After taking a month off from monthly yoga projects due to travel to Greece, Italy and Morocco, I am back and ready to rock and roll. Who is with me?!
I’ve been feeling really stressed out the last few weeks and I miss my (mostly) stress-free life. The problem is that I’ve gotten away from the things that really have helped me deal with stress, and I don't like how I feel these days. I feel irritable, on edge, and like I want to jump out of my own skin. I used to feel energized, happy, and when I felt that way, I not only felt better in my skin but that positivity felt like it was an aura around me. I used to want to do nice things for others all the time. I was generous with my time and energy when I was feeling so good, and lately I just feel zapped. So.
July’s project is going to focus on de-stressing, because I am fairly confident that if I’m feeling this way, many of you could use a little dose of calm as well, right? The idea is that with a consistent yoga practice, we will be able to better manage our stress levels so that we can be the best versions of ourselves. Not only so we feel good personally, but also so that we are better husbands/wives, mothers/fathers, sons/daughters - basically just nicer, better people in general.
Here’s how it will work:
Pick a pose to focus on. This can be something that has to do with stress (ie balancing poses are nearly impossible if you’re stressed out), or it can just be a pose you’re currently working with, on which you’d like to see improvement.
Snap a pic of your chosen pose on day one. Share it on instagram with #YBCelfie and #YBCdestress and then click on the hashtags to show support to your fellow YBCers!
Follow along to the suggested schedule that’ll be posted on the blog. I’ll have yoga videos and sequences you can follow along to, as well as a meditation aspect because that really does help with stress. Do your best, but remember there really are no rules. Make the program work for you. If you’re too tired or too busy to get that day’s practice in, don’t stress. Do what you can and let that be enough. Listen to your body and honor how you feel - that is the highest form of yoga.
Throughout the month, notice the changes to your stress level, and if you start feeling particularly generous, do something nice for someone and encourage them to keep the kindness going. If you’re feeling up to it, share what you did on instagram with #YBCkindness (I know it’s kind of weird to share your supposedly “random” act of kindness online, but it may encourage others to be a little nicer, so maybe it’s worth it once in a while?).
At the end of the project, use a collage program for instagram to post your side by side pics of your pose and share your progress.
Pose Ideas
You can really choose anything - be it something more grounding like child's pose, where you likely won't see much of a physical difference, or something more athletic like splits or backbends where you'll see more of a physical difference as the flexibility improves. It's totally up to you and what you need in your life. Remember that everyone responds to stress differently. Some people might feel overwhelmed if they pick an athletic pose where there is a lot of room for growth. Others might be really inspired by that. So listen to what you need and choose appropriately. Below, I've offered a suggestion for a more challenging, athletic pose, and a more grounding pose.
Beginners: Tree pose, child's pose.
Intermediate: Dancer's pose, cobbler's pose.
Advanced: Wheel pose, mermaid pose.
The program is appropriate for people of all levels - beginners to advanced - all you have to do is commit and listen to your body as you go through the program. The first fifteen days are listed below and Day One starts today - who is in?!
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Get Support
If you're the type of person who could use an accountability buddy, hop on over to the Yoga Forum to find one. Everyone over there is really kind, knowledgeable and helpful.
Schedule, Days 1 - 15
Day 1:
Snap a pic of your chosen pose. Share it on instagram with #YBCelfie and #YBCdestress and then click on the hashtags to show support to your fellow YBCers!
Day 2:
Spend 1-3 minutes working on your chosen pose
Day 3:
30 minute restorative yin practice or total rest day
Day 4:
40 minute yoga video with binds
Pause video in the middle and spend 1-3 minutes working on your chosen pose
Day 5:
2 minute mindful breathing while in Supta Baddhakonasana
Shoulder stretch (30 seconds each arm)
30 second warrior 2 each side
Pause video in the middle and spend 1 - 3 minutes working on your chosen pose
Day 6:
Gentle neck and shoulder warm up
More advanced: 45 min feel good yoga video
Newer yogis: 30 minute feel good yoga video
Both levels - pause video and spend 1 - 3 minutes working on your chosen pose
Snap a pic of your chosen pose. Share it on instagram with #YBCelfie and #YBCdestress and then click on the hashtags to show support to your fellow YBCers!
Day 7:
Pause video and spend 2-5 minutes practicing your chosen pose and then:
More advanced: spend 2-5 minutes practicing fallen angel pose
Newer yogis: spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing crow pose
Day 8:
Pause video in the middle and spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing your chosen pose.
Day 9:
12 minute warm up with an ottoman or chair
More advanced: 15 minute yoga for a good sweat
Newer yogis: 15 minute yoga for back strength and flexibility
Spend 2-5 minutes practicing your chosen pose then:
Spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing baby grasshopper (beginners to intermediates) or full grasshopper (more advanced)
20 minute blindfolded yoga video
Day 10:
10 minute morning yoga and breathing warm up video
30 minute invigorating yoga practice
Pause video in the middle and spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing your chosen pose
Snap a pic of your chosen pose. Share it on instagram with #YBCelfie and #YBCdestress and then click on the hashtags to show support to your fellow YBCers!
Day 11:
Pause video in the middle and spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing your chosen pose
Day 12:
15 minute gentle morning yoga video
15 minute yoga video for strength
Spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing your chosen pose
5 minute savasana
Day 13:
30 minute yoga video for balance
Pause video and:
Spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing dancer’s pose (more advanced can practice flipping the grip)
Spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing your chosen pose
Day 14:
Take your yoga practice outside, if the weather is good (how to survive hot yoga)
Spend 2 - 5 minutes practicing your chosen pose
Snap a pic of your chosen pose. Share it on instagram with #YBCelfie and #YBCdestress and then click on the hashtags to show support to your fellow YBCers!
Day 15:
Rest day