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A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain

Do you ever feel like you’re forgetting more things than you remember? Are you so bleary eyed and exhausted that you feel more like a zombie moving through the motions instead of the bright, vibrant mother you want to be to your kids? Have you ever accidentally put diaper rash cream on your toothbrush? (What? Just me? Well, it was time for a new toothbrush anyway!) If this sounds at all familiar, you might be suffering from a common ailment I lovingly call Mommy Brain.

It usually starts when you’re pregnant as Pregnancy Brain, but then you have your baby and a few months (or in my case years) passes and you start wondering how many of your brain cells died during your delivery…. There’s no quick fix for Mommy Brain—except maybe a few really good nights of sleep (I know what you’re thinking: Bahahahahahaha!)

Seriously, though, first things first. Have you been neglecting your own self-care? Are you dehydrated? Have you eaten today (and I mean something healthy that makes you feel alive—not peanut butter and jelly!)? Did you take a shower and put on clean clothes? First, take care of all of those necessities we mamas sometimes put aside while we’re caring for our littles, then fit in a yoga practice the first chance you get (naptime is a great choice or even after you get the kiddos to sleep at night).

2018 Update!: Enjoy this short practice video for focus, concentration, and clarity!

A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain

This short yoga practice is great for increasing focus and clarity in all areas of your life. It can help to make us sharper, more present, and increase our ability to focus on one thing at a time. These poses will help you feel grounded, centered, and connected, then we’ll focus on doing some poses that require complete concentration. When you’re done, you can take that focus over into other areas in our lives. Give it a try!

A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Downward Facing Dog with a block under the forehead

Inversions like Downward Facing Dog send blood (and oxygen) to your brain. That’s why if I only have a few minutes to practice, my go-to is almost always Down Dog. Putting a block under my forehead makes the pose more soothing and grounding—two things I definitely need when I’m feeling frazzled and unfocused.

See also Find Your Mama Mantra

A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | Downward Facing Dog | SpoiledYogi.com

Mountain Pose (AKA Strong Mama Pose)

Stand tall with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Bring your big toes to touch, press your feet down, and lift the crown of your head up toward the sky so you’re as tall as possible. Really pay attention to your foundation. Can you root your feet any more? Can you feel gravity pulling you down, connecting you to the earth?

Mountain Pose Tadasana | A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Tree Pose

Keep standing tall, spread your toes, and feel your strong foundation underneath you. Bend your right knee and turn it out to the right. You can keep your toes to the floor for balance and bring your right foot to the inside of your left ankle. Or, bring your right foot up to the side of the left shin, or to the left inner thigh. (Just don’t bring that foot to the inside of the knee—be above or below the knee!) Once you have your balance, bring your hands together in front of your chest and take 5 full, deep breaths through the nostrils.

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Keep the right lifted and bring your hands to your hips. Then, either grab onto your right big toe with your right index and middle finger and straighten the right leg all the way out to the right. Or, keep the right knee bent and hold onto the front of the knee as you open the leg out to the right. Stay for 3-5 full, deep breaths. When you’re done, come back to Tree Pose for just one breath. Then, come back to Mountain Pose before you switch sides.

Hand to Big Toe Pose | A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Chair Pose

From Mountain Pose, bend your knees, and drop your bottom down toward the floor—pretend you’re sitting in a tall chair. Bring your weight into your heels. Reach your arms up by your ears. Spread your fingers. Breathe.

Eagle Pose

From Chair Pose, lift your right leg and stack your right knee on top of your left. Bring your left toes to touch the floor for balance or wrap it around your other leg. Sit down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Then, give yourself a hug with the left elbow on top of the right. Lift your elbows so they’re the same height as your shoulders. Stay here or lift your forearms up and cross your wrists.

Eagle Pose Garudasana | A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Warrior III Pose

Unwind your arms and legs, but don’t let your right foot touch the floor. Instead extend it out behind you, so the leg is parallel to the floor. Bring your hands to your hips or reach them next to your sides, fingertips reaching toward the wall behind you. Spread your fingers. Keep both hip points pointing down toward the floor. Stay for 3 breaths.

Warrior 3 Pose | A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Eagle Pose (Yes, again!)

Don’t let your right foot touch the floor as you shift back into Eagle Pose with the right knee on top of the left. Breathe. Make your way back to Mountain Pose, shake out your legs (do a happy dance!) then switch sides.

Eagle Pose Garudasana | A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Pigeon Pose with head resting on something

When you’re done standing, come down to hands and knees. Bring your right knee to the inside of your right wrist. Take a big breath in and lengthen your spine. Exhale as you fold forward. Stay for 10 breaths or more, then switch sides.

Pigeon Pose Eka Pada Rajakapotasana | A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain | Increase Mental Focus and Clarity with Yoga | Yoga balance poses sequence | SpoiledYogi.com

Seated meditation

Come back to a seated position on the floor. Close your eyes. Bring your attention to your breath, in and out through the nostrils, slow, steady, even, and full. Stay here for at least 10 breaths (longer if you can).

