UA-141369524-4

Cinnamon Donut (Baked) – Low-Sugar

Donut baked with low-sugar cinnamon and honey is a way to love the original fried dough dessert that tastes amazing. 🍩 And these are made with healthy flour and ingredients. Recipe below.low-sugar cinnamon donut and donut holes baked with whole wheat flour.

The hole is credited to a sea captain on the waters in 1847.

Holed-donuts even look a bit like life preservers 🛟… and his story (and history) goes like this: the captain wanted more even cooking all around, so he punched a hole in the middle.

Then years later, donuts became “oily cakes” from the earliest donut shop recorded on land in the U.S.

And today, you can avoid oil and water (in cooking) by easy baking low-sugar donuts.

And you get more of an even bake like I did, using your special pans.

I used my Nordic Ware for this baking project that would hold up to any heated baking wars inside the oven. 😊

When you mix in whole wheat flour, you’re getting more fiber and protein than all-purpose flour. It’s a small tweak you can make in your cakey dough recipes.

The dough-batter will be a little darker in color.

I grew up on whole wheat sandwiches so it was an easy substitute for me.

You can see it holds up well in the pan of whole and hole donuts. With holes too, you get double the w(hole), plus more.

low-sugar donut and donut holes baked with whole wheat flour.

And sometimes a low-sugar healthy sweet cinnamon donut hole bite is all you need to fulfill the sweet tooth inside the pie hole (mouth).

When I worked with food event planning in Lebanese restaurants, one of the more popular desserts was Awamat (donut holes).

So this is where it can get confusing… is the hole the space in the middle of the donut or the donut round hole? 😁

In my party planning days 🥳, it was the round holes.

Those were often the choice for birthday parties or special dinner events that could be built up into a Croquembouche display (like a Christmas pine cone tree 🌲).

Holes in the middle can’t do that as they’re just air.

So the solid holes was something special and new to me. 🍩

Another new change I learned: donuts aren’t just for breakfast anymore like they used to be.

And the decked out party cinnamon donut holes I worked with were made with honey instead, and zhughed with saffron that gave a tangy tasting top.

…Plus a pretty interesting look with the stringy red strands.

In reminiscing about those special event donut days, this is my low-sugar healthy whole wheat version of the donut that you can decorate for any sweet occasion. You can make these anytime.

low-sugar cinnamon donuts with chocolate glaze.

 

And add a melted chocolate glaze to the top, add rose tea buds, or a low-sugar chocolate frosting.

You can also try a coconut donut with a chocolate glaze.

Celebrate! And Mabrouk as we’d say… that means Congratulations! 🎉

Print

Healthy Whole Wheat Cinnamon Donut - Low-Sugar

When you want a sweet bite, these fill the hole with a low-sugar, healthy baked snack.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, lebanese
Servings 4
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1 tbsp light extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon spice
  • additional cinnamon for zhughing (optional)

Instructions

  • Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients until fully combined.
  • Roll 8 balls with hands and add to baking sheet pan (or make 2 donut rings and 4-5 1" balls).
  • Bake on 350°F/180°C for about 20 minutes. Don't overbake. Tips: With whole wheat flour, you'll tend to think that it may not be baked through so time is more reliable. About a few minutes or 5 minutes before finished, you can also flip the donut bottom to top of the pan, and see that the bottoms are slightly darker and finish your bake more evenly. Or for the donut holes, have fun rolling them around!
  • For a simple glaze, save your egg white and add a splash or water. Glaze donuts about 5 minutes before end of bake. You can also add a melted chocolate, light honey, or maple syrup glaze after the donut pan is cooled. Or simply zhugh with a dusting of cinnamon.

Busy Decision Made Easy – Get Unstuck!

Busy doesn’t have to be your life if you want to get unstuck this season. And this 7-and-a half minute article has notes about how you can declutter busy in your life (and get more of the authentic best life you’re meant to wisely live!).

I know both ways well because busy is something I grew up aspiring to. A BUSY LIFE was my purpose like a busy bee going from flower to flower.

Busy as a busy bee in this pink garden flower.

…when I grew up and lived in the busy DC metro area culture where everyone working is busy. Having busy plans on-and-off work meant you were important in some way.

…And not being busy meant you didn’t have a life.

I thought busy was a great word, and lived busy up into my 30s.

Today, busy is a “b” as in bad word now to me years in.

