Yoga Health Coaching |

Announcing The Top 10 Yoga Health Coaching Blog Posts of 2017

Krista Strayer — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:35:32 +0000

The numbers are in…cue the drum roll…Here are the top 10 Yoga Health Coaching posts of 2017. The best blogs of the year featured personal tips to help you dial in your habits and professional advice for coaches to better support their clients.

Top YHC blogs shared personal advice on everything from your morning coffee, to potty talk, to eye exercises when you’ve been at the computer far too long. In 2017, blogger, Alexandra Epple’s popular topics included deep dives into intermittent fasting and advice for menopause.

And for the yoga teachers and wellness coaches make sure to check out the blogs, ‘7 habits and 10 Tips to Grow Your Wellness Career and Your Yoga Values.’ Or get a great idea for a 2018 workshop by reading, ‘The Ayurvedic Clock,’ by Yolanda de Cuevas.

Looking Back

It’s always fun to look back and see what progress you have made and to see what topics and trends caught your eye throughout the year. Reviewing the past years’ worth of blog posts has been a great snapshot for me. With 95 new posts this year from over 20 authors we have a lot to share.

It completely amazes me what great things our coaches have to share and the advice I learn just from reading along. As an editor we see all the behind the scenes drama, growth and potential and today is our one day to share that with you. Here’s the inside scoop from the editors on what amazes us most about the blog and writers;

I’m always amazed at the growth I see in our writers over a few short months. Even though the first blogs are great (and there are a couple in the top ten) within a couple months of simply sitting down to write everyone grows so much as a coach and writer. – Krista
I love seeing how a little bit of feedback turns a great blog into an awesome one. After working on just a few blogs, I can see a few little stumbling blocks unique to the blogger which, when addressed, transform it into a powerful piece. I love the process of collaborating with bloggers. I learn as much as my bloggers! (? who wrote this, not me, Elise, Is this from Kari?)
We’re all in our “heads” so much of the time as humans, as Yoga Health Coaches, as teachers, and as professional healers. I love helping bloggers get out of their own heads. When writers get out of the way, amazing content comes through with ease. The paradox is that it’s a challenge to get out of your own way when you blog. The results are bloggers can share their message in a way that others can understand. Then the big magic happens when the whole process takes on a life of its own, helping bloggers to grow as coaches and people. -Elise

How Far Have You Come?

Take a moment as you reflect back on the year to check out not only the top 10 posts, but all the amazing wisdom shared on this forum. I am constantly amazed by the ideas and inspiration our writers share with each post.

Reflect back on what was new to you and what habits are totally dialed in every day.

Think about what habits you need to uplevel this year and get inspired to uplevel your habits and take your clients on a deeper journey with you.

And now in order of popularity online and on social media, here are our top ten blogs for our second year of publication…

Bulletproof Coffee, Rocket Fuel Lattes, Ayurveda and Me

Krista Strayer — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 15:07:36 +0000

There’s a new coffee craze sweeping the globe, especially among those who call themselves healthy. I would call myself healthy but at the same time I’m always coming up with a new justification for indulging in what I know is not good for me.

And before you think I’m judging – oh no! I freely admit to being addicted to my morning cup of brew. Ok, maybe not freely – admitting to drinking coffee is like coming out of the closet in Ayurvedic circles. I love the way it fulfills my need for a bitter taste and I love it even more for all the productivity I get from drinking it.

Plus this high octane brew often contains Ghee – the Ayurvedic superfood. It can’t be bad for us if it has ghee! The health benefits of Ghee include; lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, reducing inflammation in the body, improving colon health, stabilizing metabolism, weight loss, improves bone density and bone development, removes toxins and balances your hormones… Whew!

Coffee Detox Rollercoaster

I have been on the coffee detox roller coaster more times than I can count in the past few years and always keep coming back to my favourite indulgence so when I heard there’s a way to even out the caffeine high so my body doesn’t crash and get the junkie shakes, I was all over that!

Maybe this Bulletproof trend of adding a stabilizing fat to coffee is the way I can drink it, love it, and not get the shakes and crash afterwards. Definitely worth checking out in my book.