Want to be a more mindful mama? Enter your email address below to get a guided meditation created to help YOU find more balance in your life. It’s my FREE GIFT to you for being a fabulous mama.

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5 Easy Ways to Improve (Almost) Any Yoga Pose

3 Easy Ways to Improve Almost Any Yoga Pose Instantly | SpoiledYogi.com

Photo by Yogendra Joshi

We all have different body types and different challenges when it comes to asanas, or the physical yoga poses. In my own practice, I’ve found there are five little adjustments I can make that improves my form and alignment in almost any yoga pose.

Below you’ll find my top five tips to improve yoga poses of almost any type. I hope they’ll help you, too!

5 Ways to Improve Yoga Poses

1. Find your roots. In standing poses that means pressing your feet into the floor for stability. In seated poses, it’s your sitting bones that will ground. In Downward Dog, your hands and your feet become your roots. A strong foundation almost always makes for a stronger and safer pose.

2. Elongate your spine. This is the one instruction I hear more than any other in my yoga classes—and with good reason! When I learned to find as much length as possible in my spine my poses felt light, more buoyant, and a lot safer, too.

3. Pull the ribcage back in line and lengthen (but don’t tuck!) the tailbone. My tendency in most poses is to stick my butt out and my ribcage forward, creating a super-arch in my low back. It also creates a pesky dull ache. This is not the kind of backbend that will help you gain strength OR stability. So, I’m always checking in to make sure my tailbone is lengthening (i.e. my butt is not sticking out) and my rib cage is in line.

4. Firm your thigh muscles. I’m a hyper-extender. This means my joints are a little TOO flexible–particularly my knees. When I baring weight on my legs, as in standing poses like Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), I have to be careful not to put my knees in a compromising position. So, I have to be sure that my thigh muscles are firm and working to protect my knees.

5. Relax. No matter what pose I’m practicing, I try to find my edge. Then I take a deep breath and back off just a little. This way I’m working … but I’m not struggling. I can hold poses for longer this way, and I’m less prone to injury.

What little tricks do you use to improve your poses?

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Pregnancy Yoga: How to Use Yoga Props to Get Comfy

Prenatal Yoga: Supta Baddha Konasana | How to get comfy in restorative prenatal yoga poses | SpoiledYogi.com

There are a few things to take into consideration if you’re going to practice yoga while you’re pregnant. Most of the modifications you need to make are quite obvious. I always tell my prenatal yoga students that Rule Number 1 is simply, Don’t squish the baby. That means things you’ll need to find an alternative to poses where you’d put all of your weight on your belly (duh!) And for poses where you’d normally twist so that your belly presses into a bent knee aren’t a great ides (twist away from the knee instead!) Common sense!

The other modification that you’ll see often in pregnancy yoga classes is that you’ll notice the teacher will never ask you lay flat on your back for an extended period of time. That’s because around half way through your pregnancy, there’s a possibility that the weight of your growing uterus could compress the vena cava vein, which returns blood from your lower body to your heart. Since it’s possible that this could cutting off blood to that sweet baby of yours, we always err on the side of caution here. If you’re a back sleeper like I am, that’s a big bummer (it’s hard enough to get comfortable when you’re pregnant as it is!). What if you love love LOVE Savasana (Final Resting Pose) or other supine restorative yoga poses? Well, you’ve got to modify that a bit, too. And it’s SO worth doing it—if there’s one thing that’s super important for pregnant mamas (and ALL mamas, to be honest) it’s giving your body time to rest fully.

So, what’s a tired mama-to-be to do?

How to Use Yoga Props for Restorative Yoga Poses

For Savasana, you could lay on your left side and surround yourself with bolsters and blankets, which is a great option! But if you love the feeling and support of the floor under your back, you might like the option of propping your torso up at an angle a bit better. It works for Savasana, Supta Baddha Konasana (Goddess Pose, pictured), and Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose. As an added bonus, when your heart is lifted a bit and your arms are out to the side it’s also a sweet chest opener, undoing all the hunching many of us do all day long as we sit in front of a computer or driving our cars.

Best of all, you don’t have to be in a prenatal yoga class to do it (but if you’re in the Charleston, SC area, please come see me!)! You can get tons of benefits from just taking 10-15 minutes at the end of your day to rest. You’ll relieve stress, sleep better, and have more energy throughout the following day. I could go on… but you’re here to get comfy, aren’t you?

So, let’s do this!

Two Common Scenarios for Yoga Props

Scenario 1: You’re in a yoga studio and you have access to ample yoga props: several bolsters, blankets, blocks, and straps. That’s right! This is the holy grail for the prenatal yoga student—you have arrived!

What to do: When there’s no shortage of props, setting yourself up to get comfy for restorative yoga poses is super easy. Here’s my preference for most restorative postures. Make a T-shape out of two rectangle bolsters. Sit your sacrum at the bottom of the T and lie back. Stretch your legs out long for a Supported Savasana, scoot the set up close to a wall for Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani), or bring the soles of your feet together in Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Cobbler’s Pose—AKA Goddess Pose, for obvious reasons).