But lemme quickly tell you how I got there…

I simply buzzed away from the busy bees in the DC metro area I grew up in for starters… 🐝

Before that, busy was a charm bracelet I wore. It also meant complicating life by adding more and more. Accumulating is a deeper concept that accumulates, taking up space in life (and adds to or creates Kapha imbalances).

The opposite of a simple life sounded so boring.

And where I’m from, you can simply say “I’ve been busy” and you won’t get questioned.

The answer of being busy often got the equivalent of a smiling thumbs up. 👍

On top of those attitudes, being stood up is and was rude, but it was (and probably still is) accepted and common in acting 20 year olds.

Because unless the person you’re interacting with is related to you or lives with you, they’re too busy to listen if they don’t have to. That’s part of the busy culture air.

Souls aren’t looking for deep conversations about the soul, ha!

What’s your dark knight of the soul? as the person walks away and I’m standing by myself.

…I laugh because those are my favorite types of conversations now. 😊

And gradually as I became more interested in personal growth (and grew less busy), I saw being busy from the lens of being an excuse.

That’s what happens when you fill up breathing in living an authentic life and prioritizing inner peace (that’s now occupying your inner space).

…Compare that to wanting to just come out unscathed from this life living on the surface, like during my lowest seasons where I also dreamed of external-only happy desires.

Digging myself out of this way, I carved out big chunks of the day to be free, silent and listening to my thoughts, immersed in relaxing hobbies, writing, reading, writing some more, and just being at-peace, happy-joyful, and balanced.

No meditation except getting input and ideas from initiated prayer and memories from experiences, books, and others’ useful words.

And I’ll even go out on a limb and say, certain types of meditation as I know it are just another way to be busy… you know after a while of doing if it’s sucking life out of you (not giving back) OR if it’s life-giving and you can’t do without. Amen?

For me, one meditation way that works is getting in the zone of creative free-flow writing.

That I did very little of if at all in my corporate headspace days when I operated at my lowest vibration, but what I was doing looked good on paper and to the people I grew up with and was mostly around.

Gradually in my new slower paced life, I developed personal growth through building up character traits that aligned with the fruit of the spirit if you’re familiar.

Mainly: faith, patience, self-control, and peace.

These are deeper traits I never improved before (and were actually made worse in my former culture that modeled the opposite by outward actions).

And I had to go out of my way to seek those things and let them penetrate.

So then I had a new mark of success as personal growth (over external and corporate role accomplishments that used to be the primary mark).

To help unravel the busy life damage I soaked in, one step I took was I stopped filling up a calendar (that my earlier-hospitality event managing planner lifestyle approved and cozied up with).

I now like the look of a blank white calendar with a few fun stickers.😀

And today a nearly blank calendar is how I clearly see if I should add or skip an event… and then I decide.

And how I decide is based on the principle of GIVE and GET that I think is helpful for you if you want clarity in your life… and especially if you’re stuck.

And in this case use, it’s give OR get.

It goes like this…

If you’re giving something like teaching, encouraging, supporting, helping, mentoring, presenting, volunteering your time or donating money, then you have good reason to take time out of your day to be in that event headspace and with those people. It’s worth considering to put on your calendar.

…OR if you’re getting something out of an event like building connections, learning something new, supporting someone else, or getting yourself into happy moods by being somewhere else, then those are all good reasons to carve out time on your schedule.

But if not primarily going in and doing it for a Giving or Getting reason…

Then you’re allowing your drifting subconscious mind (that often influences and decides 😊)…  to be confused and wonder if you need to be at the event… or questioning other people and their behaviors or way of dress, and not focusing on what they’re teaching or saying…

And if we’re judging others or having negative thoughts or feelings about being there, then it’s best to catch that and exit gracefully when you can.

Move on and enjoy the sunshine where you feel good.

Get back your hours and move in the direction of where you want to go.

When you were younger, you couldn’t do that or you would be going against approval of some form.

And now you’re an adult who chooses…

Re-learning and setting new habits around the idea that what is good for others isn’t good for you… and taking action based on that wisdom saves you time and going down rabbit holes.

So when you determine if you’re giving or getting in a situation, that makes it Black-And-White easy to decide if you should add more of that busy to your calendar.

…So it’s clear all around.

But then there are exploratory busy time-taking areas that are Gray.

And these can be good (or GRAY-T) opportunities for growth.

For example, sometimes we sign up for things because our gut told us to and we’re unsure why… yet.

Because of unknown future and unlimited possibilities, you want to keep yourself open and sometimes intentionally busy yourself there to investigate… temporarily making yourself out-of-pocket for routine or something else.