Not long after I first heard about this new form of “buzz” from a friend who is opening up a hip new “buddha bowl – Bulletproof coffee” shop, it became a hot topic on the Yoga Health Coaches forum. In wellness circles, there is often confusion over having “fat” in the morning. My clients and yoga students wonder if this is a good thing – especially in coffee? Since the question comes up again and again as my clients look to up-level their health and productivity, I thought I would dive in, or take a “bullet” so to speak and try it out.

The Ayurvedic Take on “Bullet Proof Coffee”

One of the best resources shared on the Yoga Health Coaches forum was from Dr. Svoboda, one of my favourite Ayurvedic gurus. Dr Svoboda supports the practice of adding high fat to coffee as a way to prolong your daily fast until mid-morning. He uses his ghee and coffee blend to even out the caffeine high and boost productivity. He cautions though that “caffeine itself can be either a food, medicine or toxin depending on your dosha and your individual situation.”

The bitter taste can be a hard one to get in our diet. However, the bitter taste supports the detoxification process within the body and leads to clearer focused thinking. Sources of bitter taste besides coffee are chocolate, dark leafy greens, eggplant and spices such as turmeric, cumin and saffron.

Your Dosha on Caffeine..

For those of a Kapha constitution coffee can be an excellent way to kickstart movement and energy. Those with Pitta constitutions receive balancing effects from the bitter taste of coffee. However, Pitta types need to be aware that the acidic nature of coffee can add too much fuel to their fiery natures. Vatas are typically on the move too much already. The extra stimulus of coffee can result in unfocused thoughts, as well as energy depletion. Vatas need to guard deep energy reserves from unnecessary drains.

Again – telling me what I know but would rather not know! My little Vata body gets a little too excited from my bitter indulgences. For those with a high Vata nature or Vata imbalance, it’s really easy to overdo it. Too much bitter taste, caffeine in particular, can start to deplete our deep energy reserves. This tonic we take to perk us up, can actually cause long term energy depletion.

Having heard all this about coffee before, deep down, I know it’s likely not the best choice for me, and yet I’m still hopeful that maybe this added fat will even out the “buzz” and allow me my one little morning indulgence.

What is Bulletproof Coffee?

The official “Bulletproof” coffee uses XCT-Oil, a coconut oil derivative that is processed using steam and water. Bullet proof claims the components of the coconut oil that are derived with this process are similar to the natural ketones your body creates when converting fat to energy. Thereby providing you with a longer lasting energy high.

Other variations of the brew also referred to as Rocket Fuel Coffee use coconut oil instead of ghee, hemp hearts, protein powders and include mocha variations.

Two Reasons to Drink Bulletproof Coffee

There are two supportive camps for the high octane brew with added fat. One group of fans chose the drink for more productivity. The other group of supporters use Bulletproof coffee as a meal replacement for breakfast and ketonic drink to help lose weight.

The productivity group wants to even out the caffeine “high” so there is less of a crash later which results in lower productivity and increased snacking on carbs. Adding fat to our energy source (even our green smoothies) slows down the metabolization of the energy giving us a smaller, longer lasting peak.

The weight loss crowd uses the fat content as a meal replacement and the caffeine as an appetite suppressant. Bulletproof coffee follows the paleo-no carb protocol.The problem, according to the Healthy Home Economist, is that not having protein in the morning suppresses our production of serotonin throughout the whole day. This also affects melatonin levels and at night and this can lead to restless sleep patterns. Low serotonin is also linked to depression, poor bowel function, low bone density, slower blood clotting abilities, and low libido. Not fun side effects!

Taking One for the Team

Just writing this blog is making me question my coffee habit again. Do I really want to fasten my seatbelt and get on that detox roller coaster again or maybe… it will be a different ride altogether?

For the sake of the experiment and the YHC blog I went ahead and sampled a cup of Bulletproof Coffee this week at a local coffee shop. I ordered the traditional ghee and XCT oil coffee blend. Unfortunately I can’t say I was impressed. The layer of golden fat on the top was less than appetizing especially after it cooled while I was chatting away with one of my Nourish coaching clients about the wonders of the 10 Body Thrive habits. Just get me started and I can talk all day… I’ll give Bulletproof one more try at my girlfriend’s new hip cafe. But I think I might be better off by jumping on the roller coaster again and blending up a smoothie with a bit of added fat for longer lasting energy.

What do you Think?