Prenatal Yoga bolster support | How to get comfy in restorative prenatal yoga poses | SpoiledYogi.com

Scenario 2: You’re in a yoga studio with access to a few bolsters, but there just aren’t enough for everybody to have two.

What to do: Use two blocks to support your bolster. Put the blocks into a stair step configuration (see picture), place the bolster on top, and set yourself up just like you would in Scenario 1.

How to use blocks for support in restorative yoga prenatal yoga poses | SpoiledYogi.com

Scenario 3: You’re at home. You don’t have lots of props laying around your house. You’re going to have to make due with a few household items.

What to do: Get creative! You could use two firm couch cushions one on top of the other to get your torso at a good, comfy, safe angle. In lieu of blocks, you could use a stack of books (maybe phone books actually DO have a use in the age of smartphones, after all!). You’ve probably got lots of blankets and throw pillows of different sizes in your house that you can use to prop up legs in Supta Baddha Konasana, give you extra support under your bottom, or give you a little extra lift to your head. In the photos below, I used a stack of books and a large, firm, memory foam pillow (you’ll want something that’s firm enough that it won’t collapse under the weight of your head, especially).

How to use props in restorative prenatal yoga poses or pregnancy yoga poses | SpoiledYogi.com

Talk to me, mamas! What’s your favorite restorative yoga posture and how often do you practice it? Do you prop yourself up at home? If so, what creative props do you use?

Why I LOVE Yoga Props + A Review of Three Minute Egg

It’s kind of funny that I’m so obsessed with yoga blocks now because when I first started practicing yoga teachers had to practically force me to use them. Like many beginners, I didn’t want to use blocks (or really any props) because I thought they were for people who weren’t flexible enough/weren’t strong enough ie. not good at yoga. (I know it’s hard for you to understand, my dear readers. But I wasn’t always so wise and knowledgeable as I am today. I was once a naive, sheltered, and, well, ego-tastic. I’m still working on it. Ha!)

A Story about Yoga Props

Once upon a time, a teacher brought a block over to me during a standing pose like Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) and put it down next to me. I pretended not to see her. She inched it closer. I thought if I avoided eye contact, maybe she’d just go away and help someone who actually needed her help. Finally, my teacher let out an exasperated sigh, put the block right in my face and said, “Here! You need this block! Put it under your hand!” It was awkward and I remember being completely mortified (and maybe a little angry, too)… But I’m glad she persisted because props have definitely transformed my asana practice in many ways.
I Love Yoga Props! | Yoga Mats, Yoga Blankets, Yoga Bolsters, Yoga Blocks | Spoiledyogi.com

I Love Yoga Props! | Yoga Mats, Yoga Blankets, Yoga Bolsters, Yoga Blocks | Spoiledyogi.com

Photo by Celeste Lindell

Yoga Props: A Love Story

Now that I’ve been around the block (pun intended) a time or two, I’ve seen so many ways that props can actually increase the challenge, too. I’ve learned that props (I’m talking about blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, wedges, and sandbags, too!) aren’t just for building flexibility and strength, but can help you to build awareness, which is a much more important thing to build, really.

Sometimes props help me relax. Sometimes they pad my fall when I lose my balance and ball right on my face. Sometimes they challenge me to work new muscles or work the ones I’m already working in new ways. Sometimes my support me when I’m tired. They help me to individualize my practice to suit my energy level or abilities on that particular day. Whatever I need for my practice in that day, my props help me accomplish.

Look, what I’m trying to say is this: I Props are my boo!

I don’t know how I ever lived without them! But, what can I say? You live and you learn.

Review: Three Minute Egg

I Love Yoga Props! | Yoga Mats, Yoga Blankets, Yoga Bolsters, Yoga Blocks | Spoiledyogi.com

Review of Three Minute Egg Yoga Block | Spoiledyogi.com

Recently, I’ve been learning with a new kind of prop (new to me, anyway): Foam yoga blocks that are shaped like eggs. Here’s what I really love about the Three Minute Eggs: I’s impossible to put all of your weight on them. This is particularly useful if you use a traditional block under your right hand in, say, Trikonasana, and you notice that that right shoulder often seems to make its way into your right ear.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Pros:

It’s lightweight, so it’s easy to carry from one side of your mat to the other or from home to studio… Bonus: If you accidentally drop it on your toe, it probably won’t turn your toenail black (Yes, this does happen with heavy wooden blocks—I write from experience!).
Its design makes it impossible to collapse your weight on it when you use one for support in standing poses, which means you have to engage your core a bit more.
That also means that when you use it during standing poses, your shoulder won’t rise up to your ear creating unnecessary tension into the shoulder and neck.
The egg-shaped design makes it more comfortable than rectangle blocks to lay over for gentle heart openers. And, for my body, it is just the right amount of openness, too.
Because there are no sharp corners, they provide more comfortable support for your knees in Baddha Konasana (Cobbler’s Pose) or Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Cobbler’s Pose).

