LYT

Category: Monthly Motivation

  • 346 | How to Soothe the Nervous System

    346 | How to Soothe the Nervous System

    So many of us are feeling fried right now. There’s so much going on in the world, both personally and globally, that can make us feel like our nervous system is in a clenched fist. But there are ways that we can soothe ourselves, even if we can’t change the circumstances that got us stressed out.

    When we have an overactive nervous system, we create a stress response linked to our autonomic nervous system, which oversees all of our vital basic functions: breathing, blood sugar, blood pressure, blood flow, and heart rate. When we are under stress, even light amounts, it can have effects on all of those basic systems. But we don’t have to give into that. We have the power to soothe ourselves.


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  • 343 | Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

    343 | Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

    This past year, we’ve had comfort and discomfort, and we’ve had to reconcile with the comfort that we might experience daily. Some comforts are necessary for us to thrive, but there is such a thing as getting too comfortable — it’s called being complacent.

    Sometimes, you have to reach, to push yourself past your comfort zone, because it’s only in the discomfort that we can truly begin to grow.


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  • 340 | How to Be a Better Partner | with Mark Heimann

    340 | How to Be a Better Partner | with Mark Heimann

    Lara is lucky to have an amazing partner in Mark Heimann. They’ve been married for 19 years and together for 22, and they wanted to share some of what they’ve learned about making a relationship work.

    They also answer some of your questions from Instagram about resentment, asking for what you want, and how they’ve influenced each other.


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  • 337 | Just Breathe and Say Yes

    337 | Just Breathe and Say Yes

    With the increasing popularity of practices like mindfulness, yoga, and breathwork, people in the Western world are thinking about their breath more than ever — and more intentionally than ever. But not only is it necessary for life, the rhythm of our breath has countless effects on our bodies. We’re going to explore how your breath can be used to say “yes” more in your life.

    Take a moment to ask yourself: What is one insight or lesson that I’ve learned this past week, month, or year? And what am I grateful for right now? And take a few deep breaths and think on that. This allows us to be present, to be clear, and to be reminded of the lessons of the past.


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  • 334 | Finding Balance

    334 | Finding Balance

    The essence of what I teach in the yoga world is the balance of Sthira and Sukha, or the hard and the soft.

    We can apply this concept to our body and our movement, but we can also apply it to our mind. Where in your life do you need to firm up? Where do you need to soften? Because when we find this balance, we are at ease.


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  • 331 | Why Pandiculation is Important

    331 | Why Pandiculation is Important

    You are probably not pandiculating enough.

    What is pandiculation? Imagine a cat or dog when they get up after a long nap: They stretch out, tails up, claws out. Pandiculation is that act of stretching upon waking up, and it’s an inborn response that all vertebrates have. But somewhere along the way in our lives, we stop that pandiculating. But there are ways that you can learn to restore posture and movement again.


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  • 328 | Why Movement Matters

    We all know how important movement is; movement is life and it changes how we feel. But science is finally starting to give us a better understanding of why exercise and movement is so important and how it makes us feel better. 


    I’m going to give just a few of the reasons why movement and exercise is so important:

    • Exercise increases blood flow to the brain
    • Triggers the release of chemicals that dull pain and lighten moods
    • Makes our heart pump more blood and gives us more oxygen
    • It helps bone density
    • Gives more blood to our skin


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  • 325 | The Importance of Strength Training

    325 | The Importance of Strength Training

    Strength training is so important, but it doesn’t always mean what people think it means. It’s not strictly about going to the gym and lifting weights—strength training is purely about putting some power into your muscles.

    We all lose muscles as we age, but especially women. Implementing strength training into your movement and your exercise is not only going to help you feel better and look better, but give you confidence, help you stand taller, and improve your posture.

     

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