What are your thoughts and experiences on Bulletproof coffee? Do you think it’s the bomb? Or is it a shot? What am I missing? And how did it affect your productivity, weight loss and sleep patterns? Share in the comments below!

Ayurvedic Valentine Smoothie

Krista Strayer — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:50:10 +0000

To even out the chocolate consumption this Valentine’s Day try these three Ayurvedic Valentine Smoothies to treat you and your family.

While the debate still rages on regarding the health benefits of smoothies from an Ayurvedic perspective, the truth is that on our path for vibrancy many of us embrace these morning elixirs since they make us feel so good.

Traditionally Ayurveda does not support the typical smoothies since;

Raw foods are much harder to digest than cooked foods or drinks.
Many smoothies combine milk or yogurt and fruit which process at different times in the stomach.
Protein powders are over-processed, heavy and complicated to digest.
Although green foods provide energy boosts they are depleting in nature in the long term.

Follow these simple suggestions to modify your smoothies and help your digestive system better absorb all the yummy nutrients.

5 Tips for Ayurvedic Smoothies

These tips will help make your Valentine’s smoothies heart felt, in line with Ayurveda guidelines, easier to digest and delicious.

1. Turn Up the Heat

Stay away from frozen fruit and adding ice. Prep your smoothie the night before and defrost your berries overnight. This kaizen step insures against last minutes excuses for not making it either.

Add warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cayenne, turmeric and lemon juice to help heat up your digestive fire and break the raw ingredients down into useable energy. When you use warming spices you avoid a bloated belly.

2. Go Easy on Sweet

The sweet taste can have a dampening effect on our digestive fire. Sweet is great for high pitta times like the intense summer sun, but during the other seasons we want to stoke the fire brighter. Think of sweet like throwing water on the fire and the other tastes; Sour, Salty, Bitter, Astringent, and Pungent as being the logs and fire starters. Once you get used to the taste of green smoothies, start increasing your vegetable to sweet ratio. Try to avoid refined sweeteners favouring honey, dates and figs instead.

3. How Simple Can it Be?

Less is better! The more complicated it is to make – the more complicated it is for your stomach to process. Stick to one superfood per smoothie. Adding too many makes it difficult to digest and you won’t reap the benefits anyway. Limit the number of overall ingredients to five or seven to make it easier on you and your belly.

4. Add Back the Fat

Greens give us a great energy boost, however the astringent qualities are very drying in the body. And alone greens don’t contain the fats needed to help digestion and absorption of all the yummy nutrients. Adding coconut oil and avocado help make the nutrients more accessible for our bodies.

5. Make it Seasonal

Consider the weather outside and your internal doshic storm when deciding on what goes in your blender. Root vegetables and grains are perfect for fall and Vata imbalances, check out the beet smoothie and oatmeal smoothie below for examples of this. Astringent and pungent foods help with our natural spring cleaning and Kapha imbalances. Cooling, sweet cucumbers help Pittas keep their cool in the summer.

Now that you know how to look after your digestive fire get ready for a Valentine treat…

Ayurvedic Valentine Smoothies

This one is pure energy…

Citrus Beet Cleanser Smoothie

2 cups beet greens, spinach or kale
1 cup water or coconut water
2 oranges, peeled
1 medium raw beet, peeled and quartered or roughly chopped (steam or roast the beet if not using a high powered blender
½ peeled lemon (or 1 lime for pitta reducing)
Top this one off with either a small sliver of fresh ginger (vata and kapha) or more intense flavour or a handful of basil leaves (pitta)

This one is sweeter and the kids may even like it…

Strawberry Coconut Smoothie

1 can coconut milk (thicker version) or 2 cups coconut milk (from the refrigerated milk section)
4 dried dates or figs
1 cup fresh strawberries (thaw if frozen)
A few mint leaves, or one drop of peppermint essential oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon cacao powder (optional)

This one is not pink… but if you want a guilt-free cookie in a glass for a valentine treat this the one!

Salted Caramel Cookie Dough Smoothie

1 banana
1 cup rolled oats
10 large or 14 medium dates (fantastic natural sweetener)
1 ½ cups almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup raw almonds (soak overnight and remove the peels for better digestion)
¼ tsp sea salt

Give one or all three of these a try and treat yourself and your family to a valentine treat that nourishes the heart and the rest of the body too!