Cons:

As much as I’ve enjoyed practicing with the 3 Minute Eggs, I wouldn’t give up my traditional blocks completely. (I need still need the stability of rectangle cork blocks for practicing my Ashtanga jump throughs, etc.) So, having two sets of blocks takes up a bit more space.

Want to get learn more or your own? Visit the Three Minute Egg website.

Then tell me: What’s your favorite yoga prop?

Find Your Mama Mantra

Mama Mantras | Meditation Tips for Moms | SpoiledYogi.com

If you’ve ever done much research about meditation, you’ve probably come across the word mantra a time or two. So, what is a mantra exactly? It comes from Hinduism, and in that tradition, a mantra is a word or a sound repeated as a prayer. You could chant a mantra out loud with music in a kirtan setting. You could also repeat a mantra quietly to yourself during meditation to give your mind something to do besides wandering off to think about your to-do list or what you’re having for dinner.

But you don’t have to meditate to benefit from a mantra. I’ve found this to be particularly true during the most challenging times in my life. I know when I was pregnant with my daughter, suffering from nausea, hormones, sleepless nights (I snored like a freight train), and all the other pleasantries that come along with growing a baby, my fuse was short. Little things set me off in big ways. A friendly email from my boss suggesting we have a phone call sent me into hysterics because I was sure I would be fired, for example. To keep myself from flipping out about every little thing I had to come up with a way to calm myself down so I could approach situations with a more even keel. Having a mantra, a saying that I could repeat in my head to calm myself in trying times, really saved me from a lot of unnecessary stress.

See also 5 Things I Learned Practicing Yoga for Two

I use mantras even more now that my daughter is a bit older. As much as I adore being a mom, there are times my sweet, angelic girl makes me want to pull my hair out. This morning, for example, it took me a full 45 minutes to get her dressed and her hair untangled so we could go to the beach. Only then she decided she’d rather stay home and play with her toys.. WTH? Peace. Begins. With. Me… See how that works?

Here are a few mantras that work for me—just little reminders that help me get through. I’ve been known to write them on sticky notes and put them up in places I’ll see them often (and, yes, sometimes I do meditate on them as well).

Peace begins with me.

Be here now.

Just breathe and be.

I am calm. I am confident. I am connected.

I am enough, just as I am.

I don’t have to be everything to everybody. I just have to be me right now and trust that everything is as is should be.

Om namah shivaya. I bow to the inner Self.

See also 5 Common Meditation Mistakes

Of course, the mantras that work for me might not work for you at all. Take a few minutes to jot down a mantra or two that you find moving or inspiring. I love affirmations, (as you can see from above), but short quotes work wonderfully, too. It doesn’t even have to be serious. It can be fun—which reminds me of another one I think of often, which I learned from one of my teachers, Richard Rosen: What if the hokey pokey really is what it’s all about?

What mantras, sayings, or quotes give you strength during challenging times? Comment below—I know I’d like to add a few more to my repertoire.

Read more …
10 Ways Your Stressing Yourself Out
Pregnancy Yoga: 5 Poses New Moms Can Practice at a Wall
5 Common Meditation Mistakes

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Mindful Mama: Jennifer Williams-Fields Shares How to Create a Joyful Life

Hello, Mindful Mamas!
This post will be the first in a new series I’ll be doing here on Spoiled Yogi where I talk to inspiring moms in the yoga and mindfulness community about how they manage home and work life, take care of themselves and their families, and share their tricks and tips for a happier, more fulfilled life! Be sure to check back soon because there are so many inspiring women out there, and so much we can learn from them!
Lots of love,
Erica

Mindful Mama: Author Jennifer Williams-Fields Shares How to Create a Joyful Life | Spoiledyogi.com

Photo by Ray Dumas

On Creating a Joyful Life

Creating a More Joyful Life by Jennifer Williams-Fields

When I first heard that my pal, Jennifer Fields-Williams had written a book, my first thought was, “Hell, yeah! I’m going to do everything I can to support this amazing mama because I know she’s awesome and has some really valuable things to share.” I didn’t expect her book to be such a big support to ME! The book hit me at just the right time, and it’s like Jennifer has psychic powers because she even wrote: “It’s no coincidence you picked up this book today.Your soul wants to be set free. Deep inside not only do you desire to fly, but you know you are capable of spreading your wings and soaring.” Umm… Yes! How did you know?

If you’ve been following my blog recently, you know I’m a little (or maybe a lot?) obsessed with self-care right now. It’s like after 3.5 years of being a mom, I’m finally realizing that my health is SOOOOO important. I know that I need to get it together so that my whole family can happier and healthier, too. In other words, I’ve just recently started taking my advice and realizing that, well, I was RIGHT all those times I told the sweet mindful mamas in my yoga classes to make time for themselves everyday. The struggle is real, people.

This is something that Jennifer knows all too well. As a mom of 6 kids, she’s a pro. So, if you’re struggling with self-care like I am, please do yourself a favor and buy a copy of her book NOW. You’ll be so glad you did. (Here’s the link: Creating A Joyful Life: The Lessons I Learned From Yoga and My Mom.)

