Motion Potions Yoga

Why Are We So Burned Out? (And What Do We Do Now?)

For as long as I can remember, movement has always been my medicine. A mood lifter, an attention tamer, an antidote for the relentless anxiety of being a socially awkward perfectionist who paradoxically kept choosing performative, socially demanding careers. And a few serious illnesses and injuries that kept me still for a while confirmed what I’d always intuited; movement is essential to my mental health.

Having said that, I’ve tended to approach my movement pursuits with the same zeal as the rest of my life. The more stressed I feel, the harder I push; seeking more intensity, more novelty, more consistency, more accomplishment. Finding the practice of Yoga in my 30’s put a huge dent in my “type A” tendencies, but lately they’ve been insidiously reappearing in a new guise — a quest for more and more challenging “adventures” to fill my leisure time.

I’ve pushed back at least a bit, deciding to forego a Grand Canyon Rim to Rim with some friends because I knew the pace would make it more of a box-ticking-suffer-fest for me than an opportunity to truly enjoy the Canyon. But the FOMO is real — I felt guilty that I didn’t do the last 12mile training hike with them this weekend, despite having logged some big hikes and rides and bagging AZ’s highest peak the week before.

So this article struck a chord. To borrow a phrase from a wise friend, it got me thinking... What if my approach to recreation is contributing to my feelings of stress and overwhelm, rather than ameliorating it? If any of this resonates with you, take a few minutes to read the article and let me know what you think. Are the activities you do to de-stress actually contributing to your feeling burned out?

I’m making a promise to myself that at least one of my outdoor activities each week has no agenda but to find wonder. To slow down and saunter, to wander and play, to stop and notice, to sit and soak it all in, to rest and recover, or have a deep conversation with a friend. To be a human BEING, not a human doing.

Why Are We So Burned Out? (And What Do We Do Now?) Work hard, play hard—that's how many of us live today. But it turns out that our supercharged lives aren’t so great for us, and fitness experts and doctors are now emphasizing restorative practices and rest to improve performance and overall health.

New School Health Model Incorporates 'Whole Child' Principles

Yes! THIS. NOW.

mobile.edweek.org The new model, supported by the CDC, builds on the traditional coordinated school health approach.

Ayurvedic Snacks for Kids

Yum!

blogs.yogajournal.com Ayurveda works wonders with children. Try these healthful snacks to help balancea your child's energy.

A Better Way to Say Sorry

Great tool, and a great read. Thanks for the share, Deven!

www.cuppacocoa.com "Say sorry to your brother." "But he's the one who--" "Say it!" you insist, an edge of warning in your voice. He huffs, rolls his eyes to the side and says flatly, "Sorry." "Say it like you mean it...

Move Your Body, Grow Your Brain

Movement: Miracle-Gro for the developing brain!

www.edutopia.org Editor's note: This post is co-authored by Marcus Conyers who, with Donna Wilson, is co-developer of the M.S. and Ed.S. Brain-Based Teaching degree programs at Nova Southeastern University. They have

TEACHING KIDS YOGA:
A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
PARENTS ~ EDUCATORS ~ YOGA TEACHERS ~
PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

Join Maria Kowch, certified Medical Exercise Specialist, ERYT Yoga Instructor, Teacher Trainer, advocate for children with Special Needs & Founder of Motion Potions Yoga, for a weekend that will empower and inspire you to share the benefits of Yoga with Children

3/7 5-8pm, 3/8 1-7pm, 3/9 9am - 3pm

$250 pre-registration extended through tomorrow for you or anyone you refer!
Training includes Resource Manual and Certificate of Completion

call 480-335-5922 to register and reference Rosa Rendon for the early-bird pricing extension

http://conta.cc/1hlAGg8

myemail.constantcontact.com

http://conta.cc/1hiYi8h

Ask me about scholarship opportunities and homestays for out-of-town attendees!

myemail.constantcontact.com

Attention Studio Owners!
Host a Motion Potions Kids & Teens Yoga Teacher Training at your facility in 2014! Host one or more modules, or the whole training - we'll tailor our workshops to meet your needs.
Modules include:
1) Foundations (everything you need to know to sub a Kids Yoga Class :)
2) Yoga for Pre-Schoolers
3) Yoga for Elementary Students
4) Yoga for Tweens & Teens
5) Yoga in Your Classroom: 'Brain Breaks' & 'Stories in Motion.'
6) Yoga for Children with Special Needs
7) The business of teaching Kid's Yoga

Message me with any questions!

