Missing water bottle 🌈

Hey Hey, Friends!

Happy 13 days before the first public holiday of many kicks in Lacey 

Last week I felt like I unlocked the super secret hack that I was really excited about, but is just much too lame to just bring up in a general conversation.

It all started with the household not having any adult drink bottles left around to use (my guess now is that there are probably at least three under the back seat footwell of the car), which was quite a surprise considering that we kind of horde them, (this next part might gross you out) as I don't have the heart to throw away every single reusable drink bottle that gets left at the studio... and after up to 12 months with it sitting on the shelf in the lost property "kallax" square with no owner, they then somehow magically appear in our dishwater and then into our little world instead (look, I could say times are tough, but really, these are some pretty fancy drink bottles and it would be just such a shame!).

So yeah, I'm digging around my house for something (because I know I will always refuse to purchase a single-use Mount Franklin bottle when I am out), and I come across my daughter's water bottle. This one, in particular, was covered in purple glitter that moves around as you tip the bottle, rainbows, love hearts, and a neon pink top with one of those pack-away straw things.

My daughter LOVES to share and gets excited when we swap our belongings, so I fill up the sparkles and jump on the road.

Now, we all know water is pretty darn awesome, even the greatest drink of all, but I have always had trouble meeting the daily quota.

Three liters a day for a female?

I would like to say that each day in this life is predictable, and the water factor slots right in there, but it's very far from that, and sometimes I can forget for hours. Que the dizziness (thankyou inherited low blood pressure).

Before I continue, can I quickly note how exceptionally privileged we are to have unlimited access to clean drinking water? And here I am instead discussing that we often find ourselves simply not drinking enough just cause we forget.  #firstworldproblems

Ok, so I am on the road driving, and my bright orange Nissan Cube doesn't have aircon. I need hydration

I grab the water bottle in the passenger seat next to me and path of least resistance example number 1: I don't need two hands to open the drink bottle! I can open it while driving by popping up the straw with my fingers. 

Path of least resistance example number 2: I can drink water WHILE I am driving (or while walking, or while staring out of my kitchen window thinking about ways to keep my baby cucumber plants from burning in the Australian sun) because my eyes can stay forward on the subject.

Path of least resistance number 3: Straws are a wonderful way to drink a lot of something efficiently and quickly. I can take some deep breaths as I do it and continue hydrating for way longer.

BTW, this is not meant to be a story on why we should all drink more water. We know.

It's about the path of least resistance and then using that path to establish habits that will serve us.

I am about to finish listening to a book by Steven Bartlett, and he talks about how he decided one day he wanted to be a DJ.

To do this, he needed to practice every day, for one hour, for 12 months straight.

He sets his DJ set up on the kitchen bench where it would never be missed and makes sure that it takes only one push of a button to turn it on.

Your physio told you that you need to foam roll for 10 minutes daily? Let that foam roller float around on your living room floor. It will be in the way and be kind of annoying. But also, it will help you never forget.

The same can be said for keeping up an at-home yoga practice. Not always possible for all of us, but is there an opportunity to keep the yoga mat rolled out so it requires no further effort from you to set up?

Have trouble picking an online class to do on said yoga mat? Or know you will get distracted by the 276 notifications currently on your phone? Pick the class in advance.

The more we reduce or even eliminate the energy required to do something, the more likely it's going to stick! 

As James Clear, the author of "Atomic Habits" mentions:

"our habits are often a by-product of friction and convenience. Humans are wired to seek the path of least resistance, which means the most convenient option is usually the winning option. Make good choices more convenient and bad choices less so. Behavior will improve naturally."

Applying this to my water drinking habit, which is now at least x10 more sparkles and rainbow, has also tripled my intake in an instant  

Anywho, that's my musings for today. Kind of boring but also kind of cool? 

As promised last week, here is a 15-minute Mindfulness Meditation with our Teacher Suzie Q. She leads Alignment and anatomy for our Yoga Teacher Training, as well as teaches 4:45 pm Aerial Yoga and 6 pm Yin Yoga every Sunday evening at our St Marys Studio.

Till next time,

Annika xx

P.S. We are sharing these videos for the next little bit to warm up for the re-release of our online platform in the new year, which will also include our online live stream Zoom classes. If this resonates with you, more details coming soon.

P.P.S Our Christmas cards have arrived and they are SO CUTE (Thanks Jacki and Officeworks!). If you are a member of ours, expect a little surprise coming your way!

P.P.P.S We got around to locking in some dates for our Beginner Yoga Course with Mihaela and I! Read all about it by clicking here. Noobs and no so noobs welcome.