For the past year or two, I’ve been on and off of social media. Mostly on, because, well, it’s addicting.

It’s designed that way.

I know some people who have healthy relationships with social media and I’m just not one of those people. Every time I start back up on Instagram or Facebook, I slowly get sucked back in until every waking moment I have is spent checking the apps. I never even used Tik Tok and I can’t even fathom how addicted I would be to that.

The other day my friend told me he loved Tik Tok because he can get lost in it for hours at a time without realizing it. I have a really difficult time seeing how this is a positive thing. I don’t want to lose hours of my day and ultimately my life scrolling through pointless click bait videos. Sure, there are some educational things on there, but most content is useless (to say the least).

It saddens me to see most of society pulled into the rush of dopamine that social media provides, only to leave us all feeling stressed and sad in the end.

The worst part is that most people don’t realize what social media and excessive phone use is doing to them. They think they’re unaffected, but the reality is that their nervous systems are wildly out of alignment because cortisol levels are spiked so regularly.

We are slowly losing our minds, our intelligence, and our ability to think for ourselves and to create. Most of us on social media have lost the ability to be mindful, to experience life as it is, in its simplest form. We have lost our joy and childlike wonder.

We consume so much, but do so little.

We scroll incessantly, but we rarely stop and smell the roses. Are minds are infiltrated with other people’s lives. It’s noisy. And I don’t know about you – but this just feels so, so wrong.

It is said that comparison is the killer of joy. What is social media besides an endless stream of people to compare to? Running my online wellness business made this 10x worse because I would constantly compare to other creators and business owners. At first, I convinced myself it was helpful because I’d see what they we’re doing well and apply it to my own business. But most of the time, what they we’re doing didn’t work for me anyway.

I rarely got new business from social media and I was burning myself out trying to keep up with the algorithm. I was posting daily and I felt like a machine. I was losing my sense of purpose. I felt hypocritical because I was posting on social media, but knew deep down I didn’t think people should be scrolling on social media.

Eventually I began comparing myself to every single successful creator on there, wondering why they we’re doing so well and why I wasn’t. I felt like a failure – I was subjecting myself to that self-criticism dozens of times per day. I was out there preaching health and happiness, but on the inside I was anxious and stressed. I didn’t even realize it.

Since deleting my social media apps, I’ve noticed a profound sense of peace in my life.

I experience joy the simpler things.

I feel like I have my mind back. I have more time to create, to read, to smile and smell the fresh air outside. I don’t feel the need to document everything I’m doing – like what I’m eating and who I’m hanging out with. I just do things for me.

I have deeper connection with my friends and family because I’m reaching out to them to share life’s special moments instead of broadcasting to the ether of Instagram. I feel more connected to myself, to my surroundings, to my community.

Without the ability to mindlessly scroll, I am forced to see what’s in front of me. I wouldn’t trade this feeling for the world. This is an entirely new chapter, one where I have my life back in the most beautiful way.

From now on, I’m free.

^{Sophie is a movement coach and lover of all things wellness. Practice yoga and workout with her on YouTube. See her other virtual offerings on her website.}

What’s the best workout routine for your lifestyle? Find out here: Take the Quiz

Sometimes I feel like I’m two people in one body. I greatly value rest and relaxation, but I also love to be productive and accomplish tasks. Perhaps you can relate? It feels good to finish a project and see what I’ve done. At the same time, there’s nothing I love more than a day at home with nothing on my to-do list. I find comfort in quietly sitting at my kitchen counter flipping through whatever magazine landed in my mailbox, or rolling out my yoga mat and sitting with my thoughts.

I’ll be honest, most of my free time is spent doing. If my favorite band comes into town, I go. If a friend wants to go on an adventure, I go. If the house needs to be cleaned, I clean it. We all know that these kinds of things usually take up all of our free time. And that leaves little time for rest.

Growing up, I was taught that accomplishing tasks was the optimal way to spend my time. I think this goes for most of us – at least in American culture. It’s the hustle culture – and it’s all pervasive.

Many of us proudly list our career accomplishments on our Linkedin page, we celebrate 12 hour work days, and our response to the question “how have you been?” is usually “busy” –  and that’s supposed to be a good thing. It’s rare that we tell someone we’ve been focusing on slowing down, tuning in, and healing.

