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Author: Admin

Posted on by Admin

ORIGINAL HOT YOGA + SPORTS

I love sports. Sports of every season — golf, tennis, skiing, volleyball, soccer, basketball, running — you name it, I’ll do it.

Or at least I’ll try it!

That’s been my mantra for as long as I can remember. Pursuing an active lifestyle is very much who I am — part of my identity — and I know I’m not alone.

But I am of a certain age now (Hint: back 9, if you’re a golfer) and I want to be able to keep playing sports for as long as humanly possible. It’s no secret that the Original Hot Yoga series has been “my fountain of youth” and my true energy source for the past 23 years. In fact, I feel better in this decade of life than in my teens and twenties, before I discovered the practice.

Of course, nobody likes a know-it-all, but I wholeheartedly believe in the power of this yoga series. So much so, that I’ve devoted my life to the practice — both as a teacher and studio owner. Over the past two decades I’ve seen the benefits first hand… both in myself and in the thousands of practitioners I’ve had the great fortune to teach.

And still…

I constantly hear my friends (also of a certain age) complaining of their myriad aches and pains…

“I can’t run anymore,”

“My knees are done!”

“I had to give up tennis because of carpal tunnel.”

“I can’t ski bumps anymore because my lower back is shot.”

“I’m taking the season off from golf due to frozen shoulder.”

“I can’t throw the football with my kids anymore because my arm gets too sore.”

“I am always SO TIRED.”

Not to mention the contraptions… knee braces, back wraps, compression socks, and more!

I feel I’m often put in an awkward position. I don’t like to preach, but at some point I want to yell at some of them: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Don’t be a prisoner in your own body.” They could easily take back control simply by committing to this series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. And they can ease in. Of course they can! Even just a class or two a week would have a profound effect. They could get back to the things they love — have the energy to play with their kids, ski the black runs without fear of injury, rediscover their tennis serve.

There is so much fun to be had, and I believe it all starts on your yoga mat.

THE LIGHTBULB

In the end of those conversations I usually just bite my tongue and simply squeak out, “Well you know what I’m going to say…” And we agree to leave it at that. Of course, every once in a while — to my pleasant surprise — one of those friends will show up for class. Especially over the past 10 months, the Live Stream options have made it easier than ever to join us.

And those that do stick with it will come to me two months later and say, “I can run again; my knee doesn’t hurt anymore!” Or “After 4 years of lower back issues, I am finally pain-free!” I so badly want to shout out “I told you so,” but of course I resist that urge and simply nod my head and smile.

The truth is, these are the moments that make it all worth it — when the lightbulb goes off and they start to discover what I figured out a long time ago.

RUNNING THE MARATHON

I like to tell the story about my marathon-running days. I was in my late-20’s, living in San Francisco, and doing lots of sports. I’d play soccer on the weeknights, go skiing and mountain biking on the weekends, and of course did lots of running on hard city cement! One day my friends Sara and Mary Corpening suggested I try yoga. “Yoga?” I said “It’s SO BORING. I’m just NOT a yoga person.”

Well, they were persistent enough to get me to try this “hot yoga” (though they failed to mention the heat in their initial pitches.) I remember thinking at the beginning of that first class, “Wow, this is really hard.” And with each new posture, it only got harder. Like many first timers, I struggled through much of that class, but by the end I felt AMAZING! I felt energized and light, and couldn’t wait to return to the hot room.

A few months later I got a last minute entry into a marathon. At that point, I was less than two months out from raceday, which runners will tell you is a bit insane. Most marathoners train for 16 to 20 weeks, just to get themselves ready for that sort of undertaking. But somehow I knew I could do it. I hadn’t really been running at all, but I had established a regular (5x a week) Original Hot Yoga practice. I could feel myself getting stronger and notably, more flexible. 

As an athlete, I was never very flexible. (I couldn’t even touch my toes at the time.) But I was starting to see how flexibility and strength worked hand-in-hand. My endurance was up and because of that my confidence was at an all-time high.

Well, guess what? I decided to run that race with very little training and finished with my best time (3:42).

How? I’m sure you know what I’m going to say… the yoga!

