This week, I had two opportunities to participate in yoga and meditation; one instance was during class time and involved the assistance of a few of my classmates, and the other was on my own time. During my EPHE class, we were assigned to groups to breakdown a certain physical skill and were told to explain how to properly perform it. My group chose the yoga position Downward Facing Dog as our example. After breaking down a position that was seemingly so simple into seven different steps on how to perform it, I had a realization of the importance of taking things slow and paying attention to detail. So often I feel rushed to get things done, but my EPHE activity exemplified that when I allow myself to relax my pace and focus on the method, I can become much more calm and productive.

Later in the week I was feeling quite overwhelmed with my workload and I entered a state of anxiousness. To try and help myself unwind, I drew a hot bath and spent nearly half an hour practicing breathing methods. I found that this was the most effective way for my mind to slow and my body to destress; I became so relaxed that I ended up falling asleep. After taking a moment for myself, I was able to become more productive and motivated to complete the remainder of my tasks.