5 Habits for a Brighter World

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attitude, clean eating, compassion, energetic healing, healing yoga, mental health, mindfulness, positive energy, positive yoga, yoga, Yoga With Paul

These past few months have brought a lot of challenges.

Through them, I’ve been inspired by the energy of my friends, students and fellow yogis who keep finding ways to move forward, act with compassion and share their light with the world. Believe me, friends, the world needs this light.

Everyone has their unique story, gift and energy but there are a few habits that people who shine seem to share. Let’s call them, five habits for a brighter world.

Keep smiling!

Act, don’t react

One thing I notice about positive people is they are active. They don’t wait around for the perfect moment or situation to arrive, they just do what they do. When things get rocky, they don’t get into a flap. Instead, they focus on what’s important and let the storm pass.

Make time for yourself

The kindest, most generous people I know are not martyrs. They don’t put other people’s agendas first and they don’t minimise their own needs. To the contrary, they take time to do yoga, laugh, go for lunch, read books, or whatever else feeds their spirit. Because they feel well and happy, they are able to transmit that energy to other people.

If you can’t see the bright side, see the funny side

People can be frustrating. Life can be ridiculous (or tragic). These are facts. The people who thrive anyway seem to be the ones who can find the humour (dark or not) in the vagaries of the day-to-day. That doesn’t mean you have to be happy about everything that happens, just that you can look at things from a different perspective.

Feed the good in you

People who have positive energy literally feed it with good things. Eating well is essential if you’re going to feel well, and you have to feel well before you can share that goodness with anyone else. This means making time to eat and enjoy food, it means creating healthy food rituals, it means celebrating and savouring the things that nourish you.

Try something new

The folks who have energy and enthusiasm tend to be the ones who are always exploring. They aren’t stuck in ruts. They enjoy learning new things, seeing new things, discussing new ideas. They challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zone and try something different. This willingness to change, to be a beginner, to experiment, makes them open-minded and flexible. It also creates the opportunity for new connections and experiences — which gives them a chance to spread their good vibes even further!

What are your top tips for fostering positive energy? Share in the comments!

 

 

Compassion in Action

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community, compassion, London volunteer, Nishkam SWAT, Sikh, volunteering, yoga lifestyle, yoga unity, Yoga With Paul

We are more powerful than we think. Regardless of who we are or what we do, we have the power to make other people’s lives (and the world) better by choosing compassion.

Compassion in action can be as simple as checking in on a friend or ordering extra groceries for a less-able neighbour. We can express compassion through our words, attitude, work and volunteering.

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

The only requirement is that we be alert and willing to act. When we’re wrapped up in ourselves, it is hard to have compassion. We have to be attentive to those around us.

One amazing example of compassion in action right here in London is the Sikh Welfare and Awareness Team, aka Nishkam SWAT.

They say, “We have a vision where every person we meet knows they are loved and valued, lives safely, with respect, faith, hope and care for themselves and others, achieving their full potential and positively contributing to and transforming their communities”.

We work on the ethos of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru of the Sikhs:

• Naam Japna, remembering God.
• Kirat Karni, earning an honest living.
• Vand Kay Shako; selflessly serving others, sharing income and resources

 

The SWAT team has been running a homeless outreach in central London for more than 10 years. Starting with one location where they provided meals, the outreach has expanded exponentially — reaching as far as Argentina!

They provide meals, support and assistance to people experiencing homelessness in 21 locations, 28 times a week. Amazing!

The SWAT team saw a need in the community, acted upon it, and have touched thousands of lives over the years. I can’t think of a better example of compassion in action.

Take a few minutes today to think about how and where you can practice compassion in action. You may be surprised at the opportunities and the positive impact you can have.

Volunteer or donate to Nishkam SWAT by clicking here. 

Share your ideas for ‘compassion in action’ in the comments!

Yoga, Breathe, Love, Repeat

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London yoga teacher, mindfulness, online yoga class, online yoga teacher, self-care, yoga coronavirus, yoga healing, yoga isolation, Yoga With Paul

You may have noticed that yesterday was the first Tuesday in a few years without a new Yoga With Paul post. What gives?

