We are creatures of habit. Most of us actively participate in the same routine over and over again. The same workouts, the same work days, the same meals. Not because we are lazy slobs, no, rather because it’s comfortable!
Comfort is pretty rad and all (yeah, I said rad), but I feel it is my duty to remind you that the magic never happens in our comfort zone. It may be time to bust a move, time to explore, and time to see something magnificent. To let yourself be completely, utterly, and abundantly present and in awe.
"Comfort is pretty rad and all, but I feel it is my duty to remind you that the magic never happens in our comfort zone."
That’s where the epic sh*t happens, my friends. That’s where we can shift our perspective, and potentially begin to live our best life. We are like tapestries. Woven together by our life experiences, our past, our given circumstances, our careers, our lovers, our relationships, our dogs, our dogs’ lovers, and most importantly OUR CULTURE. This tapestry of ours sees the world through a certain panorama.
Now this is important! Because the way we see our world affects the choices we make, what we are willing to tolerate, and what we believe we deserve. Frankly, it makes or breaks our human experience into something that is either exciting and full of joy, or something that is exhausting, and well, meh.
If your lens needs a little adjusting, getting out of dodge may be the answer to your problem. When you immerse yourself in a new culture, you no longer live from a place of procedure. It’s all new. Everything shifts, everything is fresh, so without even trying, BOOM, you become curious, vivacious, and can adopt a new way of seeing and experiencing your life. New surroundings, new food, new people, and new opportunities for discovery!
If you’re feeling off track — travel may be the traction you need to get back on.
"Everything shifts, everything is fresh, so without even trying, BOOM, you become curious, vivacious, and can adopt a new way of seeing and experiencing your life."
I lead yoga retreats all over the world through The Travel Yogi, think places like Bhutan, South Asia, Mexico, France, Panama, and Iceland to name a few. Going somewhere new can be mind-blowing, but it can also be a lot. A feast for the senses if you will. Worry not my friend, because yoga is here to save the day!
Yoga, my dear grasshopper, is a cultivation of awareness. When we practice yoga we become more mindful, we become more present, and we become more awake to WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. Right here. Right now. So adding the practice of mindfulness can help you digest and really take in your travel experience with ease.
Oh, and another thing... Do you ever come back from your vacation and think, “I need a vacation from my vacation”? Partying and not exercising can be fun for a minute (legit…a minute), but isn’t a retox more fun after a detox? And isn’t feeling replenished part of that whole vacation thing? Yeah, yoga will help you with that too. Pinky swear.
Sometimes the only way to get ahead is to slow down. Sometimes the best way to figure out what you need, is to get away. And sometimes the best way to sort it all out, is to get really freakin’ quiet and listen. If you want to shift your perspective on life, get some clarity, and consciously make choices that are in your best interest, time away from your status quo is a must.
"Sometimes the only way to get ahead is to slow down."
Whether it’s letting the sea set you free, exploring ancient ruins, or meandering through museums, letting your brain and body delve into a new world is a gift. Removing yourself from the puzzle of your every day, and seeing how you fit somewhere else. It’s food for the soul, pure nourishment, and mega vitamin T (travel)!
So go on, get out there and explore this big wide world. Take it in from a whole new vantage point, I guarantee, a shift will happen. #wherewillyogatakeyou
Article by Alexa Silvaggio (originally published on The Sweat Life on March 27, 2016).
Alexa Silvaggio is a service-based yoga instructor, retreat leader, mover, shaker, and speaker, based in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. She believes that yoga is for everyone, even you. Joy is most certainly at the foundation of all Alexa teaches. The way you do anything is the way you do everything, so why not do it with joy?
Alexa has been practicing yoga since 2005, and is well versed in vinyasa, restorative, power, and slow flow yoga by Pure Yoga New York City. She is an ambassador for Lululemon Athletica, The Travel Yogi, an Urban Legend for Tanya-B New York, Gaiam, and A Purified Life. She leads wellness retreats all over the world through The Travel Yogi as well as workshops throughout the United States. She is an inspiring member of the growing yoga community — empathic, passionate, driven, and goal-oriented, Alexa helps assist others in producing lives they love.
Find Alexa at Twitter @yogawithalexa, Instagram @alexasilvaggioyoga, Facebook Alexa Silvaggio Yoga, and www.alexasilvaggioyoga.com.