Jennie Fresa Guest Blogger: Yoga Instructor Tracee Dolan

What is it that you carry around with you? Or better put, what is it that you are holding on to? It can be with your body, heart or mind…

I ask this during class often.  Unknowingly, you may be holding tightly on to how you breathe, or engaged in the muscles of your body. It may be something in your mind- or even trickier-a story that you’ve created from the past or for the future.

A great habit to get into is to take a general scan of your body, heart, mind & breath (a few times a day) & make the decision to release whatever it is you are holding on to.

Start the moment you wake-up. Check-in and make it a point to soften how you breathe. How you focus your eyes & the surrounding muscles. Notice how you hold your body even before you get out of bed & release wherever you are feeling tightness. Scan your thoughts and soften your whole approach towards how you think. Wherever you discover tension- acknowledge it & decide to release it.

You’ll notice that throughout the day your jaw will stiffen and the thoughts may return- but that’s ok. Pick something to replace the replay within your mind and pick something really good! Meet yourself wherever you are, and make small modifications to make it all feel easier. The thoughts you kicked out will come back because it’s your brain’s job to think and we do what we are used to. But you don’t have to take them so seriously. You don’t have to feel so tense. Once you decide to release the holds- you allow better things to flow your way. Eventually you will get used to that

Tracee Dolan is available for private or group yoga & meditation instruction. She is the author of Parent Child Yoga: a yoga instruction & coloring book. Feel free to contact her with any questions or class scheduling inquiries at traceeteachesyoga@gmail.com