Take Time For Yourself

During this past year, we have all learned a lot of things. Many of us found out that we were stronger than we thought. Many of us had to figure out how to deal with additional stress, especially financial stress, fear of the unknown, relationship tensions, political uncertainty, and many of us had health issues we had to deal with.

Tess enjoying a beautiful sunset

It’s now been over one year since the Pandemic hit the world and it seems like more has happened in the past twelve months than many of us deal with in 5 or 6 years. Uncertainty is the new normal, how we cope with uncertainty is going to determine how happy we are going forward. While we have been personally navigating how to deal with all of this uncertainty and stress we have found two ways to help us cope and lead happier lives. I figured this month’s IONL was a good place to share our personal journey.

 Living in the Now

 One of the biggest changes we have made is strictly internal. Within our minds. We have come to understand that we cannot change the past and it is useless to worry about the future, all we can do is be present now and try to be at peace within this moment. Sounds pretty basic, but it is harder than most think. Many of us have what is called a “monkey mind”, finding it impossible to shut off our brains, constantly shifting our focus to what just happened and what might happen down the road. We worry about things beyond our control when there is nothing we can do that is going to change the past or the future. We have found a lot of benefits from meditating and focusing on the now while putting out of our minds the constant chatter that our brains want to create. When something creeps in, we acknowledge that thought and we put it aside. We go back to the moment and enjoy the peace that this moment brings. It doesn’t mean that we cannot plan, on the contrary, there is great relief in knowing that you have solid plans down the road. Future trips and vacations can give us hope and something to look forward to… Scheduling jobs and contracts can give us financial stability that can reduce the daily stress and worries that can occupy our minds during times of uncertainty. But giving in to the now is a way to take a big burden off your shoulders, if only for thirty minutes or so. It can help us sleep better at night and help us recharge when we are feeling tired. Appreciating a single moment, or dedicating time to meditate will allow you to be free of these stressors, if even for a short time. We all need more and more time free of things that we cannot change. We all need to appreciate ourselves and have a calm mind. No one else is responsible for our own happiness, we must be responsible for our own self-care and we must be responsible to take time for ourselves.

Yoga Class

About to start class

Another form of self-care that we have started is Yoga classes every Friday morning. We meet at a beautiful place on the coast where we take time to stretch, and start our day in a very positive way, and then we conclude with a very healthy brunch. Yoga is more than just exercise, in our class, there is a lot of dedication to self-awareness and calming our minds. There are times when some of the positions create a lot of stress on my body, but I allow myself to feel that disruption and I focus on the pain, but in a good way. I allow it to be uncomfortable, but I am also allowing my mind to focus on the position and the stretch rather than any outside influencers.

Tess relaxing at the end of Yoga class. My favorite part is when we get into Shavasana (aka the “corpse pose”) and allow our bodies to relax at the end of class.

We can hear the ocean crashing on the rocks below. When we close our eyes, we hear only the sea below and the birds above. It is so peaceful and calming. The instructor leads us through the different poses and I personally can feel the energy flowing through me.

What a great backdrop for our Yoga sessions

I have always struggled with flexibility, but I can already see improvements as time goes on. More importantly, my mind is calmer and I have become calmer. Life is not always what we expect, but how we cope with these unexpected disruptions is what will define us. Covid has changed how people work, what priorities we put on jobs, careers, vacations, and all of the “stuff” that we collect. We have decided to live a simpler life these days. We are still working hard planning for our upcoming Naughty Events, but we are taking more time for ourselves to ensure that we appreciate the sunsets a little more, and interactions with negative people a little less. Take some time to find your inner peace. Meditation and Yoga might not work for everyone, but if you look within, you will find the peace that you deserve. It cannot come from anyone else, only you can find out what is right for you.

 P.S. Come join us on Friday, August 6th for a clothing-optional Yoga session at Naughty N’awlins in the midst of one of the largest, most amazing, non-stop lifestyle parties on earth, we still have time for self-care and inner peace.

 Namaste

 Bob (& Tess)