Is Event Planning The Right Career For You?

The event planning industry is extremely multi-faceted. Unlike a lot of careers where you're stuck in a cubicle doing the same work day in and day out, there are many levels to event planning that make it one of the most flexible and fun businesses to be a part of.
Is Event Planning The Right Career For You?
There are several avenues to explore when deciding if this is the right career path for you. That's because there are so many different types of events that can be planned, leaving endless possibilities. That's a great thing because it leaves the door open to new opportunities!
If you want to know how to get started in event planning, the first step is simple... you have to start with yourself. Think about what kind of events you have attended and what you enjoyed the most about them. Was it the theme or type of event? Also, think about your own passion. What inspires you and gets your creative juices flowing?
Maybe you've planned your own events, everything from dinner parties to birthday parties. I'm sure you remember the satisfaction that you felt of the end result. What event did you most enjoy planning and what aspect of it? Answers to those questions can give you a sense of direction.
There isn't a quick and easy catch-all answer on how to get started in event planning, though. A lot depends on you and what you can bring to an event.
What Types Of Events Should You Plan?
Not one single event type is good for every event planner. Some may be good at planning weddings, while you may be better at planning a different venue.
For example, if planning weddings isn't something that interests you, there are plenty of other opportunities to pursue. You may find parties, corporate events or charity fundraisers ignite that passion you need to be a successful event planner. Simply put, you don't have to be an event planner for every type of event to hang your shingle for your event planning business.
You Can Get Started Right Now!
Being an event planner is a very satisfying and fulfilling career. You just have to be honest with yourself about what types of events you're going to enjoy planning before you get started. If you're just getting started in Event Planning, be sure to get your copy of Event Planning Blueprint today. It's an immediate download and is a PROVEN Blueprint that shares industry secrets that TOP event planners use, but aren't willing to share because they're either too busy or they don't want anyone using these secrets to compete against them.
Planning the details for an event that will make a difference to a person or organization means you are an important part of making it special and memorable. There truly is something amazing about watching an event go from that first meeting with your new client to a date on your calendar to an idea in your head and to a perfect memory for you and the guests the night of the event. It's an experience most people in other careers never get to enjoy. You certainly won't hear an event planner say she had a boring day!

The Amazing Things That Happened When I Started Yoga

Yoga is a way of giving back. The gift of life. Your body is a temple and if you give in, you will find universality. Yoga clears the mind and energizes the body and one is at peace with oneself and the universe. Yoga gives me a reason to wake up every day. Each day is a creative and positive day, when I’m practicing yoga. It allows me to face each problem and make the right choices. Yoga gives your body freedom to do things, you never thought possible. It’s not bravery; it’s dedication to working and practicing every day. When you make the decision to enter into a yoga program, your journey going forward will be positive, exciting and surprising. You will face challenges, that only occur with this practice.

Practicing yoga is a time thing. It’s better to create, take time and enjoy the pose. In that way you improve the pose and most of all your body and mind benefits. Yoga is all encompassing. If you allow it and give yourself to it. Your mind and body will perform with amazing strength and your mind will be aware and alert.

Practicing yoga is a truth serum. It will and can change your life! Yoga gives a life filled with health, joy, dependability and truth. It cancels out fear, fear of the known and fear of the unknown. It can produce spiritual power, that is, if you open up and allow it to enter. It’s not desire; it’s the action and your decision that motivates one to be inspired. I do not want to exist. I want to live and live a life with quality. That means a strong body with strength, elasticity, balance, and an alert, active mind.

I’m not allowed to miss a day of yoga practice in my home or in the yoga studio. Yoga has become national and international. In my city, there is a yoga studio on every corner. I started yoga six years ago at age 85 and at that time, I had Arthritis in my knees and spine and Osteoporosis. Arthritis responds to movement and yoga. Osteoporosis responds to your own body weight. Practicing yoga is the building block and my way of life.

I look forward to each waking day with joy because I practice yoga. In yoga practice there is no age limit, absolutely none! Whether your 20 or 50, it’s a plus and possible and a given, that your body and mind will improve, and joy will be the sunshine in your life.


Kris Fondran is one of the great yoga teachers. I have been practicing yoga with Kris Fondran for six wonderful years. I recently sat down with Kris Fondran and asked her some questions, so I could share with you.

                       Get Kris Fondran's Online Yoga Book Here

Q: Your knowledge of how the body works is so all encompassing and you have brought that knowledge to yoga. Where did that knowledge come from?
A: I’ve always been a student of the body. It fascinates me. The most impressive, machine, imaginable. Its potential is astounding. I’ve dedicated my life to the study of it in yoga.

