After reading Octavia Raheem’s Pause, Rest, Be, I learned that there was a purely restorative yoga practice “that invites us to be at home in the now.” After finding a class in Chicago, I have found that to be true.  

I always leave restorative yoga feeling much better than when I walked in. The class is slow-paced and relaxing and has already taught me some lessons that can apply to life. Here are three of the most important ones that I learned:

1. Just be.

I am very new to yoga in general, but what I love about restorative yoga is that there are only about 3-4 poses you are doing in a class. So you only have to worry about getting your body comfortable and lying there. You don’t need to be anything to anyone at that moment.

Your only mission is to be in your body.

And if you need anything extra to support you, you can ask for it. It’s a beautiful reminder to carve out moments for ourselves where we can just be.

2. We are human.

When focusing on breathing, Jenni said that our brains might start thinking about other things. In those moments, we can be aware that that’s happening, tell ourselves we are human, and then return to breathing. No judgment, no frustration. Just a simple nod to who we are and acceptance of that.

3. Poses are meant as a guide.

Jenni guided each pose, but as we all know our bodies better than her, we could feel free to adjust as needed.

There are many ways to do things. Business is no exception.

We can look to others as templates and examples for how we run our companies and then find the strategies and tactics that fit our lives and work best for us. 

In a world constantly telling us to be productive, we all need moments where we can be. To let go of the obligations and stresses of our day-to-day lives and simply exist in the present. 

Whether you find that through yoga, meditation, or taking a walk outside, please carve out some time for yourself to relax and recharge.