Have you ever had a great time with friends ruined by the posting of a less-than-stellar picture of you on Facebook or Instagram?
This (almost) happened to me recently.
A few days after some serious fun with friends, I got a notification that I was tagged in a photo.
That's always fun, right?! I was excited to see the picture.
But when I clicked on it, all I saw was a fabulous-looking group of gals and... me.
The mind chatter began...
Oh my God! That's how I looked in that outfit?! I swore I was tanner and my curves didn't look like lumps. I wish I could blame it on the lighting, but I can't! Everyone else looks so great. Someone's got to delete this picture... like, right now! I'm going to un-tag myself.
Just as I was about to text my friend to delete the post, it hit me: I was letting this picture ruin an otherwise great day.
I was giving all my power to feel good away. And, to what? A picture. Silly.
In that moment, I decided to change my mind chatter...
You feel upset about this right now. That's okay. The true solution has nothing to do with un-tagging yourself or deleting the picture, though.
Annalicia, this is about you remembering that you can chose kindness towards yourself... even when you take unflattering pictures. You're not a problem to be fixed. This is not a "before" photo. You deserve to feel good NOW. You don't have to wait until you buy a cuter outfit or until you post a flattering photo.
Then, I did what I always do when I...
- Feel lousy
- Want to feel better
- But don't know how
... I hopped on my mat.
I brought myself through a few simple, but powerful breathing exercises. Then, did about 20 minutes of power yoga, a few Pilates ab exercises, and ended with a couple gentle stretches.
When I was done, just 30 minutes later, I felt like a different person. Nothing had changed with the photo, but I definitely felt better.
I had regained my composure, confidence, and clarity.
The whole thing reminded me: We have a lot of power to change how we feel, we just need to have the right "tools" handy.
Yoga and Pilates are my two primary, better-feeling "tools." They've changed everything for me.
- I used to hate exercise. Now, I look forward to it.
- I used to hate my body. Now, I appreciate it. (Most days.)
- I used to struggle with a lack of confidence and an abundance of anxiety. Now, I know how to cope.
- I used to think "healthy" meant being a certain shape or size, depriving myself of things I loved and constantly beating myself up. Now, I know it's simply about building habits that make me feel good. (And letting the rest, like rockin' it in a dress, be a fun "side effect.")
We all have a ton of legitimate reasons to not fit in a workout.
- I'm crazy busy.
- I'm a hot mess.
- I'm tired when I get home from work.
But movement is powerful. It'll not only skyrocket your health, but also your happiness.
That's why I want to make it easy for your to squeeze a super-effective, full-body workout into your crazy-busy schedule, without having to sacrifice other things you love... like watching The Bachelor.
I think you're going to love this Pilates video! It's 30 minutes, total. However, it's broken up into multiple, 3ish-minute parts. Each one of these parts consists of super effective toning and strengthening series.
This video can be done from start to finish, as a regular, full-length (30-minute) Pilates practice. Or, you can split the 3ish-minute parts up to get a full-body workout while you watch TV. Each time a commercial comes on, hit mute on the TV and join me on the mat!
Annalicia is a yoga & Pilates instructor, health coach, writer, speaker, and founder of YogaAndPilatesOnline.com. She is a health & fitness contributor to CBS Minnesota News, The Huffington Post, Mind Body Green, ELITE DAILY, and Cameron Diaz's Body Book Blog. Through her Free 21-Day Movement Challenge, Yoga & Pilates Online Membership program, and writings, Annalicia helps women across the globe transcend the fears, doubts, and excuses blocking them from the fit, healthy lifestyles they desire. With 10+ years of teaching experience and a life's journey of lessons to share, she guides women on their path to achieving the lives & bodies they've always wanted - on terms rooted in deep self-understanding and self-care.
More From Annalicia:
101 Ways to Feel Better About Your Recent Weight Gain
Exercise Overhaul: 5 Unconventional Ways to Rev Up Your Workouts
9 Stress Management Secrets Every Busy Woman Should Know
How to Get Fit (Even If You're Crazy Busy & Don't Know Where to Start)
4 Reasons Pilates is Perfect For On-the-Go Women
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