Welcome to the Aligned Yogi Podcast, the podcast where we explore how to create a life that feels deeply aligned, vibrant, and true to your soul's purpose. I'm your host, Autumn Adams, and today we're diving into the concept of alignment, what it means, why it matters, and how you can start bringing more of it into your life. First of all, thank you so much for joining me on this very first episode of the Aligned Yogi Podcast.
This podcast had been on my heart for years. I decided to create the Aligned Yogi Podcast because I work with women who are maybe feeling a little out of alignment, right? They're disconnected from their truth. They're disconnected from their joy.
They focus all of their energy on others, their family, their work, their partners, and they tend to put themselves last. And it's time that they and each of you reclaim your power, reclaim your worth, and live in a way that feels like it feeds your soul. So I wanna kick us off with a personal story from a time when I felt completely out of alignment.
I had been living in Bali, focusing on my own yoga practice, filling my cups, so to speak, and my time abroad was coming to an end and I was heading home. I needed to pick up some classes. I was coming back to a pretty full schedule, fortunately, but I still needed a few more so I could pay my bills and yada, yada, you know the drill.
So I was reaching out to my friends in the yoga community, trying to figure out which studios we're hiring, and one of my dear friends, who I'm sure you'll meet on this podcast, was teaching at a studio and they had a couple spots available and I was like, great, I'll take that. I went, met the studio owner, and she was one of the most beautiful humans I've probably ever met. Kind, gentle, inviting.
And she had created this beautiful studio, which was really much more than a studio. It was a temple. And in my naivety at that time, I had no idea what it meant to teach at a temple.
The studio was for spiritual seekers and at that time, I wasn't necessarily concerned with the spiritual path, what that would mean, what that could mean for my life or my students' lives, but I needed a class. She ended up inviting me to teach at the studio a few days a week and of course, I said yes. I had bills to pay and I started teaching, but I had said yes when in my body, I knew and felt that it was a no or at least there was some hesitancy that I needed to do a little reflection on, but I said yes anyway.
I started teaching, but my classes, they weren't taking off. They were small. I would get two or three people in my classes and that was it.
I was floundering, but I'm a problem solver. If you are familiar with human design, I'm a 5/1 projector and I like to solve problems. So what I do, I dove in deeper. I dove in harder. I was like, I can solve this. I started offering workshops at the studio. I started posting on social media all the time. I was doing everything I could think of to fill those classes and they still weren't filling. It didn't mean that I was a bad yoga teacher.
I was just in a place where my teaching wasn't resonating with the students at that time, in that place, in that space. It really did me in because I was so used to having full classes. My confidence started wavering.
Self-doubt crept in and imposter syndrome took hold. Eventually, that yoga studio ended up closing and I was released and I got my time back and it was really beautiful. I had that few extra hours a week where I could focus on what I wanted to do next, what I wanted to create next, and what that was at that time was create a yoga teacher training.
So with that very same friend that got me the teaching job at that studio, we decided that we were going to launch a yoga teacher training together and we did and it was successful and it was beautiful. I felt like it was just the thing I needed to bring me back into a place of alignment. Looking back at that season of life when I was teaching at that yoga studio, I wish that I would have honored myself and the studio sooner and let those classes go.
I wish I had had that heart-to-heart conversation with the studio owner to really ultimately reclaim my power and reclaim my time because that commitment, that commitment of me teaching at that yoga studio was keeping me from living out what I was supposed to be doing. And I know this will resonate with you because we've all had jobs that haven't served us and sometimes even when it's a beautiful job, something about it just isn't aligned as it could be. I know that we can all relate to this.
So whether you've been in a similar position and you haven't wanted to rock the boat or give up the money or have that difficult conversation, know that you're totally normal. Your mind simply wants to keep you safe and what is familiar is what is safe. Hindsight is always 20-20.
And I see so many gifts and lessons from when I was teaching at that studio. I grew so much in ways I never expected to grow. I learned about what it means to be a trauma- informed teacher.
I got certified in Reiki. But most importantly, I learned how to recognize the signs of being out of alignment and to trust that inner wisdom. But today, I'm here to tell you that living in alignment is exactly what you need to live a more vibrant, authentic life.
So what does alignment mean? I'm going to give you one of the definitions from the Oxford Dictionary. Alignment means a position of agreement or alliance. So when you think about alignment, what is the alliance that you are creating? Who is your alliance with? Is it with you, your job, your partner? Are you in alliance with some cultural ideal that doesn't serve you? Are you in alliance with someone or something that serves you or doesn't serve you? Who and what are you aligning with? Are you aligning with your truth? So what does living in alignment really mean? What does that translate to? As yogis, when we think of alignment, we think of it in our physical postures, right? Which is great.
When we're aligning in a pose, we're setting up our pose in a way that will serve our body best. But alignment in your life is about much more than the physical body. The great thing about our yoga practice is that we can practice coming into alignment again and again and again.
It gets easier and easier every time. And eventually, we're able to transfer that ability and that knowledge off of the mat. Alignment off the mat is about creating congruency in all areas of your life.
