Do you ever wonder if yoga teachers live in a perpetual state of Zen? I used to think so before I became one myself. It was one of the reasons I doubted my ability to take on the role – my personality type doesn’t easily lend me to be that serene individual 24/7.

I’m what you might call a Type A Overachieving Do’er – it’s just the way I was made. If you're familiar with Human Design, I'm a Manifesting Generator – multi-passionate, energetic, and always ready to tackle new projects.

Manifesting Generators are a type of energy in human design. Technically, they have a "sacral" centre and other centres attached to their throat. They are multi-passionate individuals with lots of energy and interests. They're about 34% of people. They're here to inspire and create using their energy.* 

Being a Manifesting Generator has its perks – I get sh!t done! You can count on me to follow through. But there's a downside too – if I keep going at my typical pace without hitting pause (which, let me tell you, is hard for me to do), I’ll inevitably burn out.

Sounds far from Zen, doesn’t it? Achieving that state takes effort and a commitment to both self-care and self-love. Something my yoga practice has taught me over the last 20 years.

Understanding Self-Care and Self-Love

Throughout my journey, I've learned that self-care and self-love are essential for avoiding burnout or recovering from it.

You might be wondering, what’s the difference between self-care and self-love, and which do I need?

Here’s how I see it:

Self-care is the action I take to foster the feeling of self-love. Another way to put it is…

Self-care is the bodyguard for self-love.

Self-care includes the ACTIONS I take, such as:

• Indulging in a yoga class
• Taking a soothing bath
• Binge-watching a favourite show snuggled up on the couch
• Enjoying a walk with my dog
• Dinner out at my favourite restaurant
• A solid 8 hours of sleep
• Going to the spa
• Spending quality time with friends
• Setting healthy boundaries

Self-love, on the other hand, is the way I FEEL toward myself and involves:

• Speaking kindly to myself and because I love myself, I listen
• Offering myself gentle encouragement, like staying on my yoga mat when distractions arise
• Combatting self-doubt with affirmations like 'I am enough'
• Looking in the mirror and saying 'I love you' to myself
• Embracing a deep sense of worthiness
• Allowing myself to laugh at my own jokes, even if no one else does

Path to Self-Love

Over time, as I worked on cultivating self-love, self-care became second nature. It took time and persistence to achieve genuine love for myself. Self-care actions played a crucial role in this journey and I got there, and I do!

It’s like the ‘chicken or the egg’ scenario – which comes first, self-care or self-love?

For me, self-care paved the way for self-love. Before I could truly love myself, I needed the structure of self-care to carve out moments for self-reflection and growth.

Ironically, it is now self-love that reminds me to slow down and prioritize self-care – go to bed Carrie, you’ve done enough today!

From Type A to Type Zen

I've developed strategies to avoid burnout due to my propensity to go-go-go and do-do-do. And as I’m sure you’ve guessed, yoga is at the top of my list. Yoga is my ultimate mode of self-care.

On my yoga mat, I soothe my nervous system through breathwork, release tension with gentle movements, and quiet my chatty mind through meditation. My husband knows the drill – when I’m on my yoga mat, I’m to be left alone - WALK AWAY FROM THE YOGA MAT, TED 😊

Incorporating Zen into My Routine

With a busy schedule, I can't always commit to lengthy yoga sessions. I'd like to share how I weave zen into my daily life:

• On weekday mornings I begin the day with a 30-minute strength training or HIIT workout
• Before I start my workday, I do a 5-10 minute grounding routine
• Mid-day I take a walk with my dog, incorporating breathing exercises and mindfulness
• Late afternoon I enjoy a 10-15 minute yoga Nidra meditation to unwind
• Once in bed, I put on healing music to fall asleep to - if my mind is chatty, I do a yoga nidra meditation first
• At least one evening in the week I treat myself to a 30-minute yin yoga session
• Sunday mornings are when I get to indulge in a 1-hour yoga session – my version of ‘church’
• When overwhelm strikes at any time, I turn to QiGong movement or EFT tapping to calm my nervous system and bring myself back to the present moment

Conclusion

Self-care and self-love aren’t indulgences – they're necessities. They allow us to thrive, not just survive. Whether you’re a Type A like me or on a different path, finding that balance between doing and being is key. So, here’s to nurturing ourselves – body, mind, and soul – one yoga session at a time.

Reference:

• https://www.hindustantimes.com/astrology/horoscope/what-is-manifesting-generator-in-human-design-and-how-do-you-succeed-in-it-101692368491630.html