SIX words that changed my life.

Have you ever gone to a yoga class and felt so great in the class, and then 30 minutes after leaving, you are back to the ho-hum of the day? You might even have forgotten that brilliant thing the yoga teacher told you, or you are already breathing fast again, and your mind is racing.

Suppose this has never been the case for you, KUDOS. It is often the case for me after a class. I feel so good and then get back to my regular day. Some chaotic moments would take me back into a tizzy, and I would feel like I never went to a yoga class or had a mindful moment.

After I began to teach yoga, I always had these experiences in the back of my head. I always wanted to give my students things that could go into their yoga toolkits, and the thing that I began to say that transformed my life was so simple, so easy, and something I say in most of my yoga classes.

These are six words that I want you to put into your toolkit as you go into 2025.

NOTICE YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR

It is as simple as that, but something you don’t always think of! When you are running from thing to thing, trying to catch up and take hold of your day, can you take one minute to stop, breathe, and notice your feet on the floor? When you do this, you can tap back into your body and how you feel and connect to your breath and body.

I have done this on some of my most challenging days, and it is incredible how quickly I can feel centered. Recently, when I began to stress about the holidays, expectations, and my overwhelming to-do list, I stopped, noticed my feet on the floor, and took a deep breath.

It reminded me to return to the present and what was within my control. It reminded me that I could slow down and think with a relaxed, not hurried, mind. It reminded me to just be, even for a moment.

So, as you enter this year, can you add those six words to your toolkit? There may be days when you notice your feet and then get hyped again. Notice those feet repeatedly until you feel more centered and like yourself.