Happy Saturday babes! It's finally the weekend, which means it's almost Thanksgiving! With the biggest eating day of the year approaching, it can be easy to fall of the work out wagon and just wait for the New Year to get back into it. We've all done it. Luckily, teaching yoga twice a week helps me to at least get in a little bit of movement, even when I've done nothing else all week. Yesterday morning I taught a Gratitude Yoga class where instead of thinking about our breath during some poses, we thought about our blessings or things we were excited about. I tried to curate a playlist that helped to evoke feelings of gratitude while also giving a good beat for the flow section of the class. So while this playlist might not be the best for a straight up cardio session or weight lifting, it's great for when you just want to move, stretch, relax, and think about what you're grateful for this year!
This instrumental song starts with birds chirping and a strumming guitar to help you get into your relaxation state and get out of your head! I love this one to start off my classes and tell students to listen to their breath and feel out how their body feels that day.
2. Blue - Yoste
Another relaxing song to help with your warm up. Maybe stretch out your shoulders or get some cat and cow poses in there to warm up your spine and your hips.
3. Youth (ft. Khalid) - Shawn Mendes
So this song is kinda deep, it's about the Manchester Bombings at the Ariana Grande concert back in 2017. It's about how he feels his youth is being taken away by having to deal with mass shootings, tragedies, etc. and how no one can take his youth away from him. It's just an empowering song everyone needs to listen to. I start our flow to this song because it is empowering and can get you motivated!
4. No One (Kayge Calypso & Dunn Remix) - Mothica
A more upbeat song with some good beats for working out!
5. Happier - Marshmello & Bastille
This song is about wanting the best for people no matter what. It's encouraging to listen during your flow, but I also encourage you not to watch the music video unless you want to have a good cry. Just don't do it to yourself.
6. Can't Stop the Feeling - J.T.
I mean you have to listen to this one while you work out. It's fun and puts you in a great mood!
7. thank u, next - Ariana Grande
A pop song with a good beat where Ariana thanks all of her ex boyfriends/friendships for making her who she is today! It's a great message and a great way to look back on your own relationships that have shaped you.
8. This Feeling (ft. Kelsea Ballerini) - The Chainsmokers
I love a good upbeat pop song for yoga flow obviously! But this song is actually the first song that writer, Drew Taggart, wrote when his depression lifted after a long battle. It's about following your heart even when people don't believe in you. You do you, girl!
A great workout song and I like to include it to remind students to breathe during our most difficult portion of the flow class! I don't know any deep meaning behind this song, but it's a great one to come back to your breath and be grateful for it.
10. Eastside - benny blanco, Halsey & Khalid
Just a feel good song about young love coming into adulthood. A good one for evoking feelings of nostalgia while you get your work out on.
Another song with a fast beat thanking her friends and loved ones for keeping her grounded, and all they've sacrificed to make her who she is. A great message for feeling grateful for everyone who brings light into your life.
12. Ocean (ft. Khalid) - Martin Garrix
So if you can't tell, I love Khalid and a lot of his songs are on my playlists whether they're his albums or he's just making a special appearance on a track. This is when we start to slow down our class. This song is slower paced and about how nothing, even oceans (physically or figuratively during rough times), could keep two loved ones apart. And as someone currently in a long distance relationship, it hits home. So for all our babes who I know are in similar situations, this is a great one to add to your playlist!
13. Better - Khalid
Another relationship song (by Khalid.. duh) where he talks about how nothing feels better than when he's with this person. I love a good mushy song during heart openers, so get some back bends in during this song and see what emotions come up! Spoiler Alert: I usually end up crying..
14. Power Over Me - Dermot Kennedy
I just discovered this artist and he is a TREAT! So you may not have heard of him before, but you probably will soon! This song is all about being totally enamored (in a good way) over someone that they have a 'power' over you. His voice helps in relaxing and stretching poses.
15. In My Blood - Shawn Mendes
I love this song. It's so empowering and it's all about not giving up because it's not 'in his blood'. This is a good one for slowing down and stretching and getting into some poses maybe like Half Pigeon where you can reflect on all the things you don't want to give up on! This was the pose I had students focus on their blessings rather than their breaths. It would also be great to do during a heart opener to evoke some more emotion (it all comes out in those heart openers!)
So this album is described as "evoking a balance between Bon Iver & Drake" and I can totally see that with this song. He draws on the good and bad that he's been through like losing a loved one and then falling in love. The song is about balance which is pretty perfect for a yoga practice, but his voice is amazing and I just like laying down and listening to it. Maybe do some stretches on your back to this one!
One of my go to savasana songs because it's just beautiful. I get questions all the time about this one because you can get out of your head without getting too into the lyrics. It's just a good one you need to add to your savasana list!
So there's my 60 minute gratitude yoga playlist for you! So even if you do fall of the work out wagon for the holidays, the least you can do is stretch while sipping wine and sitting on the couch maybe? We definitely don't do that all the time... Check out all the songs on our Spotify list here:
Thanks for reading! Let us know if you enjoy any of these songs or give us tips on songs that keep you motivated in the comments!
