A Yoga-Inspired Life: Using 'Rebound' to be a Better Mum

My favourite style of yoga is Yin; a form that focuses on supporting flexibility as you hold poses while meditating. In Yin yoga, there's an idea that after each stretch is held, you 'rebound' into a counter pose to allow your muscles to process the new information.

How amazing is that idea? That we should be actively allowing ourselves to pause to enable our bodies (+ brains) actually recognise the goodness that we're putting into them. But if we know that this pause/rebound is part of the processing... process, why aren't we using it off the yoga mat too?

Think about it: we're constantly forcing our brains to take in new information - in our jobs, on our commute, as we scroll through our phones. Life is overwhelming! As a Mum you're constantly keeping up with your little person who is growing + changing everyday! Then there's work, personal goals, relationships... while we can be grateful for full lives, it's also okay to recognise that too much is... well, too much!

So when DO you allow yourself that pause to process it all?

Perhaps you're a pro at taking to the mat to stretch out your body - but unless you're lying in shavasana for 30+ minutes, guess what? You're rebounding from your yoga, but not from your day.

Perhaps you collapse onto the sofa at the end of the day to watch TV/scroll on your phone - but if you're not taking things in mindfully, you're still not allowing your body to process your day.

And at night time? Well, if your nights look anything like mine (sleeping on the floor next to my three year old/being kept awake by a wriggling body for hours at a time - + yes, I am writing this caption at 6:23 in the morning after being woken more than two hours ago); there's probably not a whole lot of rebound processing time then, either!

So how do you help your body + brain recover + take in all the information from your busy life?

I think the answer is one of those 'so obvious' ones, but... how about by carving out some mindful, intentional time to do nothing. Call it a form of meditation. Have a cup of coffee + do nothing while you drink it. Have a bath, + leave your phone + book in another room. Walk without your headphones. Snuggle yourself up + do a yoga nidra.

Unplug, slow down, + let yourself be for a while.

Your body + brain will thank you.

With this concept of rebound in mind, I decided to trial giving myself a 'rebound day' once a month.

For me, a rebound day is a proactive form of self care. It's giving myself time to be mindful, to be slow, + to nurture myself. To start with, it's been a struggle - my brain tells me I should be working, I don't deserve to rest, this isn't productive... but I'm caring for my physical + emotional needs, ensuring I stay happy + healthy, so I can give more to my family, + my clients!

My rebound days vary, but generally they involve:

• Making myself a nourishing breakfast + lunch to keep my body + brain fuelled.

• Mindful walks in nature to help myself feel grounded. 

• Journaling, oracle cards, + a few chapters of my current read to help me feel inspired + connected to magic (aka joy).

• Completing a few overdue chores around the house so my home feels more restful.

• Allowing myself to rest with a yoga nidra or yin yoga session (I love this playlist of yin classes!).

• Mindfully enjoy a hot drink outside, concentrating on the sensations of the warming drink + chilly air. 

• Baking bread to nurture myself + my family (+ kneading is a great way to release tension too!)

• Marvelling at the sunset.

• Soaking in the bath with flickering candles, + no screens.

It sounds lovely right, like I'm living my slow living dream life?

Well, it feels pretty amazing too - a) for giving myself the permission to let my mind wander, to be 'unproductive'; + b) because of how I feel the next day.

Giving myself time to rebound makes me a more patient, creative, playful parent. I have more focus, + I'm more appreciative of the little joys in my life. I have better quality of sleep, so I can concentrate, which makes me far more productive. My home feels more relaxing for all of us. I'm a more thoughtful wife, because I'm not trying to hold a million thoughts in my head - in fact, my brain is pretty peaceful. My anxiety decreases, + I even find solutions to problems I'd been stressing over, simply because I'd taken the time to rebound, + allow my body +brain the space it needed. 

So... when are you scheduling your rebound day?? Can you fit in a bit of 'you time' in the next week - especially if your little ones are on half term?