Bon Voyage

Jennifer Weiss, Limber Llama Yoga, demonstrates Locust Pose, a great chest opener after a day of travel.

Bon Voyage

Yoga-to-Go

June kicks off the summer travel season for most including me.  I start planning for any vacation with a to-do list.  What needs to go, what needs to be washed, what errands still need to be run.  I thrive on these lists and all the pre-planning.  Though, once we step out the door, I have to let go of control.

Airline postponements, road construction and weather delays are all out of our control.  But they have such an effect on our emotional state.  Sitting on the tarmac for more than 30 minutes gets anyone’s blood pumping.  Oh, and what if you are traveling with little ones?  They are less patient than adults.  Here are a few tips to help you survive this travel season.

Travel Tips

1. Stay hydrated.  Dehydration causes all sorts of misery like headaches, crankiness, constipation and anxiety.  Carry a reusable water bottle.  If traveling by air, leave out the water, but pack lemon slices in the bottle.  Once you’re past security, add water and enjoy.
2. Eat well.  You are at the mercy of flight schedules and traffic delays.  Don’t allow yourself to get hungry.  Pack foods that are easy to store like nuts, granola, apples, oranges and bananas.  When you are able to eat, choose foods that agree with you.  (i.e. If Mexican dishes give you heartburn, expect heartburn plus more indigestion while traveling.)
3. Bring entertainment.  Normally, I’d suggest meditating during delays, but it’s not always possible or easy.  Pack a book or magazine (or download to your device) to challenge and distract your mind during those tough times.
4. Pack a scarf, wrap, jacket or sweater.  Temperature can also affect our mood.  It’s best to dress in layers so you can control how cool or warm you need to be.
5. Silence is golden.  Turning off our senses helps calm the mind.  Pack ear plugs, close your eyes and breathe.
6. Above all, patience is important.  Life it too short to sweat the small stuff.  So you missed your flight.  There will be another.  Cultivate the love and patience you practice on the mat, and demonstrate it now.

Yoga-to-Go

Certain yoga poses can alleviate body aches, mental frustration and indigestion.  You can print or view my Destination Yoga sequence or try some of the below poses.  And if you don’t have room for a yoga mat, purchase a pair of Yoga Paws and use a towel at the hotel

1. Downward Facing Dog:  This pose opens up the entire backside of your body releasing tension from the travel.
2. Low Lunge:  Sitting wreaks havoc on our hips.  And tight hips equal a tight and sore back.
3.  Child’s Pose: Feel grounded with your forehead touching the earth.  This pose also alleviates digestion issues by opening up the lower back.
4. Happy Baby:  Allow your worries to sink into the ground with this pose.  Release low back pain and open the hips while improving digestion.
5. Locust Pose:  Rounded shoulders and a weak low back are the effects of sitting too much.  Practice locust to open the chest and shoulders while strengthening the back.  

     Happy Travels!

Asking for Help

Asking for Help

Taking a Hand

A friend asks if you can watch her kids for an hour while she attends an appointment.  Another asks if you can spare a few minutes to listen to his latest dilemma.  And when family calls, you immediately drop everything to assist.  We love to help.  We feel great when we become someone’s hero.  So, why do we resist letting them help us?

Perhaps it’s my Southern upbringing, but I have a hard time asking for help.  I would gladly give the shirt off my back to help someone else, but asking her to pick up dinner because I’m sick is out of the question.  I brought this topic up to another Southern friend of mine (who’s sweet as pie and guilty of not asking for help too.)  Ultimately, our hesitation to ask for help boiled down to thinking it’s an inconvenience to bother anyone else with our needs. 

Now that I have two young children, I’ve had to relearn how to ask for help.  Asking for assistance isn’t a burden to someone else.  She likely loves the fact that you even thought of her to help.  This is a new way of thinking for me, and I have to remember how happy I feel to help and now someone can do that for me.

This month I’ve asked Laura Martin to substitute my classes while I spend some time bonding with the newest llama.  She willingly jumped to the opportunity to lend a helping hand.  Along with Laura, I’ve armed myself with a team of friends and family that can assist me during this change in my life.

I urge you to do the same.  Pick up the phone.  Call and ask for help next time.