Act As If

If you were a yoga pose, what pose would you be? Would you be a Reverse Warrior, solidly leaning away from conflict? Or would you be an Eagle Pose, finding balance as you gaze with soft focus at the big picture of the entanglement of opposites that creates tension and steadiness down below? How about the way you hold your stance? Would the way you pose be just as important as the pose itself? Have you tried imitating the masters like Iyengar, or tried to mimic the beauty and grace of yoga practitioner Christy Turlington? 

"Acting As If" can be a wonderful tool for practice. Just as you may have playacted as a child, so too can you use this practice in assuming the position. When I work with actors, I find that they are able to imitate and adopt the postures of the masters. When you start by acting, you may very well begin to feel differently. The phrase "You can't think your way into correct action, but you can act your way into correct thinking" is a motto I live by when it comes to motivation. I have mastered this in my workouts and my yoga practice, but I still need practice in my day-to-day life and shifting my attitude. How about those days when you feel down? Or when things just aren't going your way? 

Here are 5 active tips for changing your mood:

1. Smile.

 Just a simple smile can shift your mood through correct action.

2. Gratitude list. 

Often we can act our way into correct thinking by creating a gratitude list of 5 things we are grateful for. Soon, we feel better and move through the world from that place, and more abundance comes.

3. Fake it til you make it! 

Fake laughter becomes real laughter. Try a few minutes of really laughing out loud hard. Before you know it that laughter will become real, and will be the best abdominal exercise you can get.

4. Act As If.

If you find yourself a ball of nerves, act like your favorite rock star and watch your confidence level rise.

5. Work It Out!

Lastly, don't wait to feel motivated before you work out. Start working out and watch how your energy level rises!