Kaizen Habit Change; Super Tiny Steps to Success

Krista Strayer — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 18:57:01 +0000

There are times in our lives when we say “enough is enough” – I need a change. Sometimes we are fed up professionally, sometimes it’s health related, or sometimes it could be even be our love lives.

What holds us back from making the most of these potentially life-changing moments?

…our own story.

How often have you tried something new and it didn’t stick?

How many habits do you know you “should do” but don’t.

Are your past failures holding you back from becoming more?

This story actually goes back thousands maybe even millions of years to our lizard ancestors. It’s not just our own memories that hold us back but generations of ancestors that learned to survive on what worked. They survived by playing it safe. When the life decisions in your day are all about who is “having you” for lunch, playing it safe is commendable.

Today our decisions are of a different magnitude. Most often our decisions are not life threatening although they can be life-saving.

Which of these sounds familiar to you?

I tried meditating but it didn’t stick, I just couldn’t keep my mind quiet.
I bought a gym membership to be more active, but never went.
Green smoothies are great, but I don’t have time to make them everyday.
I try to go to bed earlier, but end up just staring at the ceiling.
I want to journal at night, but I’m too tired.

This is where Kaizen becomes your miracle maker.

Kaizen Habit Change for the Better

Kaizen is a Japanese phrase for change for the better. Kai = change, Zen = better.

After the second World War, the phrase Kaizen became synonymous in the industrial world for continuous change for the better. Factories in Japan starting using the technique of small simple changes performed by everyone to make the whole drastically better. If you can imagine everyone on an assembly line cutting costs by a few pennies or getting a few seconds faster the results would add up to a huge benefit for the whole company.

How does Kaizen relate to you and your goals?

Kaizen becomes the mantra for us to make small simple changes that will add up over time to huge growth.

The Secret to Making Big Changes

The secret to making big changes – is to start really, really small.

This all relates to our base brain, our reptilian brain. Our base brain is our safety system. As humans we are programmed to resist change. This is why changes have not worked before and why it will this time. When we make a change our reptile brain kicks in to hold us back, it’s just trying to keep us safe, but what that really means is our base brain is holding us back…

The biggest irony is that as humans we naturally seek to change things. We are constantly coming up with ways to change the world, but we are wired to resist change.

Our reptilian brain kicks in everytime and says – whoa there – we don’t really want that! We are good just as we are.

So how do we sneak past this guard dog, or guard dragon perched on our shoulder? I like to think of mine as as looking like the dragon from Mulan…

Kaizen Habit Change in Action

Take for example a client of mine, Lissa, who had tried to meditate daily for years. She joined the 21 day meditation challenges,
made New Year’s Resolutions, and tried several times on a self-guided attempt but each time she would not make it past the first week or at the end of the attempt revert back to her old habits again.

During our first health coaching session together the Kaizen lightbulb went on. A meditation does not have to be 20 minutes long. Who has an extra 20 minutes in their morning routine just sitting there waiting for meditation? 20 minutes was too big of a change, it activated her limbic brain into putting on the brakes.

So we started at 1 minute. Can you spare 1 minute in the morning? That one short minute was enough to set her day up completely different. She had a new, calmer reaction to starting up her computer each morning.

After a week her morning meditation grew to 2 minutes, and by the end of 10 weeks she was up to 10 minutes and was hooked on this habit for life. Plus the success of this simple change has inspired her to further changes in walking or running every morning, shifting her diet, and changing her sleep habits. All fueled by the huge success of being able to meditate 1 min in the morning.

I just checked in with her this week and after almost a year she is meditating for 15 minutes every day and the connection and wisdom she receives has propelled her business and her clients business success.

Kaizen Is Your New Best Friend

If you have tried to start a new healthy habit but the “busy-ness” of life takes over and you revert back to survival mode. Kaizen is your new best friend. It doesn’t matter if you have tried before and failed, in fact that’s perfect – you know the consequences of taking “too big a step.”

With Kaizen we pick the simplest, smallest thing we can do. This tricks our subconscious brain, our limbic brain into thinking everything’s ok.

What is the change you want to make?

What simple, small step will get you started and feeling your success?

Think for a moment and then half that step to give you a good place to start. Give it a try for a couple days and if it’s not working, perfect, make the step even smaller.

After you feel comfortable with your new tiny step see if you can add on another small simple step. After a month or a year remember to look back along the path and see what amazing changes resulted from that one simple step.

