What is “Second Wind”? Well, as per my knowledge it is an Idiom and also our Wellness Brand’s name! :)

Let me share an incident, Somewhere in the mid of 2021 when my husband & I decided to go on an evening stroll. At the very beginning, he thought it's gonna be a tiresome walk but after a few minutes of brisk walking he said he can go on for another hour or so and that the initial uneasiness has gone. “That's when I mentioned that he found his SECOND WIND” :D

Well, he asked what it meant that’s when I explained to him that “Second Wind” meant that even though they’re tired they’re still able to find the strength to press on. The second wind is a concept in exercise, where an athlete who feels out of breath and too tired to continue suddenly finds the energy to continue with less energy.

The second wind comes from extended effort, but the effort will be extended when we believe.

If you’re wondering how can you get your second wind in life.

Here’s how you can get it in 4 steps,

1. Know Your “Why?”

If we are running and we start to walk, then walking becomes easier later on.

If quitting is an option, then we take it. Quitting then becomes easier later on. We must know our own why! If we know why then we can come up with it anyhow. It begins each day with a check-in with ourselves.

Ask yourself these questions,

What’s your goal? What’s your purpose?

2. Don’t Stop-

No matter how bad something hurts in our life, there is an endpoint. Remember, Every workout ENDS! The pain period we are going through will stop! Hard times do not come to stay, they come to pass! Even slow walkers arrive!

But, IF you STOP, then all bets are off. You have to keep moving to get your second wind!

3. Find Your Rhythm-

Everything has a rhythm! Life has momentum!

Find your rhythm, breath, get back to your routine. Breath, get back to your routine. Breath, reset, re-focus, get back to your routine.

4. Patience-

We want our second wind in life NOW. And sometimes we get it…

Patience is a higher-order skill and one which we do not practice today. I can guarantee you that your second chance in life is coming if you just hang on long enough.

Conclusion

Regardless of where the phrase “getting a second wind” everyone can agree on its definition. This phrase means that you’ve found the motivation you need to press on regardless of how difficult or strenuous the situation may be. So the next time you find yourself in a situation where you once believed you couldn’t make it any further but have somehow managed to press on you can say it’s because you “got a second wind.”

Meditation isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. You’re not trying to turn off your thoughts or feelings. You’re learning to observe them without judgment. And eventually, you may start to better understand them as well.

Here are a couple of Myths that stops one from practising Meditation.

1. Myth: It takes a long time to learn to meditate, and years to master it.

Fact: Meditation, at its core, is about freeing your mind of internal chatter, gently pushing such thoughts away when they enter your consciousness so that you become centred and present. Do that for five minutes and you are meditating. However, as with most activities, the more you practice, the deeper and longer your meditative state may become and the more helpful you may find it.

2. Myth: You have to chant to meditate.

Fact: While different forms of meditation can include chanting, it is not essential to a successful practice. Think of chanting or repeating an affirmation (such as “I am at peace”) as an optional tool; actively repeating words or sounds may help you keep stray thoughts at bay. If you’re more visual, gazing at an image or candle flame may help you reach a meditative state Or you can opt for none of the above and simply breathe.

3. Myth: You have to sit in an uncomfortable, difficult yoga position to meditate.

Fact: It’s best to keep your spine straight during meditation to allow for easy natural breathing, but there is no single posture you need to adopt. You can do it seated in a chair or while moving or exercising. If you happen to do yoga, meditation can be incorporated into your practice.

If you’re ready to explore meditation, a variety of avenues are open to you. Some people prefer guided meditation (taking a class or workshop with a certified teacher), while others like the convenience of self-meditation at home. There are excellent books, DVDs, CDs and apps available to help you.

4. Myth: Meditation is a spiritual or religious practice.

Fact: Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy chatter of the mind into a place of stillness and silence. It doesn’t require a specific spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practise meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs. Some meditators have no particular religious beliefs or are atheists. They meditate in order to experience inner quiet and the numerous physical and mental health benefits of the practice – including lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, and restful sleep. Meditation helps us to enrich our lives. It enables us to enjoy whatever we do in our lives more fully and happily.