The Original Hot Yoga series improves your body in all these areas:

  • It expands your lung capacity

  • It works your cardiovascular system

  • It creates strength and flexibility in your muscles

I remember finishing the NYC Marathon feeling like I could’ve run more. How about one quick lap around the park? My ankles and my knees felt great, my hips were strong, and I had energy to spare.

PREACHING TO THE CHOIR

If you’re reading this, you’ve undoubtedly tried the practice… probably even believe in the practice the way I do. You’ve maybe had similar conversations with friends and family, and wish they would believe you about the benefits of the practice. Stay vigilant. And stay patient. Keep inviting friends to class. Save them a spot. Make it easy for them to become part of the community. We will be here with open arms when they come to their senses.

To those who still haven’t tried this yoga series before, my challenge is simple: Give it a chance. Especially now when the studios are closed, it’s never been easier to fit it into your schedule. We offer more than 30 classes a week on our Live Stream platform, so you can take class from the comfort of your own home. It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with the postures, so you’ll be ready to go when in-studio classes resume.

The series was designed with beginners in mind. As long as you work to your maximum — whatever that is — you’ll get all of the benefits. And the beauty is this series never changes. The same postures in the same order, which are designed to systematically work every muscle, tendon, ligament, and joint in your body.

Not flexible? This is the best way to stretch those muscles.

Don’t do yoga? Neither did I. This is a whole different kind of yoga.

Don’t know how to start? Commit yourself to a class.

The studios may be closed for regular classes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t join us. Explore this website to learn more about who we are, what we offer, and how you can join the community. The best way is to just pick a class and sign up. Commit yourself to carving out a little time for you.

CHECK OUR LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE
Posted on by Admin

TEACHER FEATURE: KATHLEEN BRETT

Kathleen Brett has spent the last ten years balancing the life of a yogi, and her professional singing career. She discovered the Original Hot Yoga practice many years ago when castmates dragged her to class, and since then she can’t help but notice the common threads between the two practices. Click below to check out Kathleen’s Teacher Feature!

Look for Kathleen on the Live Stream schedule:

Mondays at 4:00pm
Tuesdays at 7:00am
Fridays at 6:00pm
Sundays at 10:00am

VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE
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THE HOT ROOM AT HOME

We know that NOTHING can replace the experience of practicing in the hot room, and we long for the day when we can welcome all of you back to our studios. (For those unaware, while gyms were allowed to reopen in the fall, the Governor is still not allowing “indoor group fitness classes” to resume.) Of course, we’ve introduced Self-Practice Sessions at Upper East and Flatiron as a creative solution to the problem. But we know that doesn’t work for everyone.

So we’re left with a home practice!

We’re proud of our Live Stream offerings and love getting to see all of you in your natural habitat with kids and cats wandering through from time to time. Did you know we now offer a wide variety of classes — more than 30 a week — to help our community stay connected to their practice. But it begs the question… what is hot yoga without the heat? Our owners, Jen and Donna, talked about that a few weeks back in an interview we did. And we’re preparing a follow-up post in the coming weeks all about the things we’ve learned about ourselves and our practice throughout this pandemic. But today’s topic is focused specifically on recreating some of the conditions of a hot room.

As we head into the dead of winter, it becomes even more important to keep ourselves (and our space) warm… if not to recreate the optimal conditions, then at the very least to stave off injury. We polled some of our longtime practitioners to learn about products they were using, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer a great list of reliable options to get you started.

SPACE HEATERS (SMALL)

Bovado Portable Space Heater (10” x 6” x 6”) – $39.99

PURCHASE HERE

New Yorkers are often dealing with limited space, but for once that works in our favor. The best advice we can give is to find the smallest space where you can still comfortably practice. The will make it easier to heat quickly and efficiently, and most importantly, to maintain those conditions throughout. These little heaters pack a punch. Two or three arrange directly around your mat works beautifully.

SPACE HEATERS (LARGE)

Taotronics 1500W Space Heater (6” x 6” x 17”) – $69.99

PURCHASE HERE

These are a taller-style space heater for those with a bit more space, or a bigger room to heat. Still relatively compact, they can be stowed away in a corner or closet. And they cool down quickly, which is a nice feature. Two of these would do wonders for your space.

HEAT LAMP

TDP Far Infrared Heat Lamp – $129.00

PURCHASE HERE

A different kind of option, this heat lamp packs quite a punch. Many of our students have been using it and has gotten rave reviews all around.

