The Balance Between Effort and Ease
Have you ever wondered where the end of your work is? This questions plagues me!
Since the beginning of January, I've definitely been thinking a lot about the difference between becoming and being, and how to strike a balance between effort and ease. The practice of yoga naturally leads us into this sacred space... But it's easy to find ourselves lost in the constant pressure of the busy world closing in around us.
Thomas Merton, an American mystic and Trappist monk, spoke about the contemporary violence of our times: Being answerable to too many people, saying yes to too many things, and taking on too many projects.
I'm finding more and more that we've become accustomed to living in a culture that praises exhausted people, working ourselves to the bone just to keep up, and we've even come to admire and respect those who are continuously achieving greater and greater things through activity, whether it's within the work place, the asana practice, on social media, or at home. We place a high value on what we're invited to see someone doing because it demonstrates their esteem as a human being -- they are needed and making a difference.
But what happened to simply being?
Finding inner stillness? Enjoying silence, and allowing our mind and body to rest? Creating the time and space to laugh and love?
The signs of burnout are real.
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands and pressures, which leaves you feeling helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful, like you have nothing more to give.
Although our yoga practice can help to build resilience, which will increase our resistance to burnout, it doesn't necessarily mean we are immune. Yoga helps to boost immunity, release tension, and increase both physical and mental health, which all work to combat the harmful effects of stress.
However, sometimes our practices can leave us feeling more alone and isolated. This is why it's so important to have people around that can help support you. Social contact is nature’s remedy to stress. Talking face to face with a good listener is one of the fastest ways to calm your nervous system, feel uplifted, and renew your sense of focus.
Here are a few ideas for how to regulate your stress and reduce burnout by making deeper social connections with those around you:
Reach out to close friends or family - call someone up just to say "hi" and connect. Open up and share your struggles or what you're feeling. You may be surprised that those who love you will want to help and support you.
Develop friendships with the people you work with - this can make your work environment more enjoyable and release some of the stress that comes with the job.
Limit your time around negative people - participating in conversations centered around complaining and criticism will only drag your energy down even more.
Connect with a community - reach out and join a supportive community of people who understand and relate to your values and will share in supporting you through listening, ideas, and encouragement. Find out more about my Inside Membership and participate in our monthly conferences and weekly Mysore classes.
Find a coach - connecting with a coach is a wonderful way to see yourself more clearly. Coaching can help you identify the gaps between where you are and where you want to be. It will help you to create a sustainable structure for your life, infused with accountability, and ongoing support to ensure you continue to create healthy habits. Find out how to receive personalized coaching with me!
Dozens of studies have demonstrated how positive social relationships have both short and long term health benefits. In fact, social connections not only give us pleasure, triggering the release of oxytocin and serotonin, they also influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a plant-based diet, exercise, and not smoking!
So if you are struggling with the onset of burnout... Instead of trying to do more practice, more exercise, fit in more meditation, and more more more more... self-care. Try simply reaching out and hugging someone, whether up close or from a distance, having a good laugh, drink your favorite glass of bubbly, and spending some quality time nurturing the connections that uplift your mind and spirit.
The bottom line is: Make time to connect with those you love this week.
Your life is precious, so be sure to take time to enjoy it!
Sending you enormous love 💖 and excited to connect with you again soon!
Now it’s your turn…
Tell me in the comments below what are your favorite ways to relax with friends or family…
What benefits do you receive when you reach out and make the effort to connect?
