“I don’t have time!” one leader with hunched shoulders and a desperate look on her face said to the group as if the pleading in her eyes would signal me to give her THE answer.
While facilitating mindfulness trainings to groups of busy educational leaders in large urban districts, this exclamation, proclamation almost, is unfortunately, quite common.
If you are an educator reading this, you are quite familiar with the October drag.
The month that seems like it will never end because there are so many things that keep getting added to the schedule (at school and home), with increased intensity.
All the while your energy levels hit steady decline, both physically and mentally, and somehow it feels like the entire year is poured into this one month.
You can’t imagine adding another thing to the calendar!
You can barely get through each day with your etched smile and faded memories of your “why” that got you into this craziness in the first place.
I feel you.
Because I am you.
And, what I’ve learned is that these are crossroad moments.
Meaning, one route takes you down the same old route.
The other route, well, it opens new and vibrant possibilities.
The old route gets you to where you need to go, but it’s dull, long, hard, bumpy, and lacks life and luster.
The alterantive route is enticing, full of curious mystery, and you can actually smell the freshness that if you even for an instant entertain this direction, you can feel the air cleanse you from the inside out.
It gives you a renewed sense of hope. Of determination. Of wonder.
You may briefly remember all the amazing things you get to impart to kids that will leave a positive imprint on a world that desperately needs their gifts actuated.
But, bam!
Like that.
Like the blow of a 4th of July firecracker, you are pulled back to the heaviness and moodiness of barely getting by in a month where we are greeted with pumpkins, goblins, and ghosts.
The giddiness of it all seems to have disappeared.
The laughter you looked forward to at the start of the school year fades, translucent almost.
I am here to tell you that taking the route where you reconnect to your big “why”, where you feel rejuvenated and have a renewed sense of life and vibrancy, is absolutely possible…even in the month of October!
So, let me tell you how.
Here are 3 ways to move your body to help you focus your mind and shift the drag into a vibrant room shouting, happy-to-be- at school and play-in life-brag!
All you need is 30 minutes each day, and you can divide it up into 3 sets of 10 minutes or 6 sets of 5 minutes.
Walk To Change The Talk
All these high-tech exercise programs are way overrated. You don’t need to spend any money to get the benefits of exercise. All you need are comfy shoes and to be intentional with your time.
Take a 10-minute walk in the morning before you start your day at school. Don’t wait to do your 30 minutes in the evening. At least give yourself 10 minutes before the sun rises, then do the rest later if you have to wait.
Walking outside helps strengthen muscles and bones, helps you keep a healthy weight, helps you manage (if applicable) or prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, improves balance and coordination, and improves mood.
Easy Flow Yoga
You don’t need to sweat it out in a hot yoga studio and be drenched from head to toe to get the benefits of yoga for your mind, body, and heart. All you need are some comfy clothes (can be your jam jams) and a mat.
Yoga helps us come into the body, which is not something we are generally accustomed to because we are on repeat in our minds 24/7. Coming out of the mind to the body helps us get re-focused, grounded, and calm.
If you don’t know where to start, go to an easy flow to a yoga studio near you.
Or, in my free fall challenge – #40dayTFBAchallenge – I’ll share an easy morning flow that you can do at home or at school!
Dumbbells In a Nutshell
Buy some 2-5 lbs weights from your fave big box store, then keep a set at home and school. Do a little tricep, bicep, shoulder press, and you are good to go.
Again, you don’t have to sweat it out in the gym to get the benefits of movement and strength training. All you need are weights that cost a few dollars, some guidance on how to do the movements, and 5 minutes here and there.
You might have guessed by now that I will be sharing some of my fave moves in my free fall challenge coming up at the end of October.
Yep, the October drag is real. So is taking an alternate route that plays a different tune in your mind. Despite all the things going on, you can choose to make the time. It’s a mindset issue, not a time issue.
Doing all the things with vibrant energy is possible. It’s possible every day.
You ready to take the alt. route?
Go to www.solsenseyoga.com/40days and sign up for my free fall challenge. We will be creating all kinds of alive and vibrant energy together.
Hope to see you there!
XO ~ Athea
