Three Branding Lessons I Learned From Inside the Yoga Temple

I'll let you in on a little secret...I've recently become addicted to Yoga! It's a great way for a type-A personality like me to unwind, get centered and focus on something other than the next task on my list of to-do's. The added benefit is that I've gained more physical power and strength and an abundance of clarity in all aspects of my life.

I've been practicing Yoga now for several months and have been so focused on my movements that I failed to notice there is much to be learned about business success in the midst of the 'om'. Here are 3 lessons we can all learn from:

1. Let your inner voice guide you
Unlike competitive sports, Yoga practitioners don't compete with the rest of the room or even themselves. Instead, they honor where they are at in the moment and stretch not based on what the rest of the group is doing but based on how far they can go that day. This requires really listening to your inner voice, honoring where you're at and not imposing preconceived judgments on yourself.

In business, instead of moving at the pace of the pack, or making decisions based on what others are doing (or not doing), develop a strategy that honors your brand statement. When you are clear on your brand, and the value it represents, you are able to make decisions that point back to what really matters and is right...for you.

2. Expect to get out of balance
One of the moves I had the most difficulty with in the early stages of my yoga practice, is called 'Tree Pose.' As a yoga newbie, I didn't have the focus I have today and balancing on one foot while my hands floated in the air above me was challenging. I'd fall out of the move, and became frustrated.

No matter the size, or age, of your business there will be times when what you forecasted doesn't go as planned. It's easy to just throw your hands up in the air and give up or change your course completely - your brand isn't built on that now is it? Before you become frustrated, take a moment to readjust and try that marketing strategy or sales tactic again.

3. Model the actions of those that are achieving what you want
Whether you practice yoga in a studio with other people or prefer to move into downward-facing dog in the privacy of your own home, it helps to model someone who is performing the moves successfully. I'm always keeping an eye on my instructor when she introduces a move I'm not familiar with so that I can copy her movements.

As a small business owner, you don't have to go it alone! Look for role models that are achieving the success you want and learn from them. The trick is to avoid taking advice from those that aren't more successful than you. Beware of 'wanna-be' mentors that position themselves as know-it-alls when in fact they are do-nothings.

The most enjoyable part of my yoga practice is the 'Salutation Seal' when we place our hands near our heart and reflect on our accomplishment. As part of your business' practice honor your accomplishments and remember, tomorrow is another day.

Namaste.

2007 Liz Pabon. All rights reserved.

About the author: Liz Pabon, The Branding Maven, is inspiring, motivating and empowering - but most importantly, shes effective. A speaker and author on the topic of personal branding, Liz delivers insights and principles that are proven to achieve WILD SUCCESS. Liz publishes the weekly Keys 2 Wild Success! ezine. If you're ready to ATTRACT amazing clients, set yourself APART from the pack, make a lot more MONEY, and have a lot more FUN in your small business, get Lizs FREE WEEKLY TIPS by going NOW to http://www.thebrandingmaven.com!

Yoga Workout Dvds

How To Stay In Shape Forever

The core of true fitness lies in your hearts strength. Your heart is one of the most valuable pieces of equipment in your body. This little pump the size of your own fist literally creates life for your body. You can survive a shock to your brain, but if your heart stops, the chances of survival diminish drastically. If your heart is weak, your whole body is weak. It represents the ultimate power both internally and externally. A strong heart helps you lift weights easier, helps you run faster, jump higher and creates a better athlete or a better exercise devotee.

If all the above is true, how come a lot of us worry about the size of our biceps instead? I believe this is true because one way or another, a lot of us believe it is harder to exercise the heart then it is to work other muscles. When you weight train for instance, you dont sweat as much as when you participate in aerobics. This is true because the system that operates during weight training is anaerobic or without oxygen allowing the body to use less energy. Cardio training like cycling, running or aerobics uses much more energy because the consumption of oxygen is higher resulting in excessive sweat.

One way to keep an excellent healthy heart is to exercise aerobically to maintain proper cardiovascular health. In other words, you must stress or cause your heart to work harder than usual to keep arteries clear and to improve pumping power as well. Weight training is not the best method to exercise the heart. It affects the heart somewhat, but not enough. Make sure that you choose the right exercises that focus on the right system in your body. What ensures results is selecting exercises that directly affect the areas, muscles or system needing improvement. This is one way to maximize results. To be in shape forever then, its imperative for the health of the heart to be impeccable.

Rosendo Lopez began his tae kwon Do training in 1990. He has a vast background in meditation, yoga and wellness. He is also the founder of http://www.theyinyangselfcenter.com He incorporates boxing, weight training and yoga to tae Kwan Do practice. He is finalizing a book title, The Trinity of Fitness.

Yoga Pilates Encinitas