4 Steps to Building (And Maintaining) Your Home Yoga Practice

By Emily Graham || mightymoms.net

Nothing compares to practicing yoga with your community, but when you can’t be with your fellow yogis in person, cultivating a home practice is the next best thing. Some yogis, (even experienced ones), may feel overwhelmed when making decisions about, which room would work best and how much space is needed. There isn’t a right or wrong answer to these questions, but we hope to help you find the answers that will get you on your way.

#1  Prepare Your Space

If you want to create the experience of being at your favorite class, it’s worth setting up a home yoga space that has the features you’d expect from a professional studio. Start by choosing a room in your home that’s convenient and comfortable. Converting a spare room into a dedicated yoga space is ideal, but you can also clear a space in your living room, or even your bedroom.

Firstly, if your budget allows, it’s worth investing in flooring that has some give, such as rubber flooring. Additionally, think about other ways you can make the space ideal for yoga. For example, House Beautiful recommends decorating your home yoga space with colors that are light and soothing and with using warm lighting. A floor length mirror is highly recommended, so you can make self-corrections, and you’ll also need dedicated storage for your yoga props, such as a good sized floor basket or a spare drawer. You should also take steps to ensure this space is free of things that cause anxiety and stress, as this will ultimately distract from your yoga practice.

If you’re not sure how to get this process started, get in touch with the us… schedule your Discovery Call today.

#2  Find Your Groove

Now that your yoga space, or room, is set up, it’s time to plan your routine and structure your sessions. You have a couple of options to choose from and you may even find that you like a combination of several ideas. One option is to take an online class. The major benefit of these classes is, you get the guidance and expertise of your favorite instructors, plus it takes the guesswork out of your practice.

When you want to try something new, you can also create your own practice by incorporating specific moves. The best way to start is to find moves that fit where you are with your practice - and what your body and mind need most. For example, you could create a sequence that focuses on yoga for mental health. Simple poses like standing forward fold, dancer, and warrior 2 are a few mental health favorites. Another way to get started is to build a sequence based on a structure. Following this method, Yoga Journal recommends beginning with opening poses, then moving on to standing poses, inversions, and so on until you get to closing postures.

#3  Set a Schedule

When you practice yoga at home, you aren’t restricted by class times, which can be both helpful and challenging. You’re free to practice on your own schedule, but the key is to SET a schedule because that’s what will keep you on track. Some experts recommend doing yoga first thing in the morning before having breakfast, but of course, that timing isn’t ideal for everyone. The best timing is really whenever you can commit to doing it consistently. The one time you DON’T want to practice is right after a meal.

#4  Keep Going!

One of the hardest things about doing anything on your own, is that you also have to supply your own motivation. And while you may assume that motivation to practice yoga should come naturally, we all need a little boost at times. If your motivation needs a boost, try these tips from Treehugger, which include setting an intention for your practice and taking any pressure off of yourself to perform a certain way.

#namaste

On top of everything else you do, remember that your yoga community is never very far away. Your home yoga practice can’t replace regular classes, but it CAN be a great solution for those times when in-person class isn’t an option.

5 Simple Ideas To Keep Your Home Tidy and Restful

By Emily Graham || mightymoms.net 

Our living environment plays a critical role in our everyday lives. You spend a lot of time at home, so shouldn’t it be a sanctuary that promotes rest and relaxation?

While there are countless home improvement ideas out there, sometimes all you have to do is declutter and keep it all tidy. Clutter has proven to create or exacerbate stress, and getting rid of the clutter in your environment can significantly reduce your stress levels.

You might be wondering how you can possibly keep a tidier home with everything you have going on. Easier said than done, right? Well, we have listed 5 simple strategies to consider working into your schedule, that will prove well worth it in turning your home into a sanctuary.

1. Purge Your Closet… (this is a big one!)

A good first step is to go through your closet. If there are any items that you haven’t worn in the past year, do an honest self-assessment— ask yourself, will you actually wear them at all in the coming year? If not, chances are those pieces will forever sit in your closet, taking up space and collecting dust.

To start your purge, sort all your clothes into 3 piles; Keep, Toss, or Store. Gently-used items in your toss pile, can be sold online to pad your budget (ka-ching!), or consider donating them to a local nonprofit.

For more tips and tricks, check out How To Organize Your Closet

2. Declutter Everything Else

Once you’ve taken care of your closet, tackle the rest of your home, one room at a time. You might be surprised by how much décor and stuff you have lying around, that you don’t really need anymore. Consider storing away some of your sentimental pieces for safekeeping and minimizing your décor, furniture, and other elements to create more breathing room in your living environment.

3. Get Your Furniture Cleaned

If you have any upholstered furniture that’s seen better days, consider getting it cleaned. Along with helping your home look tidy, cleaning your furniture can remove bad odors, refresh the fabric, and make your pieces look new again.