Q: When did you become interested in yoga and why? It’s a far cry from the military.
A: Injury, and a boyfriend many years ago brought me to yoga. I am forever grateful to him

Q: Do you think yoga heals?
A: Yoga is a healing modality. People heal themselves all the time in yoga. I know from personal experience. I’ve had both knees surgically repaired and they are better than ever.

Q: What is the difference between an intermediate class and an advance class?
A: Beginning yoga is the foundation. Learning the language, the history, the philosophy and the basic postures and breath. Intermediate is exploring those postures further, while expanding the knowledge. Advanced yoga is like jazz music. The best jazz players are gifted and trained musicians. The have the ability to break the rules, because they know them so well. Same goes for yoga.

Q: What are the benefits of yoga for people over 50 or younger?
A: There is no age restriction for yoga. All can practice, no matter what physical condition they are in. We only modify the practice to suit their individual needs.

Q: What practice should you begin with?

A: A student should always start with an experienced beginning yoga teacher. They are the best teachers of yoga and if they are truly gifted and well-studied, they will be able to tailor the practice to fit their needs. By the way, i am also providing book for those who have no time to go to classes and teachers. They can practice at their home. Here is the book Kris Fondran's Shapeshifter Yoga.

 Q: Can Yoga help with Arthritis and Osteoporosis?
A: Two of the biggest reasons to practice are right there.

Q: What would you say to people who are considering Yoga?
A: It isn’t a religion. It is simply a practice, a tool to use in ones life to become more of your self. You must seek out a qualified teacher and study with them only, for a long time. If one teacher doesn’t fit you, find another, and another, until you find your teacher. Don’t give up! 

Q: Is meditation important for ones being?
A: Many would say it is the point of yoga. Yoga without meditation is Italian food without pasta.

Wise words! Thank you Kris! 

If yoga, my energy and drive were contagious, it’s possible there would be health, peace and even joy in the world. It’s worth a try!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Importance of Breathing in Yoga positions & movements

The role of breath is very important in the practice of Asanas or Yoga positions or yoga postures.

Click Here To Learn Yoga Online

 

First we need to understand why breathing is incorporated in yoga practice. The breath is Prana or vital force. Our body requirements of oxygen or pranic energy are changing depending on our actions. If we exercise then more oxygen is required so breathing becomes faster and with force but if we are relaxing then this need of vital energy is lower and the breathing becomes relaxed and deep. Also the mental activities affect the breathing.

So for physical and mental functions, breath is very important. In Yoga practice, we integrate focus on breath during slow movements as well as while maintaining asanas or yoga positions.

If we focus on breathing, the control of breathing shifts from brain stem / medulla oblongata to cerebral cortex (evolved part of brain). The thoughts and emotions are by passed and mind can experience focus, and calm awareness. The emotional stress, random thoughts are removed. The emotions create tension in muscles, stiffness and blockages to flow of Prana. Awarenss of breath helps manage this emotional disturbances and makes the prana or energy free flowing.

Focus on breath while making movements also helps in controlling the movements, which reduce the chances of injury. The muscles work in a systematic way with greater coordination with nervous system. Neuro - muscular coordination is better.

Yoga recommends smooth, relaxed awareness of inhalation and exhalation during the practice. The mind is focused and the awareness can be concentrated on the positive thoughts.

Generally every yoga session should have a positive resolve, may it be for better physical or mental health or any other purpose. This positive resolve should be integrated with inhalation process, as the air or prana entering in to the body affects the entire body - mind complex. The exhalation can be used for relaxing and removing the stress from body - mind complex.

Ujjayi or victorious breath can also be integrated while maintaining the asanas, as this increases the psychic sensitivity and helps mind calm down faster. Also Ujjayi lowers the blood pressure so people having low blood pressure need to be careful.

Genrally the movements which involve expansion of chest should have inhalation associated with it and the movements which involve contraction of chest should have exhalation with them. The second guideline is if you are making movements against gravity then inhalation is recommended and with the gravity, exhalation is recommended. But in any case stress on heart and lungs should be kept minimum.

Amazing Benefits of Yoga (Connect Your Mind and Body)

Yoga is a spiritual, mental, and physical practice that’s been around for centuries. Today, there are several types of yoga that vary in difficulty and speed. While different yoga types feel different, yogis and scientists alike will tell you they are all extremely beneficial for your mental and physical health.

