be fit. be well. be happy.

new address - please switch in your reader!

2010-01-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

hi all! thanks for dealing with my slack blogging of late, but i am back in the game and will have more to say from now on. my address has changed, so please if you follow - change the address. oh pretty please do because i don't want to lose touch. the new address is

http://www.blissful-body.org/

let me know what you think of the new design! hope to hear from you soon! best wishes.

dragging my feet

2010-01-19T06:08:00.000-08:00

i have been a totally bad blogger of late. why oh why have i been dragging my feet about getting back into the game?!?! i have just needed some time to ground back down to earth and check in with all that is home to me. new blog design is in process and i can't wait to make the switch and be re-inspired in so many ways!

goals for today:

get schedule back in shape and confirm clients schedules
weekly yoga post on the joy of yoga
start teaching new yoga class at 4pm
put away laundry and tidy up the house
rehearse for upcoming fringe festival performance at 7:30pm
keep on setting back in to reality
make appointment with local BMC practitioner
take dog for hike/run

cheers!

finding a fluid balance

2010-01-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

just to share a little bit of what i can verbally articulate from the training i went to last week. i have actually been able to name some of the ways i feel. for so long i pushed and pushed ahead to be successful and make an impact. i gave so much effort and energy out and thought that doing so would really feed me. (and it did in many ways for a while...it has brought me many successes and experiences i am grateful for!) what i really discovered this past week was that i recoup in a place of energetically stepping back. that doesn't mean that i give any less effort to my work and/or home...it just means that i do it from a place of pulling back into myself and allowing what takes place to happen without the added stress that i used to bring to a situation.

in body mind centering work, i resonated with the balance in the blood circulating in the body. we have arterial blood that the heart pumps away from itself. it is full of effort and rhythm. it is dynamic and grounding. on the flip side is venous blood that is pumped from the periphery (arms, legs, head) back to the heart. the quality of the venous blood is wave-like and gentle pulsing. i like to think of the return back to the heart as comfort. this is where i feel i am in so many ways in my life. i am returning back to my heart and myself. through this experiential anatomy perspective, i have been able to see that i have not been finding the balance between coming and going as i thought i had. i feel there are so many ways i can reconnect that have been staring me in the face and, yet, i have been putting so much effort into figuring out what those things are that i haven't seen them at all! does that ever happen to you? do you ever ask yourself "why didn't i recognize that a long time ago?" some of my specific decisions will be written about in due time. i really feel the pull to transition and am excited about the adventure. i feel a strong pull back into myself, back into my home, back into my heart.

ahhhh...2010 feels like a year of settling.

coming back up for air!

2010-01-13T09:25:00.000-08:00

hello my beloved readers. i am back from an intense training and have gained so much new perspective! yeah for time and space to rest and recollect and learn. the week of body mind centering training was based in experiential anatomy and focused on the fluid systems of the body. i was in such physical/mental process with the whole week that it was very hard to verbalize my experience....thus, no blogging for the week! boo. i even missed my beloved mindful monday (which i want to being in each week!) here's my mindful thought of the week - paraphrased from bonnie bainbridge cohen (founder of body mind centering):

it's not about what you can get; it's about the experiences you have.

i love this! it really hit home for me in so many ways. i've become really clear that life is all about what comes and what goes, what goes in and what goes out - and then setting intentional and thoughtful boundaries to contain that which passes through out lives. i can't wait to share more about the internal balance i have found through this deeper experience of my body. lots of thoughts still swirling around.....more to come. cheers!

brain in overload

2010-01-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

wow. not sure how much posting will get done this week as i have just finished day one in my seven day training on the fluid systems of the body with body mind centering. it's amazing and i am so in process about what it is all about and how this will shift my work and influence my goal to live mindfully. my brain is swirling. thanks for understanding. more about this when i ground back down to earth. (hopefully tomorrow, i'll be able to focus and discuss this insightful week i am embarking upon!) cheers!