So we go there to this new place to learn… and to check and figure it out.

…And when we’re there, sometimes we discover we’re not yet aligned with the message there… where we’re here and that’s there, but the seeds have been planted (by going to learn).

After the event, we may even think: that was a waste of time.

But it wasn’t because our soul (mind, will, emotions) and wise spirit (wired to the Universe) knew better than us… we just hadn’t caught up and weren’t ready yet.

And one day that boomerangs back to us in alignment when we have clarity and remember the experience and learning.

Leaning in and taking a reflective pause helps you investigate what’s best for your life and gives better discernment as to what to do next.

By choosing to NOT take action always, you gain clarity in the step back that’s also action.

And if you miss a specific space, place, or people you visited before to learn and meet with, then that could be a reason to go back to invite in more of those event occasions again.

You’ll know soon enough if you read your tea leaves right or if it was a false return to open you up for something new and different that’s your next pursuit… and not just a busy one.

That’s how we’re wired to do this life and figure out what’s BEST for us in the moment.

And using the GIVE or GET simple decision trick helps that.

Staying productive for a life of success is a balancing dance act of giving, getting, and enjoying.

It puts us at the higher energy level to bring in bigger and better, and less busy filler things… and higher leads to your fulfilling calling, purposes, and destiny. 🧡

Kind Smile Costs Nothing (and is everything)

Kind is described in so many ways. At the least, it’s being gentle, caring, and helpful. Those are all conversations that come from the heart (depicted on this wall where we’re like the colorful hearts sending out messages of kindness). 💛🩵♥️💙🤍

Be kind wall filled with conversation hearts.

Others feel your kind (and your kind kind) in your energy and overflow without you saying a word.

All you need is a sincere outward expression to show your non-verbal kindness.

A smile does this to make a warm first impression. 🙂 😀

Because when you’re an ambassador of sorts, represent an office, or have been in position longer than another newcomer, the newbie feels judged if they smile and you don’t smile back

It doesn’t matter if the other has more years or experience than you if he/she just sat down after you in a shared new space…

And it doesn’t matter your mind was elsewhere or absent-minded when you looked at them once and again…

Your gift for the day could be a smile or a smile back.

If the other person feels unloved or unwelcomed in a place unfamiliar, that easily trips insecurities and an ego mind when meeting eye-to-eye.

The unwelcomed feeling other wonders:

“Am I not good enough?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Do they not like me?”

“Does this person have a chip on their shoulder?”

“Do I avoid this person and keep my distance?”

They doubt themselves in some subconscious way… and then they also doubt you.

We live in a world of doubt already.

In their moments of doubt, the other person could remember you later for the wrong reasons even if it’s just a chance one-time meeting.

None are the loving and kind impressions or neutral interactions that were intended (where we need more love in this world). 💞

And when you smile greet to a newbie or stranger someone, they don’t remember you badly… or at all.

That’s the kind impression and peace we want to leave for most we encounter.

Be kind. 💕

…Going out of your way to be the smiling kind when you’re going out in the big wide world surroundings.

Going out is a leveling field.

We’re all just people with feelings inside.

Even those who don’t appear to care or are acting a bit nuts… and those on magazine covers or big platforms.

We only see snippets of people’s lives.

And we want to plant good karma in our travels.

Annddd a smile is a good way.

But most people don’t do it often.

And if it’s something you’re interested in trying more of…

It’s easy to build into your habits.

Practice by warming up your smile after your coffee and breakfast. As you’re getting dressed, exercise your face muscles as you look in the mirror. If putting lip balm on is a habit, you can do it again then.

And plant another smile before you exit your door. Leave your previous part of the day (and disappointing parts of the season you’re in) at the door.

If you’re a veteran to the places you’re entering or where you’re going on a certain day, be the one to smile first.

When eyes meet with others, turn the frown upside down to everyone who has done no immediate wrong.

This is your chance to show the world your kind side and a reminder that you’re sharing space with others.

You’ll feel better when you go back to your home realities… that you contributed to the world that day without even having to say a word.

…And even if you recently lost your job, have an ongoing health battle, and are dealing with financial or family problems.

Everyone has something or some thingsss in life they’re dealing with.

Not smiling when given opportunities doesn’t make those (in your life) better.

You free yourself when you enter the world smiling and those around you know none of this.

Play a little game with yourself, take your work-errand task list less seriously, and see how often you can offer your kind smile gesture first.

…For no other reason than so that others have no reason to doubt themselves and can feel good someone thought they were worth smiling at.