Want more guidance on choosing the smallest, simplest steps that will set you on a path for success? Check the list for the Yoga Health Coach that best meets your needs and set up a consultation to get you started on your path to wellness and growth.

Discover Joy in the Holidays Symbols

Krista Strayer — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:25:40 +0000

The holiday season can be a source of joy or anxiety. Sometimes while everyone around us is celebrating, we find it hard to join in. Why don’t we take a look at the Holidays Symbols?

It could because the days are shorter and the lack of sunlight makes you feel depressed.
Perhaps you feel the loss of those no longer with you when others celebrate with loved ones.
Maybe you’re discouraged with the commercialism that surrounds these spiritually rich holidays.
Maybe you allow the extra, little things that you think “need” to get done overwhelm you.

Whatever the reason, to discover joy in the holidays can be tough. I started looking for deeper meaning last year when I realized the holidays for me had become a lot of work and delivered little joy. During Cate Stillman’s Winter Traditions course last year, I learned to look at what surrounds us in this season in order to find little moments of deeper meaning, little reminders to breathe, which return me to a place of joy.

Here’s a yogi’s take on the meaning behind holiday symbols. As you read consider what resonates with you, and perhaps one of these symbols will prompt you during the holidays to pause, reflect, smile, and find joy in the holidays.

The Meaning Behind the Holidays Symbols

The Candle and the Flame: Our True Essence

Recognize the luminosity, in whatever voltage, emanating from the people you are with. The candle attracts us to light. Remember that you are light and make choices to enable your light to be transparent to others.

Each time you see a candle, remember that the light is within you; we are all divine. In essence, the candle is another way to express “namaste:” The light in me sees and honors the light in you. The divine in me recognizes the divine in you.

The Star: Our Purpose

The complexity of the intertwine is also apparent in both star shapes. Think of drawing a star and how each line connects with the next point and crosses over another, drawing us all in and connecting us to each other and everything in the Universe.

In Christian texts,the wise men saw the star in the East. This reference can be interpreted as seeing the star in the morning or eastern sky. In Ayurveda, we know that we’re connected to the divine at this special time of day. This connection brings about the balance of divine inspiration and human manifestation which becomes our purpose.

The star reminds us of our potential or purpose in this lifetime and our connection to the divine.

The Christmas Tree: Chakra Spine and Breath

The symbol of the tree connects us to nature. The essential oils from trees are grounding, rooting, and balancing. Think of White Pine, Sandalwood, Cedar, Arborvitae… When we bring a live tree into the house, we infuse our room with these oils and their influence.

The tree can also be seen as the sacred north-south energy channel of our spine. Our roots are our root energy center (Muladhara Chakra). The top, where the angel or star is placed, is our crown center (Sahasrara Chakra). Our crown is our connection point to the universe and the world that is larger than ourselves.

Trees are also our breathing buddies. We are perfectly paired to provide what the other needs. Breathing in oxygen from trees and returning a gift of carbon dioxide.

When you look at a Christmas tree, take a slow breath and make your spine tall. Be rooted and gloriously uplifted simultaneously.

The Winter Birds: Our Flock, Our Song

Christmas birds remind us of our flock and that we don’t fly alone in this life. Birds communicate via song and invite us to be melodic and harmonic in our conversations.

The cardinal often depicted on holiday cards is a symbol of beauty and the warmth of the season.

Birds bring hope, cheer, and inspiration with their joyful song and friendly nature. When you see the birds, remember to connect with your flock when you are feeling low and need to hear a melodic voice.

The Wreath: The Cycle of Life

The circle is the entirety of the cycle of life, without beginning or end. The circle represents our timeless, unbroken nature. In the Northern Hemisphere during the holiday season, we transition from a period of death into rebirth when our days grow longer again.

The wreath also represents the circle of our life, starting from spirit, and proceeding through birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, wisdom years, and back to spirit again. Where are you in the circle? Think of the loved ones around you this season. Which part of the cycle are they in at this moment? This is especially helpful if your family gatherings are not always peaceful or enjoyable. Honor each part of the circle as you think of your family members.

The construction of the wreath also has meaning. The cedar boughs represent strength, and the holly leaves and berries represent immortality as the leaves stay green and bright in the darkest of days when all other plants have died away for the winter.