In the meantime, I picked Jennifer’s brain about writing her book, yoga, parenting, and all the amazing info she has to share.

Read on, mamas, there’s some major inspiration ahead…

Tell me why you decided to write Creating a Joyful Life: The Lessons I learned From Yoga and My Mom.

I didn’t set out to write a book. I was blogging and writing for magazines. Then life hit me pretty hard; the death of my mom, an unexpected divorce and drug addiction with one of my six children. Everyone kept asking how I did it? How I managed to keep it all together. Well the truth was although I didn’t feel like I was keeping it all together, I had no choice but to keep on moving forward. My kids’ future and my sanity were at stake. But I want people to know I’m not super woman. There were days I didn’t get out of bed and nights I considered ending it all. The small little baby steps I took are no different than the baby steps anyone can take to create a life they not only want to live, but can joyfully live.

Who did you write if for?

Any woman who has ever looked around and said, “How the hell did I get here?” or “ How did this become my life?” Any woman who has ever doubted herself or questioned her choices will benefit from this book.

What do you think makes your book stand out from other yoga books out there?

My book is real. I’m a single mom of 6 kids. I don’t have the luxury of taking off to travel for a year and find myself. I don’t have a nanny, a chef, or even family in the same state to help me out. I had to live through all the bad stuff and put into practice everything that I had learned and been teaching. I had to walk the walk and talk the talk. This book is written by just an average woman and mom and I think that’s what it makes so relatable to other women.

Do you think someone who doesn’t do yoga can still benefit from your book?

Absolutely! In fact, people tried to get me to take the word yoga out of the title before it was published, but I refused because yoga played such a big part in my life and getting me to the place I am now. But, it really isn’t a traditional yoga book. I discuss very few poses in the book and instead focus on what I have learned as a teacher and a student and how I applied that to my life off the mat.

If people take away just one thing from your book, what do you hope it will be?

You are not alone. No matter what you are struggling with, there is someone else who is right there with you. And it is never hopeless or too late for you.

Tell me about how you manage to make time for yourself with SIX kids!? How do you make time for your yoga practice?

Jennifer Williams-Fields with her family

Fortunately my children are older now—the youngest is 10, so time for myself is a little easier. But just a little! In the book I talk about pulling over into a park to just sit quietly in my car alone for a little bit. And I will admit that some days I would drive the long way home from work just to have some quiet time before I got home. These days my bedroom is the gathering place for everyone in the evenings, which I love dearly, but I have a strict rule that at a certain time everyone out because it’s my quiet time. I think it’s important the kids understand that even moms need our alone time as well. Often while one kid is at an activity I will go to Starbucks with my laptop. The other kids know that is my time, just like dance is their time or baseball is their time to do the things they enjoy.

Tell me more about your yoga practice. What kind of yoga do you practice? How long have you been practicing?

I really wish I could tell you I get up at 4am every day to practice and meditate. I wish I could tell you I practice every day! But I don’t. I’ve been practicing yoga for 11 years and teaching yoga for almost 10 years. My asana practice has become much gentler over time. I no longer feel the need to reach or even attempt the advanced poses. I’ve hurt myself too many times working for a pose my body wasn’t capable of. I’m much more focused now on keeping my body healthy for the long haul. I’m a vinyasa girl but do enjoy a restorative yoga practice with lots of bolsters and blankets now and then. I’ve been known to pop into a down dog no matter where I am!

See also Perseverance Poses

What’s your best advice for a new, first-time mom?
Everyone says sleep when the baby sleeps, but for us Type A people that’s not really possible. So, I would say don’t get so worried about doing it “right” that you don’t trust your own instincts. Everyone is going to give you advice, and not all of it is good. Do the best you can with what feels right to you.

Looking back at your life, what’s the biggest mistake you’ve made so far as a mother? If you could change it, would you?

I have to pick just one? LOL. Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, the biggest mistake I made was not taking care of me. That might sound selfish, but let me explain. For too many years I was in a bad marriage but too afraid to leave. Take the anger, fear and resentment from the marriage, add it to an over-tired mom of six kids, throw in depression, and that’s a bad mix. I was so used to doing everything by myself I didn’t dare ask for help. And, also, I was embarrassed and ashamed to admit the truth of my marriage. I know that affected my parenting. I was so angry at the world I’m sure there were times that anger came out at the kids. If I could go back, the one thing I would do differently would absolutely be to speak up sooner and get myself professional help. A depressed mom isn’t capable of enjoying the good moments nor is she able to adequately handle the tougher times.

What do you do when you get stuck–creatively or in your yoga practice. How do you pull yourself out of a slump?

Jennifer Williams-Fields in Ustrasana Camel Pose

Exercise and self-care are vital to my creativity. I’m no longer the hard core gym rat I used to be, but even something as simple as a short walk can help me clear my head and move forward. When I’m entering a depressed period I become very dormant. I know the thing I need to do to help myself is write it out, but I don’t have the energy to do it. It’s a tough cycle to break. I’ve learned to force myself to do the self care things I need to do to stay healthy—wash my face, get outside, don’t isolate myself. And if medication is necessary, then get over it and take it. Your health is more important than any stigma attached to a chemical imbalance in your body.