Chase Mission Main Street Grants

Attention supporters of Kids Yoga! A colleague of mine is up for a $250,000 grant for her business Little Flower Yoga. Please take a moment of your time to click the link and go vote. Thanks everyone!

missionmainstreetgrants.com Chase's $3M Mission Main Street Grants program for Small Business is in full swing! Apply or vote today! Learn more here: www.missionmainstreetgrants.com

10 Things you can do today - to become a more peaceful parent - Genevieve Simperingham

peacefulparent.com 10 THINGS you can do today The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  ~  Lao Tzu 1.         Connect with yourself, put your hand on your heart, and acknowledge what an amazing job you do.  Reflect on what you’ve achieved today already including the small things like putting on a wash, sm...

Family fun, yoga style!
This Saturday, with the fabulous Shawn & Laura of Up in the Air - Phoenix.
More than one kiddo? No problem... Call the gym for some great family discounts!!!

Did you know that we have FAMILY acro happening this Saturday?! Let's have some fun! :)

How Exercise Can Calm Anxiety

Very interesting...

well.blogs.nytimes.com Exercise leads to the creation of excitable brain cells, but it also creates neurons that can quiet parts of the brain and counter everyday stress, new research in mice shows.

Yoga, Meditation Help Kids Deal with Chronic St...

scoop.it Yoga, Meditation Help Kids Deal with Chronic Stress...

The Secret To Doing Better In School: Meditatio...

scoop.it Want to do well on that upcoming test? Consider a little meditation, a new study in the journal Mindfulness suggests.

SIT, BREATHE, WRITE: MINDFUL WRITING CLASS | Th...

scoop.it RT : Mindfulness and Creative Writing Workshop at today! 1-3pm! http://t.co/iuyLWW8vwB

BCTF > Mindfulness interventions for adolescent...

www.scoop.it Mindfulness interventions for adolescents at school http://t.co/wFbc9PQpFQ

Yoga and the Importance of Play in Schools

Give a kid an hour of yoga, and you de-stress him/her for an hour; give the kid's teachers yoga, and you might de-stress the kids all day.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-schware/yoga-in-schools_b_2888387.html

www.huffingtonpost.com This is an interview with Peg Oliveira, who has taught yoga for years in schools, detention centers, preschools, after-school programs and inpatient and outpatient mental health centers for youth and adults in and around New Haven, Conn.

Can Exercise Improve IQ In People With Down Syndrome? - Disability Scoop

Yes! Back in 2000, my belief that exercise improved cognition and behavior led to the creation of "X-Kids: excelling through exercise," the precursor program to Motion Potions. So cool to see the research validate the wonderful gains we saw in those early classes!
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/03/07/can-exercise-down-syndrome/17448/

www.disabilityscoop.com The key to improving cognition in those with Down syndrome could be as simple as stepping onto a bike, researchers say.

Teach them...

Think kids don't feel stressed?Think again...one third of kids and 45% of teens report feeing more stressed this year than last! Announcing Motion Potions newest program: iRelax - restorative yoga, breath exercises and guided relaxations for kids, tweens and teens.

This week's Motion Potions challenge:
1. Teach one child - or even better, a group of them - a Yoga Sun Salutation
2. Post the video here, before midnight on Sunday oct. 27.
3. That's it! The winner of a free Kid's Yoga Card Kit by Imaginazium will be drawn at random from the video entries. Here's a cheat sheet to get you started :

Motion Potions Yoga's cover photo

Let someone else clean up the Turkey Day dishes....! Who wants to come play with me? :)

Congratulations Mauro Zoller, our contest winner for the YogaSlackers Cochise Thanksgiving Retreat!

Bullying Can Be Stopped With Yoga

At Motion Potions, we believe that the real value of yoga for kids is far beyond "being a tree, a warrior, or a dog." Here's a beautifully articulated article on how by my friend, Dee Marie...

huffingtonpost.com This is an interview with Dee Marie, MA, CYT who has been practicing yoga therapy in clinical settings since 1986 and instructing classes for students comprised of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

Complete and Exhaustive Guide: Yoga Community Responds to NYT ‘How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body’

yogadork.com Complete and Exhaustive Guide: Yoga Community Responds to NYT ‘How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body’