wellness

Increasing Mental Strength & Tapping into Your Fullest Potential

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It’s so easy to dream.

It’s easy to tell people about your ambitions.

It’s easy to create vision boards and write down your goals.

It’s easy to stand in front of a mirror and declare affirmations.

But… in order to be successful and meet your full potential, you need to put in the work.

Mental toughness will help!

What is mental toughness?

Mental toughness is the ability to resist, manage and overcome doubts, worries, concerns, and circumstances that prevent you from succeeding and excelling at a task or towards an objective or a performance outcome that you set out to achieve.

Physical fitness gets a lot of attention, but I believe mental fitness/toughness is equally important. Your body will only achieve what your mind believes. Having a healthy and strong mind will allow you to handle the challenges and opportunities that life throws at you.

To gain better mental focus and strength and to reach your goals you need to do a few things…

Write down your goals.

YOU set these goals. Goals keep you focused on what’s next, and writing them down keeps you on track. Don’t let anybody else tell you what your goals should be.

Choose things out of reach.

Don’t just think about what is “realistic.” The problem with realistic thinking is that it’s usually based on what others think is possible. They don’t know your potential. Whenever you start a task with a mind toward the potential outcome, you will limit the actions required to accomplish that goal.

Tolerate discomfort for a greater purpose.

Discomfort can lead people to take unhealthy shortcuts. Rather than deal with a problem, people may ignore it altogether, walk away, or reach for something that provides immediate emotional relief, i.e eating, drinking, scrolling through social media, watching TV, etc… short-term solutions can often create bigger long-term problems. It’s important to practice tolerating discomfort by reminding yourself of the bigger picture. Don’t try to escape it. The more you tolerate discomfort, the more confidence you’ll have in your ability to do difficult things and the more you will succeed.

Do one hard thing every day.

You won’t improve by accident. Purposely challenge yourself. Of course, what’s challenging to you might not be to someone else, so you need to analyze your comfort zone and then pick something slightly outside your zone and take one small step every day. Push yourself to become a little better today than you were the day before.

Always do one more.

The next time you think you can’t do something, prove yourself wrong. Commit to always doing one more. Your mind will want to quit long before your body needs to give up. So prove to yourself that you’re more capable than you give yourself credit for, and over time, your brain will stop underestimating your potential.

Strive to fulfill your purpose.

It’s hard to stay the course unless you know your overall purpose. Write out a clear and concise mission statement about what you want to accomplish in life and then start to work towards it every day. When you’re struggling to take the next step, remind yourself why it’s important to keep going. Focus on your daily objectives, but make sure the steps you’re taking will get you to your larger goal in the long run.

Take action.

Go beyond what's normal or typical for you. Push beyond your limits until one day the unusual activity is not so unusual, but a habit for you and part of your routine. Big goals require big actions. In order to reach your full potential, you must take huge steps and actions towards completing your goal. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Stay persistent and NEVER quit.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. The ability to persist on your path regardless of setbacks, unexpected events, bad news, and resistance to continue firmly in your purpose in spite of conditions is a trait common to those who are successful. Reaching your fullest potential requires you to be persistent; there are no quitters here.

In all, work hard and never limit your potential success and never limit what you will do to create and keep that success. Have monster goals and continue to attack them hard EVERY DAY! Remember that people who are highly successful continue to work, produce and create long after they’ve flourished.

Embrace Your Winter Yoga Practice

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Are you ready for the winter weather and below freezing temps? As the weather gets colder with it comes the many excuses to stay inside. But don’t let the cold keep you from your yoga practice! 

Here are a few reasons to get on your mat...

Hot yoga feels great on the body.

Chances are, the cold makes you feel stiff and sluggish. All the more reason to roll out your yoga mat. Warming up your muscles and joints is good for the body, improving circulation, reducing stiffness and cramping, and helping you warm up. Building heat from the inside can keep you moving all day.

Yoga boosts your immune system.

Regular exercise strengthens the immune system, making your body ready to fight off the cold and flu viruses floating around this time of year. Keep that first line of defense ready to battle the germs with lots of rest, water, and of course, yoga three times a week or more.

Yoga helps boost your energy.

The short days and dark evenings can leave you feeling sluggish. The best way to boost your body’s energy level naturally is through regular exercise. As little as 3-4 hours per week is all it takes to kick your body into gear. 

Yoga helps open your heart

Want to say “Bah, humbug” to the holidays this year? Don’t get yourself down. Hitting the yoga studio will help you deal with the blues that often accompany the season. 

Practicing simple principles such as compassion, gratitude, and living in the moment will help the negativity roll off your back. Make time for your practice. When your mind is happy and calm, you will be happy and calm.

Yoga can help with holiday stress.