mindful monday - 1/52

2010-01-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

as mentioned before, i really want to get organized about blogging and set realistic intentions on writing. i look forward to sharing all of this with you along the way!

welcome to the first (of hopefully many)

mindful monday

the start of my week seems to be the most inspirational and also the hardest because i am usually not reading to jump back in after the weekend. i always stay up to late on sundays (probably due to excess energy from sunday evening dance rehearsals) and setting a monday intent helps me wake up fresh and ready for what it ahead.

my favorite thing about my mondays is that i take a weekly yoga class (actually skipping today due to much needed visit from best gal and her son - we're having dinner tonight, but usually my mondays involve yoga). it is such a wonderful end of the day activity for me. i hope to add to my mondays with blogging about mindfulness and setting an intent each week to bring that to my life.

“Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using the cultivation of generosity as a vehicle for deep self-observation and inquiry as well as an exercise in giving. A good place to start is with yourself. See if you can give yourself gifts that may be true blessings, such as self-acceptance, or some time each day with no purpose. Practice feeling deserving enough to accept these gifts without obligation-to simply receive from yourself, and from the universe.” -Jon Kabat Zinn

i think my tendency to busy myself to the -nth degree is because there have been times when i have felt like i was not deserving of time without busyness. that i needed to constantly be on the go in order to be worthy of life. sounds pretty extreme - right?!?! i am moving away from that pattern and giving myself time and space to recognize what i need. i love to think of this as a foundation to living the mindful life: giftng yourself the ability to live mindfully. allowing it and doing it. i find that in the past decade, there have been many moments where my self worth and value comes from external sources (and not even people who i was really that close to). i am now learning that all of those feelings of self and worthiness - given the time i need to embrace who i am and be with those i truly love - really comes from within.

mindful practice of the week: allow time without purpose as a gift - at least 30 minutes each day (no thinking - oh, i should be doing this or that OR feeling bad about "wasting time") and know that it is deserved. notice if giving to myself enables gifts to flow to others with effortlessness. take deep breathes the whole way.

january dreaming

2010-01-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

i feel a little behind in getting my plans together for blogging in 2010. one thing i want to do each month is post some dreams, goals, thoughts that i have for the month and then follow up at the end of the month to see how those commitments worked out. staying mindful and organized for me is all about setting intention and doing my very best to follow through.

wishes for january

attend first body mind centering training on the fluid system and embark upon new facet of learning and teaching healing movement
use time at training to develop book writing plan & marketing for lovely, inspiring friend jessica's fabulous body work practice
begin game plan for e-course on mindfully managing your time - any ideas or interest?!?!
blog re-design and switch to wordpress
cardio exercise and yoga practice daily (not so good up until now, but monday is true beginning for me!)
only have my oh-so loved vino on the weekends
finish setting modern dance piece on the company for march show
10 minutes of meditation daily
2-3 book reviews on the blog

what are your aspirations for this beginning month of the decade? i am stoked on 2010 to be a year of progress, innovation, and growth! (oh - and maybe taking more pics of my life - i've gotta improve on that one!) cheers!

goodbye 2009 - progressing into 2010

2009-12-31T07:48:00.000-08:00

one way my 2010 word choice is leading me is to choose to be organized and dedicated to the blog. mid-january the blog will have a complete and exciting re-do. i can't wait for the new design to be inspiring and maybe draw some more readers!!!

i also want to focus a bit more on my fitness life yoga teaching, practice & philosophy, and my modern dance world. i think i need to choose to have a little more focus on the blog. starting on mondays - i'm gonna bring in some inspiration for the week with mindful mondays. the rest of the week is a little up in the air - like i said....i am working on finding focus - i haven't totally gotten there yet! it'll come.

on to....10 for 2010.

