Boost Your Strength and Vitality with a Short Yoga Break

Would you like to feel strong? Would you like to feel vital? I have yet to meet someone who prefers to feel weak and drained, yet this is how many of us move through life. What does it mean to be strong? How is strength measured? Do we measure it by how much we can lift or by how much we can endure? Feeling strong means different things to different people. For one person, it means going up four flights of stairs without reservation and lifting a toddler. For another person, it might mean being able to eat familiar foods without having an immediate digestive reaction. For somebody else, it might mean being able to carry on a conversation with an estranged critical parent without an emotional breakdown. To weather our challenges, we must invest in our well-being. A short yoga break during a busy day can go a long way toward shoring up our strength and vitality.

These are examples of different types of strength: physical strength, physiological strength, and emotional strength. We need all types of strength to handle whatever life throws at us. Fundamentally, being strong means being capable of doing things we want to do in life without significant strain. The type of activities and things we want to be able to do varies from person to person, and it boils down to the feeling we have on the inside. You either feel strong and capable, or you don’t.

What is Vitality and How Can We Boost it?

The same applies to vitality. Vitality is hard to objectively measure with blood tests and nasal swabs, but you can certainly feel its absence. Vitality shows up in how rested you feel in the morning, how excited you feel about your tasks, how smoothly you move through your day, whether you have a spring in your step, and how optimistic is your general outlook on life. More than just our energy level, vitality is the oomph that carries us forward and elevates our daily experiences.

Strength and vitality often go hand in hand, and we feel the best when we experience both simultaneously. Strength infused with vitality is the definition of health and well-being. Both strength and vitality need to be attended to and maintained regularly, every day. We get stronger by doing things that appropriately challenge us (physically, energetically, and mentally). We become more vital by doing things that move our energy and make us feel fulfilled. Participating in activities that recharge your batteries and spending time with people who inspire you is important.

A Short Yoga Break to Relieve Hip Stiffness & Quell Anxious Energy 

Do you ever feel like you are so tired at the end of your day but still full of antsy energy? Try this short yoga practice to shake it out! This practice is done on your back, so it is not energetically demanding. It helps relieve hip stiffness, drain unwanted anxious energy, and connect to your heart center.