“I’m so stressed out. My mind is racing. Everything seems overwhelming. I just can’t stop thinking!” Are these anxious feelings wearing down your holiday spirit? It’s time to take a break. Get on your mat and watch your worries literally melt into the mat and leave you feeling clear and refreshed. Breathe your way through calm and control. 

Yoga helps you find balance.

T’is the season to over-indulge. All the holiday parties, cookies, candies, treats, and cocktails can leave you feeling sluggish and tired. Counteracting this with some movement can be just what you need to feel energized and healthy.

Yoga helps you stay grounded.

The seasons come and go. We go through many ups and downs in our lives. Even though the world around us changes, our time on the mat can be a consistent source of comfort and peace. Knowing you can count on your yoga practice promotes mental clarity and a sense of security. 



Congrats to our 2019 RYT200 Graduates!

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“Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Congratulations to our Empower Yoga Teacher Training graduates! We are honored to see such passionate individuals furthering their practice in the service of yoga. Our summer immersion graduates embarked on a new chapter in their yogic journey upon the completion of our 200 Hour RYT Program. We are excited for our community of new teachers to share their passion for yoga, connect with like-minded individuals and guide students on a healing path.

INTERESTED IN DEEPENING YOUR PRACTICE?  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NEXT 200 HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING TAKING PLACE FEBRUARY 2020!

10 Reasons to Do Yoga Teacher Training!

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Have you been considering taking part in our yoga teacher training this summer? Here are some reason why we think you should join our amazing group of trainees!

10 Reasons to Do Yoga Teacher Training!

Written by Angelique Flynn (Co-Lead Instructor)

An estimated 33% of students who complete a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program never actually teach yoga.  In my experience, about half of students who get that YTT certificate do not go on to teach in a gym or studio, though many use their training to pursue other goals.  So why would you go through 200 hours of training for something you don’t intend to do? Here are some great reasons why:

1) You will get in touch with your body.

Before YTT, my body consisted of major parts, like thighs, knees, shins, and feet.  Now, I have a deeper understanding of my anatomy, like hamstrings, quadriceps, ischial tuberosity.  This helps me with body awareness to avoid injury in other activities and it also helps me to communicate better with medical professionals.

2) You will develop strength and coordination, and lessen your chance of injury.

Before yoga, I constantly tripped over my own feet, often twisting an ankle or worse.  After YTT, my balance is better and my core is stronger. Not only does this help me now, but later in life it will help me with basic activities that we take for granted such as bending over to tie my shoes and twisting.  Yes, a consistent yoga practice can help you in these areas as well, but YTT helps you commit to that regular practice and gain a better understanding how to improve in these areas.

3) You will make new friends!

Let’s face it, making friends as adults can be challenging, particularly if you have moved to a new area or changed careers.  After spending 200 hours with your YTT tribe, you will make lifelong friends who have similar interests as you: YOGA!

4) You will develop or deepen your spiritual practices.  

Learning to let go and let the universe (or whatever your Higher Power is) guide you, is one of the key benefits of a yoga practice.  If you do not already have a relationship with something greater than yourself, YTT will introduce you to many different spiritual practices. If you do have that relationship, YTT will help you deepen your awareness through chanting and meditative techniques.  

5) You will learn new things about yourself.

You will learn just how strong, open minded and committed you are.  Throughout my YTT, I kept asking why they didn’t teach this stuff in high school. If I could have learned then what I learned now, I could have grown self-love and self-acceptance so much earlier in my life.

6) You will gain confidence in yourself.

You will learn to express yourself and be kinder to yourself.  You will also learn to graciously recover from mistakes and missteps.  

7) You will learn how to connect with others.

In addition to reading bodies, you will be able to pour loving energy and light into a room.  You will learn to “hold space” for others. You will learn to communicate with people in all walks of life, and make community accessible to all.

8) You will improve your asana practice.

A major benefit of YTT is deepening your own personal yoga practice.  You will learn safe ways to get into more advanced poses and learn modifications.  You will also be able to identify when you should rest your own body and when you can push further.  Many YTT grads are able to develop their own daily or weekly asana practice outside of a yoga class. And if you’re traveling on vacation and can’t find a yoga studio, you’ll know exactly what to do!

9) You will be able to share with others.

If you do not want to teach in a traditional setting, you can still share what you have learned with family, friends, and children of all ages.  In my YTT program, one person shared yoga with the preschoolers she taught to get them to be quiet for a few minutes each day, one person taught boardroom yoga at her job, one person helped his staff stretch after a long day in the construction industry, one person used mindfulness techniques in her therapy practice, and one person used the asana practice for her high school theater group...the possibilities are endless!

10) You will develop an appreciation for the study of yoga.

Yoga Teacher Training opens up doors to new experiences and wisdom.  There are many avenues to pursue beyond the physical practice. Whatever grabs your interest during training can be pursued further after training.  At the very least, you will be able to practice mindfulness in every aspect of your life!