HUMIDIFIER

Pure Enrichment MistAire Humidifier – (8” x 6” x 9”) – $39.99

PURCHASE HERE

We often talk about the “optimal conditions” of the hot room, but one key component is the humidity. Especially in New York City apartments, the air can sometimes get dry. It’s important to remember that moisture is an important aspect of air quality. If you’re going to the effort of setting up some space heaters, it may not be a bad idea to set up a humidifier. This is the one we love to recommend.

SAUNA SUITS

BodySuit Men’s and Women’s Sauna Suit – (Various Sizes) – $45.99

PURCHASE MEN’S

PURCHASE WOMEN’S

There are hundreds of these for sale across the internet, but we found THE ONE. It’s a nice balance of function and style, and best of all — you can tell the quality of the production. It stands up to even the most rigorous HIIT workout, and won’t get in your way when you’re trying to mail that perfect Standing Head-to-Knee. Coupled with a space heater, this packs a great 1-2 punch.

Again, we know that nothing can replicate the hot room, but we also know that we need to do our best to optimize our space until the vaccine can be widely distributed. We can not wait to get our community back into the hot room, but for now… why not upgrade your home studio?

Posted on by Admin

THE POWER OF ROUTINE

How do you prepare for the year ahead? Some rely on resolutions, while others set a series of ambitious goals. There is no wrong way to do it, but as scientists continue to study the subject of motivation and goal-setting we are getting a clearer picture of the best ways we can set ourselves up for success. For those who need a little inspiration I’m going to share some insights from a few of my favorite thought leaders.

GO BIG BY STARTING SMALL

Harvard Business Review is one of the most respected publications in the world, and each year around this time it seems like they have new information to share. At the beginning of 2020, they published a great article on the subject titled “To Achieve Big Goals, Start With Small Habits,” Sabina Nawaz shares her own experience in this area. For ambitious go-getters (any New Yorkers out there?) it’s sometimes difficult to to consider any other path. “As high achievers,” she says, “we’re programmed to go big or go home. But the data shows that big goals are often more burdensome than they are motivational; they require daunting effort to accomplish and sustain in our busy lives.”

Instead, she suggests, we should start with a “ridiculously small” micro habit like meditating for 30 seconds every afternoon, or drinking a big glass of water every morning right when we wake up. From there, build upon that success by setting a daily task to complete. This could be something as simple as reading one paragraph every day of the book you’ve been ignoring or just making your bed every day. Which is a great segue…

MAKE YOUR BED, THEN CHANGE THE WORLD

In 2014 US Navy Admiral, William H. McRaven, delivered a commencement speech at the University of Texas where he uttered the now-famous line, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” If you watch the speech — and I hope you do — you’ll hear a wave of laughter erupt from the crowd after he delivers the line. But he continues undaunted:

“If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”

That speech was also turned into a short book that makes for great January reading, and a perfect gift for graduates!

THE RIGHT AND WRONG WAY

On Episode 716 of the HBR IdeaCast (I told you I love the Harvard Business Review), the team featured an incredible interview with James Clear, the bestselling author of the book, Atomic Habits. He has three terrific ideas that I still can’t get out of my head since reading his book:

  1. Chunking – When faced with a complicated task, he suggests breaking it down into a series of smaller, simpler tasks.
  2. Pacing – Set a pace you can keep up with. If it’s your first time running the marathon, it’s probably not realistic for you to break three hours. (That would be a sub-7-minute mile for the entire 26 miles.) Instead, set a more attainable goal. Success is infectious. Hitting the goals you set for yourself will make you more apt to see things through to the end.
  3. Failing – We are going to slip up; it’s inevitable. Plan for it. Prepare for it. And figure out the best way to get yourself back on track. He suggests holding yourself to “never missing twice.” If you’ve set a goal of working out Monday through Friday every week, you can slip up once and still practice on Saturday or Sunday. But don’t let yourself miss twice in one week.

LEAVE SOME SPACE

Raise your hand if you’re the kind of person who tends to fill every minute of every day. Busy feels good, right? It makes us feel productive and important. But busy is also a trap. It can be a way of hiding from ourselves, and the things that are really important. Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, wrote another book a few years back called Big Magic. It’s all about the role of creativity in our lives, and surprisingly it has a lot to do with routines, habits, and how we set goals for ourselves. In that book, she talks a lot about time management. “I’m going to share a secret. It’s not about finding the time… it’s about making the time.”

