30 Days of Yoga - Day 11 and Getting Outside

If you've liked me on Facebook, you've seen a few posts over the last 11 days about how I've been enjoying daily yoga. I've attended 12 yoga classes in the past 11 days (I doubled up on Monday). I feel as though my mood has improved drastically; I've found myself smiling and dancing about and just generally feeling peaceful when I'm alone. I don't know if I can attribute this solely to yoga though. I've been trying to spend more time outside in the sun by going for walks or jogs. My doctor recently told me that I'm vitamin D deficient, something that's been happening with greater frequency to everyone these days thanks to long work hours, and even more at-home time in front of computer screens, so I've been trying to get outside as often as possible. This means that instead of heading home and plopping down in front of my computer or tablet to watch a TV show, I'll cook, or go for a walk, or read a book, or clean my room - things that will make me feel calm and relaxed. In general, I've been trying to be more active, watch less TV, and make plans with friends that don't just revolve around food or alcohol.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've heard more and more people I know express feelings of discontent about being in constant contact with people. In today's world of cell phones, tablets, laptops, and an endless supply of messaging apps, it's hard to take time alone to just relax and sit quietly. During my freshman year of college, I took an English class that was really a philosophy class with some writing assignments thrown in. We had to write a paper on space and how technology interacts with space. Basically, what I wrote was that while cell phones and computers make it easier for us to stay close with friends and family that live far away, it also creates distance between people who live near each other. What do I mean? Well, think back to your last social outing or the last time you had someone over to your place. How many people were on their phones? Texting? Tweeting? Checking Facebook? Probably quite a few. I know that I'm guilty of it myself. Why do we feel the need to post on Facebook that we're having fun with a friend? Instead I think we all need to just be in the moment: enjoy time with friends and be fully invested in that friend/moment. I hate it when I'm talking to someone and they keep checking their phone waiting for a response from a different conversation. Hello!?!? I'm right here, in your face... talk to ME! Not that electronic box glued to your hand. That's one thing that yoga touches on: fully being in the moment. Appreciating the time that you have and focusing on yourself. I think all of this technology has caused people to lose their communication skills. I sometimes find myself feeling awkward when someone gives me their full attention. To have someone fully listening to you and being invested in your conversation is a very personal and intimate feeling; it makes you feel special and important. And instead of allowing ourselves to be a part of these types of interactions, we post on Facebook, and only feel special if someone likes or comments on your status.

So for this past week, I gave up some of my vices: TV, chocolate, Facebook messaging, and alcohol. I think the hardest one was chocolate. Not really because I was craving the sweetness, but mainly because eating chocolate at work gives me a reason to get up from my desk and walk over to raid my co-worker's stash of candies, and look at something other than my computer screen for a little while. Also, instead of using my personal Facebook account, I've tried communicating directly with friends, like phone conversations. Sure, sometimes it's inconvenient times to talk on the phone, like maybe during work hours or when you're at dinner with that special someone, but I get more joy with a phone conversation than I do with a texting conversation. For instance, while I walked back from yoga yesterday morning, I called one of my Atlanta friends and had a 20ish-minute conversation catching up with him. I was happy, talking excitedly, and bouncing around, all while gesturing wildly to myself and all of the random people that drove past me on the road. We could have had the same conversation via texts, but it would have just been my thumbs tapping away at the phone, it would have taken a lot longer to get all of words across, and I wouldn't have had the same satisfaction nor would I have been able to convey emotions or my happiness as easily. 

I urge you to try changing your routine a bit this week. Turn off the cell phone. Go for a walk instead of watching your favorite TV show. Or even better, go for a walk with a friend. Let me know how it goes!