It's when your actions, your thoughts, and your feelings all line up with your core values and the life you wanna create. It is living in integrity. Think of it as living in harmony with yourself, your truest self, not the self that somebody else has put on you, not the masks that you wear, not how society has told you to live your life.
On the mat, alignment is about positioning your body with intention. But off the mat, it's about intentionally making decisions that feel authentic and aligned with who you really are. It's about cultivating satya, or truthfulness, and honoring your higher self.
Living in alignment, it's not just a nice idea, a nice to have. It is essential for living a fulfilling life. Alignment impacts everything.
Your decisions, your relationships, your health, and ultimately, it affects your happiness. So the truth is, when you're aligned, you naturally make choices that support your growth and wellbeing. But when you're out of alignment, it shows up as feeling constantly exhausted, overwhelmed, or even unmotivated.
Maybe for you, it feels like you're stuck or you're living someone else's dream. I feel awful just saying that, right? Stuck living someone else's dream. Are you stuck living someone else's dream or are you living your dream? Maybe it shows up as needing to do more, do more, do more, do more to solve the problem, like what happened for me.
When you're out of alignment, you might start to feel like you're just going through the motions instead of living with purpose. For me personally, sometimes when I am out of alignment, it shows up as me becoming paralyzed and incapable of making decisions.
Like when I was teaching at that yoga studio, I was paralyzed.
I felt like I couldn't leave the studio because I had that obligation, right? I had the obligation to my friend and to the studio itself. I was incapable of making a decision that would move me forward, that would move me toward growth. And ultimately, I did end up growing from that experience.
But it was after much reflection. So when I am in that place of being paralyzed, when I am in stuck in fear or indecision, oftentimes it's like every cell in my body is saying no, it's saying no, pay attention. Have you ever experienced this? And do you ignore it? Do you listen? Because I am completely guilty of both.
So if this resonates, it's a sign that something in your life is misaligned. And it's probably time to take a closer look. Our brains are actually wired to keep us safe by sticking to familiar patterns.
I'm sure if you're here, you've also probably heard of Joe Dispenza, Dr. Joe Dispenza, and maybe even read his books. He has a book called Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. And in that book, he shares that our brain's default mode is to stay within what's predictable, even if it's not good for us, because it's trying to protect us from perceived threats.
And our brain perceives things that aren't actually a threat and that can actually move us closer into alignment as risks. So whether we are responding to a student's email, switching class times, investing in a mentor, choosing a different restaurant, joining a new mom's group, trying out a new yoga studio, it perceives these as threats. It perceives them as if we're actually being chased by the dang tiger.
The amygdala is often called the brain's fear center. And it kicks in when we consider making changes that challenge our comfort zone. Anytime we want to make a change, our brain sees them as risks rather than opportunities.
And this is how we end up staying stuck in misaligned routines, habits, jobs, or environments simply because they feel familiar and safe. The good thing is, is it is possible to train your brain. And we have to retrain the brain to open to possibility and not be afraid of possibility.
We have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable so we can discover what is on the other side of that door. So here's the thing. These familiar patterns may feel really safe right now, but they're not always serving us in the long run.
I'm sure you've all probably heard of Brene Brown. If you haven't, look her up. Her work is amazing.
She shows us that living authentically and embracing our vulnerability are both essential
components of living in alignment. It requires us to step out of our comfort zone and change these old patterns. If we don't, we end up disconnected from our true selves and the life we're meant to live. We lose sight of who we are at our core and we start masking to fit in.
There was another study, the Harvard-Grant study. It was a 75-year study, I think it was 75 years, and probably the longest, if not one of the longest running studies on human happiness.
And they found that having a sense of purpose and living in alignment with that purpose is a key predictor of long-term fulfillment. So in other words, when you live in alignment with who you truly are, everything shifts. You not only feel more connected to your work, your relationships, and yourself, but you also experience a deeper level of joy, clarity, energy, and happiness.
There's no time to wait. You don't wait until you're ready. You don't wait until the time is right because misalignment will creep into every corner of your life if you don't address it.
If you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or stuck, it's a sign that your body, your mind, and your spirit are all calling for realignment. The longer we ignore these signals, the more disconnected we become from our true selves and the life we're meant to live. So if you're feeling that nudge from the universe, don't wait.
Start asking yourself, where am I out of alignment? What small steps can I take to make the shifts? This is the moment to choose yourself and the life you want because waiting for the perfect time only delays your happiness. And I want you to be happy. And I know you want to be happy as well.
So now you might be asking, how do I begin the process of realigning without blowing up my frickin' life, right? Sometimes it feels that way. My advice, start small. It doesn't have to be complicated.
In fact, it's often the simplest practices that create the biggest shifts. Some of them you might already be doing. You just need to redirect them.
So I'm going to share a few easy ways that you can get started. First of all, set a daily intention. Each morning, ask yourself, what do I want to feel today? What do I want to align with? Maybe even ask yourself, what alliance am I creating? This sets the tone for your day and keeps you focused on what's important.