If we’re not careful we can let ourselves get pulled in a million different directions based on everyone else’s priority list.

Unless…

We make a list of our own.

S.M.A.R.T GOALS

Peter Drucker was a celebrated author and management consultant who wrote extensively in the latter part of the 20th century. One of the things he’s most famous for is the acronym SMART. When setting any sort of goals, be it personal or professional, he says to make sure they adhere to the following criteria:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Relevant
  • Time-Bound

A specific goal can be measured, and as Drucker also famously said: “What gets measured gets managed.” Make the goal attainable. As we pointed out earlier, small wins (like making your bed) make you hungry for more. Get yourself started on the right foot. Make sure the goal is relevant. If you want to lose some of the quarantine fifteen (mine is more like twenty, but whatever), then make sure you’re performing actions that will aide in your success. And finally, any successful goal must be time-bound… meaning, you have to give yourself a deadline.

January is always a time for setting new goals, and this year is no different. We’re watching as many of you are re-engaging with your practice, and using the upcoming challenge to help you do that. We couldn’t be more excited to see so many familiar names on that list. We hope this provides a little motivation to help you stick to your goals!

BOOK YOUR NEXT CLASS
Posted on by Admin

2020 WRAP-UP WITH JEN & DONNA

Pop the champagne… 2020 is almost over!!!

I think the planet is collectively holding its breath, waiting for this horrible year to be over. All of us here at bodē nyc feel that way, and we know many of our practitioners share the sentiment. But as we turn the page to a new year, we thought it might be interesting to open a dialogue about the year we just went through, sharing our experience (warts and all).

My name is Chip Klose, and I’m the Marketing Director here at the company. While I just started in the position in June, I’ve been part of this community for a decade now. (In fact, on December 19th I celebrated my 10-year yoga anniversary!)

Just last wee I sat down with our two owners, Jen Lobo & Donna Rubin, to moderate a podcast-style discussion about the state of our industry, and the company specifically. We hope it sheds some light on where we are, and why we’ve made certain decisions these past many months. We’re nervous about the future, but excited about all of the updates and upgrades we’ve made — everything from our new website, improved e-mail communications, Live Stream classes, On-Demand platform, Self-Practice, All-Access, and of course, our brand new app. All of those things are ways to help improve your experience, and make it easier to practice.

Take some time to listen in, and share your thoughts with me: chip@bodenyc.com

And remember, there’s still time to join there 2021 Challenge.

5 weeks of UNLIMITED Live Stream classes for $99.
January 11 – February 14.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Posted on by Admin

9 REASONS TO LOVE OUR NEW APP

Well, the cat’s out of the bag… we’ve got a new app!

It’s one more upgrade we’re making to help improve the digital experience here at bodē nyc. At the beginning of the pandemic you’ll remember we made the quick pivot (just about overnight!) to a Live Stream schedule. Then in July we launched a new website (don’t you just love it?!) as well as our On-Demand platform (are you a subscriber?). All of that was done to better serve you. Keeping our community together — even in a socially-distanced kind of way — during this difficult time has been our number one priority. And what is a yoga studio without an actual studio?

Just like you, we’ve spent the last 9 months searching for an answer.

We believe it’s all about the practice, maintaining a daily routine. Finding a way to return to the mat day after day is particularly important. We understand it’s sometimes easier said than done — especially now — but we’re trying to make your lives just a little bit easier. Surprisingly enough, technology is helping us do that. And that’s why we’re thrilled to introduce you to the brand new bodē nyc app. To get started we wanted to share some of our favorite things about it!

1. SIMPLE DOWNLOAD

Just like the previous version, the new app is available for both Apple and Android devices. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD. The old app will no longer be supported after December 23, and so we are urging all of our practitioners to take two minutes NOW to get the updated app. Trust us, you’ll be so glad you did!

2. SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH MINDBODY

When you open the new app, you’ll see that it asks you to either SIGN IN or SIGN UP. This is very important: Our entire database has been transferred to this new app. So if you already have an account with us in Mindbody, all you have to do is sign in with your regular username and password. No need to start a new account. This new app (even though you’ve never met) already knows everything about you! Membership details, contact information, class history, credit card, and more… all of it is being automatically moved over from the old app to the new one.

