According to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Yin Yang, there is always some degree of “the opposite” contained in anything.
We have become so enamored with the quality of balance that we
sometimes miss out on the beauty of opposing forces in our lives.
Periodically shaking things up can be extremely healthy and provide us
with a wonderful sense of renewal.
Here are some simple ways to integrate a little pop in your everyday life:
Mix up your Workout Routine
Too often we get stuck in exercise patterns that do not promote a
diverse experience for the body and mind. Although you may feel like
you are doing a really good thing by concentrating on one (or few)
routines, you may be limiting yourself. People who only do Yoga can
benefit from lifting weights; people who focus on weights should do more
Yoga! Shaking up your workouts is a wonderful way to get the “pop”
going in your life.
Mix up your Eating Habits
Likewise, many of us get caught up in eating the same types of food
over and over again. Integrating a diverse range of foods, and trying
new ones, can stretch your internal bandwidth of acceptance and is a
fantastic way to push the limits of your Yin (or Yang). If you are a
meat eater, try going Vegan for a week and see how you feel.
Conversely, eat meat for a few days if you are vegetarian!
Mix up your Personality
If you are a shy person, and the prospect of having to speak in front
of a large group of people terrifies you, go to a Karaoke club and sing
your favorite song in front of hundreds of strangers! If you are an
extreme extrovert, spend a full day in complete silence where you do not
talk on the phone, email, or watch TV. I promise you, trying these
activities will do you no physical harm. In fact, making a habit of
integrating these types of personality-challenging activities can do
wonders for your well-being.
Mix up Your Sleeping Habits
Very few things are more important for our well-being than a
consistent sleep routine; we can still experience the power of Yin Yang
by shaking up our resting habits. Are you a habitual early riser? Then
spend at least one day a week purposefully sleeping hours later than
you are accustomed. Do you have trouble getting out of bed in the
morning? Then make it your mission to rise hours earlier than you are
used to. This is a wonderful practice to prevent the body from falling
in a rut!
Shake up your Working Habits
Are you super responsible when it comes to your career? If so, it
can be useful to take an unexpected day off work –- do not make it an
official vacation day, and do not pretend to be sick, just take a
“personal day” where you spontaneously go to a park, go on a hike, or do
something that you really enjoy (and, most importantly, do NOT feel
guilty about it)!
Conversely, are you generally lazy when it comes to your career and
always looking for the day to end? If so, shaking it up can mean
dedicating at least one day a week where you say to yourself: “OK, I am
going to try 100% today and not think about other things I could be
doing”. You may be surprised how contagious your sudden effectiveness
can be!
Remember, Yin (dark) and yang (light) are descriptions of
complementary opposites rather than absolutes. The two are in constant
movement rather than held in absolute stasis. Cultivating the ability
to enjoy opposing forces and move with the laws of Yin and Yang can
create unbounded joy and fulfillment.
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