Interestingly, I didn’t do much writing this summer. At first I thought I was just stuck or to tired to write more after the flurry of activity from the release of the book and a couple big pieces I wrote that went viral the beginning of the summer. Instead, I spent my time repainting my downstairs and redoing my kitchen cabinets. I realized about halfway through that my creativity was being redirected in other areas right now. And when the time was right, I sat down and started writing again.

See also Sneaky Self-Care

So, our readers might not know this, but you and I (with our sweet pal, Meredith) started a yoga book club on Twitter a few years back. So, I trust your judgement on books! What’s the best book you’ve read recently (besides your own, of course!)?

We did start the Twitter Yoga Book Club! That was so much fun! I jump back and forth between non fiction and fiction reading. The best nonfiction book I’ve read recently is Elizabeth Gilbert’s new release, Big Magic. If you are a writer or any kind of creative person, you’ll love it. Gilbert said she worked a day job while writing her first few books, it wasn’t until the release of Eat, Pray, Love that she was able to quit her job and focus just on writing. That was a big relief to me because I think so many of us feel that if our art isn’t paying the bills, than we aren’t real artists. And that simply isn’t true.

As for fiction, I just discovered The Giver series. It’s almost 10 years old so your readers might already know about it, but I just read it this year. It’s a wonderful story about the perils of creating an ideal world.

What’s next for you? Will you be writing any more books?

For now I’m continuing with my freelance writing and blogging. I do have an idea rattling around in my head for another book, but I don’t have it quite figured it out. I’ll be sure to let you know when I do!

We can’t wait!

Now, I want to hear from you! Comment below and tell us what’s the biggest struggle you’ve faced as a mindful mama and what questions would you ask someone who’s walked the path before you (I’ll be sure to ask our next Mindful Mama for you!)

Pick up Jennifer’s book, Creating A Joyful Life: The Lessons I Learned From Yoga and My Mom, check out Jennifer’s amazing blog, Diapers, Detentions, and Downdogs, and be sure to check back soon for the next Mindful Mama post for more yoga, parenting, and life inspiration.

Read more …
5 Yoga Tips to Get Your Toddler to Sleep
6 Reasons Every Mama To Be Needs a Yoga Ball
3 Surprising Reasons Every Mama Needs a Yoga Mat (Or 3!)

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Science-Backed Proof That Self-Care Isn’t Selfish

Can we all agree that there’s nothing selfish about paying attention to your health? I mean, no one would accuse you of being selfish for going to the doctor to get a check up or going to the dentist for a cleaning. Yet so many of us feel selfish for taking some time away from our families to go to a yoga class, get in a run, take a lovely bath, or get a massage—all things that are also proven to improve overall health and well-being.

Maybe it’s just me. After all, the reason this blog is called Spoiled Yogi to begin with is because at one point in my life I felt completely spoiled because I had a job that afforded me such easy access to yoga classes, organic salads, and weekly chair massages.

Of course, it’s not so easy for me these days. I often fall back into thinking I should be doing more for other people (my daughter, my husband, my editors, etc.) and I let my own needs slide—only to realize later that I’m a complete basket case who can barely think straight, let alone string a coherent sentence together to do my job! It was reading more and more research about just HOW amazing my chosen self care methods are that helps me turn that around during those times that I convenient forget to make it a priority.

Science Backed Proof That Self-Care Isn't Selfish | Spoiledyogi.com

Below, I’m sharing some of those studies in case you’re in the same boat. Let this be your mantra from now on:

There’s nothing selfish about self-care.

Yoga + Mindfulness Reduces Chronic Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and More

According to a new study in the journal PLOS one, practicing relaxation response techniques like yoga and meditation could reduce the need for health care services by as much as 43 percent (read more on the Yoga for Healthy Aging blog). Stress related illnesses like anxiety and depression are not only a real bummer if you’re one of the bajillions who are chronically stressed out, but in 2012 it was an $80 billion expenditure in the United States. Imagine if everyone made self-care a priority: Not only could we be happier, more productive, and more pleasant to be around (good moods are also contagious), but we’d also be able to use our money to make the world a better place, too.

If you think of it that way, it’s really your duty to take some time away from your crazy busy life to tune in yourself and your own needs through yoga and meditation.

Meditation is good for your health, especially when you do it outside | Spoiledyogi.com

Photo by Take Back Your Health

Bathing is Good for Your Brain and Your Nervous System

Every seasoned mama knows, when you’ve tried everything and you STILL can’t soothe a crying baby, put that baby in a bathtub! And, yet, how often do we mamas treat ourselves to a bath when we’re having a hard time soothing ourselves? Not nearly enough! Many studies have shown that simply immersing yourself in hot waters increases activity in the parasympathetic nervous system (that’s the calm, soothing one) and decreases activity in the sympathetic nervous system (that’s the fight-or-flight one). In fact, this study, which was conducted in Japan in 2000, showed no more than a foot bath was necessary to induce a relaxation response.

