On Exhaling, Yoga, And My Self-Care Royalty Status
By Kristine Kaoverii Weber | November 12, 2020
I don’t know about you, but I kinda feel like I’ve been holding my breath since March.
I exhaled last Saturday and I was surprised by what happened next. I thought I was humming along just-fine-thank-you-very-much but what I discovered is that I was lugging around a lot more stress than I had realized.
Suddenly I felt tired. Really tired. I stumbled through the day, went to bed at 7, woke up for a bit and drank a cup of ginger tea, and then crashed again until morning.
Feeling so deeply tired made me stop and reflect on the extraordinary stress of this year and realize that, as someone who likes to think of herself the Queen of Self-Care, I have been falling a little short in my royal duties (I think I’ve been demoted to Baroness).
As I began feeling into my tiredness, I also realized that as much as I love my work, my family, and my life – I really need to prioritize self-care right now.
I used to think of yoga as a healthy habit, a lifestyle choice – something that I was very fortunate to learn about and build habits around when I was young. Before March, I thought about yoga as something I was fortunate to have the time, the knowledge, the training, the experience to regularly practice. It helps that I married a yoga enthusiast (who in his solid, Capricorn-kind-of way, is hands down the King of Consistency).
But after this year, I am seeing things differently.
I no longer think of yoga as a healthy habit. Now, it’s a lifeline.
In the U.S., self-care is all the rage these days and it’s no wonder because America, being such an individualistic culture, forces its citizens to take good care of themselves.
Except that we don’t.
As a people, we don’t take very good care of ourselves at all. We don’t have the time, the money, the wherewithal, the knowledge, etc. to take good care of ourselves. 6 out of 10 of us has at least one chronic disease, and 4 out of 10 have two or more.
(source CDC)
I would never suggest that yoga is the ultimate answer to all these problems – they are complex and require a systems approach. But what is clear is that there is a critical need for low-risk, low-cost, person-centered, scalable self-care strategies to help people build wellness and resilience.
Yoga meets this need beautifully.
So, let’s dive a little deeper into self-care – I think sometimes it is seen as something you spend leisure time and money on, like a pedicure or a spa day (and who doesn’t love a little of that?!) But I think it’s superficial to stop there – self-care is much more than a day at the spa, or shopping, or Netflix binges, or boxed wine.
Self-care is the active participation in different domains of your life that can help you be happier, better rested, calmer, more focused, and more resilient – qualities that are in short supply these days.
I like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) model of self-care called “The 8 Dimensions of Wellness.”
It helps me remember that there may be dimensions I’m neglecting.
For me, yoga addresses some aspect of just about every one of these dimensions.
- Physical: It’s lovely to have a practice that enhances my physical health every day and can be adapted to meet my energy levels, busyness, emotional landscape, and sleep needs.
- Intellectual: I could study this stuff for several lifetimes and only scratch the surface.
- Environmental: My practice helps me to become more aware of my environment and prioritize beauty and simplicity.
- Emotional: How many thousands of times have I’ve felt crappy, took it to my mat, and watched it transform into peace and acceptance?
- Financial: Yoga has helped me get clearer about how I earn and spend money and to look at my values and priorities and make better decisions about finances.
- Social: Most of my friends do yoga and my whole social life is pretty much built around it.
- Spiritual: Yoga strengthens my relationship to my higher power.
- Occupational: Teaching yoga is a great honor and privilege that I am incredibly grateful for.
When I prioritize making time to practice, I know that I’m tending to self-care in many of these dimensions.
There is a lot of craziness going down right now. There are many reasons to remain vigilant and to be paying close attention to what’s going on. And so, it’s more important than ever to counter the stress of all that effort with effective self-care tools like daily practice.
During the election, major news outlets like NPR, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal were all offering yoga tips to get through the stress of it all. So, yoga has clearly gone mainstream. But practicing regularly? Well that requires some attention, planning, focus and commitment.
I need to be strong right now. And that’s why I can no longer think of my yoga practice as a nice habit.
I’m getting my queenly groove back. And the Queen has an announcement to make: my yoga practice is a non-negotiable.
I’ll be hosting a free, 5 Day Farewell 2020 Self-Care Challenge from November 21-25. Keep an eye out. If you sign up, you’ll get stick figure cheatsheets of the practice, PLUS chances to win fun prizes.
CHAIR YOGA FOR YOUR BRAIN & NERVOUS SYSTEM
SUBTLE® YOGA FOR ENHANCING TRAUMA RECOVERY
Five Ways Yogic Meditation Benefits Your Brain – eBook
QUESTIONS?
We would love to hear from you!
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Love the self-care challenge!! Sign me up please!
Would like to do the challenge
Sign me up please
Hey Jackie,
I should have a link next week – so keep any eye out!
Sign me up please.
Hey Annie,
Please keep an eye out for the sign up link!