It's the same practice you do in a yoga class, right? In a yoga class, your teacher will often offer an intention for the practice or they'll ask you to set an intention for your own practice. Often they'll use a prompt like what brought you to your mat today? Or what do you want to cultivate? It's the same idea. Set an intention for your day right at the beginning and write it down.
Write it down somewhere that you will see it again and again. Put it on Post-it notes, put it on the bathroom mirror, your desk, your water bottle. You are way more likely to achieve your goals, your intention in this case, if you write it down.
And you're even more so likely to achieve your goals or your intentions if you share it with somebody. So maybe you find an accountability buddy that also wants to work on realigning and reconnecting with their truth. Share it.
Share your intention. Share your intention with anybody that will listen. Share it with the coffee shop barista if you want.
Share it with your yoga students or your yoga teacher. Share it with your coworkers. Inspire them to do the same.
Second, get out your journal. Dust that thing off because journaling is a powerful tool for checking in with yourself. It's a tool for self-inquiry, self-study.
We call it svadhyaya in Sanskrit in yoga. Each night before you go to bed, try writing out where you feel most aligned in your life and in your day. Note where you felt most disconnected.
Prompts like, where do I feel tension in my body? Or what's one thing I'm saying yes to that I don't actually want to be saying yes to? Journaling can open you up to receive a lot of insights and help you access your intuition. If you aren't into journaling, I totally get it. I encourage you to go for a tech-free walk
So no phones, no headphones, none of that. Just go for a walk and use that as an opportunity to reflect. You can ask yourself the same questions, the same types of questions.
Where do I feel tension in my body today? Did I notice where this tension crept in? Was it during a phone call, a tough conversation with my boss or a coworker or spouse? Was it picking up my kids from school? What did I say yes to when I meant to say no? Use it as an opportunity to check in and meet yourself with compassion and grace. Know that you are doing the best you can with the tools you have, and it's only going to get better from here as you become more tooled, more resourced. And finally, take time to breathe each and every day.
Find a quiet spot, or maybe it's a not-so-quiet spot because sometimes life isn't quiet. I have a three-year-old at home. Finding quiet is not always possible, but I can model sitting in silence and breathing mindfully for my three-year-old.
He is fully capable of sitting and breathing for a minute at least. And so I am sure you can do that too. So just take a moment each and every day, close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and ask yourself, how do I feel about my work, my relationships, my health?
And let your breath be your guide as you explore these areas.
Notice any tightness or discomfort in your physical body because these are clues that may point to misalignment. And I want you to use your exhale to cultivate more awareness, to explore, to get really curious. And from that place of awareness and that place of self-compassion, I want you to soften and give yourself grace as you release a little of that discomfort, a little of that belief, a little of that physical tightness, wherever that misalignment is residing in your being.
And finally, I want you to celebrate where you are in alignment because I know there are parts of your life where you are in alignment and you're like, eff yes, I've got this. Those are the parts of your life that feel so freaking good. And I want you to do more of that.
Do more of what feels right. Do more of what nourishes your soul. All right, yogis.
Before we wrap up, let's do a quick alignment check-in together. Sit tall. Close your eyes if it's safe to do so.
Obviously, if you're driving, don't do that. And take a deep breath. And ask yourself, where in my life do I feel out of alignment? Be open.
Be the witness. Simply ask, where in my life do I feel out of alignment? Notice what comes up. Maybe it's work.
Maybe it's a relationship. Maybe it's how you're taking care of your body or your mental health. Whatever it is, acknowledge it without judgment.
Awareness is the first step toward realigning. Keeping those eyes closed another moment longer. Check in once more.
Notice where you are in alignment. What parts of your life feed your soul, bring you the most joy? Where you know with every cell in your being that you are in integrity, that you are in your gifts. Acknowledge it.
It's easy to get stuck in thoughts of negativity like not being aligned enough, being too disconnected. I really want you to be in celebration. Because being in celebration is what's going to raise your vibration and lift you up out of that place.
If you haven't done so already, go ahead and open your eyes. Before we wrap up this podcast, I want you to choose just one of these practices. Before we wrap up, I want you to choose one of these practices I've shared with you to practice each day this week.
Don't overwhelm yourself. Remember, start small. And we'll start reframing your mind, your thoughts, and your beliefs.
So whether you are journaling or setting a daily intention or taking a moment to breathe mindfully, experiment and see what shifts for you. And if you are ready to dive deeper, I've created a free alignment worksheet for you. It's a simple guide to help you assess different areas of your life and start taking action one step at a time.
You can download it at ambujayoga.com slash alignment hyphen worksheet. I'll spell that out for you. Ambujayoga is A-M-B-U-J-A-Y-O-G-A dot com slash alignment hyphen worksheet.
And if you love this episode, be sure to subscribe so you never miss a chance to create the life you were meant to live. Thank you so much for tuning in and I can't wait to connect with you again next week. Bye for now.
