 

Tuesday:

Tuesday and Wednesday Morning's are the same as Monday as I work during the day.

I leave work at 4:30 on Tuesday and head down to the rec centre in St. James where I teach. I usually get there a bit early so I spend time in my car listening to podcasts, sequencing classes, going over my budget or watching youtube videos. 

After teaching I am home around 8:00 and was greeted by home-made BBQ burgers for dinner - yum! I take some time to prep and pack things up for my classes tomorrow and spend some time with my bf before heading to bed by 10:00. 

Wednesday:

After work on Wednesday I come home by 5:00, have a quick snack, and pack up everything I need for the Your Best Yoga classes. I have more prep to do for these classes as I run this program and am not just a contracted teacher. 

All the props and mats packed up and ready to go! 

I teach a Beginner Class from 6:15-7:15 and a Flow Class from 7:30-8:30 this night and get home around 9:00 to prepare a late and easy dinner of perogies and salad. I spend some more time with Netflix before heading to bed around 10:30. 

Thursday:

Today is a day off from my day job - I recently went to part time for a term to allow myself more time for teaching. I sleep until 8:30, get ready for the day, and head to breakfast with my mom at Marion Street Eatery - their Mexican breakfast is my favourite! 

After breakfast I head home to change and then have a gym date with my bf - it was leg day :(

Killed my wide legged squats today ;) 

I get home and settle in to work mode from 1:30-4:30. My to do list included setting up for the new Your Best Yoga Session (Starts February 24th - sign up now!!), writing a blog post, submitting teaching time sheets, and setting up my February Goals.

Writing class descriptions for the website

After I conquered that To-Do list, I relaxed for a bit and made myself some dinner - Roasted Sweet Potatoes and broccoli with chicken fingers and homemade honey dill sauce.

I finish up this evening sipping my favourite Celestial Seasoning's "Sleepy Time" tea and am in bed by 11:00. 

Friday: 

Day off from my day job and day off from Yoga work. It's a real day off!!! I sleep in until 9:30, have a slow morining watching Kelly and Michael Live (I seceretly Love Kelly Ripa haha), get ready for the day and then meet up with a friend for Pedicures - because when you walk around barefoot for a living, it's always pedicure season :) 

After the pedi I stop to pick up groceries, head home and make dinner and then I leave to get to an Advanced Teacher Training workshop. This weekend the workshop ran Friday from 7:00-9:00 as well as Saturday and Sunday from 1 - 4:30 and was a practice based workshop that included a silent day on Saturday. 

After Teacher Training I went home and was in bed by 11:00 - very exciting Friday night :)

Saturday:

Up around 9:00 - make a big breakfast to set me up for the workshop ahead. Take some time to post on social media on my Yoga accounts and make some notes for this blog post. Then off to teacher training. 

This day of silence was pretty intense for me. It included three 20 minute meditations that were dispersed between active and passive Asana practice as well as pranyama. 

When I got home I was starving so I had a quick snack and got ready as we were heading to the "Great Ice Show" at the Forks! We went with another couple and then headed to dinner after. 

Chillin' with the penguins ;)

Sunday: 

Honestly, Sunday the exhaustion was setting in. I was tired, a bit sore from the gym and the practice yesterday, and still had things to get done before Monday. I was feeling overwhelmed but still headed to the Teacher Training for more Asana practice and meditation. 

After teacher training I came home and ended up giving myself a break in the "get things done" department. I had put some soup in the Slow cooker before I left for teacher training so I came home to cozy up to a big bowl of that and some homemade garlic toast, did some laundry and watched Grease Live. 

Then it was off to bed in order to rest up and do it all again next week! 

If you are a teacher, I would love to hear about your experiences trying to balance it all - leave me a comment below!! :) 

Your Best Yoga Manifesto: Commit to Showing up on your Mat, no matter what

When I decided that I wanted to start my own Yoga program, it wasn't just because I wanted to teach more. It was because I wanted to create a space and program that I could infuse with my own thoughts and values about practising Yoga. I feel like my manifesto for the Your Best Yoga program touches on each of the values that I hope to bring to the program and I want to spend some time "breaking down" each line of it for better understanding. Read more about the first line of the Manifesto here! 

We can always find an excuse not to do something. Sometimes that excuse is legitimate - you are injured so you can't come to a yoga class - and other times, the excuses are barriers to us being or doing our best. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutra's there is  a list of "9 obstacles" or "vikshepas" to the practice of Yoga, and they range from illness to doubt and laziness (but perhaps we should leave Patanjali for another day :) Look it up if this is your area of interest though!). The reason I wanted to include this second line of the Your Best Yoga Manifesto is because I feel that a lot of people encounter the obstacle of fear, which stops them from trying Yoga.

People fear they won't be able to do it. Fear what people will think of them. Fear what their body is or isn't capable of. Fear of the unknown. Fear of looking silly. Fear of failing. Fear of hurting themselves. Etc. Etc..... Now, I'm not saying not to feel that fear. I'm saying if you feel it, I want you to commit to showing up on the mat anyways. Commit to yourself. Commit to trying something new, that may just make you feel fantastic! Commit to trying your best - no matter what. Let me tell you a little story that may really drive my point home...