here are my 10 goals for this new year. i wanted them all to be achievable and realistic cause i tend to over commit and then end up being disappointed. for 2010 - i choose to:

train (12-15 weeks) and run the biltmore classic 5k in may (last time i ran a 5k, i really hurt my knee, but i didn't really follow and sort of training program, so this will be different!)
practice yoga daily (even if it is just for 10 minutes!)
read and review on the blog one fiction and one non-fiction (probably health, mind/body-based) book per month
give my husband a hug and a kiss first thing when i walk through the door at the end of the day (no more running to the computer or doing anything before that happens)
limit computer. blogging, blog reading time to 30 minutes a day (yes - i can veg out on it forever - not being to mindful - and want to spend time commenting on other blogs and building some readership, but have to live my life in order to have something to even write about!!! the internet totally zaps my time too often and i really must focus on living this blissful life!)
use the planner pad for scheduling, to do's, ideas and goals.
journal often on ideas and life musings
begin word document with writing for book i hope to one day finish and publish on living the mindful life. actually spend time writing at least 1-2 times per week.
have lunch with a girlfriend once per month (at least!)
15 minutes a day of speed cleaning to stay on top of my house (which so easily gets out of control if i am on the computer or reading too long)

ok - so reasonable and doable goals. not too large scale, but i sometimes feel that all of my thoughts and goals, etc. are super large and big picture and know that i have a hard time scaling down and looking at how i can actually succeed on the day to day. (hence: my general life goal to live an insightful, mindful - in the present life - however successful or unsuccessful that may be!) more on that in 2010.

peace to you and yours.

WORD of 2010

2009-12-28T19:31:00.001-08:00

decision made.

my word for 2010 is CHOICE.

there are so many words i want to choose like: balance, harmony, mindfulness, peaceful, compassion, creativity, self-love, grace, spirit, adventure...and the list could go on and on. i decided the most powerful word for me is choice because i can choose to live with all these other fabulous words in mind. all i have to do is choose what's best for me! i did gave it some journal love and want to share some of these thoughts with you all.

in 2010, i choose to:

put my family first and spend more time at home
make conscious scheduling decisions
limit my alcohol intake to once per week
exercise daily
spend reasonable time on the computer
use my time wisely
practice yoga daily
eat healthy meals and resist over indulgence
keep my home organized
read even more
not react on the defense (it's a bad habit i am trying to break)
sip hot tea
spread love and compassion
be thankful for my body and all that is does for me
be creative
avoid things that zap time and energy
drink oodles of water
home cooked meals
send more snail mail
take weekly yoga class
put energy into all that serves me

and the list will go on and on as the year progresses. there are lots more in my journal o' me, but some too personal to post. any other takers on the word of the year? cheers!

organizing for 2010

2009-12-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

in my quest to get it together for 2010, i have been journaling a ton about goals and - dare i say - resolutions, etc. i am resistant to use the word resolution cause i think it can sometimes set us up for disappointment when life gets in the way. i stumbled across this post from christine kane's blog about choosing one word to guide you throughout the year. i really like the idea and so today's thoughts and journaling are going to be around what that might be. don't get me wrong - i am still going to set 10 goals for 2010 and lots of other organizational ideas on setting myself on the right path for the new year - but, the idea of having one word to guide my other intention is inspiring and grounding all at the same time. here's a list from the post i linked to above. she suggests resisting the urge to pick four or five (cause we over-achievers are convinced we can do it all!) and just choose ONE. this will take me all week to settle on ONE, but i will succeed and post about it later.

which one resonates with you for 2010?!?!?!

Compassion
Delight
Generosity
Effortlessness
Wealth
Gratitude
Abundance
Creativity
Willingness
Change
Growth
Freedom
Mastery
Kindness
Health
Presence
Acceptance
Courage
Confidence
Self-Love
Action
Forgiveness
Forgive
Release
Trust
Knowing
Patience
Friendship
Fun
Grace
Laughter
Love
Expansion
Exploration
Adventure
Openness
Discipline
Awe
Awareness
Risk
Gentleness
Choice
Spirit
Prayerfulness
Power
Allow
Artfulness
Attention
Beauty
Joy
Focus
Ritual
Heal
Order
Clarity
Pioneer
Peace
Laziness
No
Yes
Deliberateness
Commitment
Savor
Integrity
Listen

looking forward to the next week of goal setting, intention choosing and continued organization.