What do I mean by healing, you might ask? It’s different for everyone, but I’ll give my own personal example. For me, stress and trauma are stored in my muscles. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had back and neck pain on a daily basis. The more I truly prioritize rest and mindfulness, the better my body feels!

There are many other ways your body and mind tell you to relax. For some, it’s digestion. For others, stress presents itself through the skin or through breathing. For many, it’s more blatant anxiety and depression – which tie into it all. It’s all connected.

The key is to find your own personal balance between hustle and healing. I believe it’s important to create, to build, to see the fruits of your labor. If we indulge in pleasure too much, things no longer become pleasurable. As humans we are meant to be challenged, to have skills, and to experience both pleasure and pain.

So we should have days where we work hard even if we don’t want to. We should work towards our goals and dreams. And other days we need to listen to our bodies. It all comes down to decisions. Perhaps we take a nap instead of drinking another cup of coffee, or stay home instead of going out one night, or practice yoga instead of scrolling Instagram.

We have to understand the difference between restful healing and time filling activities. For some people it’s really easy to spend an entire day on Tik Tok – but I think most would agree this doesn’t help our stress levels.

In fact, social media usually makes us more stressed. We have to find the things that make us feel like ourselves again. When I finish a breathwork practice or a yoga nidra practice (which is basically guided meditation), the world glows. I feel calm and grounded and at ease with myself.

So, in a way, these tasks are actually productive. In fact, meditating is possibly the most productive thing you can do. Ironically, it’s the only task you can do that has no end, no goal. I also think playing an instrument, painting, writing and any other focused, creative or mindful task that makes you feel whole is a powerful way to rest and heal from all of the hustling we do otherwise.

Healing is about the balance between effort and ease, in yoga philosophy called “sthira” and “sukha.” It’s about figuring out how to nurture yourself between the hustle – between all of the movement. It’s a never ending journey, and that’s exactly what makes life so beautiful.

What’s the best workout routine for your lifestyle? Find out here: Take the Quiz

^{Sophie is a movement coach and lover of all things wellness. Practice yoga and workout with her on YouTube. See her other virtual offerings on her website.}

In the one month I’ve lived in Leadville, Colorado I’ve changed a lot – and for the better. I keep wanting to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. How did I manage to end up this lucky? For one, I’m surrounded by beauty. I get to take daily walks with my dog in the woods, I regularly drive through gorgeous mountain ranges, I get to mountain bike through enormous Aspen groves right down the street from my house. On weekends, my partner and I explore Colorado. There’s so much to see, it feels endless.

Leadville is a high elevation town in Colorado with 2,700 people. The people here in have a different way of life from what I’m used to. They just live. It’s not about hustling – it’s about being outside. Luckily, all the outdoor adventure you need is nearby. In the winters, they snowshoe, backcountry ski and snowmobile. In the summers, they run, mountain bike, raft, climb, you name it. I made a new friend the other day and she casually asked if I wanted to sign up for a 20k race the next day (I said no – I need about 10 weeks to prepare for that!)

I deeply appreciate my neighbors. They live a simple, beautiful way of life. Whenever I look out my window, I see someone walking, running or biking. The houses are old and fences are deteriorating – but that’s what makes it so great. No one is here to show off or look fancy or compete. There’s this sense that everyone shares a common love for the mountains. It feels real. It feels like home.

When I was living the hustle lifestyle, grinding from sun up to sun down, sitting in traffic or sitting inside and then spending the weekends being social – I was stressed, understandably. I knew I was stressed but I didn’t know there was any other option. My back hurt, my neck hurt. If you know me, you know I’ve dealt with chronic back and neck pain for awhile.

Well, something amazing has happened this past month. My pain has been virtually non-existent and I know it’s because I’ve slowed down. I’m healing. I will continue on my healing journey for the rest of my life – it will never be over. But this seems like a pivotal time. I’m learning to prioritize time in nature, time by myself, and time to do absolutely nothing. We have to slow down to heal. For some, just knowing that the pain is a direct result of stress is a major stepping stone towards healing.

What’s amazing is that I’m 27 and I feel like I have everything I’ve ever wanted. Part of this is because I made the conscious decision to take social media apps off my phone. Many of us feel incomplete when scrolling on social media because we compare so much, but I’m choosing not to live a life of wanting or comparing anymore. I’m choosing gratitude and abundance.

