Life is full of practices and I think it is cool to be aware of what they do for you. That is why, at the end of a yoga class, I often ask everyone to see if they notice a positive change as a result of their practice. It could be about how they feel their body, how they find their breathing, or maybe they notice that their mind seems more calm and clear! To me, it is all about increasing the awareness muscle in order to live a more conscious and joyous life. That is also the reason why, when on social media, I like to use the hashtag #awarenessiseverything. I really believe it is. Being aware is our opportunity to know about thoughts, emotions, automatic reaction patterns, and so much more, and then we can make changes in the way we live if we want to.
The other day I realised that the practices I have started lately have taught me things that I did not expect to learn from them. It has been like receiving a bonus on top of what I signed up for.
Before I go any further I wanted to give my first example of when I realised I was learning something I did not expect, and that is when I had children. I learned about patience. I had no idea having children would teach me patience to the degree it did. I was used to doing everything in my own time!
Here are more recent examples of practices that have given me surprise outcomes and that I am benefitting a lot from.
I did not expect that:
- Yoga practice would give me a feeling of lightness in the body that sometimes reminds me of how I felt when I was moving as a child.
- Practising mindfulness meditation would lead me to treat myself as my best friend, and give me a deeper feel of what human connection is.
- Practising the Wim Hof breathing method would dissipate a fear I had within me.
- Going regularly into cold water would make me feel more confident in daily life.
- Drinking fresh celery juice every morning would make me less needy of sugary stuff 🙂
- Having a dog would make me enjoy waking up my body with a walk every morning.
I must admit I enjoyed putting this list together. Maybe you would like to do this for yourself too? Awareness brings presence and more joy and once you know what works for you you can do more of it – intentionally!
Wishing you well – Annette X