PLEASE NOTE: If you created your account prior to December 31, 2014, you will no longer be able to log in to our mobile app using your user name. Please log in using the email stored on your bode nyc user profile. Don’t remember your password? Simply reset your password using the ‘Forgot password?’ link in our mobile app.

3. SLEEK NEW DESIGN

The next thing we hope you’ll notice is the improved user experience. We worked hard with our developers to achieve a sleek, new design that’s both intuitive and functional. The colors are rich, and match the feel of our new website, plus we’ve streamlined the flow to include just the things we know you’ll need. If you haven’t done so already, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the app. We think you’re going to love it!

4. CLASS TRACKING

Every time you sign in, you’ll be brought directly to your dashboard. Right below the welcome message you’ll see two numbers. The one on the right tells you how many classes you’ve taken in the past 30 days, while the number on the left tracks total lifetime visits. Our archives go back decades (literally), and we thought you might want to see just how far you’ve come! Let that provide the motivation you need to maintain a regular practice. (You’ll thank yourself later!)

5. BETTER COMMUNICATION

Right there on your dashboard you might see a couple of banner messages. These will have important announcements like flash sales, upcoming workshops, and challenges. It’s just one more way we’ll be able to keep in touch. These will change from time to time as we resume our regular in-studio programming.

6. ACCESS LIVE STREAM LINKS

Okay, this is sort of a big one. In the coming weeks this app will start handling all of our Live Stream communications as well. No more missed classes! Now you’ll not only get an e-mail with the class link, but you’ll also be able to access the link directly from the app! No more struggling to find the class link; you’ll always know right where to find it.

7. PRE-PURCHASE INCIDENTALS

Not gonna lie… this one’s pretty exciting too. When we resume in-studio classes, you’ll be able to book your class in the app PLUS be able to pre-pay for incidentals like water and electrolytes. The staff will have everything set and waiting for you in the studio. Wait… how will you know which water is yours? Well…

8. PICK-A-SPOT TECHNOLOGY

This has been on our wish List for over a decade, and the day is finally here. When we resume in-studio classes, we will be rolling out “pick-a-spot” in the app. You’ll be able to go in and see which spots are available and snap up whichever one you want. Enjoy showing off your standing bow? Grab a spot in the front row! Looking for a cooler spot by the door? Now you can get it! Hoping to be closer to the podium? Reserve it in the app. Post-pandemic, you’ll be able to reserve class, pick your spot, pre-pay for incidentals, and find everything waiting for you at your numbered spot in the room. This will help us cut down the long lines when checking in (anyone here ever been to Flatiron on a Monday at 6pm?), and get all of our practitioners into the room more quickly.

9. PRIORITY BOOKING WINDOW

Finally then, post-pandemic we will be rolling out a priority booking window for all of our classes. The general public will still be able to book classes 7 days in advance, but we’re extending an extra benefit to our All-Access Members, who will be able to book classes (and spots) 10 days in advance!

DOWNLOAD THE APP
Posted on by Admin

QUICK FIX: THE PERFECT BURPEE

WHAT IS A BURPEE, ANYWAY?

HIIT has become one of our core offerings at bodē nyc, and boy-oh-boy, do our instructors love to incorporate burpees into their workouts! While it may seem like a passing fad, the burpee has been around nearly a century. It was invented by a NYC-based physiologist by the name of Royal H. Burpee in 1939 as the penultimate bodyweight drill. The original exercise was a simple four-count movement:

  1. Squat down and place both hands on the floor in front of you.

  2. Jump feet back into plank position

  3. Jump feet forward.

  4. Return to standing.

Interestingly, Burpee (the man) insisted that the movement be executed no more than a few times in a row. In fact, he even spoke out against the exercise being down in high volumes, citing increased risk of injury as the body fatigued.

Click below to watch the video!

