As a birth doula, my mission is for every woman to feel informed, supported and empowered in every stage of her pregnancy and birth. Being a doula is about caring emotionally and physically for the mother-to-be, and it is also about helping and educating her on how to advocate fully for herself. In my birth education classes and prenatal visits, one tool I teach is the acronym B.R.A.I.N.
I was at a birth this week, and as I was helping the birthing couple navigate some medical decisions, I realized this is a great tool for anyone needing to make any kind of informed decision, so I thought would share it with all of you.
When confronted with a difficult decision, ask yourself: B - What are the benefits? R - What are the risks? A - What are the alternatives? I- What does my intuition/gut tell me? N - What if I do nothing?
For example, if you are considering quitting your job and start your own business your response may look like this:
B - Autonomy, passion, control, purpose.
R- Failure, insecurity, stress, lack skills.
A - Find a different job, study, educate.
I - Exciting, scared, aligned, leap of faith.
N - Bored, stagnant, safe, pigeon holed.
When we feel steeped in purposeful decision making, it can slow down the ruminating of the monkey mind that just goes round and round. And when we take the time to quiet the ego and be conscious of what truly is, we can make sound and empowered decisions. Using this acronym is one effective tool to use and the yoga/meditation practice primes us and opens ourselves up for this specific kind of inquiry
This morning, I will be teaching my first in person prenatal class at Yogaview and cannot wait to be in the space and energy of expectant mamas and for them to be in community together. For my regular yoga classes, I have both in person and online options and this week we will be focusing on strengthening poses. I've made a new playlist, so feel free to download it and play along as we practice. My complimentary guided meditation class is virtual, so feel free to join from wherever you are, even from the comfort of your own bed. This week we will do a self compassion meditation that I've been practicing myself and finding super effective. My outdoor class is in person and fully analog with just the soundtrack of nature to practice to. :)
Hope to see you this week!
Amy Owen
Yoga Instructor + Birth Coach
