Are you flexible? I dont mean, “Can you touch your toes?” When it comes to yoga, it doesnt matter if youre “flexible.” Thats a myth. What matters is that you show up. And breathe. And do your best with breath. With a clear intention. Here are some simple steps you can take toward cultivating openness and emotional flexibility: 1. Slow down. Breathe. Make eye contact with the person with whom you are speaking. This will allow you to be fully present, which is a precursor to being open. 2. Listen. Very few people actually listen. Its astonishing to me. If you are a good listener you will just naturally be more open and emotionally available. And you will have many friends! 3. Count to 10 in your head before responding. Maybe you dont need a full 10 seconds, but the point is to pause and take in what the person is telling you before reacting or thinking about your response. 4. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and sit quietly with your eyes closed. Set an intention for your day and visualize how you would like it to go. See yourself smiling and open. See others smiling back at you and interacting with you in a positive way. 5. Try something new every day, even if its just eating something different for breakfast. Build a new pathway. Openness and emotional flexibility are muscles like anything else. So all it takes is practice, practice, practice. 6. Get on your yoga mat as often as possible. (Its worth repeating because it works.)
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 17:12:24 +0000
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