The great thing about yoga is there are very few limitations to start. While colorful yoga pants, support blocks, and fancy mats are nice, you don’t necessarily need any of that stuff to get started. Instead, simply pick a basic yoga routine that has beginner poses and follow along. You’ll notice your body and mood change in no time. To find out the health benefits you can expect when you begin yoga, check out the following 27 benefits of yoga:

1) Better Flexibility

 

Have you ever watched an experienced yogi twist herself into pretzel-like poses? Seriously, who knew the human body could even bend like that?! The truth is, if you don’t keep your body conditioned to do such movements, then it won’t be able to. Overtime your muscles will atrophy and your joints will settle into a limited range of motion. So when you take your first yoga class, you may not be able to touch your toes let alone tuck your feet behind your head. Stick with it, though, and you will gradually notice your body loosening up.

2) Better Posture

 

Has anyone ever told you to stop slouching or to sit up straight? Poor posture doesn’t only look bad, it also has a negative impact on the body. Bad posture has been linked to backaches, neck pain, joint problems, and muscle fatigue. Luckily, there are a few things you can do right now to improve your posture, with yoga topping the list. Yoga is one of the best ways to fix poor posture since each pose aims to get your body back into proper alignment without forcing you into unnatural positions. By the way, I’m not just talking about a straighter back. Yoga poses require your entire body to work together, which means everything from your neck to your shoulders, back, and lower body needs to be properly aligned.
A word of advice – before you take your first yoga class, snap a photo of yourself. Then, keep documenting your progress with more photos. Pretty soon you will notice a huge difference in your posture. Before and after photos are extremely useful since improved posture generally isn’t something that you’ll notice by looking in the mirror. That isn’t to say your friends and family won’t notice the difference, though!

3) Better Balance

 

From easy beginner movements to more advanced stretches, you will need to concentrate and focus in order to hold yoga poses. Overtime, though, you will notice that you don’t have to concentrate quite as hard. That’s because your balance has naturally improved. Every yoga pose helps improve your balance, even the ones that don’t appear to require any balance. When you are sitting or leaning you are still required to center your body.

4) More Strength

 

Unlike other types of workouts where you pump iron or pull on resistance bands, with yoga, you only use your own bodyweight as resistance. Since yoga requires you to enter into and hold various positions, you will naturally strengthen your muscles. Don’t worry about your muscles getting bored with the same old poses, though. As soon as one pose becomes easy for you there is always another, harder, pose for you to begin working on.
While just about every yoga pose helps your body to build strong muscles, some of the best include planks, bakasana, and various headstands.

5) Tones the Body

 

One really great aspect of yoga is that it works to tone your body without using weights or exercise equipment. Like a push-up or a pull-up, yoga only uses your own body weight as resistance.
One worry a lot of women have when they hear the terms “resistance training” or “strength training” is: “Will it make me bulk?” Take a sigh of relief ladies because yoga won’t make you bulk up. Rather, it will give you a nice, lean figure.
The poses that work best are the ones that pit your body weight against you, so go for any pose that has you lifting any body part in the air and holding it there. You’ll definitely feel the burn.

6) Better Sleep

While sleep experts recommend getting between 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation, millions of Americans are getting nowhere near that. Rather, many people are suffering from sleep problems. If you are someone who has trouble sleeping, scientists recommend trying yoga. In a recent study conducted at Harvard Medical School, researchers investigated how a daily yoga practice might affect sleep for people suffering from insomnia. After eight weeks, they found significant improvements in participants’ sleep quality and quantity. This isn’t the only study that reached those findings.
Yoga helps to relax the nervous system, which is the part of your body responsible for a restful sleep. Additionally, yoga’s meditative aspect comes into play to quiet the mind. So if a racing mind is what keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep then performing yoga at any point during the day may offer you some relief.
There are specific poses you can do that are known to help people sleep more soundly. Try uttanasana, halasana, or savasana before tucking yourself under the covers. These should put your body into a relaxed state, making it easier for you to drift off into dreamland.

7) More Energy

 

Yoga does a few things for the body that result in a boost of energy. For one – a better night’s sleep makes for a more energized day. Second, studies show that some yoga poses adjust the hormone cortisol. Too little of this hormone can drain your body of energy. Although, you don’t want too much of it either!
Additionally, when you practice yoga you are taught to breathe more deeply, which means your blood receives waves of fresh oxygen. This is key to increasing energy levels.
To help beat fatigue try the following poses: utthita trikonasana, utkatasana, and salabhasana. Once you’ve completed these poses you should feel more awake, leading to a more productive day.

8) Better Sex

 

Transforming your body into a super sexy machine is perhaps one of the most popular benefits associated with yoga. There are a few ways yoga translates into the bedroom. First and foremost, flexibility. As I mentioned earlier, the longer you do yoga the more flexible you will become. The more flexible you become the more poses (both on the mat and in the bedroom) you will be able to do. Additionally, you’ll be able to hold those poses for a longer period of time without getting tired. You’ll have more strength, more balance, and more flexibility, which all translates to better performance.
All yoga positions are linked to the sexual act, so you can literally choose any sequence and you’ll be improving yourself greatly. Choose poses that resonate with you and build from there.