When I was 12 I thought “making it” meant you had a fancy house, fancy car, 3 kids and a millionaire husband. That’s embarrassing to write. But what I’m realizing is that living my dream life is a choice I get to make every day. I get to have it all right now because having it all is a mindset. I get to make the decision to live fully in each moment. I get to sit here in the middle of the day and write this for someone to read. Amazing! My quiet life in an old mining town might not look ideal to many people – but to me it’s everything.

Sophie Marie is a movement coach and lover of all things wellness. Practice yoga and workout with her on YouTube. See her other virtual offerings on her website.

If you’ve had a lifelong battle with fitting exercise into your busy lifestyle, you’re not alone.

Many people put exercise on the back burner for the sake of getting everything else done.

But movement doesn’t have to be a chore or a stressful endeavor. Plus, most of us know that in the long term, our health is the most important thing.

You were made to move – it’s in your biological makeup. Your body craves a challenge! Let today be the day you finally make the change and honor your roots.

It’s time to put your foot down and commit to a happier, healthier version of yourself. I’m going to share with you 5 different ways to become consistent with your workout routine, even with a crazy busy schedule.

Hint: it’s not about adding more to your plate

1. Do shorter workouts

People tend to get stuck in the all or nothing mindset when it comes to fitness. But you can actually work out for 10 minutes every day and be in much better shape than if you worked out once or twice a week for an hour. High intensity interval training is an extremely effective way to boost your endurance and strength, resulting in maximum calorie burn in a short period of time. You can find 4 to 10 minute HIIT workouts on Youtube for free with no equipment required. And yes, 4 minutes absolutely counts and you can do them right from home or your office.

So, start thinking of a 4 minute HIIT as a full workout. Then, you don’t have to stress about going all the way to the gym because guess what? Your daily workout is already done. Fitting in 10 minutes is much better than foregoing your gym/studio workout all together because you don’t have the time or energy. Eventually you can increase the length and intensity, but just start with a few minutes and do it until it’s a habit. Once it becomes non-negotiable part of your day, you can play around with longer workouts.

I can’t stress this enough, start small with movement. You have your whole life ahead of you to do it big!

2. Make physical movement a habit

It’s all about making choices on a daily basis. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk around outside during your lunch break, take more stretch brakes. Perhaps instead of staying out late on a Friday night, get some good sleep and go on a hike on Saturday. Do the things that you know will make you feel better in the long run. The best way to do this is to find someone else to motivate you. Which brings me to number 3….

3. Get accountability

Research shows that accountability is one of the main factors that helps people achieve their goals. You could get another person to hold you accountable. For example, if you and your neighbor decide to meet up for walks every day, you’re more likely to stick to it.

You can also hold yourself accountable by signing up and paying for a race. You really have to experiment with what will work for you. Many busy people hire a coach to stay consistent. My clients work with me specifically because they know they need a high level of accountability to thrive. There’s nothing more powerful than a person who knows what they need.

4. Prioritize your time better

We live in a world of abundant information and opportunity at our fingertips. The downside is that we are plagued with so many decisions all the time. You can literally spend an entire day deciding what type of vacuum to buy on Amazon. Right now, it’s more important than ever to prioritize and manage our time on a daily basis. Sometimes I forego putting on makeup for a longer yoga practice because I know that my mental health is more important than what my eyelashes look like that day. It’s decisions like these that will give you that few extra minutes each day. Ultimately, time management impacts your quality of life.

5. Wake up earlier

If you’re still struggling with finding time in your day for movement, morning might just be your best bet. Early mornings are a sacred time – they’re quiet and your mind is fresh. If you can forego that extra 10 minutes of snoozing in the morning, you can change your life. Like I said, a hard 4 minute HIIT counts just as much as an hour at the gym.

I’m not advocating for depriving yourself of sleep. Sleep is incredibly important, but most of us can afford to carve out some extra time in the morning for ourselves.

Side note: I highly recommend getting a sunlight alarm clock for a more peaceful wake up and a better mood during the day.

Hey, you got this! Start viewing movement as something your body loves – even if your mind doesn’t yet. Building a routine takes time, but once you get into your groove, it’s smooth sailing!

If you want to take the stress of fitness off your plate, check out my Balanced Bodies program for high performing women via my website link below.