But Not Drinking Enough Water Can Be Detrimental

On the contrary, not drinking enough water also showed a negative impact on mental health. “Even mild dehydration can affect the brain structures responsible for attention, psychomotor and regulatory functions, as well as thought, memory, and perception, and has been shown to decrease reaction times in working memory, lower alertness and concentration, and increase fatigue and anxiety in adults,” writes Wallace J. Nichols in Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do.

Exercise is Makes You Smarter (and Can Actually Make Your Brain GROW!)

We all know that exercise, especially aerobic exercise, causes our bodies to produce feel-good hormones called endorphins (and for some people it only takes about 10 minutes of exercise to get the endorphins going!). Research shows that exercise improves blood flow to the brain and improves cognitive abilities. This is likely because of changes to the brain—not only does exercise strengthen connections in the brain, research has shown it can actually stimulate some parts of the brain to GROW. Amazing, huh?

From the Chicago Tribune:

Research suggests aerobic exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus and increase levels of a protein that aids the growth of new brain cells, potentially holding off changes in the brain and improving memory function.

And this, too!:

Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that people who said they exercised for 30 minutes five times a week in late-middle age did better on cognitive tests and showed less accumulation of the beta amyloid plaque, the protein that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

But, yeah.. it’s TOTALLY selfish to leave your kids to go for a 30-minute jog a few times a week.

How Exercise Makes You Smarter | Spoiledyogi.com

Photo by David Robert Bliwas

Go Outside! Being in Nature Improves Mood, Reduces Stress

Of course, you don’t have to run to get health benefits. In just a few minutes research, I found tons of studies that showed that just being outside and seeing greenery can reduce a person’s stress levels. In this study, researchers found that even watching nature scenes on TV was beneficial! So, load up the kids in the strollers (I’m not ashamed to admit I sometimes bribe my 3-year-old with treats to get her to sit still for long enough for me to run 10 minutes!) and go for a run, walk, or just a trip to the playground. If you can do it next to a body of water, even better!

A 1997 study showed that ten cancer patients experiencing chronic pain showed a 20-30 percent reduction in stress hormones after watching a nature video including 15 minutes with sounds of the ocean, waves, waterfalls, and splashing creeks.

(By the way, I totally use this knowledge about how healing nature is to justify buying myself flowers. I think you should, too!)

What’s your favorite way to spend your Me Time? Tell us in the comments below!

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How to Scare Your Yoga Teacher

Happy Halloween, Yogis!

Are you going to get in a yoga class today before all the ghosts and goblins emerge tonight for the Halloween? (You should, of course!) Feeling festive? You could wear your costume to class, but what if your Elsa wig falls off in the middle of a challenging sequence or your mummy strips aren’t quite as flexible as the packaging promised? That would be awkward! You could bring candy for the whole class, but yoga people are all healthy, anti-corn syrup, anti-chemicals, and anti-fun … It would cost a fortune to buy that much organic, fair-trade, fancy candy…

Here’s what I recommend instead—scare the living daylights out of your teacher. It’s so easy! And it will fun for the whole class. Besides, she deserves it. How often does she make YOU uncomfortable by putting too many Chaturangas into her sequence and asking you to hold poses for longer than anyone should? (I mean, does she enjoy watching you you suffer?) Halloween is the perfect opportunity for revenge.

How to Scare Your Yoga Teacher on Halloween | Spoiledyogi.com

5 Ways to Scare Your Yoga Teacher

1. Make that face. You know the one—where your brow is all furrowed and you clench your teeth so it looks like you are in a whole lot of pain. When your teacher asks is everything is OK say, “Oh, I’m fine! Just a little tight today!” Repeat intermittently throughout the rest of class.

2. Make that face (again). Fall out of Tree Pose (Vrksasana), or really any pose will do. Scream out, “Oh!” Then, take a really long time to get back up. Stay hunched over and hobble a little bit for a bit of dramatic flair. When you finally make eye contact with your teacher, flash her a smile.

3. Wait until class is over. Then, nonchalantly walk up your teacher and say, “Is it supposed to hurt so much 2 days after back/knee/hip surgery?”

4. Get up and leave in the middle of class. Don’t give any explanations. Don’t make eye contact. Just go.

5. Ask your teacher if she has some kind of special yoga teacher insurance because you were “just wondering.”

P.S. Don’t really do these things to your poor teacher—just bring HER some fancy, fair-trade, organic chocolate instead, OK? Or better yet, just come, be present, and enjoy your practice. For a yoga teacher, there’s no better treat.

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10 Things I LOVE about Restorative Yoga

10 Reasons to Love Restorative Yoga: SpoiledYogi.com

I didn’t always love restorative yoga. In fact, there was a time I really really didn’t like it much. I mean, it’s weird, right? In this country, we grow up learning that the people ahead in life by working their asses off, never giving up, and never slowing down—much less stop to rest. I used to believe that. I wanted my yoga practice to make my muscles sore so I felt like I was accomplishing something. Savasana made my foot twitch. I would lay there dreaming up ALL the things I’d do as soon as my yoga teacher would ring that damn singing bowl.