Socially distancing, before it was popular

We’ve all spent the past few weeks trying to adjust to a totally new, unexpected, scary reality. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling like, wow — where does this end?

Nor in feeling like time has taken on strange characteristics.

Instead of having loads of extra time the changes in my routine seem to swallow up hours and even though I’m happily teaching online it hasn’t freed up hours.

So, rather than obsess about doing I’ve decided to use this enforced change of lifestyle and pace to focus on the essentials of my life and practice.

This means taking a step back from the usual to-do lists and expectations and make time to practice yoga with extra mindfulness and compassion — both self-compassion and compassion for others.

It means consciously breathing my way through the day, grateful for this capacity to  and aware of the importance of the breath in managing my thoughts and emotions.

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Not least, it means focusing on people and relationships. Gravity makes the world go ’round, but love makes it worth being on this planet. Right now, it’s easy to get caught up in obsessing about what’s happening around us. Let’s take a moment to remember what really controls the quality of our life is what happens inside us.

We need love and positive energy right now, more than ever. Let’s cherish and appreciate those nearest us and make an extra effort to reach out to those around us — we could all use some extra support and care right now, so let’s share with each other.

For the next few weeks, as part of my self-care, I’ll be posting less frequently. It’s a time for me to recharge and a chance for you to browse through the wonderful older posts you might have missed.

Namaste.

 

 

Thank You Phuket!

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hot yoga, Hot Yoga South, phbgtu, Phuket Has Been Good To Us, yoga abroad, yoga charity, yoga community, yoga Thailand, Yoga With Paul

In May of last year, I had the incredible experience of going to Thailand and spending time with the wonderful kids (and adults) of Phuket Has Been Good To Us. This organisation works to improve the opportunities and life chances of underprivileged Thai youth through high quality English language education.

We came back to visit Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation in February, with some additional donations from Hot Yoga South, and to have some fun at Coconut Club!

In addition to sharing the donations, I had the chance to help the students learn a thing or two about balance 🙂

Thank you everyone! It has been magic!

I look forward to sharing more about this great experience once things have settled down after the journey.

Love Is All Around

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love yoga, Valentine's Day, Valentines Day yoga, yoga community, yoga positive, yoga romance, Yoga With Paul

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Today, as we take time to express love and appreciation for those nearest us, let’s think beyond the standard flowers, chocolate and hearts.

Love is a word that is often restricted to describing romantic relationships. Obviously romantic, sexual relationships are a profound expression of love (at their best) and it is understandable that we focus on this as the ultimate expression of love.

But romance and sex are far from the only way to give and receive love and today, of all days, it seems important and worthwhile to think about all the forms of love we share.

Love comes in the form of family relationships — parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents. Wherever we have come from, we’ve had people who supported and cared for us, whether they were blood-relatives or our chosen family Today is a good day to reach out to them, if we can, and express our love.

Love comes in friendships — as important as romance is, we would be lost without out friendships. They are powerful sources of emotional comfort and energy, shared memories and happiness. Take the time today to let your friends know how much you love them.

Love comes in unexpected ways — love is to be found in the affection between colleagues or yoga classmates, in the bonds between those with whom you share interests, even in links forged through social media or hobbies. Often we don’t think of these everyday bonds as “love” but I believe they are. Every time we connect with another human being in a respectful, caring, appreciative way, it is an expression of love.

Today, let’s celebrate by expanding our definition of love and opening our hearts to all the goodness in our lives.

Much love!

Paul 🙂

Photo by Jesse Goll on Unsplash

 

5 Easy Health Hacks

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communication, healthy living, hydration, movement, sleep, wellness, yoga healing, yoga love, Yoga With Paul

The new year comes with high hopes and expectations — and pressure. No wonder we often fall short of our ambitious plans and find ourselves repeating familiar routines.

The key to making changes that stick is to take small steps and focus on achievable goals, rather than trying to adopt sweeping transformations.

Whether you’ve made New Year’s resolutions or resolved to not make resolutions, you can still enjoy a healthier, happier year by using these five easy health hacks.

