These are some of my favorite micro practices that one can do daily, during the holiday season, or even to introduce in your next yoga class.

These exercises will bring mindfulness, kindness, and connectedness to the most important person in your life—you.

Micro Practice One: What’s important now?

This is a simple question to bring mindfulness to any moment.

Breath 1—Bring attention to the breath.

Breath 2—Relax the body.

Breath 3—Ask yourself: what’s important now?

Micro Practice Two: Dhyana Mudra

With the right palm resting over the left palm, bring the thumbs to gently touch. This mudra opens the heart center, balances the left and right side of the body, and regulates emotions or feelings.

Micro Practice Three: Self-Kindness Touch

Place both your hands on the heart or give yourself a hug. As you feel the heart beat, silently repeat, “I am enough” or “I love myself just the way I am.”

Micro Practice Four: Vocalizing or Noting

Read or develop a self-compassion mantra. My favorite from a kid’s yoga class is: “Peace begins with me.”

Micro Practice Five: Self-compassion Break

Take a moment—simply, quietly, respectfully—to welcome yourself to your practice, whatever that may be—yoga, meditation, or simply being with yourself in nature.

(In your yoga practice, this can be at the start of the yoga class or a pause before introducing the peak asana or simply a full cycle of breath in-between two poses)

Micro Practice Six: Compassionate Diffusion

This is a one-breath acceptance practice

Breathing in, I do my best.

Breathing out, I let go of the rest.