Slow Down...Breathe...Pause

By Bethany, founder of Serenity Yoga Suffolk.

How often do you stop, listen and breathe? Are you a human being or a human doing? Busy doing everything our crazy lives tempt us into?

From work to school runs, seeing friends, walking the dog, working out. Getting your little people to their respective activities can feel like a full time job in itself!

So I’ll ask you again, when was the last time you had time to just pause?

As a yoga teacher you might think that I have hours to myself to pause, reset and recharge - but you would be very wrong in thinking that! Because after all, I too am a human being who is always, always doing!
So that’s why I wanted to write this, to give you the opportunity to breathe with me. So give yourself five minutes with this article, to sow a seed in you that maybe mindfulness and wellness doesn’t have to look how you’d expect.

Can you stop on a dog walk, close your eyes and do nothing but listen to birdsong or rustling leaves in the trees or hedges?

Could you start your day five minutes earlier and listen to a mini meditation? Or finish your day with a ten minute bed time yoga stretch? There are some amazing yogis on YouTube with these sort of offerings.

Take your lunch break and go outside.

How about finding joy in the doing that you have to do, like cooking or cleaning? Cook meals that are colourful and healthy, clean with your music on full volume and dance around like nobody is watching!

The very joy of being an incredible human being is that we can find our happiness and clear headspace in so many different ways - find one that works for you! Run, walk, dance, cycle, ride a horse, cuddle a dog or cat, sing, chat with friends, write, colour or draw, get out in nature - feel the rain on your face, the wind in your hair or the sun on your back! Curl up on the sofa or have a duvet and pyjama day!

Learn about yourself, take yourself on a date, find you again - you beautiful human being!

Bethany is the founder of Serenity Yoga Suffolk. Teaching classes in Norton, Haughley, Thorpe Morieux, Great Ashfield and Thurston. She has a strong online presence with virtual classes on YouTube and has a book called The Space Between Your Toes.