Having a blissful state of mind is a conscious choice I make regularly. I really believe that regardless of our circumstances, we can make this choice. I wrote this blog post while I was still in Costa Rica but waited to publish it so I could reflect on these practices in “real life” after my return. If there’s anything I’ve learned through all the moving, adjusting, and changing, it’s that if you don’t nurture your own health and happiness, everything else will fall apart (or at least feel as though it is). I hope this list can help you recharge your bliss too!
1. Salutes of Gratitude
My yoga salutes of gratitude are basically dedicated rounds of varied sun salutes. I generally do 5 rounds and use a different gratitude mantra for each round. An example mantra might be, “I am grateful for the abundance of this beautiful day” or “I am grateful for my healthy, able body”. If you are new to yoga and not too familiar with leading yourself through sun salutes, start by just standing with your feet hip distance apart and inhale, lifting your arms up overhead, bringing palms together, exhale bringing your hands down into your chest. Keep your abdominals engaged, knees slightly bent and sturdy rooted energy through your feet. Get creative, adding on to this basic beginning and do what feels right for your body that day. Some days I do half salutes; while others I lose myself in super twisted flows… accept how you feel in the moment and go with it. The purpose is really to fill your heart with gratitude so you live the day with compassion and bliss.
2. Meditate
I think every post I read about healthy living includes meditation and I now know why. Yes, I’ve been a novice meditator for over a year but transitioning to daily meditations is a game changer. I find myself meditating through out the day in quick moments just to clear my head. I allow deep soothing breaths to remove tension in my mind and my body. I’ve also started to use sound and music meditations. One album I really like is Peter Kater’s Light Body. I found a sample of it on You Tube here. This is the heart chakra track. I like to place my hands on my heart or whichever chakra I am meditating on to send healing energy to that area.
3. Spend Time in Nature
Take a little walk and notice the butterfly that passes you by or the way the tree grows slightly tilted. Pay attention to the sites and sounds around you. Take your workout outdoors and soak up the sun! This is why I love SUP so much and SUP yoga and running and well basically anything outdoors. Noticing nature allows us to see things the way they really are, not a projection of how we assume they should be.
4. Healthy Living
I know my happiness depends on healthy lifestyle choices. I feel the best when I am eating healthy, non-processed whole foods and getting all the nutrients my body requires. I have to sweat almost everyday and feel best when I mix up my workout routine, not getting over consumed by just running or just cycling. I must get massive amounts of water to feel hydrated and pure. To me keeping a balance is key, as well as moderation. Living a healthy lifestyle keeps me grounded and makes me feel the most blissful.
5. Trusting Intuition and the Cycle of Life
At the end of the day, in order to maintain bliss, we must surrender to the universe and just trust that our life journey is so special and unique. We must believe that no matter what happens, we will survive and grow. Mistakes are not mistakes when you learn from them. I truly believe listening to our intuition and allowing our life choices to come from a “tuned in” place of heart, is the key to moving forward.
I’ve recently taken a huge leaps of faith with my business/career life and when anxiety or fear starts to creep in, I just take a deep breathe, remind myself that trusting my intuition one step at a time has worked well so far and one way or another, I have to answer the calling so why not try now, right?
Headstand in Costa Rica!
Just for the record, I have no idea how anyone has ever started a business without some sort of recharging bliss methods. I’d love to hear other ideas or ways to calm a crazy mind so please share below or email me: info@puresupyoga.com!
Sending Light & Love,
Britt