5. Myth: Meditation is escapism.

Fact: The real purpose of meditation isn’t to tune out and get away from it all but to tune in and get in touch with your true Self – that eternal aspect of yourself that goes beyond all the ever-changing, external circumstances of your life. As you practice on a regular basis, you cleanse the windows of perception and your clarity expands. While some people do try to use meditation as a form of escape – as a way to bypass unresolved emotional issues – this approach runs counter to all of the wisdom teachings about meditation and mindfulness.

In fact, there are a variety of meditation techniques specifically developed to identify, mobilize and release stored emotional toxicity. If you are coping with emotional upset or trauma, we recommend that you work with a therapist who can help you safely explore and heal the pain of the past, allowing you to return to your natural state of wholeness and love.

Work from home can be a blessing, but there are also a few potential problems that come with it.

Ever experienced any of these -

• Low back pain

• Neck and shoulder stiffness

• Tingling sensation in arms

• Lethargic

• Disturbed sleep cycle

• Frequent indigestion

If you find yourself glued to the screen, you will probably thank yourself for these tips.

• Develop a pattern

It is imperative to set a rough routine while working from home. Without a routine, we end up sitting for long hours and mostly in an uncomfortable - slouched position.

Set time to get up - stretch - walk a little - drink water - look around.

Refreshing, right?

• Keep equipment nearby/handy.

We get it; you will most likely be very busy and don't get separate time to exercise. How about keeping a dumbbell or a stretch band near your desk. If it stares at you. Mm, we think there's a chance you get some bicep curls done. :D

• Get up to eat

Never bring food to the desk. First, it's not hygienic. (C'mon, work with us here even if you sanitize the desk :D)

The point is to get up and move away from the desk. Not just your tummy but your eyes too will thank you ;)

• Schedule brief walks

Moving feels good; it also creates greater blood flow, enables us to think clearly, engages the lymph nodes, ultimately has relaxing effects.

Take those non-video calls while you walk around the house. Even better, take a 1 - 2 min break to move away from the desk and if walking is boring, do Bunny jumps if that's your thing.

• Disturb yourself

Yes, please. Keep a timer. However troublesome that may sound.

Here is how it will work - Once the timer goes off, take a few deep breaths and do something completely different than the previous task, like calling a friend or family. Disturb them too - Win-win?!

Your mind will be refreshed, and you should experience that when you work on your next task.

We are clearly in unprecedented times. Working in isolation; managing work alongside caring responsibilities; a fast-moving environment; and an overwhelming sense of uncertainty.

COVID-19 hasn't impacted us just physically but has taken a toll on our mental health too. Organizations are gearing up to address the very issue.

We thought of adding a few easy ways to cheer your employees.

Here are a few simple gestures for more significant outcomes;

• Start a meet by asking about their day. And genuinely lending an ear if they share a part of their day.

• Brief Video call/conference call every now and then / few days a month to just say Hello to each other. Apply the No-work-talk rule. It may take a few meetings for your employees to get adjusted to talking about their current home project or even about their newly found hobby!

• Arrange a mini-workout. Gather your team members and play a song and dance it out, maybe. Guaranteed smiles and happy vibes.

• Never organize a competition to lose weight - sometimes their personal struggles keep them from achieving the goal, and they may feel demotivated. Such situations can impact their mental health profoundly.

• Instead, encourage them to be active through gentle reminders and allowing specific time off.

• Jar of nuts on the work desk;

No doubt dry fruits are nutritious. But they are calorie-dense too.

If the following scenario applies to you, you may wanna rethink this habit;

Work is stressing you out. Your mind desires a brief distraction. You look at the container filled with dry fruits, and it's only natural you reach out to grab a handful of nuts. 1 or 2 times is probably okay, but it's time to keep the container away if it's exceeding that.

• Flexible work schedule;

It sounds lovely to have flexible work hours.