The wreath is a sign of welcome, generosity, giving, and the gathering of loved ones.

The Menorah: Spreading of Light, Wisdom, and Divine Inspiration

The Menorah symbolizes the sharing and spreading of light. Our light emanates from our center, our heart, and into our actions and interactions. For yogis this light represents the divine goodness that is within each one of us. In the words of Marianne Williamson “As we allow our own light to shine brighter we give others permission to do the same.”

The light also represents divine wisdom coming from above and through us, spread into the world. During your meditation tap into this divine source of wisdom to discover what message you are meant to share with the world.

This light shines brightly all day and illustrates the power of miracles through the ancient story of the flame staying lit for many days even though the oil supply was low.

When you see the light of the menorah shining brightly, against all odds, remember that it is your actions and words that influence others to see their own potential and goodness.

Use Holiday Symbols to Discover Joy

After reflecting on the meaning behind these decorations that surround us during the holiday season, will you look at them differently or incorporate them differently into your home or personal sanctuary? Which symbol carries a special meaning for you this year?

For me, trees have always played a big part in my identity, and this season I have chosen a special tree, my mother-in-law’s former treasure, to place in my meditation area to help draw me in to sit tall, breathe, and connect through the crown center to the divine wisdom of the universe.

Each time you see one of these holiday-season symbols, remember to breathe, consider the symbol’s deeper meaning, and discover your own inherent joy at this time of year.

Is Your Mask Holding You and your Clients back?

Krista Strayer — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 08:00:52 +0000

I love Halloween. The chance to dress up, put up a mask and be something/someone other than who we are – or more importantly other than who we are “supposed” to be.

Do you ever find yourself hiding behind a mask. As adults we are really good at putting on our public “face” and not allowing anyone to see what’s really going on inside.

At times – these masks even come in handy. I put on my “I mean business face” when I need action and I need it NOW! People stop chit chatting and jump to comply with my authority. My “mean mom” face gets a lot more action out of my teen girls when it’s time to clean the house than my ‘understanding, you can confide in me face’ which means I clean the house by myself.

But the question for today is…

Are you wearing a mask when you coach and should you?

I’m working on being in better alignment with my own habits. After all this is partly why I went into the Yoga Health Coaching program. When I’m coaching I have to lead by example and that’s keeps me in line. But can I do it on my own when there is no course running? Can I go deeper on my habit growth curve and get more of the habits to be automatic?

I find as I explore getting better habit integrity that I’m hiding behind masks.

My leader, “she’s got it all together” mask is often a front for what is really going on inside and this false front is keeping me from being truly honest with myself and tackling the deeper issues. I find myself “hiding” the fact that I was working at 10pm by scheduling emails to arrive in the early morning hours instead of admitting I was working late or doing anything to change my patterns even though I know that I’m sacrificing tomorrow’s energy by trying to get the last few things done.

In Japanese Culture these masks are a given part of how society works. They even have names.

Honne – is the true sound, our true nature. It’s often seen as being in conflict with what’s expected in society and kept hidden. It’s that side of you that is only revealed to close friends.

Tatemae – is your built-in facade. The front that you put up to conform to what’s expected in society and by your “position”. To keep up appearances this outer mask “leads to the outright telling of lies, because the true inner-most feelings don’t want to get exposed.” (Wikipedia)

This outer mask hides our true nature and prevents conflict.

Conflict though is what leads to change, transformation and growth. As Cate presented at the last Yoga Healer retreat when we create effective teams (or coaching groups) after trust, conflict is the next building block for an effective team. Letting go of the fear of conflict allows us to get to the root of an issue where we can truly transform.

Back in the 1960’s D.W. Winnicott coined the terms “True Self” and “False Self” in psychoanalysis.
The True Self being; spontaneous and authentic, the feeling of being alive, and our “feeling” self.
The False Self is a defensive facade or an appearance of being real. It lacks spontaneity and feels empty.

These concepts ring true for many yogis as the “self” and the “ego” we study in the sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. Our habits are another way for us to uncover that true self when we allow the masks to slip away, dive deeper into conflict and truly transform.

The cue to how thick my mask can be is when feedback from clients is the polar opposite from how I feel inside.