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT BURPEE

In the video, Max shares some great insight on how to maintain proper form and get the most out of the movement. In no specific order, they are:

  • Ribcage down, back straight, keep the core engaged

  • Keep your bodyweight back in the heels

  • Maintain proper squat form before dropping to the hands

  • Remember to breathe

  • Quality over quantity

  • Maintain momentum throughout, but don’t rush

  • Form first, ALWAYS

Posted on by Admin

5 WAYS GRATITUDE CHANGES YOUR LIFE

There’s something oddly poetic about the way we give thanks in our culture. Once a year we clear our schedules, gather round the table, and share a meal with those we love most in this world. We collectively remind ourselves to be grateful for what we have, and then promptly forget it all the next day when we race out to buy each other more stuff on deep discount.

Thanksgiving may be the time most of us reconnect with these feelings, but the holiday doesn’t own gratitude. In fact, we might be better off keeping some leftovers so we can enjoy throughout the year.

The science is overwhelming at this point:
Gratitude changes us, and it changes us for the better.

This week we’re sharing insights from some of the world’s most well-respected doctors and scientists — those who have dedicated their lives to studying happiness, humility, and (you guessed it) gratitude. May it bring you peace during this difficult time, and inspire you to inject gratitude into your daily life. Let’s not save it all for one day a year.

Just like stuffing, I’ve found there’s usually more than enough to go around.

1. Gratitude helps us see the silver lining in any situation.

What is gratitude, anyway? Robert Emmons, Psychologist at UC Davis and expert in the field of gratitude, defines it in two parts:

“First, gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world — gifts and benefits we’ve received. This doesn’t mean that life is perfect; it doesn’t ignore complaints, burdens, and hassles. But when we look at life as a whole, gratitude encourages us to identify some amount of goodness in our life. The second part is figuring out where that goodness comes from. We recognize the sources of this goodness as being outside of ourselves.”

Cultivating gratitude in our own lives invites us to view the world with greater perspective. There is good in the world… and the source is outside of ourselves. This offers a profound shift in how we operate: good things can happen to us and they are out of our control. The same is true with bad things. And through that acknowledgement, we can learn to see the silver lining in any situation.

2. Gratitude has lasting effects on the brain.

In 2017 two psychologists at Indiana University, Joshua Brown & Wong, published a study on gratitude. A group of nearly 300 adults seeking therapy services was divided up and randomly assigned to one of three conditions:

a) Psychotherapy only (control group)
b) Psychotherapy plus a weekly expressive writing assignment
c) Psychotherapy plus weekly gratitude writing

The researchers wanted to know whether complementary services (like daily journaling) would have a measurable effect on a patient’s mental health, and even they were surprised by their findings.

Participants in the gratitude condition were instructed to write letters expressing gratitude to others, whereas those in the expressive writing condition wrote about their deepest thoughts and feelings about stressful experiences. The researchers measured the results throughout, as well as four and twelve weeks after the conclusion of the writing intervention. Across the board, participants in the “Gratitude” condition reported significantly better mental health than those in the “Expressive” and “Control” conditions. The scientists also found a lower percentage of what they called negative emotion words in the “Gratitude” group.

Not quite believing what they were finding, the researchers actually pursued a follow-up study where they measured brain activity using an fMRI scanner. Incredibly the “Gratitude” group showed greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex when they experienced gratitude than either of the other two groups. And this was done weeks after the conclusion of the previous study. What this indicates is that simply expressing gratitude (even privately) can have lasting effects on the brain.

3. Gratitude TURNS “ME” INTO “we.”

Dan Gilbert, Harvard Psychology Professor and author of the bestselling book Stumbling On Happiness, has spent much of his career studying this subject. Back in 2012 he was interviewed for the Harvard Business Review and he spoke at length about his findings:

“If I had to summarize all the scientific literature on the causes of human happiness in one word, that word would be “social.” We are by far the most social species on Earth. Even ants have nothing on us. If I wanted to predict your happiness, and I could know only one thing about you, I wouldn’t want to know your gender, religion, health, or income. I’d want to know about your social network—about your friends and family and the strength of your bonds with them.”

Gratitude is about harnessing the power of community. It forces us to acknowledge that we are not alone. While they may seem like an obvious sentiment, Gilbert says that by turning “me” into “we,” it invites us to broaden our view of the world. Our failures are no worse than what others experience and our success often relies on others around us. This empathic stance changes our perspective, and leads to more meaningful connections to those in our community.

4. Gratitude releases us from negative emotions.

How does expressing gratitude improve well-being?