That sounds great I’m all in
PLease do sign me up. Also, is this sharable with others who aren’t part of the Society?
Here’s a link Annie – and yes, everyone can join! please invite your friends! https://go.subtleyoga.com/farewell-2020-1
What a great read. Good resources and wonderful inspiration to commit more fully to yoga practice as a necessary element of my self care.
Thanks Genny!
I’m ready!!!
It’s time!
A 5-day practice right before Thanksgiving. What a treat!
Sign me up please, I am loving your courses and feel the benefits of them in my classes. Thank you so much! !
I’d love to join you.
Yes, I’m in! And I agree — perfect timing!
This is so timely for me. Not only is there the virus, politics etc. but my husband is dealing with some health issues, and the holidays are coming!! I will gratefully join you.💕
I’m in. So nice to incorporate these practices into my regular morning practice times.
I’m rewatching your Yoga & Neuroscience Connection course after a misdirected anger episode at work. It was my first meltdown in years, I need Farewell 2020!
It’s coming!
Just keep an eye out. And sorry about work – I feel like people are really easily triggered these days (myself included!)🤪
Thank you so much for sharing all this! I, too, am feeling the stress and craving more sleep lately. We are in an unusual time and place right now, and I’ve been creating more stress by trying to be a good example. Ironic, isn’t it?
Being in the Subtle Yoga Resilience Society has been SO important to me, and your generosity and patience is awesome. But girl, you need to be good to yourself! We need you! Sending you lots of love and healing energy. (And I’m taking your advice and practicing extreme self-care.)
Yes! Extreme self-care – I’m getting off the computer now…LOL!
Brilliant. Thanking you immensely. I recently stated that “Yoga can be a lifeline; it is daily for me” in a training, and you would have thought I said “I’m a carrier of Covid, Ebola, All the Cancers,” etc etc; I think they recoiled at “lifeline” phrasing, because, to them, it “didn’t sound YOGA enough”.
I’m off to shower, tea, and sleep now…. OH, and it’s 6:10pm! Yoga teaches us to ‘Listen to, and honor, your body’. I shall live my yoga off the mat, too—-everyday! Shalom&Namaste
Hi Amanda,
I agree, it is a lifeline for me for sure! Enjoy your early night. xoxo
You’ve put your royal finger right on the exposed nerve, Kristine! What a beautifully written piece of wisdom. I read somewhere recently that the true definition of self-care is when we design our lives so that we don’t have to regularly escape from them!
Thanks Susanna. 👑 I love that definition!
Please sign me up. I’ve loved the short videos I’ve experienced with you and want to continue my own self-care during these coming stressful winter months where probably I won’t be able to see my children and grand children who live in another state.
Hey Sylvia,
I should have a link next week – so keep any eye out!
Will the link come via email? Sign me up please
Hey Michele,
yes, they’ll be an email.
Please keep an eye out for the sign up link!
Thank you for this thoughtful piece. I would like to join you—. I appreciate your attitude of acceptance and inclusion in the practice sessions.
Please add me to the challenge.
Hey Jeannette,
Please keep an eye out for the sign up link!
Please sign me up for the self-care challenge Thanks
Hey Darrell,
Please keep an eye out for the sign up link!
Once again, I received just what I needed from your words. Receiving what’s needed in the moment is clearly motivational. Keep sharing 💓
I am interested in the farewell 2020 self care challenge.
Please and Thank YOU. What a Happy Birthday present!
Please sign me up
Hi Annie,
Please keep an eye out for the link!
I think this is a great idea. WIll join you.
That really hit the spot – the spot where everything else comes before self-care. I have needed it so much in the past weeks and months yet been unable to consistently access it – why is that? This was a great reminder of the value of this lifeline, so much more than just a nice way to spend some time (although it is that also!) Thanks, will keep a lookout for the 5 day class!
Hey Sue,
I think when we are in a fight or flight mode, it’s really difficult to stop and do self-care practices. I feel like this whole year has been one big fight or flight!! So, it does require some cajoling to get myself to practice sometimes, but I never regret it! Hope you can join us for the challenge! xo
I have been feeling just this, kept going and recently. just in a flunk.
glad I am not alone – thankyou for confirmation.
I look forward to the self care x
please sign me up for the course
Hey Jane,
Please keep an eye out for the sign up link.
I would like to do the challenge – sign me up please… thank you.
Hi Ruby,
Please keep an eye out for the sign up link
Well said! I can’t wait for the challenge 🙂
Sign me up thank you!
id like to try the 5 day course please
Boy, did I need this…. i want to do the challenge…. Thank you so much for all that you are doing, Kristine. Blessings
Yes please include me in the challenge it sounds great!
Thank you so much for your continued inspiration and encouragement! I really enjoy reading your blog posts and learning from you. I look forward to joining in on the Farewell 2020 Challenge as well! 🙂
I agree with the point we should start to prioritize to make time to practice in order to self-care.
Sign me up! 🙂