Sleep more

Getting enough rest is crucial to every part of your life. You need sleep to restore your energy, rebuild muscle, heal, and revitalise. Shorting yourself on sleep leads to all sorts of negative side-effects, from weight gain to memory problems. So take advantage of the long winter’s nights and enjoy plenty of healing sleep! And be sure you have the right pillow to help you rest well.

Photo by Igor Miske on Unsplash

Drink more

If you’ve been living it up over the holidays, this is traditionally the time to stop drinking. And that’s fine — if it is alcohol, soda or sugary juices. Otherwise, you should increase the amount you drink. Water, infusions, smoothies, tea and even coffee have incredible health benefits and are essential for detoxifying, cleansing and energising the body.

Talk more

Communication and connection are what make us feel most vibrantly alive. Our relationships, professional and personal, rely on communication, yet it is so easy to hide between the lines of email or text messages. Instead of letting your fingers do the talking, pick up the phone or better yet, meet, and speak to people.

Move more

Our bodies and minds need to be engaged and movement is key to maintaining health. It can be so tempting, on these cold winter days, to hibernate on the sofa, but that is the worst thing you can do for yourself. Commit to moving every day, whether it is a swim, jog, yoga class or home practice. When you awaken your muscles, nerves and organs your whole being can function properly, allowing you to be your best self.

Photo by Everton Vila on Unsplash

Love more

The ultimate expression of humanity is love. When we give and receive love it transforms us and our experience of the world. This year, no matter what you do or where you go, try to see the world with love. As you focus on the positive and seek the good in everyone you will find more goodness and positive energy in yourself, and that in turn will be reflected back in a virtuous circle.

What is your top tip for a healthy 2020? Share in the comments!

 

 

 

Alternative 12 Days of Christmas

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alternative Christmas, calm Christmas, clean eating, mindfulness, seasonal yoga, yoga Christmas, yoga holiday, Yoga With Paul

We’re 12 days away from 25th December!

As we make our way through the inevitable hustle, bustle, stress and excitement of the last weeks before Christmas, here are 12 ways to make this holiday season truly blessed.

Photo by Heidi Sandstrom. on Unsplash

1. Give a gift to a stranger: simply smiling at someone on a busy street or in a crowded queue can brighten their day – and yours.
2. Drink more (hot tea): warm yourself inside and out with a warming infusion.
3. Rise and shine with sun salutations.
4. Practice gratitude for all the blessings in life.
5. Let go of expectations.
6. Make time for yoga! A session of warm vinyasa or hot yoga is especially energising this time of year.
7. Explore street markets, Christmas fairs and small shops for unique gifts.
8. Cosy up with stylish sustainable home goods.
9. Make a big pot of spicy soup and sip it for lunch and dinner.
10. Remember, the biggest changes start with the smallest steps.
11. Discover the power of mindful shopping.
12. Stock up on delicious organic foods for a healthful, indulgent holiday meal.

Share your tips for a happy, healthy, peaceful holiday in the comments!

4 Steps to More Respectful Relationships

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daily yoga practice, positive habits, positive yoga, respect, respectful relationships, Yoga With Paul

I read an article recently about food allergy sufferers who struggle to get chefs, or even their own families, to acknowledge their allergies. As a result, some have gotten ill from deliberately being fed ingredients they couldn’t eat, while those with severe allergies literally risk their lives if someone ignores their dietary needs.

This struck me as not just a food issue but a respect issue. When someone denies or refuses to acknowledge someone else’s need, it is saying, “you don’t matter.” Unfortunately, as the story demonstrated, people often have difficulties respecting each other’s needs and boundaries. Whether out of carelessness or ignorance, we damage relationships by failing to treat the other person with the care they deserve.

Photo by Tiago Felipe Ferreira on Unsplash

We all need to cultivate respect and these four steps are a great way to start…

Listen

The basis of all healthy relationships is communication, and that means listening. We need to practice really paying attention to what other people are trying to tell us — not just verbally, but physically and emotionally. The yoga studio is a good place to begin: focus on listening with real attention to the instructor, not just letting the words slide past you. When you’re talking to a friend, loved one or colleague, stay present.