9) Lower Blood Pressure

 

It’s important to monitor and lower high blood pressure since it can lead to heart attack, stroke, and other unhealthy cardiovascular events. Aside from taking medications, there are natural ways to lower high blood pressure. According to a study published in the British medical journal The Lancet, yoga is a great workout for your heart and over time will improve your cardiovascular function. The key is sticking with it long enough to get these benefits. In one study, researchers looked at people with hypertension and compared the effects of Savasana (Corpse Pose) with simply lying on a couch. After three months, the group that practiced Savasana noticed a 26-point drop in systolic blood pressure and a 15-point drop in diastolic blood pressure.
As you can see, you don’t have to do any extreme yoga poses or practice hot yoga to get the benefits of lower blood pressure. Rather, it’s the calming nature of yoga that does the trick. So focus on feeling good and only push yourself far enough for continual growth. Don’t push yourself to the point of frustration. Additionally, if you’re looking to lower your blood pressure then try to focus on meditating while you hold your poses.

Weight Loss

 

Yoga can help boost your metabolism and build stronger muscles, two things are essential for weight loss. Tip: If you start to eat more whole, organic foods while performing a daily yoga routine you’ll be more likely to see the pounds come off quicker.

Yoga at Home - 9 Tips to Practice Yoga at Home

 

Daily yoga practice at home can help you stay healthy, more productive, calm and happy all day. Besides, these benefits are not just for you to enjoy. Doing these practices at home will not only keep you happy but your family members too will be able to feel the positive energy and happiness around. What’s more, you get a chance to practice them right in the comfort of your home, any time you wish.

Once you have learned yoga techniques properly from a Art of Living Yoga teacher, and are comfortable, you can start practicing them on your own. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare yourself for a fun yoga practice at home.

• 1: Choose a convenient time

Practicing yoga in the morning is generally considered to be the best as it keeps energy levels high during the day. Yet, if it doesn’t happen, don’t let it be an excuse to skip your practice. You may choose a time slot which seems most convenient. It could be late mornings, before lunch, or evenings. Yoga at these times can also be a good way to refresh the mind and release stress collected during the day.

Kris Fondrn's Shapeshifter Yoga

• 2: Choose a comfortable place

It would be best to have a small, private room in your house for daily yoga practice. Over time, your practices will create positive vibrations in the room, providing healing, strength and comfort to you and others at home. However, in case it is not possible, you may choose a quiet space anywhere at home, which is large enough to roll out your yoga mat and where you know you are not likely to be disturbed for a while.
All you need to ensure is that your yoga space is clean, well-ventilated, and away from furniture or sharp
objects (learn more about a yogis home).

• 3: Practice on a relatively empty stomach

Yoga postures are always best practiced on a light or empty stomach. You can practice yoga poses and meditate about 2-3 hours after your meal.

• 4: Keep your yoga wear simple

Go for loose, comfortable clothing – you wouldn’t want tight body-hugging outfits coming in the way of doing some wide stretches! Also, keep aside any excessive jewelry that you are wearing and avoid heavy makeup. 
 

• 5: Warm up before doing intense yoga postures

This is an absolute must, else you may be at risk of straining your muscles. Start by warming up your body and do a few body stretches to bring flexibility, before moving on to more intense yoga postures.

• 6: It is your own body; be gentle on it

Respect your body and do yoga poses gently with a smile. Doing them increasingly fast or going beyond what your body can take will not bring faster results. It will only make the practice more difficult and painful.

• 7: Be consistent

It is very important to be regular with your yoga practice – make it a part of your daily schedule (as mentioned above, find a time slot where you can comfortably fit yoga in) and then it would be easier to make it a habit. Krishan Verma, senior Art of Living Yoga teacher says, "Twenty minutes of daily yoga practice is more likely to show positive results sooner than two hours of occasional practice."

• 8: Make yoga time as ‘family fun time’

When you practice alone, it might get boring after a while or you may simply become lazy. Try doing it with family or friends and see the difference! Practicing yoga at home can be a great way for a family get-together. Learn more about how you can enrich your family time with yoga.

• 9: Include a variety of yoga techniques

Practice a variety of yoga poses and breathing techniques, or if you are crunched for time, you may fix a set of practices to be done daily and then treat your body with the complete package on a Sunday! Also, be sure to end your yoga pose practice with Yoga Nidra.