A big mistake I see people make is thinking that there’s one way to get rid of pain. Let’s say someone has back pain. They think that if they maintain good posture at their desk, they won’t have pain anymore. Or that they just need a chiropractor to put everything back into place. So they do that, and it works for a bit, but... the relief is always temporary. And why would it not be? You get treatment, and then you go back to sitting for 8 hours, stressed out of your mind because you have a...
8 days ago • 1 min read
One of the most useful skills I’ve acquired is knowing when I’m not thinking straight. Let me paint the scene: You're in bed, absolutely shattered from your day. Naturally, your brain decides it's the perfect time to think about everything you've ever done wrong, the awkward response you gave to the cashier, the problems you have to fix, the life choices you could have made... (Side note: if your brain decides to do it at this moment, it's because it's the only idle time it has to do it. A...
17 days ago • 1 min read
Last week, I felt very depressed (it was likely just PMS, but if you know, you know). I had no energy, no willpower to do anything, even (especially?) things that were good for me. I know myself now, and I know what lifts my mood. But most things felt too hard. So I took a moment to ask myself this question, which I think could help many of you take the first step in the right direction: “What is one tiny thing that you have enough energy to do, and that would make you feel better?” For...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
We have all experienced this at some point. There are many things we know we should be doing, but we... simply don't. Instead of getting frustrated at yourself and carrying a whole lot of guilt, I believe it's more useful to understand how you work. From there, you can start working with yourself, which is so much more pleasant than trying to force yourself to be something you're not. So let me talk to you about self-determination theory. Self-determination theory tells us that to be...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
What if there was more than one type of rest? I recently came across this idea from Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith in her book Sacred Rest, and it makes so much sense. I've had many conversations with clients about how they feel exhausted even when they sleep a solid 8 hours per night. Or about how they don't feel truly recharged after a few days off. I believe that it's possible to be physically rested, but emotionally drained. Or mentally recharged but socially exhausted. Have a look at 7 types...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
One of the hills I will die on is that self-care acts don’t need to be huge. One of my incredible Yoga with Clem members told me this on Monday: I didn't do much for myself last week, just little things here and there - I went for shorts walks, did a few minutes of yoga every other day, took short breaks when I felt tired and made sure I was scheduling time with my family. It felt great! Who among us can say they did that much for themselves?! She didn't feel like it was a lot because she...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
I have good news and bad news, Reader. The bad news is that genetics influence our flexibility up to 70%. (Research suggests it’s somewhere between 20% and 70%, and that gigantic bracket should tell you a lot about how much we know about the body.) What it means is that no matter how much you stretch, chances are you will never be able to join the Cirque du Soleil. Some of us are naturally on the flexible side, and some of us feel like cement has been poured in our bodies. The good news is...
2 months ago • 1 min read
I'm going through a really difficult time in my personal life at the moment. As a yoga and self-care teacher/coach, I like to share all the ways in which I have my shit together, but I'm of course also a human, sometimes going through tough times and doing my best to deal with them. In other words, more than ever, I need to follow my own advice and make use of all the tools I share with you. And I've been thinking... You know how we often feel nostalgia when we think about a time when life...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Our minds loooove to get fixated on some thoughts. Did I make the right decision? Which path should I choose? Why are they acting this way? If you're feeling stuck, I'd like you to give these a try. First, JOURNAL. You wouldn’t believe how helpful it is to write down your thoughts. Rumination happens when you’re stuck on the same thoughts that you can’t untangle. Your brain rehashes the same thoughts over and over again in the hopes that something will start to make sense. Writing down your...
3 months ago • 1 min read