Accept

Other people will experience, feel, say, and do things you can’t get your head round. They will staunchly believe things that seem totally inexplicable to you. No matter how strange, it isn’t your place to decide whether or not their feeling, ideas or experience are valid; you must accept their version of their life. This doesn’t mean you have to agree with someone whose beliefs you find objectionable, for example, but it means you have to accept they hold them, and have a reason — whether or not it seems right to you.

Support

To be a respectful person, you have to support others as they move through life, especially if their experience is different from yours. It isn’t enough to be an ally to the people who are like you. Practicing compassion and openness means being willing and able to care for those around you, whatever your similarities or differences.

Affirm

The big leap in respect is to not just accept but affirm other people, even when they are coming from a place — or going through an experience — that is foreign to you. Again, affirmation does not mean supporting beliefs that are contrary to yours, but it does mean respecting the inherent human value of everyone you meet, and affirming that everyone deserves to be treated with care and dignity.

Read more: Four practices to speak with kindness, Three practices to cultivate patience

Focus on What’s Right

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mental health, mindfulness, positive yoga, self-care, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

Having just wrapped up Yoga Holiday With Paul, it’s time to return to routine and prepare for autumn and winter.

The time in Cyprus was, as always, filled with joy and learning. One thing that impressed itself on my mind was the importance of focusing on what is right in our practice, and lives, instead of looking at what is wrong.

Photo by Michele Guan on Unsplash

It is all too easy to focus on our weaknesses or what we lack. When we do so, we lose the ability to be present and grateful for our strengths and blessings.

There is a great book called Stories of School Yoga that focuses on the benefits of yoga for children and educators. One chapter, by a yogi and counselor named Helene McGlauflin, highlights the problem of focusing on negative behaviour, rather than seeking and praising positive behaviour. She was writing specifically about kids, but this applies to adults as well.

We are often our own biggest critics, and quick to blame ourselves for perceived flaws or failures. It is time to start telling ourselves a different story — one that focuses on the positive and empowers us to address life’s inevitable difficulties with courage and calm.

Read more: Body image boost, Making positive mistakes

4 Ways to Make a Bad Day Better

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bad days, expectations, gratitude, pranayama stress, stress, yoga music, yoga negativity, yoga positivity, Yoga With Paul

Bad Days. We all have them occasionally. It might be illness, work, the weather, returning to routine after a sublime holiday (ahem!) or even for no particular reason.

When we wake up on the proverbial wrong side of the room it’s easy to stay grumpy. After all, aren’t we entitled to feel rubbish? We’re having a bad day!

While we are entitled to feel what we feel it is important to distinguish between things that help and things that hinder. Making space for unpleasant emotions is a positive, necessary step to moving through them; wallowing for the sake of it is not.

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Here are four ways to make a bad day better (without faking it)

Check your expectations

A lot of times, when we perceive something as negative, it is simply that it doesn’t match up to our expectations. When you’re feeling out of sorts about something, stop and reflect on whether you are demanding too much of the situation. Sometimes, a simple acknowledgement that the world doesn’t run to our schedule is enough to help us lighten up and let go of our unhappy mood.

Slow down

The constant rush of daily life can create a feeling of anxiety and discontent — even when nothing specific is wrong. If you are irritable or frustrated for no reason you can put your finger on, slow down. Instead of hurrying to get all of it done (whatever it is) take a few minutes to move deliberately, noticing your breath and heart rate. Spend a few minutes doing Pranayama breathing to calm your body.

Play a tune

Music is a great way to calm our minds and boost our mood. Upbeat styles like pop and dance will lift your spirits almost despite you — even more so if you spend a few minutes bopping along! Reflective soul or chilled out sounds can soothe the stress of a bad day, helping you regain perspective.

Be grateful

Gratitude increases happiness. No matter how sideways your day is, there are always reasons to be grateful. Sometimes it’s tempting to sulk for a while but truly, we are all blessed, and taking the time to acknowledge it tends to shift those self-pity tendencies. If you can’t think of anything big to be grateful for, be grateful for little things: friendship, good food, safety, shelter.

What are your best tips for overcoming the blues? Share in the comments!