Green tea & Gratitude 001 | Your cue to time out.

Salutations to you my friend,

This is your cue.

Your permission to pause everything and dedicate a few moments of guilt-free time for yourself. Hours are few in a day, but you owe it to yourself to momentarily forget how busy you are and allow your mind to unwind from the worries of the outside world. If not now, then when?

Slow down, reflect, reset. Be inspired and uplifted. Fill your cup and nurture your soul with a few minutes of Green tea and Gratitude.

I. Create a circle of calm, your own little sanctuary.

Clear the way. Find a quiet, comfortable spot away from distractions and create for yourself a circle of calm, an atmosphere distinct from the fast pace of everyday life. Light a candle, have a plant or two within view, sit with your favourite blanket or cushion - whatever feels good for you, to make the space your little sanctuary.

II. Press play on the tunes, and press pause on life.

Tune in to this week’s soothing Yoga with Rossana playlist - A Time Out. Carefully curated music to slow you down and take you on a journey of feeling and introspection. Close your eyes, take a few breaths and let the music move you.

III. Fill your cup. Use tea to find comfort in the present moment.

This week I'm savouring simplicity, with hot water infused with a handful of fresh mint leaves from my garden. Drink it slowly, with all your senses. Listen to the soothing sound of bubbling water pouring into your cup. Notice the steam, the naturally vibrant colour of the leaves. Feel the warmth beneath your fingertips. Breathe in the refreshing aroma. Savour the cooling, tingling taste. Drinking tea slowly is a meditative practise in itself, an inlet to the present moment.

IV. A simple gratitude practise to boost happiness levels.

“Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault

Practising gratitude is a powerful strategy for dealing with the challenges of life, both in the present and when recalling the past. By positively interpreting our everyday experiences, appreciating our fortunes (however big or small) and contrasting our circumstances to what they could be (because they could always be worse) we feel generally happier.

Gratitude Practise 001 : A thank you note

While you sit here listening to music, drinking tea and reflecting - is there a person in your life who you truly treasure? Think of the little things they do that you appreciate but sometimes take for granted. Close your eyes and feel the emotions. Then handwrite a heartfelt thank you note to this treasured human, thanking them for all the little things they do that make you feel this way. Leave it on their desk, drop it in their bag, or through their letterbox.

However obvious it may seem that we take note of and appreciate these gestures, we often fail to fully allow ourselves to feel it, say it or show it. And when we feel moved enough to try to express it, we often shrink in embarrassment and downplay the emotion. This time embrace the gratitude, and share it.

A regular gratitude practise has shown to increase life satisfaction and general happiness (to take the Satisfaction with Life Scale and General Happiness Scale click here. Try taking both again after a few weeks of regular gratitude practise to see if there is a difference).

Of course a regular gratitude practise requires time, effort and persistence to cultivate. But eventually you start to notice and savour the positives in your life with little conscious effort. You come to train your mind to habitually practise gratitude - positive thoughts flit through your consciousness more frequently, good memories about the past become amplified and recalled more vividly, and past negative events are viewed with a softness, a forgiveness and an understanding that things could have been worse.

For more details read this study on gratitude and wellbeing, this study on positive emotions and the The Pursuit of Happiness

V. A little something to lift your spirit.

“ And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” - Roald Dahl

There is so much hidden magic and beauty in this world, but we’re often too busy to see it. The human brain is hardwired to prioritise the negative, fight or flight emotions. Positive emotions are more fragile, more prone to destruction. Yet positive emotions have the power to undo negative emotions and help us deal with adversity. So it’s worth giving yourself a deliberate dose of positivity now and again.

Something to lift your spirit this week: Did you know that sea otters, who sleep floating on their backs, hold hands while they nap so they don’t drift apart from each other?

VI. Something on my mind

Like many people around me, I’m suddenly experiencing a great deal of change in various areas of my life (some deliberate, some involuntary). The slower pace of the past few months has paved way for reflections and ideas which are now turning into fruition - for example leaving my job to pursue my passion. Changing circumstances have also meant spending longer periods of time away from my daughter, which is tough.

Change is ultimately always good, but in the moment it can feel overwhelming. So many questions, uncertainties, factors that cannot be controlled. I struggle with that.

What I’ve come to realise though is that when the big stuff feels daunting, the best you can do is get the basics under control. Focus on your primal needs, survival of your physical body - do you have enough to eat? Do you have shelter, a place where you feel safe? Is there someone in your life you can count on?

Then you’ll be all right. These are the foundations, the solid platform from which you’ll deal with the changes that come your way. The rest will fall into place. Reminding myself of these things has helped to keep me grounded in moments of insecurity.

To keep you posted

I’m pairing up with YiCha Tea to bring you yoga and tea workshops (online for the time being) with samples of traditional Chinese tea sent to you in the post. Interested in future events? Hit reply and let me know.

Weekly Schedule

All online yoga classes are still pay-what-you-can (!). And with dry weather forecasted, there are plenty of outdoor classes to choose from too. Check out the schedule for details of this week’s kids, adult and family yoga classes.