We hope you’ll join us!

For more info, visit: http://empoweryoganj.com/teacher-training

Stop Skipping Savasana

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For most people, Savasana is the easiest pose to get into, but the hardest pose to stay in. As a result some people bolt out of class early and skip it all together. But, Savasan is honestly, the best part of class. It's the reward for all your hard work.

Why is Savasana so hard?

Savasana means total relaxation. It is a chance for your body to absorb your practice. It’s a way to rejuvenate your body and mind. Most people find Savasana so difficult because they have a hard time lying still, closing their eyes, and quitting their minds.  So instead of trying to relax into the pose, they avoid it.

Here are some tips to help you in Savasana.

How To Do Savasana Properly

  1. Spread the legs one to two feet apart, the toes are turned outwards, the heels facing each other, a comfortable distance apart.

  2. Bring the arms a little away from the body, palms turned upward.

  3. Relax the whole body. Letting go of any tension you may be holding onto.

  4. Close the eyes and focus the attention on the body, breathing normally.

  5. Bring your attention slowly to each body part and try to relax them one at a time.

5 Tips For A Successful Savasana

  1. Close your eyes.

  2. Allow your body to melt into the mat.

  3. Keep the mind focused on relaxing. As thoughts come to your minds eye, acknowledge them, but then let them go.  

  4. Avoid moving the body, as even the slightest movement will use many muscles and increase the nerve impulses.

  5. Practice, practice, practice. It's not easy, but it's totally worth it. Don't give up.

Why you should Savasana

Here are some benefits:

  • Improved self-confidence.

  • Improved concentration.

  • Increased energy levels and in general productivity.

  • Improvement in concentration and in memory.

  • Relaxes your whole body.

  • Releases stress, fatigue, depression and tension.

  • Helps insomnia.

  • Decreased fatigue, coupled with deeper and sounder sleep.

  • Calms the mind and improves mental health, i.e anxiety

  • Stimulates blood circulation.

So I challenge you, next time you feel like skipping Savasana, dont... no matter how busy you may be. Indulge yourself in those 5 or so minutes at the end of your practice and you will reap the benefits, I promise you.



Why You Need Yoga in Your Life- Especially When You're Crazy Busy!

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If you've ever said the words "there aren't enough hours in the day," you're not alone.

While there's no doubt that most of us have our plates full with work, family, friends, etc… studies show that we're not quite as busy as we think we are.

Life is about priorities and making time for the things you want and need. It’s important to take care of yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup, so it’s critical to take care of YOU. To do all the things you need to do and to do them well, you need to stop, breathe and give yourself a break.  So if you’ve been wanting to try yoga for a while, but you just can't seem to find the time, think again. Now is your chance to stop what you're doing and discover all of yoga’s amazing benefits so you can start to feel better. When we feel good, our lives feel much more manageable.

Here are a few ways yoga can help:

Yoga is a great way to work the body.

Yoga helps increase flexibility, improves muscle tone and strength, and helps develop better posture.  It’ll make you feel strong, empowered and renewed. Perhaps giving you a sense of confidence that wasn't there before.

Yoga helps you stay present.

Life seems to be filled with those never-ending to-do lists. We quickly move form one thing to the next, which makes it hard for us to be present in any given moment. Well yoga can help that. Yoga takes you into the present moment, the only place where life exists. Spending a few minutes on your mat will help you stay in the moment and teach you to be more present in the flow of life.

Yoga helps you stay grounded and balanced.

When you're spending more than 8 hours a day at the office, staying grounded is tough. It can seem like your entire life is and endless cycle of work, eat, & sleep. Yoga can help bring more balance into your life and remind you about what's important. There is more to life than just working! Take time to feel centered and enjoy what's happening around you.

Yoga helps you destress.

Yoga helps decrease the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Yoga provides a nurturing space and quiet time to stop for a moment, relax and reflect upon our daily routine and priorities.  Stress is a part of our human nature, but we can go to yoga to balance it out. With yoga, you can begin to tap into that constant source of inner happiness so you can spend less time being bogged down and more time doing the things you love.

Yoga helps you sleep better.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, stress is highly correlated with sleep problems, and lack of sleep makes you more stressed out. So if your lifestyle is making it difficult for you to sleep, maybe yoga can help. With more sleep you’ll be more rested and ready for the day!

Yoga creates harmony between you and the world around you.

A regular yoga practice centres you and keeps you balanced. What yoga can teach you is to let go of things that no longer serve you. Being present and being ok with it, no matter what the particular moment reveals. It gives you confidence and realisation that you can actually achieve more than you think but without aggravation, unnecessary struggle and stress.

Here's to living a more balanced life.

Namaste!