How to stay post-yoga "Zen" all day long

After yoga, I feel completely free and at peace. It's the getting to yoga that can often pose a problem, or the remembering all that you've learned in yoga that can ​create some issues...
Sometimes, your bed is just too damn comfy, or right after you say "namaste," you slip on an icy path and get the lavender-scented wind knocked out of you (true story). So alas, I have come up with some tricks to stay zen when the world around you just doesn't want to cooperate. 

​+ 1 This might just be my sneaky way of staying in bed a couple minutes longer, but when I wake up, I like to stretch a bit while my eyes are still adjusting to the rising sun. Keep your back flat on your mattress, bend your right knee, and gently roll it over your left leg for a nice spinal twist. For an even deeper stretch, turn your head to the right. Make sure to do the same with the other side. These few moments before the start of your hectic day can really be your saving grace, giving you some time to think about what you need to accomplish, what makeup look you might try today, or even what you want for breakfast.

+ 2 Incorporating different scents in my routine has become one of my favorite ways to remain grounded and at peace during the day. Rubbing peppermint essential oil in your hands and breathing in the scent can totally revive you, making it the perfect remedy for when coffee just won't cut it. Lavender essential oil is a scent that calms, so close your eyes and inhale/exhale three or more times if something is making you stressed. Need a bit of pampering on a long flight, or a hydration quick-fix from that stale air in your classroom or office? Try a face mist with a smell you adore. I love Mario Badescu's Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater and Honest Beauty's Elevated Hydration Replenishing Mist.

+ 3 Between work, school, travel, going out with friends, and running around the city, I find it really important to have some sort of sanctuary away from all the madness. Growing up, that sanctuary was on a quiet dock by the lake near my home. These days, that sanctuary is under my grandmother's homemade blanket writing or reading a good book. Even those moments alone in your car can be a sanctuary, either in silence or with your favorite tunes blasting (in the summer, it's Maggie May by Rod Stewart that puts me in a feel-good mood). Find that place where, no matter how crazy your life seems, you know you're going to be alright.

+ 4 Now, this tip I have the most trouble with - try turning off all technology about an hour or two before bed. I know, I know, I have FOMO (fear of missing out) too, but the late-night Instagram scrolling, blog-hopping, YouTube watching, and sleepy texting can actually mess with your sleep and your mood the next morning. Give your mind and your eyes the proper break it needs at the end of the day, and allow your body to fully reset while you snooze.
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​If you happen to live in the Westchester, New York or Connecticut  area, I highly recommend you visit ArtisTree Yoga and take a class with it's founder, Theresa Bates (those are her hands to the left!). She is an incredible yoga instructor who specializes in restorative yoga, and happens to be a very dear friend of mine. I always felt I had too much energy to be contained in a yoga class, but her wise and genuine spirit made me learn how to just relax and fall completely in love with the art form.

How do you stay zen throughout the day?