You’re always so calm (I’m in full panic attack mode)
You’ve got it all together (I feel like a mess inside)
You do so much (I don’t get nearly enough done in a day)
You’re such a success (My business is in financial crisis)

How can our outer persona be so different from what’s going on in our own minds?

Is Your Mask Holding You Back and Your Clients?

At times we tell ourselves that we need the mask.

No one will work with me if they know what I’m really like inside.
My clients respond better if I’m confident and in charge.
Someone needs to be strong for them to feel safe.

What mask are you wearing when you coach? Do you have an “I have it all together mask” Or as another coach I spoke to told me, she has the opposite mask. Her students and clients see a “fun loving, easygoing” persona, while inside she’s an intensely deep thinker with frequent anxiety attacks.

At times the masks almost seem natural – it’s our going to work face.

Have you ever considered how this mask might be holding you and your clients back?

My outer mask allows me to hide and live out of integrity with myself. When I’m wearing my mask I’m not truly admitting where I am truly at with my habits. And this allows me to be less than my true potential.

The masks also…

Give your coaching clients an excuse; “She really doesn’t get it, I don’t need to follow her advice, she’s never experienced this.”
Sets a distance between you and your clients, making it hard to connect heart to heart.
Makes the coaching experience all about perfection, guilt, and punishment instead of the realities of life.

But the truth is that the work we do as coaches is on a level that goes deeper than the conversations we have in “society.” There is a connection that happens on a level that’s below the mask. Thus the distance that the mask puts between you and your clients is hindering both your growth and theirs.

In this deep work the mask is not invisible, it’s seen by the heart and creates a disconnect that may be unconsciously pushing clients away or allowing current clients to hide behind their own masks and avoid making a deeper transformation.

The trick then is how do we peel away the mask?

Will it be a Kaizen approach or cold turkey… For me, my masks are so deep that it’s going to have to be Kaizen. It will start with acknowledging the masks, admitting when I’m not in integrity. First to myself and also to my tribe.

Next will be a scorecard to track what’s really going on and to keep me motivated to step it up a notch (I’m a sucker for the adult sticker charts where you colour in the mandalas!). I’ve got an accountability partner onside to help with support and I’ll report back and let you know how it’s really going!

Action Steps for Striping Away the Masks

Here’s the plan – if you are inspired to strip away your own masks feel free to follow along.

I’m tackling all 10 habits at once – after all I’ve been through them many times before it’s time to step up and let them do their job.
Besides when I’ve gone through it before focussing on one a week I tend to let the others slide and don’t feel the full effect of the habit stacking.
I want to start moving deeper so I need the full base-line that you get from the habits to see this success.
I’ve set a baseline for each of the habits and then I’ll start fine tuning and pushing the growth edge from there once that is sustainable.

Where are we Aiming?

I’m not aiming for 100% – If I can do 50% in the first week, 60% the next I’ll be at 80% by month end which will be amazing. Slow and steady…

I’m checking in with my partner once a week and I’ll post my sticker chart on the YHC forum to access the collective energy of the group. Peeling away at the mask that says I need to be perfect and should have had these together long ago!

To make this fun and not punishment I am viewing this as a challenge – anyone else want to join in feel free to print out your own “sticker chart” and play along!

I’ll report back and let you know how it’s really going!

The Best Fall Habit for Moms and Kids

Krista Strayer — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 08:00:36 +0000

The winds of fall are in the air. Kids are back to school, days are tinged with a crispness, a sharp feeling instead of the hot intense sun of summer.

Fall is the season when we really need good habits and routines to keep us grounded and not blown every which way. It’s the perfect time to be heading back into the routine of school and we need that routine to control our wild vata nature.

There is definitely a sharpness and crispness in the air in our house. It’s the second week back to school (we start school in Sept in Canada) and the stress level with my teen-aged girls is causing a lot of sharp words, and blustery emotions.

Getting back into the routine of school, finding that classes are harder this year and dealing with the stress of balancing friends, homework, and extracurricular activities is a lot of pressure. I remember back to their younger days when just the physical aspect of being in school for a full day and dealing with all the friend issues and pleasing a new teacher was exhausting too. It seems there is back to school stress at every age.

How can you soothe your own back to school nerves so you can have the patience to help them?
What simple practice will help soothe your kids too?