…and you gain more confidence (and feel less shy) if that’s what you need.

If a stranger beats us to the friendly smile first, be open to what the world is offering up in this encounter…

And kindly mirroring back…

That we matter.

And that we’re in this thing (Life) together.

Isn’t that the deepest connection and way to make impact in our fragile world?

Just by stepping outside.

…Of our comfort zones sometimes.

Where a kind smile requires little… and offers a lot not having to go far on our planet to give and make positive impact.

You and I can be the kind kind. And the world we cherish will be just fine.

Recuperate Yourself To Life

Recuperate is something we’ve all done in life whether it’s from a difficult season, illness, or exhaustion.

…Recently I felt the effects of a move where I had to take a break to recuperate.

…And why you may have missed me during my short break.

Well, I’m glad I’m back.

And I feel good NOW.

But before and during my move, I was exhausted as moves are exhausting.

It felt like a hangover everyday!

Every muscle in my body was at work packing, planning, or moving something from one corner to another.

…Oh, and I have a tendency to love a basket, pair of socks, or a mug as much as my television or comfy pillows.

So, making decisions for moving my things took a lot of care, planning, and effort… that was well worth it when I found a place for them in my new home.

Which btw,I know this move challenge and the need to recuperate feeling VERY well, as I’ve moved every couple of years and sometimes sooner.

I’m happy about that choice, so I can experience more and new places in this life.

And I wouldn’t be in my new happy place if I didn’t make those other moves.

That’s how you and I are similar.

Oh, and let’s be real, I know I won’t be doing this physical moving in my 70s and 80s… most of us won’t.

So losing a couple weeks while able is worth the time and effort.

The biggest tradeoff for me was giving up routines like blogging.

I had no creative ideas coming in and out as everything was focused on successfully moving.

…And that gave me a creative mind break.

So I’m  glad I took that time off from my weekly posts. And I’m even more glad I came back (and hopefully you are too!). 😊

I mean, we’re not machines…

We’re not meant to keep doing something just because our ego pride tells us we have to be 100% all the time in whatever that pursuit is… or else we’re not good enough.

Who says? 

Breaking self-imposed strongholds holding us back and keeping us stuck is satisfying, and telling the Imposter to take a hike is so gratifying!

And breaking have-to-do patterns is healthy!

If nothing else from the 2020 pandemic, that’s a lesson we all can embrace.

Amen? 😊

And taking recuperating breaks through life transitions is part of our life’s journey and daily joys.

Breaks allow us to let go and breathe in new energy and inspiration, grow, and discover what matters most to us!

In those ways, growth and discovery can be the best definition of success.

…Amen to that!

And that’s EXACTLY what the doctor ordered for me in my move!

…Plus indulging in a little coffee o’clock latte day break  in my new town helped.

When I felt so completely out of it from exhaustion being on go-go-go physical moving action for over a week, I was nursed back to life through daily joys.

Coffee latte to help recuperate

Because I was completely wiped out.

My discombobulation (…a word I almost never use 😎) happened mostly because of an unexpected last-minute broken elevator that changed my move plans.

Suddenly I found myself taking 52 steps for each up flight and 52 steps down flight (…but who’s counting anyway!? 😜). Plus all the stairs I was leaving behind.

Feeling the pain meant I was alive and determined!

Oh, and my poor movers had to endure that for a day too.

They didn’t have the emotional mental toll I had. It’s not the same when you’re doing it for others and emotionally detached.

…But it can be physically as taxing as it was for me.

…All in all, I raked up thousands of moving steps that was probably more steps than I’ve taken in all the mountain hikes I’ve accrued… where 300 steps plus the mile up was the comme d’habitude (usual way).

I have my daily Apple points as my witness. ⌚️

The points overflowed… and I not only met the goal, I think I ran an extra marathon. 🎯

That kind of abundance can only be a blessing from above.

Because I now have more gratitude for what my body-mind can do. 💪

And that was training ground for spring mountain hikes.

…Btw, I’m wondering why isn’t there a race sport for climbing steps? ⛰️

The Summit CBS reality competition show (…did you see it?) comes closest to the physical challenge I felt.

But anyway and thankfully… physical was the deepest challenge felt as there were no weather hindering events, other than rescheduling from a storm… and there were no social obstacles to climb besides skipping social media.

I gave up most my routines besides work and my yoga mat (more on that below).

Because during the move and finding time to recuperate, I was lucky if I slept a few hours without interrupted sleep.

The mind-body knows when life is interrupted.