holiday crazy

2009-12-26T06:52:00.000-08:00

whew. slacker blogger here to be thankful that the beast, the hubby, and i survived another holiday tour of homes. we visited four cities in three days. i am home and tired! our agenda went like this:

wednesday: we left bright and early from asheville and met my mom at a gas station in columbia, sc (about a 2 hour drive) sent the beast home with her and continued on to charleston, sc (another 2 hours) to have lunch with the hubby's grandmother. post lunch, we drove to beaufort, sc (1.5 hours) to have dinner and spend the evening with a good friend and his mom.

thursday: had brunch with the hubby's father in beaufort, sc (we can never stay with them as i have a severe cat allergy and they have four...yes, four felines). post brunch, drove to hilton head, sc (1 hour) went to hotel (mom-in-law has a cat, too) and crashed for a much needed nap. woke up, dressed up and went to oh-so-fun christmas eve gathering at the hubby's mother's house. big blended family! about 20 of us with yummy dinner, wine, and white elephant exchange!

friday: woke up a bit grumpy due to excessive wine consumption. (note to self: wine in excess of 1 glass = grumpy morning....be mindful when celebrating). went to mom-in-laws for stockings and gifts. left around 11am to drive back to columbia, sc to attend christmas day at my aunt's house with my family. met mom & dad (with the beast in tow) for big holiday dinner and crazy gift exchange. super fun. got in car around 7pm to head back to nc. the beast crawled into the front seat and into my lap around 8pm. (he missed us i think! my 70 lbs. lap dog!) arrived home around 10pm.

saturday agenda:

find home for oh-so thoughtful gifts & unpack
look into new car purchase (yes, it will happen soon. my brother needs my car!)
yoga & exercise
2010 exciting blog plans (to be announced soon)
10 goals for 2010
more snuggles with my pup
continue to read the new barbara kingsolver book. am loving it. book review to come.

hope you and yours had a marvelous holiday. cheers to recovering!

more snow and some love talk

2009-12-21T05:30:00.000-08:00

many many thanks to cristina @ when is there time to sleep? for my first ever blogger recognition/award. i heart it so and am excited that she loved my planner pad post on becoming the best scheduling goddess possible and all the pursuits accompanying living the mindful life (or at least giving it my best!!) cristina is a momma goddess doing at all and i so enjoy her blog! she always makes me laugh!

as a newbie in the world of all things blog - i am still working on meeting new and inspiring folks. i am supposed to give this award to five people and if in the future i find someone new, i may pass is along to them cause right now i've got 2 people i'd like to give this to:

emma @ the joy of yoga: this gal is great! i love her yoga sequencing posts and am so honored to be a guest blogger on her site. she has many a great post sharing the passion that is yoga and inspiring the practice itself!

shannon @ milk and cuddles: super cute name and super cute site with awesome musings on being a stay at home mom. i love getting the insight into that life!

with this award, i have to share 10 things that i LOVE.

well, here they are:

coffee & blogs in the morning! don't always get to have mornings like that, but when i do i am always grateful.
pilot colored pens. purple and pink being the favs.
the planner pad. ok, i know i am a little over the top with getting organized, but it really helps my life stay mindful and my brain focused and ready for anything!
YOGA. can't live without it. brings me peace and mindfulness and a stretchy good feeling body.
quite moments with space and lots of deep breathes.
on the flip side of that - i LOVE music. so grateful for all the music i love and the countless bands i've seen live. i love the soundtrack to my life.
being my own boss. need i say more?!?!
MODERN DANCE and the women i move with. check us out here. the process of choreography and creating and, of course, performing.
my fabulous, snuggly, warm creature who i lovingly call in the blog world: the beast. see his love here.
my hubby. he's the best. what can i say?

