“Sadly, ‘burn out’ is a common experience of many of my friends and people I met for last several years. The most dangerous part is when we are not aware of it at all and are completely disconnected from our body ignoring the clear signs that seem to worsen when we don’t listen…” shares Lucia Hoxha, yoga teacher, lifestyle coach and Social Entrepreneur for Zero to Dream Job readers
Yoga is like a handy little toolbox for life. There is something useful for everyone in every situation! Various poses has got different qualities. One to energise, one to calm and bring the confidence, another one to flush the toxins of your body or help you to conquer the fear and anxiety.
There is literally countless benefits of yoga from easing of and eventually disappearing their back pain to falling in love the man of your dreams - naming just couple of surprising results my yogis are experiencing. What I like is that yoga truly is a union of your mind, body and spirit and it is an 'inside job', so compare to other forms of exercises, it is also working with your internal organs.
For me personally is the strength, confidence, peace of mind and internal happiness that I can thank yoga for in my life. On even deeper level, yoga in 2003 saved my life!
In terms of my people, I always try to design my classes to fit their needs and what they are dealing with right now. I am constantly tuning into the energy and feedback I get from my clients to give the best I can offer following my intuition, which I found is when my students experience transformation on a deeper, more profound level practicing regularly.
The common challenge for many employees these days is feeling and experiencing burn out. Do you have a personal experience with burn out in your own career?
I have experienced my first burn out when I was 28 years old after I was experiencing major challenges in my life. I find we are extremely strong when we need to be and manage to pull things together as we often don't have other option, but to go forward if we want to keep on going. However, at that time, we are not realising the long term impact on our body and mind, the recovery time and healing process that is essential to go through.
Sadly, 'burn out' is a common experience of many of my friends and people I met for last several years. The most dangerous part is when we are not aware of it at all and completely disconnected from our body ignoring the clear signs that seem to worsen when we don't listen.
I personally experienced multiple burn-outs occurring roughly every half year. The feeling when you cannot physically get out of the bed or your brain refuses to function to the degree, that you can't find the way to get home in spite of the fact, that you are doing the same journey every day. It can be very scary and I would love to educate people so they learn to recognise symptoms much earlier than I did.
The world is 'speeding up', the expectations, the material world, the competition... We can chose to blame our state of mind to external forces. I find other approach much more helpful. I believe if we find the daily routine to empower ourselves from within to create the peace, we face all the challenges with much more ease and better results as we are being deeply connected with who we truly are. For me, it is yoga and meditation. For other people, it can be morning bath or a run. I just believe it is essential to have a daily ritual that works for you and your lifestyle.
Can yoga support people who feel stressed and overwhelmed at work? And if so, why? How?
In my last job I was doing a job of 2-3 people in extremely pressured environment where often children's life was at risk. I felt a huge sense of responsibility and also I felt no matter what I do, it is never enough. I have then collapsed it with 'I am not enough' to make a difference, to clear my desk before I go home, to be 'in control' and on the 'top of it'. I kept on working long hours and extremely hard as I believed the harder I work, the easier next day will be. It never happened!
I remember when I took a time for a yoga class lunch time I was being shocked about the rest of my afternoon walking home in the evening. The two main things that shocked me was how much I was able to achieve and how easy it was. There was no sense of urgency or stress, just pure focus, flow and internal joy. I almost felt I am in a different dimension. Great yoga classes really do this to people - often, the biggest challenge is to drop the story about not being flexible, fit or calm kind of person and my favourite one: not having time. I find yoga saves masses of our time - especially when we are sprinting in a wrong direction not being aware.
How does yoga help to release stress? One of the reasons can be, that many of the yoga asanas require your full attention - simply for the fact of you not falling over! Your brain needs to focus on a specific task and so our usually busy 'monkey mind' brain gets rest for once focusing on two things only, which is your body and your breath. Yoga actually gets me quite high - I think its a legal drug!
Can yoga be practiced for instance also at work place to reduce the stress?
Yoga classes in the work place are extremely popular! Past few years I was teaching in various corporate environments and classes has been always full. I can feel people are hungry for yoga as more and more of us are getting tired or daily routine and in need of something more. If we allow ourselves to pause and feel, we may find the emptiness. There must be something more to life than my 9-5 job, housework and occasional take-away. Even if our life is filled with wonderful holidays and we are lucking to be surrounded by wonderful people, we often get to the point we feel somehow empty and well, lonely. Yoga seem to fill in this gap for me personally.
Are there particular exercises that can be practiced at work?
Yes, yoga really can be designed to specific needs. I used to be asked to teach yoga high positioned corporates prior to their important meetings to increase their levels of efficiency, creativity and correct decision making. I also believe yoga classes in work environment help to create community. Indirect outcomes of people doing yoga together on regular bases are also knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Classes can be designed very specifically. Team buildings starting with yoga class facilitated by the right yoga teacher are very popular!
It is ideal to have appropriate space, however, it is also possible to teach yoga in the boardroom filled with chairs.
I believe yoga at work is no different to our personal yoga as the needs we have as employees or a CEO are no different to our needs we have as being humans.
What would you recommend to someone who is completely new to the yoga?
Drop whatever is stopping you from trying and give it a go! It may as well be one of the best decisions of your life... Make sure you connect with the teacher and you feel safe and looked after. Take your socks off and smile! Don't worry about getting it right or wrong - wherever you are is perfect as you truly are perfect the way you are, even with smelly feet! 🙂
I am a big lover of new joiners. I always appreciate their trust and courage.
Yoga works surprisingly quick and if you find it challenging at the beginning, just keep on breathing. I promise it will get easier and soon, you will start surprising yourself with your little achievements growing every day in which case I want you to share with your teacher as then you can celebrate together - very important! Mainly, it really is nowhere to get. Yoga is not a competition, it is the most gentle, loving thing you can do for yourself. It is like powering up - the more energy you put in, the more you will get back later on and throughout the rest of the day. It works in your body for hours after you forgot you attended yoga class.
Joining a class or practicing on your own at home with a DVD? What is the difference? What are the pro’s and con’s?
I think this one is down to individual and their life style. If you have a nice yoga studio on your way from work and the class is happening at the time that works with your schedule plus you resonate with the energy of the teacher and can afford the classes as a regular commitment, go for it!
I started yoga watching DVD and then I attended the class. I found myself, whether its is live or online, it is important to have a teacher. I make sure I keep up my own development and growth. I feel humble gratitude to all my teachers and often when I teach, I feel them being there with me.
As you a yoga teacher, you have the privilege to support and teach people. How do you feel about that and what are your plans?
I often say, I am not a teacher, I am just a guide. Your mind, your body and your soul are your teachers and I am just someone who is opening the space for you to listen and facilitating the whole process in powerful way. I always feel privileged to be chosen as being someone's guide and the results we are then getting together often move me to tears.
I am also curious and want to know what more is possible, especially in area of life where my passion lies. For this reason as well as my online yoga classes, I also provide affordable workshop team packages for women on their journey towards motherhood and 1:2:1 package for individuals which is taking place in the comfort of their own home and is designed exclusively to their own needs - yoga, combined with meditation, head massage and one hour of transformational life-style coaching. It is an 8 week programme.
My passion is for all women with desire to have a baby to become mums! I want them to find peace, harmony and internal happiness. I have designed this programme that has all the best from my 14 years of experiences joining three most powerful elements (mind, body and spirit) using intuitive coaching and specifically designed yoga and meditation series.
If you are interested in checking out Lucia's yoga sessions, visit Lucia’s channel page (https://www.joinflex.tv/c/lucia) , Facebook page or website
Comments