If your intention is to cultivate a life where your confidence shines through and guides the way, then you will likely need to wake up each morning and clarify that objective for the day ahead – and not just with mantras spoken into a mirror- with action!
Here is a mini routine you can add to your morning, to allow your confidence to begin glowing as soon as the sun rises. This should make it a little easier to maintain that positive energy throughout your day.
Set Your Intention
Abundance: To get started sit up tall in an easy seat and repeat the term “So Hum” 8 times. This mantra means “I am.” It is a complete sentence as is, and is used to help us reflect on the abundance that we already have in our lives. Calling on this energy establishes that you are wonderful as you are, and increases your sense of ease.
Trust Your Body
Next find downward facing dog and spend 5-8 breaths peddling your legs and deepening your inhales and exhales. Check in with your body here and let each part know that you are listening to its needs. Promise to provide support where needed and to push only where it feels good to do so. For example if your shoulder is aching promise not to push to deeply in low plank – and follow through with this. This establishes self trust which is vital for establishing confidence in Self.
Cultivate Positive Energy
Find Dragon Pose by stepping one foot forward towards the top of your yoga mat and lowering your back knee to the ground, then sweep your arms up around your ears. Hold for 3 breaths then bow to Half Monkey Pose (half split) by placing your hands on the mat or on a block, and straightening your front leg. Spend 3 breaths here.
Now inhale to lift back to dragon and exhale to bow down to Monkey. Repeat this movement with your inhales and exhales 5 times before switching sides. The Pranayama (breathwork) paired with the sweeping motion will exhilarate and lift your energy for the day ahead. In Chinese Medicine (acupuncture) we call this “Raising The Qi” and it is very effective!
Release Attachment
Now find a loose forward fold, Ragdoll, and sway side to side to get fresh blood to your brain. With every exhale drop something out of your body that isn’t serving you. You don’t need to think about what to drop just the action of exhaling and dropping your hands is enough here, but if you do have something you would like to let go of- now’s the time! The less you carry with you, the lighter you will feel emotionally and the more energy you will have.
Being upside down is a symbol of seeing a new perspective, what better way to increase your energy then then broaden your perspective a little? You could even add a little twist here if wringing your body out and seeing both sides of the room sounds good. Then curl to standing slowly, stacking the vertebrae as you go, fresh and new.
Calibrate
Choose a balance like Tree Pose, Dancer or Standing Pigeon and hold it on each side for 8 breaths. These long holds in standing balances create deep focus. The very act of commiting to coming back to the shape even if you wobble or fall out, is what serves to broaden your emotional practice and refuel your confidence tank.
Open To Love
End your practice by stepping back to Down Dog and into Plank for a strong assertive Side Plank that moves you into Wild Thing. This opens your heart and allows you to feel yourself lifting your body upside down with your strong arms. Nothing like a little flip to energize you and set your confidence in place!
Land seated and close your practice with five more “So Hum” (“I am”) chants for good measure.
Of course adding some shapes between these to increase the flow of the practice is always delicious, and getting creative with your flow enhances your confidence no end, but even if you do this simple set each morning before your coffee you will see a difference in your daily pep very quickly.
Just remember, when we start as we mean to go on, we set ourselves up for success no matter what the day throws our way.
