As a mother of three and a lifelong teacher of alignment-based yoga, I know how challenging it can be to tend to our inner world when our children are at the center of everything we do. Real wellbeing isn’t about adding more to our plates—it’s about creating more presence in what’s already here. These five simple practices help keep my nervous system balanced, my emotions moving, and my heart open, even in the busiest seasons of motherhood.
5 Simple Ways to Nurture Your Wellbeing By Rachel Lundberg
As a mother of three, I know how challenging it can be to tend to our inner world when our children are at the center of everything we do. Between caring, planning, and simply keeping up with daily life, our own wellbeing often slips quietly to the background. But I’ve learned that slowing down—our breath, our speech, our movement—creates the space our bodies and minds need to recalibrate. These moments of pause support nervous system regulation, release emotional weight before it settles into the body, and open the door to authentic self-love.
Here are five simple practices that help me come back to balance—gentle reminders that presence and care don’t require extra time, just intention.
1. Honor the Pause
The nervous system thrives in moments of transition. Taking even thirty seconds to breathe deeply, feel your feet on the floor, or place a hand over your heart tells your body, it’s safe to shift. When we slow our breath, our movement, and even our words, we allow emotions to move through rather than lodge within. This steadying practice keeps us grounded and responsive, even in the midst of full days.
2. Move in the Ways You Love
Movement is one of the most powerful ways to reconnect with yourself. It doesn’t need to look like a workout or a perfect yoga practice—sometimes it’s dancing in the kitchen, stretching before bed, or walking quietly outside. What matters is that it feels accessible and nourishing in that moment. Each time you move in a way that honors how you truly feel, you build trust with your body and deepen your sense of ease.
3. Place Your Hands on Your Heart
This small gesture is a direct line to presence. When we rest our hands over the heart, the breath naturally slows, and a sense of calm begins to spread through the body. It’s one of the simplest ways to shift awareness from the mind into the body—reminding yourself that you’re here, safe, and enough.
4. Breathe with Awareness
The breath bridges the gap between our thoughts and our physical state. Just three slow, conscious breaths can change your chemistry—helping you move from reactivity to clarity. Over time, this practice retrains the body to return to balance more easily, supporting emotional steadiness and self-trust.
5. Notice Beauty in the Ordinary
Beauty is a form of medicine. The color of the sky, the sound of your child’s laughter, the warmth of sunlight on your skin—these small details bring us back to the present moment. When we train ourselves to notice them, we step out of autopilot and into appreciation. Beauty is always available; it just asks for our attention.
Closing Reflection
Caring for ourselves doesn’t have to be elaborate or time-consuming. It begins with noticing—a breath, a pause, a shift in attention. When we practice these simple steps, we’re less likely to let heavy emotions take root in the body. Instead, we move through life with steadiness, clarity, and compassion—meeting ourselves honestly, even in the midst of full, beautiful, imperfect days.
Connect with Rachel:
● Website: YogaOAK University | Thrive Yoga & Wellness
● Instagram: @thrivewellnessoc | @yogaoak_university
● Facebook: Thrive Yoga and Wellness | YogaOAK University
● LinkedIn: Rachel Lundberg
BIO
Rachel Lundberg brings over 30 years of movement expertise to YogaOAK University. With a foundation in dance—specializing in modern and classical ballet—Rachel’s journey into yoga began after the birth of her third child. From her very first class, she was immersed in the Iyengar tradition, which sparked a lifelong passion for alignment, anatomy, and yoga therapeutics. Since 2006, she has been dedicated to teaching students of all ages and levels, guiding them toward greater body awareness, strength, flexibility, and embodiment through yoga and movement.
As an innovator in the yoga community, Rachel has developed transformative programs and certifications, including:
● Owner of Thrive Yoga and Wellness, a community-centered yoga studio in Oregon City, OR.
● YogaOAK University’s Teacher Training Program (established in 2015).
● Alignment-Based Yoga Specialist™ (ABYS) Certification Levels 1 & 2—a specialized certification for yoga teachers and healthcare providers.
● InBodyWise Yoga™—a layered approach integrating the brain, body, and heart, shaped by her own 20-year journey of deep study and practice.
● 6 Weeks to Calm™ & Embodying Calm™ Membership—nervous system regulation programs rooted in neuroscience and her personal experience in healing from chronic illness. ● Continuing Education Courses for yoga teachers and healthcare providers.
Rachel holds the E-RYT 500, YACEP, ABYS Levels 1 & 2 certifications, embodying her commitment to the art and science of Alignment-Based Yoga.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
