Witold FitzSimon

Feeling burnt out as a yoga teacher? 😔 My latest blog post shares 8 mindful tips to help you reconnect with yourself and your students. 🙏

https://witoldfitzsimon.com/mindful-yoga-teacher-tips/

✨Working your ass off isn't always the right choice.✨

A decade ago, when I was training to be an Alexander Technique Teacher (a 1600-hour, 3-year process), I was experiencing terrible back pain, the reason why I was doing the Technique in the fist place. And the only place I was experiencing the pain was in the training room.

I was obviously doing something wrong. It got so bad I had to make a deal with myself: be a bad student. Show up, but don't try. Listen, but don't do. Take care of yourself and see what happens.

And you know what? My back got better. It took six weeks of being a "bad student" (VERY hard for me to do), but I learned not to let my enthusiasm get in the way of doing it right.

Since then, I realized how much I overwork in EVERY part of my life. It taught me a huge lesson: do what's needed, and nothing more. (Or nothing less, but most of us fall into the overwork category.)

Here's how you can apply this to your own life. It boils down to asking yourself one question:

✨ What don't I need? ✨

And then letting go.

If I could do it, so can you!

🤔Is there some part of your life that makes you feel exhausted? 👇Comment below.

✨Are your memories more digital than sensory?✨

When I was a kid, I would go to live concerts of my favorite bands (Eurythmics! Tina Turner! Cocteau Twins!) and would spend half the time thinking about how I was going to describe it to friends, not enjoying the actual concert.

Even after decades of practicing mindfulness in the form of yoga and the Alexander Technique, I fall into the same kind of pattern. Only a few days ago, I went with family to see the lights at , and if it hadn't been chilly enough to make me want to not take my phone out, I would have ended up with a hundred photos but no actual memories of the night.

Our brains have the incredible ability to imagine, reflect, and plan, but there are times when that gets in the way and we forget the other amazing ability we all have: to be present, to watch, to enjoy.

What was the last event or experience where you put your phone away and simply immersed yourself in what was happening around you?

If you're looking for a way to slow down, 👇click below to download "Your Daily Dose of Ease," my guide to the practice of the Alexander Technique's version of Constructive Rest. It includes a 10-day challenge and an audio guided practice to get you started.

Go to ✅https://witoldfitzsimon.com/links/ to download the guide.

I've been working on this synthesis of mind-body techniques and writing for several years to help my own work and I'm excited to share it. Join me online to revolutionize your writing practice!

https://www.witoldfitzsimon.com/writing-from-the-body/

Treat yourself this weekend to an online yoga retreat with me! Afternoon classes build on the work of the morning, and Sunday's classes build on Saturday's. Mornings are appropriate for Level 1 students. If you're unable to take the entire workshop, drop in for the classes you can. See you there!

A great new blog post from my friend Sandy Blaine.

Positive Psychology and Yoga, Part 3: Growth and Change by Sandy New Growth by Jamie Wyeth Positive psychology is built on the promise that we can increase our own happiness. A leading theory sugg...

Here's a great blog post (on the great blog Yoga For Healthy Aging) from my dear friend, Sandy Blaine about happiness from the perspective of Yoga and Positive Psychology.

Yoga and Positive Psychology, Part 2: What is Happiness? by Sandy The Happy Family by Pablo Picasso As I discussed in my post Yoga and Positive Psychology, Part 1 , for me, yoga has been a happine...

Free Classes 10/12 to 10/16! -

Free Classes 10/12 to 10/16!