What better time to set our intentions, goals, and reprioritize our well being than at the very beginning of 2022? We sat down with Emerge Nevada Board Member and certified yoga instructor Layke Martin to learn about how we can better take care of our mind-body wellness this year and for years to come!
Layke became interested in certifying as a yoga instructor while teaching graduate students online during the pandemic. With all of the mental health stressors students were facing, she wanted to figure out a way to incorporate mindfulness into her classroom and normalize intention setting and simple yoga practices. After completing 200 hours of yoga instructor training, Layke noticed how the practice transformed her thinking and impacted how she showed up in the world. It is free, always available, something you can do for just a few minutes at a time, and helps reset your day when you’re stuck in your own head.
One of the easiest ways to begin your yoga journey is through sadhana. It is a simple 5-10 minute practice you can do in bed, in the shower, or while sitting down with a cup of coffee where you set a theme of gratitude for the day. Layke shared her theme for the day – renewal. She was spending much of the day cleaning and decluttering her house, but by framing her day in gratitude, it shifted her mindset to a more positive light.
Layke also shared a couple of ideas for yoga practices to incorporate as part of your work day. In this world of back to back virtual zoom meetings, consider having everyone take a moment for three deep breaths together. This will help everyone feel more calm and reduce stress heading into the meeting. In addition, checking in with one another is so important during this ongoing pandemic. At the beginning of a meeting, class, or community gathering you’re leading, offer everyone the opportunity for a two-word check in to better understand how those around you are feeling. For example, anxious and worried, unfocused and stressed, or excited and ready. By providing people the opportunity to share, you can better reach out to those around you and understand how they are showing up in the world at that moment.
Layke curated these resources on meditation, mindfulness, and yoga for everyone in our Emerge Nevada network. Thank you, Layke, for helping us all take a step toward better prioritizing our mental and physical health and wellness this year. As women often forget, we have to take care of ourselves to take care of others!
Meditation and mindfulness
- What is mindfulness anyway? Cute, short video on what it is and why it may be the next big public health revolution:
Guided meditations
- Free guided meditations from UCLA Health
- Free guided meditation app (I haven’t used this app but it has good reviews): Insight Timer
- Also, if you like guided meditations check out guided meditation/wellness (fee-based) apps such as Shine, Headspace, or Calm.
Yoga
- Yoga with Adriene – tons of free videos for all levels
- Black to Yoga – Not free, but videos are available for a donation or with a monthly subscription. I trained with one of their amazing instructors, Kirsten Rogers.