How often do you actually stop and listen to what your body is trying to tell you? This has always been a struggle for me - knowing when to slow down and when to relax. I feel like I need to be doing something at all times, and as a result my sleep is impacted. 

I started consistently practicing yoga at the beginning of 2017 and recently hit my 100th time on the mat! I wasn't necessarily trying to make it to 100 or any certain number, but had also made it a practice to keep record of each session on my wall calendar. And it just happened to be 100. I am immensely proud of myself for accomplishing this and making yoga an almost daily habit in my life. Through practicing yoga, I have been more in tune with my body and with setting a daily intention. Setting a daily intention allows me to stay centered throughout my day. 

But even with mindfulness through yoga, I still have a hard time giving myself what it needs...rest. I am one of those Early-Morning-Rising-Night-Owls...aka I go to bed late, and get up early (probably some hidden "fear of missing out" around that, but that's another story). It's become a pattern in my life, and lately it's been getting more and more difficult to manage. My body is telling me...REST! 

I left for Scotland early Saturday morning. I only got 3.5 hours of sleep the night before, traveled for 13.5 hours and then only had a 5.5 hour flight to Glasgow from JFK. I don't sleep well on planes, so I maybe rested for 3 hours of the flight (not sure if I ever actually fell asleep). After arriving in Glasgow, I then caught a train to Edinburgh. I was running on adrenaline and ready to explore. I still had my luggage with me which is not ideal for exploring and walking cobblestone streets. So I connected with my Airbnb hosts and made my way to our stay for the evening.

My plan was to drop my bags, eat, and head back to the city. Instead, I gave my body what it needed - rest and relaxation. I drew a hot bath, made a cup of tea, and then took a nice, much needed nap. In the past, I would have been upset with myself for not sucking it up and exploring somewhere I'd never been before. I am here to travel after all. But I didn't do that. I channeled my inner yogi, embraced my afternoon and thanked my body for giving me what it needed. 

I still have a ways to go with bettering time management and getting more sleep - so in the future, I can fully embrace where I am. Do you have any tips for managing your life and "to-do's" while still getting a decent amount of sleep? I would love to hear it and share with others.