By Suzanna Mannion
At the end of the year, as temperatures drop and days shorten, many of us find ourselves naturally drawn inward. Late November through January mark a time of year where many of us reflect on the past year, noting accomplishments, life events and how we changed or evolved. This is also a beautiful time of renewal, where we grant ourselves permission to have a fresh start.
Our modern day life can be hectic, and many of us (me included) feel as though we are on a hamster wheel that never stops. To avoid burnout and create the spaciousness needed to live our best lives, we must prioritize self-care. Committing to a regular self-care practice rewards us with more grace, more creativity, greater calm and wellbeing, resilience, patience, loving-kindness and presence.
While self-care comes in many forms (pssst, ice cream’s on my list), a consistent yoga, mindfulness and meditation practice pays enormous dividends and measurably improves quality of life.
If initiating a self-care practice seems daunting, I invite you to read my latest blog on intention setting, including resources to support you.*
Online and in-person yoga and meditation options exist locally! Online offers the convenience of engaging from anywhere with an internet connection, while in person serves those who crave being back in community.
*Intention setting is a powerful technique that supports you with becoming clearer on your goals while calibrating your mind so you’re more likely to achieve them. Visit the Hearts Alive Blog for my post on intention setting, which includes fun resources to help you make the most of 2023. Additionally, consider registering for my daylong retreat January 29th which will include yoga, meditation, a quartz crystal bowl sound bath and prep work and discussions on intention setting.
Learn more and connect at heartsaliveyoga.com or IG @heartsaliveyoga
West County listings for yoga, meditation, mindfulness and more:
Hearts Alive Yoga
heartsaliveyoga.com
In-person yoga classes, life coaching, community events and retreats.
Classes in Pinole and events in the Bay Area
Coming Soon! Yoga + Self Care + Intention Setting Retreat, January 29, 2023
East Bay Yoga with Wendy Beckerman
eastbayyoga.com
Mindfulness meditation, yoga, courses and retreats.
Weekly classes on Zoom and in-person, by donation.
Kundalini and Yoga with Nathan
kundalinicoach.net
In-person Kundalini yoga and meditation classes
Private instruction and group classes. Richmond
Strega Grass Yoga
stregagrassayoga.com
Weekly yoga class (Restorative, Yin and Vinyasa styles) as well as workshops, classes and ritual work. Online
Gaia Yoga
gaiayogastudio.com
Yoga classes, workshops and events.
Online and in-person. Point Richmond
Berkeley, Oakland and surrounding areas also have yoga studios including two favorites; SoulFlow Oakland (soulflowoakland.com) and Ada Yoga (adayoga.com).
About the author:
Suzanna has lived in West County since 2011, is the founder of Hearts Alive Yoga, a photographer and certified Somatic and NLP Coach. Outside of work, you can find her adventuring with her daughter, engaged in continuing education, catching up with a friend or hiking the local hills with her family.
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