Things are a little different these days. I still think it’s a good quality to work hard and put your everything into what you’re doing, It’s just when you put everything in, you have to also put effort into replenishing yourself. If you get in your car and go, go, go all day long, ignore your gas levels, and refuse to stop to fill up your tank you’re not going to get as far as you would if you had just taken that 15 minute break to fill up the tank, you know what I mean?

I know what you’re thinking. That’s what food and sleep are for, Erica. Food and sleep fuel your body. But there’s a lot more to you than a body, right? You also have a mind, emotions, intuition, the need to create, the ability to give and receive love — these are all needs that can’t be met by simply eating and sleeping. Restorative yoga poses, passive poses like Savasana (Final Resting Pose), Supta Baddha Konasna (Reclining Bound Angle Pose), and Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose), are one of my all time favorite self-care methods that help me to recharge so I can keep giving my best to the world.

Restorative Yoga, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways….

Savasana Final Resting Pose: 5 Reasons to Love Restorative Yoga

Photo by Robert Bejil

10 Reasons to Love Restorative Yoga

1. Rest your physical body. Tired limbs get to sink into the support of the floor, a bolster, blocks, or a blanket.

2. Soothe your nervous system. Stressed out nervous systems get to stop fleeing from non-existent tigers, if even just for a moment.

3. Rest your brain. Tired brains get a break from their constant activity…. eventually. It might take a while to still the mind when you’re in a restorative posture (that’s why it can be so challenging), but even if the thoughts don’t stop completely eventually they will slow down and you’ll find more space in between the thoughts.

4. If you go to a restorative class, you let someone else take care of YOU. Are you comfy? Let me go get you another blankey. Is the candlelight disturbing you, my darling? I’ll go get an eye pillow. It’s a full-service experience, and it’s awesome.

5. The less you do, the more benefits you receive.

6. It’s easy to incorporate other kinds of self-care—soft music, aromatherapy, snuggly blankets—into a restorative yoga session, especially if you’re practicing at home.

7. Practice letting go. We hold on to so much—muscle tension, thought patterns, attachments, expectations.. When your physical body is completely supported, you start to feel supported in other areas, too, so maybe you can let go of both tension, and other unhealthy things you’re holding on to.

See also 5 Common Meditation Mistakes

8. Get more done. It’s counter-productive, but, as I noted in the intro the more you give yourself room to relax, the more balanced you’ll be—and that means that when you need to get stuff done, you’ll be able to think more clearly, focus on the task at hand, and rock it out.

9. Get to know yourself better. All types of yoga should help you get to know yourself better (that’s kind of the whole point, isn’t it?) but the contemplative nature of restorative poses can help you to deepen that relationships with yourself even more.

10. Learn to make yourself a priority, be kinder to yourself, and pass it on. I’ll be frank, sometimes I really suck at taking care of myself. When my life gets busy, it’s just so easy to let self-care fall off my to-do list. But when we practice being kind to ourselves and give ourselves permission to just be whoever we are in any given moment, it changes everything—the way we see ourselves, the way others treat us, and how we interact in the world. That’s really powerful stuff. And it’s totally worth spending a few minutes in a lovely Supported Child Pose (Balasana) as a daily reminder of that.

Do you love restorative yoga, too? Tell me WHY in the comments below! 👇

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2018 Update!: Enjoy this short practice video for focus, concentration, and clarity!

A Yoga Practice for Mommy Brain

Downward Facing Dog with a block under the forehead

Mountain Pose (AKA Strong Mama Pose)

Tree Pose

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Chair Pose

Eagle Pose

Warrior III Pose

Eagle Pose (Yes, again!)

Pigeon Pose with head resting on something

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5 Ways to Improve Yoga Poses

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Want more Spoiled Yogi? (Of course you do! It’s good for you!) Enter your email address to receive monthly emails and special offers. Don’t be shy, treat yourself! You deserve it.

Want more Spoiled Yogi? (Of course you do! It’s good for you!) Enter your email address to receive monthly emails and special offers. Don’t be shy, treat yourself! You deserve it.

Yoga + Mindfulness Reduces Chronic Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and More

Bathing is Good for Your Brain and Your Nervous System

But Not Drinking Enough Water Can Be Detrimental

Exercise is Makes You Smarter (and Can Actually Make Your Brain GROW!)

Go Outside! Being in Nature Improves Mood, Reduces Stress

Want more Spoiled Yogi? (Of course you do! It’s good for you!) Enter your email address to receive monthly emails and special offers. Don’t be shy, treat yourself! You deserve it.

5 Ways to Scare Your Yoga Teacher

Want more Spoiled Yogi? Enter your email address to receive monthly emails and special offers. Don’t be shy, treat yourself! You deserve it.

Restorative Yoga, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways….

10 Reasons to Love Restorative Yoga

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