Feelings Fitness Formula. Part 3. Emotional well-being

In this episode Suzanne shares the final piece of the Feeling Fitness Formula, emotional well-being. She explains the meaning and how yoga and mindfulness can be the tools to create it.

So, what is emotional well-being? It doesn’t mean you are happy all the time. It simply means that you are aware of your emotions and you know how to manage negative feelings. 

Decreased emotional well-being can be the culprit of stress, depression, and anxiety. It can also lead to digestive disturbances, sleep disturbances, and general lack of energy. Yoga and mindfulness can really contribute to emotional well-being. In recent years, there has been plenty of research done to back this statement.

Now that it’s so much more mainstream, you'll find yoga and mindfulness being used in schools, prisons, corporate settings, and on and on.

Suzanne discusses how to do alternate nostril breathing(nadi shodhana) and how it can help the body function from the parasympathetic nervous system(rest and digest) instead of the sympathetic nervous system(fight or flight). This form of breath work relaxes the mind and body and is great to use during meditation. Yoga teaches how using the breath can help us connect the mind & body and create peace and calm.

Suzanne then explains a few examples of postures(asanas) and how they can help the physical body as well as aid in emotional well-being. A back bend, such as cobra can alleviate stiffness in the body as well as open the heart center and contribute to emotional well-being. Inversions such as standing forward fold can send fresh oxygen to the brain to clear mental fog. Twists can help with digestive function and releases tension in the body. 

Mindfulness reminds us to operate from a place of non-judgment. It teaches us to accept the present moment as it is. We train ourselves to respond rather than react and to put some space between trigger(s) and reaction(s). 

All this being said, Suzanne reminds us that we need to keep in mind that we are all different and sometimes yoga and mindfulness will not be enough. In which case, further help should be sought out. 

She shares a personal story about how yoga has helped her as emotions have ebbed & flowed throughout the seasons of her life. She also shares how there was a point in her journey where she needed to seek additional help too. 

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