If the following scenario applies to you, you may wanna rethink this habit;

No fixed mealtimes because your meeting schedule is erratic. So, you end up eating distracted, or even worst, you skip a few meals.

So is the case with your sleep cycle. What's the fun when you can't function optimally, right?

• Multitasking;

If you are a person who multitasks flawlessly and gets a lot done at once, You must feel like a ninja!

If the following scenario applies to you, you may wanna rethink this habit;

You are unable to focus on an important task. There are many pending tasks, overall productivity has gone down, typical mistakes, etc.

But research has shown that our brains are not nearly as good at handling multiple tasks as we like to think they are.

• Hyper-organized;

Seems like a good idea to have tasks lined up and ready to go.

If the following scenario applies to you, you may wanna rethink this habit;

There are also emotional impacts and consequences, particularly when something doesn't go to plan.

Organizing robs you of leisure and enjoyment from the task.

• Lending a Helping Hand

Being there for someone is a great thing to do. Don't get us wrong, but when it comes to helping someone, we often don't consciously weigh the potential pay-offs.

If the following scenario applies to you, you may wanna rethink this habit;

You are constantly overburdened with multiple random tasks. Helping others putting you in a position of a stressful work environment. You aren't getting your assigned work done because of the obligation that you made to others.

As a beginner, it can be overwhelming for you to start with many things in your mind. Be it N number of exercises you have planned, chasing your goal that can be a little too hard on yourself, etc.

Here are 5 tips that you need to know before you start exercising,

1. Understand your health first

A major mistake that most beginners make is not assessing their health.

This step is very crucial and can make or break your whole exercising regime. Make sure you know where you stand according to your health.

Seek professional help to set realistic goals without injuring yourself.

1. Don't get carried away by what you see on the internet.

Have a talk with yourself and have clear goals in mind. It is essential to know what you want to achieve. Setting goals that are realistic and attainable is the key here.

1. You won't reach your goal overnight.

If you are expecting to lose X kgs of weight with just one or two sessions of you exercising, you gotta understand that that is not something you can expect from this. Focus on making it a habit to exercise. You will see the result in the long run.

1. Don't be afraid to use exercise props.

Props like a yoga mat, resistance band, a pair of dumbbells, or even a strap to help you stretch can be an excellent addition to your routine.

You can get creative with your workouts with the addition of such props.

1. Avoid Dehydration

You need to pay attention to this because while you are exercising, you sweat and thus lose water. Dehydration may cause muscle cramps and fatigue. To avoid this, consume an adequate amount of water both during and after exercise.

With these tips, you are good to go to start with your fitness journey! Happy exercising :)

1. Yoga helps you manage stress.

Stress and anxiety are everywhere. Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation or relaxation. Yoga helps reduce stress, lower blood pressure and lower your heart rate.

Try It: Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Lie down with your limbs gently stretched out, away from the body, with your palms facing up. Try to clear your mind while breathing deeply. Stay as long as you feel relaxed.

2. Yoga improves strength, balance, and flexibility.

Yoga is about the harmony between your body, mind, and spirit. Those who practice it improve their flexibility, strength, and breathing.

Try it: Tree Pose

Balance on one foot, holding the other foot to your calf or above the knee (but never on the knee) at a right angle. Try to focus on one spot in front of you while you balance for one minute.

3. Yoga means more energy and brighter moods.

With an enhanced mind/body connection, you may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing Yoga.

4. Yoga promotes better self-care.

Self-care is a vital topic for all individuals, especially those in the behavioral health field. From enhancing flexibility, building strength, and practicing mindful breathing to accepting one’s abilities and limitations, Yoga allows individuals to take an active role in improving their well-being.

5. Yoga relaxes you to help you sleep better.

Research shows that a consistent yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to get that beautiful sleep and rejuvenate.

Try It: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

Sit with your left side against a wall, then gently turn right and lift your legs up to rest against the wall, keeping your back on the floor and your sitting bones close to the wall. You can remain in this position for 5 to 15 minutes.