As we approach a pivotal time of year of transitions with the holidays, Winter Solstice, and the New Year around the corner, it’s an important time to check in and center ourselves amidst a lot of activity. As a yoga teacher recently reminded me in class: flowing through transitions between poses is just as important as arriving at the pose itself.

In yoga – and in life off the mat – there are three key components that help me flow through transitions: breathing, visualizing, and treading lightly.

Remembering the breath and its constant rhythm maintains a continuum throughout yoga practice and is especially important in this busy season of shopping, socializing, traveling, and tying up loose ends. And, when our jobs or job search process becomes stressful or overwhelming, taking some deep breaths can help calm us down and bring peace of mind.

While moving from a downward dog or plank pose to a high lunge, focusing on a spot on my mat where I want my foot to land often helps me reach the intended pose with more ease and grace than if I had been looking elsewhere. When we visualize where we want to go – our dream job, our personal or financial goals – we’re much more likely to get there.

When moving from one pose to the next, especially those that involve my feet, it’s common to hear my weight land with a “thud.” Another yoga teacher once encouraged the class to consider moving as quietly as possible as we transition between poses, landing softly. Increasing our self-awareness about the weight we carry – physical, emotional, and psychological – will help to clarify what burdens we could lift, to tread more lightly. Ultimately, the goal is to flow through these transitions smoothly and successfully instead of focusing only on what happens when we reach the other side.