Are you skipping the cooldown?
Hi my friend,
I'm curious if you often skip the cooldown or the Shavasana at the end of yoga?
I know I often feel the need to move on to the next thing and the sense of urgency, expectations and long to-do list makes me feel I cannot pause.
But I've learned, rest is not mandatory. It's a necessity.
I recorded another voice memo to share more of my thoughts on this.
This is just how I feel called to share these days... instead of writing long emails, I am using my voice and letting it all flow imperfectly.
It's like I am your friend (which I am) and I sent a voice memo to update you and share what's on my heart.
It's unedited and just what came to mind after a workout where I enjoyed and savored the cool down.
Moral of the story is: I am so glad I rested.
I am so glad I eased back into leading meditations.
Now, as I begin my 7th Meditation Teacher Training, I feel so ready.
Read more on my Instagram Post here
or read the transcript below:
How often do you skip the cool down?
How often do you skip the shavasana?
How often do you skip the nap that you know you really, really need?
This is just what's coming through to my heart right now as I enter back into a season of more work.
I am starting my meditation teacher training, my fall cohort.
And it feels like yesterday that I led this training, yet I didn't do one this spring because I had my baby.
And so it's been a year and I feel ready.
And I know that that is because I let myself rest deeply.
I know I'm very privileged and very, very grateful that has been my scenario.
I have eased back into work and have started recording meditations and leading a live on Insight Timer, but that's it.
Otherwise, I've been with my baby and slowing down and resting and waiting and just being in this season.
And now because I've rested so deeply, I feel really, really ready.
And it's funny because we live in a world where rest is an option and not mandatory.
And often we think that the way to grow is by doing more.
But there's a science behind it.
If you didn't know my major was exercise science.
And this is pretty basic knowledge…
Our muscles grow in rest.
It's not when we're exercising that we build muscle.
That's actually where it's broken down.
And so as I finish my strength training for the day and I just did the mobility and the meditation at the end, I just am reminded that this rest is mandatory and it is what we need in order to feel ready in life and to feel energized.
And so I just am popping in your inbox to remind you that you are so worthy of rest, you don't need a reason, you don't need to earn it.
And that is really how we can ensure that we are living a sustainable life.
We are managing our energy, protecting our energy, and just doing the things we need to do in order to feel well and rested…proactively.
Like I maybe could have led a spring meditation teacher training, but oh my goodness, I'm so glad I didn't.
And so I'm curious, is there something that you can take off your schedule in order to do less and feel more rested?
Is there something that you can do for your future self, that future self will thank you for later?
Can you maybe take a nap today and not feel shame about it?
Like really learning to listen?
When our body, our mind is whispering: I need rest.
And not waiting for when our body, our mind is screaming: I need to rest.
You're not here to live a life that feels draining.
You are not meant to feel burnt out.
You're so worthy of rest.
So don't skip the cooldown.
Don't skip the shavasana.
Maybe you rest before you start your day versus waiting for the end of the day or waiting for the weekend.
Just take rest.
Take some deep breaths.
You are so worthy.
Take a deep breath in here with me.
Big exhale.
I don't know about you, but I think that's the secret to success.
Being a well rested human and having a calm nervous system.
From my heart to yours.
P.S. I've been going live weekly on Insight Timer if you'd like to connect there, it's free! Here is my profile (we have grown to 28k followers!)
Oh and if you didn't listen to my last voice memo I sent out, you can do so here. It's about how meditation didn't work for me postpartum.