Sophie is a personal trainer and 500 hour yoga teacher based in Colorado. She has 3 fur babies, loves to go on adventures in the mountains and is passionate about helping busy women fall in love with movement. Check out her fitness programs here: www.sophiemariewellness.com

I’m sure you’ve wondered, how often should I do HIIT?

The answer is….. it depends.

It depends on how long and how intense your workouts are.

If you’re doing 15-40 minute intense HIIT workouts, you should do limit to 2-3 times a week. 3 at the most.

If you’re doing just quick 4 minute HIIT workouts, you can probably get away with 4-5 times per week.

Recovery is essential.

When you do HIIT, your body reaps many benefits.

To list just a few: it increases oxygen and blood flow, strengthens several muscle groups, and improves your heart health.

However, HIIT has its downfalls, as with any form of exercise.

Cortisol levels spike and your joints take on a lot of impact.

While it’s good to challenge your body, there’s always the risk of too much of a good thing.

So you need to give your body time to rest and repair by switching up the type of movement you do.

During those recovery days, you can and should train your body in other ways. And of course you should be stretching and working on mobility regularly in some form.

In my opinion, if you do around 25 minutes of HIIT twice a week consistently, you’ll see massive mental and physical changes.

Fitness is really much simpler than you think.

Move efficiently for shorter periods of time (like in HIIT) and you are golden.

Sophie is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher and ACE certified personal trainer and certified assisted stretching professional. She has been teaching movement since 2017.

To learn more about her small group HIIT program, visit her website here.

You might be wondering if private yoga lessons are worth the extra cost when you could just go to a public yoga class. This is a valid question – and there are several reasons why private lessons could benefit you immensely. Let’s talk about the top 5 reasons.

1. Learn correct alignment. Public classes are fantastic, but it’s impossible for the teacher to teach to students individually the entire time. Often times, cues are given as a general guideline on how to align the body, but all bodies are different. Yoga is not a one size fits all approach. With a private yoga class, it’s all about you. You will learn exactly how to align your unique body in each pose to optimize the experience and keep your body safe.
   
   Read: Why Alignment Is Important in Yoga
   
2. Avoid injury and learn how to modify for your unique body. For people who take public yoga classes only, it may take several years to learn proper alignment and to build the body awareness necessary to have a safe and stable practice. This is why so many yogis get injured from overuse. We all have different biomechanics, which means we all need individual modifications and adjustments. With the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher in a private class, you’re much less likely to get injured from misalignment and overuse.
   
   
3. Your very own custom-tailored class every time. As we all know, every day is different. For whatever reason, some days you have more energy than other days. Your private yoga teacher will ask you what you need that day. If you want deep, restful stretching, that’s exactly what you’ll get. If you need a challenging, strong practice, then get ready to be challenged. A good teacher will meet you wherever you are and will personalize the class for you. As you build a relationship with your teacher over time, she’ll probably know what you need without you having to say it – and that’s the beauty of the student teacher relationship!
   
   Read: There is no such thing as one size fits all fitness
   
4. Enhance your practice in a short period of time. As mentioned before, it can take years and years of practice for yoga students to learn correct alignment by going to public classes. Many of my private students have built an incredibly potent understanding of alignment in a much shorter timespan than I did in my first few years of practice. Yoga should be a lifelong practice, but there is nothing wrong with accelerating your progress in a safe and supported way. There’s no better feeling than being able to stick a new arm balance. Even better is the feeling when you master a pose that once felt impossible. It’s difficult to learn the ins and outs of advanced poses in public classes – mostly because some poses aren’t taught every class. In private classes, you and your teacher can work on specific poses each time you meet until you truly master them.
   
   
5. Practice on your own time. The luxury of private yoga is that you get to practice on your own time. You’ll work with your teacher to find a time that works best for your schedule. Plus, if the session is being helped virtually or at your home, you get to save all of that time you would have spent driving to and from the yoga studio.
   
   
   Private yoga is the best investment you could make for your wellness. If you find an experienced and educated teacher, private lessons will give you the knowledge you need to support your body for the rest of your life.
   
   
   Sophie is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher, ACE certified personal trainer, and certified assisted stretching professional. She has been teaching movement since 2017. The pandemic allowed her to go full-time into teaching yoga privately throughout the Greater Denver area and online.
   
   

To learn more about Sophie, her services and programs, visit her website here.