Protect Your Peace. Are You Choosing Chaos or Calm?

I’ve always thought of myself as an accomplished multitasker as a mom of three, able to move seamlessly from one thing to another and keep it all together. But multitasking with too much “doing” turned into my “Grizzly Bear” of stress. You know, that fight or flight response that kicks in with high octane situations.

These days, our “Grizzly Bear” world outside the door doesn’t actually go away. Even when the perceived threat is gone, the possibilities stay lodged in our minds and we replay stressful moments. Traffic, grocery store lines, ‘adulting’ responsibilities, and day-to-day life can build layers of stress that stay lodged in the mind and body.

Stress. Burnout. Our busy lives take an emotional and physical toll that over time can deteriorate well-being. Keep reading for tips to protect your peace and my story of stress in the city.

Tips to Protect Your Peace:

• Pause. Breathe. Attune. Focus on your inhales and exhales and connect with the present moment.

• Rewire your stress response. Know that not-reacting to a trigger is the most peaceful and powerful response.

• Lighten your load. Harness the withdrawing of energy in Autumn and attune what can be released.

• Connect with calm focus in your breath. You breathe every day, 24/7. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

• Your physical yoga practice will help cultivate awareness of your internal energy. Practicing yoga poses (Asanas) helps the mind connect with calm.

• Slowing down is not an act of laziness. Reducing the speed you flow through life creates space for what you love.

• Take a break from social media. Be mindful of what you are consuming.

My Story — Mom Life in New York City with Three Children

With one child in a Baby Björn carrier, one in a stroller, and one riding a “boogie board” attached to the back of the stroller, I trekked through Central Park in New York City to every (or so it seemed) playground. I navigated subways and buses and still have all three kids to tell the tale. I traipsed through the Museum of Natural History exploring the Minerals and Gems Room and Dinosaur Floor countless times. I went to playdates, extracurricular activities, and grocery stores with all three kids in tow. After a full day of excursions, we rolled home to our hi-rise apartment on the Upper West Side for baths and dinner.

While all three children were “littles”, I completed two 200-hour yoga teacher trainings in New York City; Kundalini Yoga in 2005 and Vinyasa yoga in 2008. I completed my advanced 300-hour yoga teacher training with YogaWorks NYC and L.A./Santa Monica in 2018.

I accomplished all of this with with (cough) EASE.

Ummm…Actually, this was all quite stressful. This all called upon my super powers  of  “Being Mom” to really “Living My Yoga” off the mat in the real world of big city life with young children.

Juggling so many things at once, it turns out, did not make me more efficient. It just made me stressed out. However, through my consistent yoga practice I learned how to protect my peace.

Practicing yoga gave me tools to protect my peace and cultivate calm.

• I learned how to slow down from big city mom life and get quiet with small bits of time.

• I learned that meditation is an important daily practice to cultivate inner peace and calm.

• I learned what I was a yes for. I learned how to say no to things that were not necessary.

• I learned that it’s essential to simply stop and take a deep breath to let the “Grizzy Bear” lie down to rest and replenish.

Everything starts with the breath. Choose kindness and calm for yourself and others. Know deeply that what you send out will be mirrored back to you.

💛🌿🕊️💛🌿🕊️💛🌿🕊️💛🌿🕊️

Is it challenging to make time for yourself to practice yoga? Practice on your own schedule with MarlaYoga  pre-recorded classes online. Healthy habits start with consistency, and a little, plus often, equals a lot.

✅  A short yoga practice is a great way to reset and balance the day.  10-minute yoga classes bring consistency with calm into your day with an accessible yoga practice on demand, anytime. Fresh themes in each week of classes you can practice on your own time with journal prompt/reflections.

✅  Give yourself the gift of a self-care weekend at a MarlaYoga Retreat . Replenish, relax, and connect with your authentic self with strength and ease.

✅  Work with me — I offer private yoga for individuals and small groups, in-person or on zoom. Email marla@marlayoga.com with inquiries.