on to the SNOW.....we were out of power for about 36 hours. thank goodness for our gas stove. it kept our bellies full and thank goodness for the beast to curl around my feet in the night and keep them toasty. nc is just not uber prepared for this much of the white stuff!

my hubby and brother-in-law just a few minutes before frosty fell over.

that's a lot of snow for a southern gal.

the snow ball fight in action.

hope you are warm and toasty. cheers!

snow: day one

2009-12-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

it has taken this southern gal a few years to adjust to living in the mountains. we've been here for 6 years now and today is the most snow i have ever seen! i'm guessing as of the moment there's about nine inches out there and it's still coming! according to weather.com, it's going to keep snowing through monday. makes me a little nervous cause we cancelled our dance rehearsal today and i don't want to miss it on sunday. BUT, this gal - no matter what - does not drive in the snow. i know people who grow up doing it and who are used to it think it's no big deal, but the hubby and i were in a wreck in the snow our first year here and i just don't risk it anymore. it's homeward bound for me when it snows! today is also the beast's 3rd birthday and family members have asked what he got for his birthday and my response has been SNOW!!! he loves it and has been super energized all day long!!!

here's our street.

the beast celebrating birthday 3 by burying himself in the snow! so cute!

beautiful mother nature.

still energized and happy.

just before dusk measurement. wow.

we'll see what tomorrow brings after snowfalls all evening. currently we are still with power and hoping to stay that way!

happy white christmas!

mindful goal musings

2009-12-14T17:26:00.000-08:00

i am totally on my way to making the top 10 resolutions list and on the way got an email forwarded to me with some life goals for 2010. i took this list and revved it up a bit and added some comments and thoughts on mindful living in 2010. it's from this list that i will begin to derive the 10 for 10 list.

Health:

Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.(most days - truly i fancy a nice royal dinner every once in a while!)
Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in factories. (already do and will continue to do so - it's always a good reminder)
Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy
Make space and time for quiet.
Play more games.
Read more books than you did in 2009. (this one i really love - i thought i did great in 2009, so here's to 2010. you can find some of my favorite reads from previous years here)
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. (yes! yes! yes!)
Sleep for 7 hours each day
Take a 10-30 minute walk every day ---- and while you walk smile! (this one would fall into my spend time giving the beast the best life ever everyday!)

Personality:

Do not compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. (meet people where they are on their journey and they will meet you where you are on yours!)
Do not have negative thoughts or worry about things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. (one negative thought i am always working on is my body image and a goal of mine in 2010 is not to ask my hubby "do i look fat?" because i know i am beautiful inside and out and am embracing that! getting rid of negative thought only makes more room for the positive!)
Don't overdo; keep your limits. (and stick to them. that is the goal of the decade for me. honor my time and commit only to what is nourishing and reasonable. always make time for family.)
Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does. laugh as often as you can!
Don't waste your precious energy on gossip. check out my thoughts on the gossip train here.
Dream more while you are awake. (journal and get those dreams out so they can become a reality.)
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
Forget issues of the past.
Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. (learn from the past and move toward the future)
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
Don't hate others. LOVE LOVE LOVE
Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you. (a simple, but amazing thing to realize. the hubby always says "you are in charge of you" and it is so true. embrace your needs!)
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
Smile and laugh more.
You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. (such a great lesson. check out my post on mindful arguing.)

Community:

Call your family often. (i am thankful to talk to my mom and brother just about everyday!)
Each day give something good to others. (even if it's just a smile or holding the door - there is always something to give.)
Forgive everyone for everything.
Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6. (i am so grateful that i get to do both of these things. i am blessed with a client who is my "asheville grandfather." he's 85 and i adore his company!)
Try to make at least three people smile each day.
What other people think of you is none of your business!!! check out my post all about this! i am energized by it this year!
Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch!