Look to a site like Angi for online reviews to find a few furniture cleaning companies in your area. Once you’ve found several different companies, get some customer referrals and estimates before choosing who to hire.

TIP: If possible, avoid hiring cleaners who use all-in-one solutions.

4. Invest in attractive storage solutions.

Another way to keep your home tidy is to find storage solutions to incorporate into your interior design. Using the right storage allows you to keep everything you need within reach, without cluttering up the space. Invest in shelving and closed storage like jars, bins and containers. These solutions that will help you stay organized while adding to the overall aesthetic of each room.

TIP: Start with your pantry!

5. Come Up with A Cleaning Routine

Taking a weekend or two to deep clean your home can make a major difference in fostering rest and relaxation.

Develop a routine for keeping your living space clean and tidy. Your cleaning schedule will largely depend on your lifestyle and obligations. Some people clean for 15 minutes a day, some tackle one room a day, and others clean for a little longer every few days. Figure out a regiment that helps you to maintain a comfortable, clean, and organized living environment.

TIP: Don’t let this mount up. Deep cleaning your home regularly and keeping a tide home will keep your stress levels down.

In The End…

Your home should be a place where you can escape your daily obligations and find rest. Consider the tips above for making and keeping your living environment clean and tidy. Not only will your home look more appealing, but it will also benefit your overall health and well-being in the process.

Till next time… #livelifebeautifully

Hugs

Lynda

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Best Girlfriends Weekend Getaway in Upstate New York

Hey You!

Are you thinking of planning a girls’ weekend getaway and not sure where to begin? Well, I’ve got you covered. Keeping on reading and start planning your trip today! #getinsipred

My girlfriends and I just got back from an amazing weekend getaway in Update New York. It was our first time in the Catskills and Hudson Valley regions and our visit was… perfection!

 Initially, the plan was to go to one of Arizona’s spa retreats and when that didn’t work out due to scheduling, availability, etc., I come up with plan B; mini-road trip!  Since it was just for the weekend (Friday – Sunday), the destination had to be no more than a 2 hour drive from NYC. Also, we travelled with a dog, so everything had to be dog friendly, (woof, woof!).  

 Here are the highlights of our Update New York trip.

 Where We Stayed

 The Woodhouse Lodge

This place is gorgeous! We got there around 7pm on Friday and we were greeted by our host with a chilled glass of Rosé; who wouldn’t like that! Our room was very comfortable and clean, but the main lodge (what they call the A Frame), was the show stopper. It was perfectly designed, featuring modern décor, with a touch of rustic flare, that worked beautifully to highlight the building’s mid-century architecture.

 The Grounds

The property sits on 4 acres of nothing a but serene beauty. Oh… the hammocks are crazy comfortable!

 … and Yoga!

Being September, the morning air was crisp, fresh and just right for our private yoga class, that was taught by the amazing Kelley Curran. It was hands down the best Yoga class I’ve ever had😊😊

Thanks Kelley – Namaste.

 Where We Eat… and drunk of course!

 The Woodhouse Lodge is located in Greenville, NY and by the time we arrived and checked in, the local eateries had already closed for the evening; but that was a good thing. We ended up going to Hudson, NY, which is just a 30 minute drive away and that’s how we ended up at the…

 Backbar

A low key supper cool spot, with the most delicious Malaysian cuisine. Everything we had was spot-on (yum) and the cocktails were aaaaamazing ; the Savage Garden (tequila, watermelon, passion fruit and prosecco) was my fav.

Source: Backbar

Source: Backbar

 The River Grill

This restaurant sits right on the banks of the Hudson River and is open May – September. They have an outdoor wood-fired grill, where all the meals are prepared, which is kinda cool. It was a chilly September evening and they offered us blankets, which we really appreciated.

Source: Stewart House

Source: Stewart House

Wm Farmer & Sons

Also located in Hudson, NY. We had a late lunch here on our last day and the weather was perfect for alfresco dining. The brunch-lunch menu mostly had chicken dishes. We had Abigail’s Fried Chicken Basket, Hot Dip basket and the Chicken Sandwich and it was delicious. The décor of the interior space was beautiful. This spot is known to have a great dinner scene, so reservations are highly recommended.

Source: Wm Framer & Sons

Source: Wm Framer & Sons

NOTE: Check out Amtrak for scheduled lines to Hudson, NY. There are amazing places to stay in town too, if you opt not to drive.

 What We Also Did

 After Yoga on Saturday, we went hiking at the Hannacroix Preserve  . On our way back, we popped into Sister Salvage for some antiquing. On Sunday, we also stopped by Door 21, which is a huge warehouse brimming with all kinds of antiques. We were there for about an hour and a half, but we needed more time…. There’s just too much to see. Lastly, we took loads and loads of pictures!

In the end, our weekend gateway was just what the doctor ordered to recharge the mind, body and soul.

Please comment and let me know when and where your next girls getaway will be.

 Till next time,

#livebeautifully #getinspired

Hugs, Lynda

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