A unique Yoga Teacher
Training Experience
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DKhEd/E^She says an over-indulgence of
information can also have negative
impacts on its consumers. “I think we’re
at a semi-catastrophic point of basic
societal mental health because of how
much information and stimulation
we’re consuming.”
Annie doesn’t use social media and
says she needs to let her head “just be
empty” sometimes. “I think we have to
focus on the sense of not getting and
not having as almost being a gift to
ourselves at this point in history. You
can actually feel this slight exuberance
at deciding not to. So, more and more,
I decide when I’m cooking, I won’t put
podcasts on. I don’t need to consume
that extra level of stimulation, because
stimulation asks something from us that
then means we can’t do other things
that aren’t as obvious but are very
necessary for our emotional and mental
health.”
Dr Jodie Lowinger, founder and
principal clinical psychologist at Sydney
Anxiety Clinic, points out that through
social media we’re faced with everyone
else’s ‘perfect’ lives and appearances.
“Individuals become ‘people pleasers’
and fear saying no to others for fear
of not being liked or not being good
enough. Saying yes to everything has
two main problems – we end up
suffering high stress and burnout and
we don’t allow enough time to say yes to
what really matters – things we fi nd
meaningful.”Dr Lowinger is passionate about
helping people with anxiety move from
a worry-driven path to a values-driven
path – which essentially is well aligned
to the minimalism philosophy. “We
want to replace clutter habits – as
Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan
Nicodemus (the hugely popular duo
known as ‘The Minimalists’) call them –
with more powerful, meaningful habits.
Often, this is about ensuring time for“I think we’re at a semi-
catastrophic point of basic
societal mental health
because of how much
information and stimulation
we’re consuming.”what I call the foundation stones of
mental wellbeing – eating well, exercise
and movement, ensuring enough sleep
and connecting with meaningful
relationships. Minimalism inspires
conscious decision making, to stand up
to thoughts that are driven by fear and
be driven rather by our passion and our
purpose. This is important because it
helps to free us from stress and worry.”
Personally, I’m super excited to be
adopting the magical mantra of the
minimalists. I’ve started clearing out my
home, my brain and my schedule. Free
time ... hello! Mental over-stimulation ...
so long! Pointless clutter ... beware!
There’s a joyful minimalist in the house
and she’s wearing a pastel green and
silver sequinned top and terry towelling
hot pants.The Art of Frugal Hedonism,
http://www.frugalhedonism.com;
http://www.littleecofootprints.com;
Destination Simple: Everyday Rituals
for a Slower Life, slowyourhome.com;
http://www.agirlcallednyamka.com/blog;
http://www.practisingsimplicity.com;
http://www.sydneyanxietyclinic.com