Life:

Do the right thing.
Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
However good or bad a situation is - it will change.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
The best is yet to come.
When you awake alive in the morning, be thankful for it.
Your inner most is always happy. So - be happy!

i must say i love all of the life suggestions! there's always a way to look up and find that the glass is totally half full! yeah for these thoughts!

keep truckin along

2009-12-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

another monday down and only one more until christmas week! hard to believe how time flies! i had 7 client sessions today and they all went really well. i love that everyone is in the holiday spirit!

went to my favorite yoga class tonight at lighten up yoga where i will be teaching 2 classes per week beginning in the new year. (tuesday at 4pm and wednesdays at 5:30pm) woo-hoo. i am stoked because i have been asked to take over a class that the director now teaches because i have gotten such good feedback from the students there. that's really moving in the right direction!

just had a simple dinner of un-chicken noodle soup and a spaten beer (brings back memories of my time if germany!)

am baking banana bread right now - doesn't baking just put you in the holiday mood?!?! this recipe is simple and vegan and fabulous. one hour til it's done.

i know, i know.....the new year's resolution is surely to snap more photos of all this. have a wonderful evening.

weekend away & holiday accomplishments

2009-12-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

just returned from a fun 2 days in atlanta of shopping and seeing the fabulous friends we have there. oh yeah - and eating! it was a whirlwind and this lady didn't take any photos. boo. as mindfully as i try to live my life - i am having such a hard time mindfully snapping pics for the blog! and it's really two-fold: not only for the blog, but for my memory and establishing memories of my married life. taking more photos is certainly going to go on my resolutions list.

i do totally feel like i have made progress on the christmas shopping! woo-hoo! the hubby and i made lists and got a lot of things accomplished this weekend. and we were having fun together - who can beat that?!!? the best thing about going out of town for us is that it's like an extended date for a few days. so nice.

speaking of resolutions: my project for today is to make a brainstorm list of all the things i would like to do in 2010. there will be many. then, i am going to bring the list down to the top 10 and make sure they are 10 that i can really accomplish.

holiday yoga party this afternoon with the studio i am starting to teach at in the new year! happy sunday.

whoa - time is cranking away!

2009-12-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

so surprised yesterday when i flipped the page in my calendar to realize that christmas is - what?!?!? - two weeks away! how did that happen! and my beloved blogging has been suffering because this week has been wild. why is it that the holidays seems so much busier than any other time of year? i mean, i have a few gifts to get, but not that many really - it shouldn't be this hard. the hubby and i are taking an overnight trip to atlanta and vow to get it done then. i know we will accomplish! plus, i love last minute road trips! total fun! promise to take photos and be mindful of my blogging friends out there. i will totally be better about my posting in the coming week!

having a glass of wine right now and chilling out. so glad it's the weekend. (yes, my last day of the week is thursday and i am ever so grateful for a 3 day weekend - with dance rehearsals of course)

how do you manage your holiday time? how do you set priorities in the holiday season?

i am trying not to wish time away, but am so excited to use my planner pad and keep life organized! woo-hoo! anyone else have one of these calendars? soon, i will be posting my 10 goals for 2010. be thinking about yours, too! i would love for you to post them here when i post mine and get some new ideas on what to accomplish in the coming year!

check out my guest blog

2009-12-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

i am honored and thrilled to have been a guest blogger today at the oh-so fabulous joy of yoga blog. check it out when if you can! i love the format of her blog for anyone looking to rev up their yoga practice! it's so easy to fall into the same sequencing rut and this is great to give you new ideas for your home practice! om shanthi!!!

Merry SITSmas card

2009-12-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

Merry SITSmas to all the amazing wonderful blogging gals!!!

the beast wishes you happy holidays!