Dr. Laurie Santos, Yale Psychology Professor and Host of The Happiness Lab Podcast explains: “If you tell someone you’re thankful for them, first, you have to have a social connection. Second, you’re doing something nice for somebody else…and you’re feeling the gratitude inside when you’re expressing it.” There just isn’t much room for hate, when you got all that love inside. “Even just talking to the barista at the coffee shop, making an effort to connect more in real life, and prioritizing time with family and friends can promote well-being,” she adds.

Dr. Santos teaches the most popular class at Yale (seriously, Google it), and has gathered all of that material to present on a weekly show. It covers the surprising science behind happiness, and is well worth a listen if you find yourself with a little free time. If you’re unfamiliar with the show, then we’re overjoyed to be able to introduce you.

5. GRATITUDE IS ALL ABOUT FREQUENCY.

Dan Gilbert (mentioned earlier) often quotes Dr. Ed Diener, another prominent psychologist in the field of well-being and happiness. His research over the years has essentially shown that “the frequency of your positive experiences is a much better predictor of your happiness than the intensity of your positive experiences.”

Which seems counterintuitive, right?

When we think about what would make us happy, we tend to think of intense events — meeting our favorite movie star, winning the Pulitzer, having the wedding of our dreams. But what Diener and his colleagues have repeatedly shown is that the quality of your positive experiences doesn’t matter nearly as much as the frequency. Interpreted another way Diener explains, “Somebody who has a dozen mildly nice things happen each day is likely to be happier than somebody who has a single truly amazing thing happen once a year.” This seems to fly in the face of what we would expect to be true, but the data doesn’t lie.

Which is why the idea of saving all our gratitude for Thanksgiving seems a bit foolish.

SO HOW DO WE BRING GRATITUDE INTO OUR DAILY LIVES?

By celebrating the little things. Wear comfortable shoes, eat that extra french fry, give your husband a big kiss, and carve out the time you need for your daily practice. It sounds like small stuff, and it is. But it turns out — the small stuff matters. This holiday season will be unlike any other, but it’ll provide you with an opportunity to put your money where your mouth is. Are you able to find the silver lining in a global pandemic? This Thanksgiving when you’re packing up all those leftovers, make a conscious decision to pack up some gratitude as well. Just like your daily yoga practice, we hope you’ll make it a key part of your daily routine.

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QUICK FIX: STANDING BOW PULLING

Two months ago we relaunched this Blog as a way of better serving our community. At a time when we so desperately need each other, we hope this helps extend the lessons beyond the class. Through articles, essays, interviews, videos, and more, our goal is to help you go deeper into your practice. This week we’re sharing a “Quick Fix” video with a few adjustments and tweaks you can use to strengthen (and lengthen) your Standing Bow Pulling Pose.

Of course, we all know this posture. It anchors the balancing sequence, wedged nicely between Standing Head to Knee and Balancing Stick. Because there are so many different things going on at the same time, it’s often difficult to troubleshoot all of them during the two sets allotted. So we thought we’d take an opportunity today to share a few tips to help take you to that next level.

Have you discovered bodē-On-Demand?

This video is actually part of the Bonus Content available on our new On-Demand platform. In case you missed the news, this past summer we launched bodē-On-Demand, a robust library of classes, mini-workouts, meditations, and mini-clinics like this. Log on anytime, anywhere to take class from some of your favorite teachers. And follow along with some of these “Quick Fix” videos to go deeper into your practice. $15/month gets you UNLIMITED access to dozens and dozens of videos. Plus the library is growing all the time!

To learn more, simply click the button below!

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TEACHER FEATURE: STEPHANIE SLADKUS

Over the past several years Stephanie has become an integral part of the bodē nyc community. She’s a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and a certified HIIT instructor. She’s an avid fitness enthusiast, and former gymnast, as well as a University of Michigan varsity cheerleader. As many of you undoubtedly know, her HIIT 50 and Vinyasa classes are always high energy and motivating; key to success is focusing on proper form and execution.

This week we’re bringing back the Teacher Features to give you a chance to learn a bit more about Stephanie!

Click Below to Watch!

Stephanie teaches HIIT 50 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings. She also teaches Vinyasa Flow at various times throughout the week. Take a look at the schedule and find a time that works!

Book a Class with Stephanie!