This is where my favourite habit really shines. In fact, if there is one habit that is most important in the fall it’s this one it truly is the best fall habit for moms and kids. And ironically I find it’s the one my clients have the most resistance to trying. I know it seems weird, trying to sell my teen-aged daughters on this one was hard too – they really thought I was that wacky mom, until they tried it. And now I have one that’s a convert and one that still thinks I’m wacko…

This simple daily practice, once you try it is sheer bliss. It’s pure indulgence and one you will quickly become addicted to. Ok – I’ll end the suspense – the habit is Oil Massage or Abhyanga in Sanskrit. At first it seems totally weird to rub cooking oil on our body, totally not how I was brought up using soap and the frothier the better. But when you think about it the benefits it makes so much sense.

When we use soap we are stripping away our bodies natural layer of protection, drying out the skin and leaving ourselves vulnerable to infection and whatever else is blowing in the wind or being passed through a handshake. My old routine including soaping up in the shower and then plastering on as much lotion as I could to try and re-hydrate my skin and in my dry climate there was no lotion thick enough that would prevent dry, flaky skin. Plus the long-term effects of layering on para-bens and other substances not meant for our skin was leading to a toxin build-up in my body.

Since I have switched – and I have to admit it took a long time for me to adopt this habit too. I too thought Cate was wacko to begin with putting oil on my skin seemed like a dirty, messy process. I had that vision of lathering up with baby oil in the 80’s to suntan. However, once I took the plunge and tried it – I was hooked. It takes no longer to spread oil on your body before the shower and wash it off in the shower as it does to lather up in the shower so that’s no excuse. And I no longer have dry skin even though I live in a cold, dry climate.

But that’s not all – the act of rubbing oil on your skin goes far deeper. And the intention you can rub in goes far deeper into your soul than just a few layers of skin. Oil in Sanskrit is Sneha – which also translates into love.

When you rub love onto your skin it becomes a deep, nourishing experience. Every morning when I do this simple act of rubbing my skin with oil infused with essential oils (we’ll get into that later) it becomes my time to look after me. I breathe deep, rub the oil into my legs, my knees and all up my body and while I am doing this I take a moment to check in with how do I feel physically, what’s sore, what’s needing some attention and what can I do that day or in this moment to soothe the soreness, the roughness and the aches?

Then when I get into the shower I get to massage my skin, myself, again. Another moment to just cherish me and who I am in my skin. And loving these moments I make sure to enjoy toweling off too – three massages every morning – how lovely is that? The benefits of oil massage (abhyanga) go way deeper than the skin.

Oil massage is attributed with;

Improving skin elasticity and firms skin tone
Minimizing the effects of aging
Improving Sleep
Strengthening the Immune System by improving lymphatic flow
Releasing muscle tension and stiffness
Toning muscle tissue
Lubricating joints and increasing range of motion.
Stimulating digestive organs and other internal organs
Enhanced vision
Soothing the nervous system
Improving mental alertness

Besides helping as adults to connect better to our bodies this is also one of the habits that easily spills over into our family life. This is a way better habit to pass on through the generations instead of stripping our bodies natural defense system with a harsh soap.

Using an invigorating essential oil in the morning helps kids and teens to get up and moving. A calming blend helps them de-stress and let the day go. If they can link the benefit to a good night’s sleep – they will be more inclined to make this a daily habit or even just a treat on the days when they really need help to shut the day off.

Another way to peak their curiosity is to use oils that work to release muscle tension. They see the effects fast on their muscles and really get hooked on the practice. These muscle tension blends work on growth spurt pains too. This practice is great for both girls and boys. A friend of mine can get her teenage son to do abhyanga if he thinks it will help him sleep or improve his sports performance.

Favourite essential oils to add into our massage oil:

There are many base oils that you can use to massage; sesame, grape seed, coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, sunflower… Basically any oil that you would eat is great to put on your skin. I try to use organic if I can and cold-pressed not heat treated give the most benefits. Check out these tip-sheets for more info on How to do Self-Massage and the Do’s and Don’ts of Self Massage.

Everyone needs a break at this time of year. We need something to soothe us through the rigors of a new routine and to keep us healthy as the season changes. If you have not already tried Oil Massage or made it part of your daily routine then make this a priority to keep you sane, your family well, and to enjoy the deeper connection to yourself and your kids however old they may be.

Love and Light,

Krista Strayer