Life is such a doozy.

We have moments of organized chaos, which is the norm for me, and then we have moments of balance, relaxation, and wholeness. 

And then there’s the moments in-between, the transition from one to the next. The movements and the steps we take from beginning to end…

How we perform in each moment is a reflection of our unique selves, the work we are putting in, and the intentions that are going out. It’s all a balancing act – life, relationships, goals, achievements, and yoga.

Pin now, learn to balance later!

This post is an inspirational piece to help bring clarity, focus, and balance into your LIFE and your YOGA practice. Because let’s be real, we all need more of it.

Below are 5 Ways to Balance in Life & Yoga…from my personal journey to yours.

1. Gaze in the Direction You’re Going

Whether you want to balance in a handstand, gracefully hold a dancer pose, or write a novel – you must know the direction and how to get there.

It’s a combination of equal parts steady gaze + movement in the desired direction.

For example, imagine you’re moving into a dancer pose, here’s the method to balance –

• Pick a point to focus on, one that is non-moving and stable, then lock eyes with it.
• Don’t let the eyes waver, not even for moment.
• As you kick foot into hand, the leg will rise and straighten as the chest lengthens and lowers.
• Eyes are steady, soft, and locked with the chosen point.
• To come out – reverse the movements, move slow, and keep the gaze until the body is back to a neutral state.

Wearing: Sacred Tusk Athletics leggings.

To Recap –

Envision where you want to be, cultivate a laser beam focus on your destination, and then steady your concentration on the end point.

2. Use Your Entire Being to Balance

You can’t half ass balance, it simply won’t work. I’ve tried and I’ve failed.

Instead, learn to use your entire being to balance – mind, body, and soul. This applies to every aspect of life and especially in yoga.

Let’s break it down with a yoga pose example –

Warrior 3:

In warrior 3, we are balancing on one foot and the entire body is supported by the standing leg. In order to do this seamlessly, here’s the must-dos.

• The standing foot is grounded, planted, and rooted.
• All four corners of the foot are connected – heel, pad of the foot, pinky toe, and big toe.
• The standing leg is active – ankle, shin, calf, knee, and thigh all working together to support the posture.
• The lifted leg is working just as hard here – completely engaged.
• The chest, arms, and fingertips are energized.
• And the belly is so strong and supportive, never wavering even for a moment.

Wearing: Sacred Tusk Athletics leggings.

To Recap –

Your entire being – mind, body, and soul – must work together, support one another, and show up wholeheartedly. Then and only then, will balance become effortless and natural.

Work at this in every yoga pose and in every instance of life.

With consistent practice, postures will become easier, decisions clearer, and movements more natural.

3.  Activate & Energize

Once you’re in the moment or in the yoga posture, now is the time to balance like you mean it.

This is the point in our journey where it’s easy to fall out or give up…this applies to a yoga posture or a personal life goal. How many times have you started a diet, an exercise regimen, or set an intention to break a bad habit to only give up.

I know I have, ain’t no shame in my game.

So here’s the deal – once you show up, it’s time to hold steady and rock it out – yoga pose or life goal. To do this – we must activate and energize.

Like above, I’ll break it down with a yoga pose example.

Handstand:

Imagine that you’ve already kicked up and are now balancing on those strong ass hands of yours….

• The entire surface of the hand is helping to aid in balance – heel of the hand, palm, and each fingertip – especially the pads of the fingertips.
• The arms are active – upper arms roll outwards to help create a shelf from shoulder to shoulder.
• The belly and midsection are zipped up as though a tight-fitting jacket is on.
• The tailbone is tucking down towards the heels to lengthen the low back.
• The legs are incredibly active – inner thighs squeezing, quadriceps engaged, calves & shins are alive with energy.
• And the feet – those babies are working too! All ten toes are active, spreading wide, and the feet are flexed.

Wearing: Sacred Tusk Athletics leggings.

To Recap:

Once we arrive at our end destination, the work isn’t over, it’s actually just begun. This is where the true work begins….

Whatever your end goal is, break it down piece by piece, examine what parts needs to align, what pieces need to work together, and then do it.

Do it every damn day and that handstand will soon become second nature. Trust me, it can and will happen!

4. Move with Intention, Purpose, and Grace

After years of practicing yoga, I’ve finally tapped into the transitions. The sweet moments in-between and how I get from one posture to the next.

It’s bananas how sloppy my movements were before – rushed, out of control, lackadaisical, no purpose, no direction.

I made it a point to slow down, breathe incredibly deep, feel each piece of the movement, notice which parts of the body soften as others engage…

And let me tell you friends, slow movement is magical.

I highly recommend it.

Wearing: Sacred Tusk Athletics leggings.

But here’s the catch – how do I then take what I’ve learned from yoga and apply it off the mat into everyday life. This is where my work lies and I know that.

Where does your work lie?

Start to notice your moments of transition – where you need to soften, where you need to engage, where the breath needs to deepen, and where the body can experience stillness.

Yoga postures transition examples:

• Upward facing dog – Downward facing dog.
• Warrior 1 – Warrior 2.
• Warrior 2 – Peaceful warrior.
• Crescent pose – Warrior 3.

5. Stay Present

Everything above is all fine and dandy BUT if we don’t stay present, then what’s the point!

The goal of every yoga class is to bring the practitioner into a moment of complete awareness. A moment where the constant mind chatter can cease and true stillness can happen.

I always start my yoga classes with this introduction:

Take a deep breath.

Come into this moment.

Right here.

On your mat.

With your body.

In this room.

Let all other thoughts float away.

To Recap:

In life and in our yoga practice, it’s easy to do be somewhere yet not there. We can be balancing in an intricate posture yet the mind is focused on dinner, the person next to you, or an e-mail that needs to be sent.

The mind is tricky business, it likes to wander off and do nothing but be present.

Reign it in and bring it back.

Center everything into the moment at hand. Use the breath to refocus and reconnect.

You got this.

How do you find balance in yoga and in life? What methods do you harness to stick a yoga pose or achieve a goal.

Please share your tips & tricks down below as we could all use more balance.

As always, leave any questions, comments, or general yoga love down below. Until next time – xoxo.