My mom has had two knee replacements and has never done Yoga before. When I told her I was going to be offering a Beginner class she said she wanted to sign up, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to do it because of her knee replacements, as she can't put pressure on her knees which makes it difficult to get up off the floor and limits some of the other poses in the practice. I told her that I would happily modify poses for her if she wanted to attend and would make sure she felt safe throughout the practice. I really wasn't sure if she would sign up, to be honest. But then, one morning I had an email that someone had registered for the beginner class - and it was my mom. I sent her a text to let her know I received her registration and she asked where she could go to purchase a mat. She was committed!! When I spoke to her next she told me that she was looking forward to the class because she felt that she could really benefit from the increased movement and flexibility and then she said: "well I'm going to try and if I can't do it, well then I will just lay there I guess, but I'm going to try!". THIS IS COMMITTING TO SHOWING UP ON YOUR MAT, NO MATTER WHAT!!! She was going to show up, do her best, even if that meant she could do very little. She was committing to bettering herself and doing her best. Unfortunately, my mom came across another real obstacle of an injury right before the session started, so she was not able to attend, but she will be there next session - and I couldn't be happier or more proud :) 

Hope to see you in the next Your Best Yoga beginner session or in one of the Go with the Flow classes, happening every Wednesday evening from 7:30-8:30 until February 10th. The next session will start up February 24th and the details will be coming out soon so keep checking back for registration and class info!

Yoga Pose: Tree Pose

Tree Pose - Vrksasana - is my favourite of the balancing poses. It really allows me to focus on grounding into the earth (or rooting - since we are a tree ;)) while finding my balance and lengthening through the spine and upper body. Of course, there are lots of benefits to this pose, including increased balance and strengthening of the legs, feet and ankles. There are three ways you can practice Tree pose - as pictured above - you can keep the toes resting into the ground to help with balance, you can bring the foot to the inner calf, or up into the inner thigh. Work where you are at! Keep reading for more details on how to move into this pose and find a helpful visual at the end of this post. 

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Step One: Begin by standing in Tadasana, keeping your hands on your hips, focus on grounding through the four corners of your Left foot into the mat. You may want to try picking up the Right foot just to test the balance. 

Step Two: Bend the Right knee, either placing the foot to the Left inner calf, thigh, or keeping the toes onto the mat for extra support. IMPORTANT: Please do not place the foot on the knee joint.

As you bend the knee, you are externally rotating the hip joint - so the knee is now pointing away from the Left Leg. As the Right foot presses into the Left leg, the Left leg presses back into the foot. 

Step Three: Notice where your hips are in space. Often the hip on the bent leg lifts up in this pose - we want the hips to be level. Keeping the hands on the hips, try bringing the hip bones into one line. 

Step Four: Breathe and Balance. Try staying her for 10 breaths - remember, it's ok if you fall out, just try your best! 

Palms can join at Heart center.

Shoulders release down and away from the ears.

Spine is long, reaching through the crown of the head as the foot continues to ground you to the earth. 

Perhaps you can raise the arms, stretching and lengthening through the upper body, reaching the finger tips to the sky. 

Step Five: To release, bring the hands back to the hips and carefully step the right foot to the floor. Now try on the other side! 

Your Best Yoga Manifesto: Yoga is for Everyone

When I decided that I wanted to start my own Yoga program, it wasn't just because I wanted to teach more. It was because I wanted to create a space and program that I could infuse with my own thoughts and values about practising Yoga. I feel like my manifesto for the Your Best Yoga program touches on each of the values that I hope to bring to the program and I want to spend some time "breaking down" each line of it for better understanding. Today I am starting with the first and perhaps most important piece - Yoga is for Everyone. 

When I started teaching in 2012 I found that often when I would tell people that I taught Yoga, or invited them to a class, they would respond with a version of “Yoga is too hard for me, I can’t do it”. Certainly, if you see photos of Yogi’s doing extraordinary poses and think that is what you are in for when you enter your first Yoga class, the fear and intimidation factor is understandable (something  I addressed in this blog post). This is truly why I created the Your Best Yoga Program. This program has only one expectation of the participants – simply do YOUR best. Everyone has different levels of ability, flexibility, and fitness, and EVERYONE* can do yoga and reap the benefits! Benefits that can include: improved strength, flexibility, mobility, stress and pain reduction, as well as emotional and mental health. 

Lets try something... 

Stand up, bring your feet hip distance apart, with your toes pointing straight ahead. Stand tall, shoulders back and down away from your ears, arms rest by your sides. Take 5 deep breaths, standing tall, right where you are. 

Congratulations - you've just done Yoga! I'm betting almost everyone can manage that short practice (Note: I understand there are people who are unable to stand and assure you that there are amazing modified chair practices out there as well :)) 

Yoga is NOT just for one gender, body shape, fitness level, age, weight etc. It is for everyone and everyone can do Yoga in some form or another. Let me prove it to you... ;)

If this is your year to try Yoga and you live in Winnipeg, I hope to see you in the Your Best Yoga Beginner or Flow classes this year! If you're thinking about the Beginner class - don't wait - register by January 6th!

*Anyone with health concerns or injuries should always check with a medical professional before beginning any new physical activity.

Your Best Year Yet - Kick Off!!!

2016 is just around the corner, and I want this to be YOUR best year yet! To kick off the New Year, and give you the best start possible, this year's FIRST Your Best Yoga "Go with the Flow" class is turning itself into a bit of a party!!! We will start with a FREE Flow style yoga class - because I think moving your body in a way that feels good for you is an important part of having your best year yet. There will be snacks - because, snacks are always good. And last but not least, there will be some awesome door prizes for Winnipeg retailers and restaurants!! I hope to see you there!

Click here and here for more information on the Your Best Yoga program and the values that I have based this program on. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or if you feel unsure if Yoga is right for you - I would love to chat :) sandrayogawpg@gmail.com

See you January 6th at 7:30pm!!! 

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