Calming the mind-body is how to get those routines and good feelings back.

And using routines to relax is how to recuperate faster.

RELAXING THE MIND-BODy

Unrest is often at the heart of why you can’t sleep… It’s NOT the lack of sleep hours, but the turmoil of change and stress happening inside your body.

So the sooner you can get to the routines, that helps the Vata (aka wind or change) in each of us and grounds the mind-body.

The body likes routine or predictability.

But the mind like a challenge to never be bored.

So during transitions like a move, let them duke it out 😊… as YOU the person grows and is healthier on the other side! 🫵

…Where sometimes you can’t see when the finger is pointing back atcha until you’re calm again.

And that’s what I went through to restore after the move and when the unpacking was finally over.

After I calmed my mind, I could use that to help recuperate my body where I still felt daily worn aches.

RECUPERATING THE BODY

And rolling out the yoga mat from Day One was a NO-BRAINER.

Recuperate our bodies is something we can all do on a floor or yoga mat.

Every day my back, arms, and legs burned.

…And where it hurt the most was my hamstrings.

Fave poses: Sitting Forward Bend, Plow Pose, Bridge Pose.

I was also ravishingly hungry (that’s par for the course as a Vata body).

And during this transition time, I was burning so many move calories every day.

…I couldn’t eat enough.

And I delighted in childhood foods like ramen noodles. And mixed it with plant-based adult foods like pea shoots and kohlrabi.

In my travels, I found my grocery stores (Aldi, Lidl, Whole Foods, and Harris Teeter to name a few).

And I found a walk-to farmers market.

I mean, I couldn’t lose all the exercise I had just gained. 😊

…So I did a little of this and a little of that to get back to normal.

That was my way to recuperate and ease into my new post-move life.

And every time I had an idea for what to hang on my new home walls or rearrange into another drawer, I was putting my mind at ease and unleashing new ideas.

I was stirring up my creative juices again.

…And making fresh smoothies was part of that mix.

And of course, routine baking my way back to feeling like a human again.

There’s nothing like sweets that tell you you’re home! 🏠

Morning Healthy Move Reminders

Morning is when we set the tone for our day.

Often we don’t consider the early wee hours as part of the morning.

If you wake up at 3 am and can’t fall back asleep easily, you can wisely use that awake time to think of solutions to your worry, and what’s on your mind or eating at you.

…But will you? 

The ego can murky the waters instead of focusing on finding answers and reframing early awakening to the positive.

And if you can remind yourself of the positive way (as minutes can turn into an hour), then you create a special occasion healthy morning ritual that’s a personal growth reflection session.

Because unless it’s our job, we’re asked, or on relaxing vacations, most of don’t sit around during the busy day or waking hours to idly come up with creative solutions.

We’re focused with the task-at-hand.

But this little extra bit of carved out early morning time brings out ideas and may just be what you need.

And as far as losing sleep, it’s not as bad as it sounds.

Because the fact is you’ve already slept a few hours in the earlier part of the night (in Part 1 of your sleep), so your body has done its needed reset for survival for the next day.

In Part 2 of sleep in the morning, mostly you’re missing out on REM sleep or dreams.

And if you consider it, coming up with real-life solutions is more productive than meaningless dream movies.

So when you reframe your lack of sleep hours to productive self-time, your calm helps the day you’re entering.

…And often that is why busy, inspired people on a mission don’t need more than a few hours of sleep-a-night.

The last few morning hours are slightly optional.

It’s not a good regular sleep habit to get into, but sporadically or for a short season is not going to hurt you.

It’s like when you pull several all-nighters to cram for an exam or take a red-eye flight.

Because if you’re excited to wake up for a purpose, your enthusiasm or excitement makes up for the lack of total sleep hours.

Ok, so now you can sleep better tonight even if you don’t get the 7-9 hours. 😊 🛌 💤

And below are some healthy reminders and yoga moves when the sun rises for your best day.

Morning routine can include letting the sunlight in.…So wake up, Sunshine! Rise and shine.

In the morning when you get out of bed, you use you mind-body muscles to get you up as part of the daily, morning human routine.

Sitting up and standing helps to clear your mind and passages that get stuffy from laying down in resting pose.

Morning is a great time to start deep breathing to clear the air waves for more oxygen… a natural way to get more immediate energy circulating. ⚡️

Eyes open, you can focus on the best morning light.

That will be the eastern exposure windows in your home or if you have indoor/outdoor living where you can step outside.

Be sure to let light into your eyes for at least 30 seconds to invigorate Vitamin D production.

