Why you need a Sunday night yoga class

Oh Sunday, 

You are always so full of promise. Another day of freedom, relaxation, doing the things we enjoy and spending time with the people we love to be around. The goodness from the weekend is still alive and well, usually right on through the afternoon. Then, as the sun starts to get lower in the sky, our minds start to turn toward...

Monday morning. ​

Stress begins to sneak in. Anticipation of meetings, deadlines, responsibilities, too much on our plate already. We run through the laundry list of to-dos, start down a negative path, and end up with the a case of the Sunday Night Blues. If this is you, you're in good company. An international poll by Monster.com reported that "78 percent of respondents in a recent  reported experiencing the Sunday Night Blues. And a whopping 47 percent said they get it "really bad." In the U.S., that number jumps to 59 percent. "

What if you could end your weekend on a high note, leaving you feeling relaxed, grounded, and ready to meet Monday on YOUR terms? A Sunday night yoga class can help you do exactly that. Here's how:
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1. A welcome distraction

Sometimes all we need is a reason to think differently. When we get stuck in our thoughts about the upcoming week it's really easy to follow the bunny trail and get sucked further into anxiety or negativity. Purposely  redirecting your attention to an activity you enjoy, that makes you feel good, helps keep you off the thought bunny trail and trains your brain to start making new, good associations with Sunday evening. 

2. Leave something to look forward to

Sunday evening can often find us in front of the television feeling like the best of the weekend is done and gone. Scheduling a Sunday evening yoga class leaves something to look forward to, sustaining feelings of joy, hope, & excitement, through the end of the day. 

3. Unplug a little longer

We are waaaaay too connected these days. Often we bring work home with us, check emails, texts or field calls even when our work day is technically "done", and some of us even start Monday morning on Sunday evening to get a jump on the week. Give yourself time to truly unplug a little longer. Take time away to allow your brain the downtime to mull over problems and come up with creative solutions. While focus is a good thing, too much focus can actually start to create blinders, preventing us from seeing other possible solutions or thoughts we could have. Higher productivity and innovation ideas come from taking breaks, changing up our thoughts, and moving away from the distractions of screens. 

3. Understand yourself a bit better

Yoga is an individual journey. Regardless of the number of people in the class, once practice begins, it is just you and your mat. It's a safe space to dive into the wonder of you, practice feeling big emotions like anxiety, sadness, or anticipation, and learning to sit with them, breath through them, move through them. As we get better at this on our mat, it becomes easier to do this off our mat as feelings or situations arise in our lives. 

4. ​Begin the week on YOUR terms

How do you want your week to go? What would really set you up for success at work, at home, in your relationships? Often yoga classes start with an intention for the class. You can bring this same idea to your Monday morning. Deciding in advance that you will approach stress, the new project, the meeting, the commute, you name it, as an opportunity to learn something new bring a whole new positive perspective to the experience. It plants a seed of positivity in your brain so it actively seeks out learning opportunities. Whatever you wish for your week ahead, try saying it out loud, writing it down, or making it into a mantra you can use throughout the week to bring you back to how YOU want to show up in the world. 

Ready to try out a Sunday night yoga class? 

If you're in Colorado you can check out our schedule at Mind Body Life Transformation Center or connect with me for private embodied yoga sessions. Not near the Rocky Mountains? Check out local studios near you!