Just think, you’re your own vitamin supplement factory. 🏭

[But remember, wearing blue glasses to protect eyes from digital screens and outdoor shades during the rest of the day is a good idea! 😎 Too much sunlight is not a good thing.]

In the morning with the naked eye when it’s not direct sunlight like it is at noon, you can see what’s happening in your natural environment while you enjoy your morning water, smoothie, or coffee beverage.

Scan and enjoy the horizon if you’re up early enough. 🌅

If you’re not naturally a morning person, creating good morning practices like these help to wake you up.

And if you’re prone to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that’s typical in winter, healthy practices can be the game changer.

Women need more sleep than men and children need more sleep than adults, so that can help you be sympathetic to those sleepyheads still in bed while you’ve run circles around the neighborhood. 😊

Natural Kaphas also tend to be more tired than Pitta counterparts.

And Vatas are more inconsistent waking up at different times each day. It is a brand new day experience for these folks!

And for anyone, these tendencies can easily drift with a gradual seasonal imbalance.

You can get tips on how to restore your Ayurvedic imbalance with the body balance quiz.

Morning Yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️

Morning yoga for even 5-minutes is worth the effort!

Everyone has 5 minutes they can sneak in as a habit stack to a water or bathroom break.

Getting into Table Top pose and doing a few Cat/Cows can change your day because mostly your calm mood is improved.

With yoga, your Ayurvedic routine can include ginger and water or herbal tea that are good for the body.

Like finding gaps in the wee hours of the morning (if you’re awake), finding your regular morning imbalances and self-restoring is going to help your healthy, happy day.

One easy practice to do would be to use mood-feeling clues to discover what is dominant:

If you’re super tired or withdrawn, Kapha is dominant.

If you’re feeling hard charging or opinionated, Pitta is dominant.

If you’re feeling scattered or anxious, Vata is dominant.

And if you feel a little this-and-that throughout the day, know that Vata runs the show so restoring that energy first will do you good!

And restoring each mood as it appears will help you feel better than letting the hodge podge of feelings take over.

Welcome in the feelings and assess each one to restore separately is a good way to start the morning and invite in the day.

Do you need to calm from worry (Vata)? Are you thinking-feeling critical of others (Pitta)? Are you feeling disengaged or the needy opposite (also Kapha)?

Getting on your yoga mat to assess can change the trajectory of your day.

Deep breathing in and out on your mat is one helpful cure-all to help restore… calming anxiety/worry, lowering blood pressure, and breathing in oxygen for energy and love.

This is a good way to ease into the morning or Vinyasa flow to the next part of the day you’re called into.

And here’s a simple daily yoga morning practice that you can use and tweak up…

Do your standing Sun Salutations.

Rise up slowly and as controlled as you can like one spinal vertebrae at a time, into a standing Mountain pose position.

Then sit or lay down.

Feel and test your body for any kinks and tightness.

Cracking joint sounds are more common in the morning or sharp changes in temperature.

Seated, do a Seated Spinal Twist to see if your sides are tight. This was one we did as kids (…maybe, hoopla hooping or Sit-n-Spin twistering).

Check your back too.

Lay down. Do a Bridge pose. See if and where there’s tension in your bridge that you can restore.

Easy Yoga for Beginners

If you’re intimidated by the idea of yoga and doing poses wrong, don’t be

I’ve been in morning yoga classes before where I would hear people say they’re “not good at yoga.”

Re-framing your yoga ability thoughts to encouraging messages help you and then you’re better at yoga!

It’s a good metaphor for being a lifelong learner.

We all start as yoga move beginners and each morning is a re-start, so your body feels different than the day before. You get to try something new.

Laying down flat on your back or Corpse pose is a fancy name for just being.

You’re connected or in union with yourself. 🔌

In a class, everyone is busy concentrating and looking at their own body parts and poses.

It’s a non-competitive, individual sport and pursuit.

You get a chance to look inward and see yourself like when you look in a mirror.

If you’re self-conscious, yoga can help you break away from judgmental feelings about yourself or others.

When I attended my first class I felt disassociated because I didn’t know what I was doing. And there was no home yoga back then…

But today years later, practicing yoga at home is accessible and can help give you the confidence you need.

Have fun with getting to know your body and mind as part of your you-uniqueness in the mind-body connection.

Trust the process of showing up and taking baby steps, and the rest will work itself out.

Having a morning yoga routine can reset your life balance and centering priority.

I hope my tips help your morning jam! 🌅