(he really loves his holiday bow - he's still wearing it!)

for those who may not know SITS is a fantastic blog for women bloggers. i have found the most interesting people there and am so grateful (especially as a newbie blogger) to have found them and be a part of their fantastic community building. today is their holiday and members are encouraged to post a holiday card. check out the icon to the right and give them a visit to find more wonderful bloggers.

ta-da....here's my mini tree decorated up with beautiful glittery ornaments that my aunt has helped my collect over the years. they all have significant meaning and i love pulling them out of the box each year and reliving the moments when i received them!

my snowman sitting on the mantle....

yippee!!! newest ornaments from the wedding this summer! my aunt had a shower for me and had an table arrangement with them! so thoughtful!

my favorite ornament is a blue crab. i am from sc and spent so much time on the coast with my family growing up! every summer we visit edisto beach every summer with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and grandparents. we crab, fish, shrimp - you name it. plus, my father is an avid shrimper and fisherman year round and it makes me think of him!

here's a shout out to some of my favorite blogs found through SITS! happy holidays ladies - i know there are many more blogs to discover as we roll into 2010!!!

THE ACTORS DIET

Milk and Cuddles

When is there time to sleep?

Midday Escapes

The Scholastic Scribe

my hopes for the coming year include blogging more and discovering more amazing women bloggers!!! i hope to grow as a writer and explore new ways to share my passion of health and wellness with others. i wish you good tidings, fantastic joy and much mindfulness in the coming month and into the new year!!!

partner yoga

2009-12-07T14:55:00.001-08:00

today has been a fun day! enjoying a visit from my father-in-law, preparing to make a yummy meal with my favorite (kale!) and relax and share the evening with the family.

here are a few photos of my yoga practice this morning. as soon as i went into downward dog, my beast was there front and center! be on the look out for my guest post on the joy of yoga blog coming soon. i am really excited to share my practice!

have a lovely evening....

what other people think....

2009-12-06T10:57:00.001-08:00

i heard one of the greatest quotes i've heard in a long time recently from a friend (coco). i heard it second hand from another friend, but it really stuck with me.

"what other people think of you is none of your business."

i just finished reading an article in the latest yoga journal on gossiping. i really don't like it when i gossip and was aware this weekend when hanging out with an old co-worker how easy it is to gossip when your intention is just to catch up on people you haven't seen in a while. i am going to set an intention to be extremely mindful when i talk about other people. there is some gossip that i know is gossip, but what about when you talk about other people with good intention. like wondering if your best guy's new girlfriend could be the one or what kind of job you think your brother-in-law should get. i think those things could turn into negative gossip, but it's important to be aware that those genuine conversations don't become wrought with judging over-analysis. i would have to live in a cave alone to not talk about people. it's just human nature. i just want to be mindful that i am not causing any harm when i do open my mouth. bringing this focus will help me see what better things i could be talking about or sharing with the people i am talking to!

then it comes back to the quote above. it's so important to have friend's and family to bounce ideas off of and gain perspective, but when it comes down to it - you have to connect with you and who you are and how you are not defined by what other people think!

i totally struggle with this in my ever challenging time management and over committing. for example, there is a yoga studio i have taught for that would like for me to come back and instruct a donation based class. in my heart i would love to share with these students, but the time of day is not so great and i know (based on lots of previous over committing) that it would put a deep rut in the center of my day and i would come to not look forward to it. however, my mind totally wants to talk me into doing it because i don't want the studio manager and owner to think any less of me. "what?!?!?" you ask. yeah, me too. because of course they are going to respect that i am honoring my home commitments and my personal time. that thought pattern still happens though. deep breathes. i am always learning. and i know the quote is helping me stay centered cause i really need to honor what i think about me!

post per ecto

2009-12-05T14:13:00.001-08:00

i'm so excited to give ecto a try! i am really doing all that i can to get myself reorganized and reinvented for the coming year including utilizing programs that can help the blog continue to grow and for me to be more pro active and on top of my game! we'll see if this publishes like i hope it will!

today has been pretty relaxing. i had an acupuncture treatment this morning. ahhhh...there is nothing like it! i mentioned in my skin story how acupuncture and chinese herbs have really made my chronic condition manageable. i typically have a treatment once per week at our local community clinic, but today was the first in two weeks due to the holidays. i love my acupuncturist - she let me sleep for one and a half hours. who knew i was so tired!?!?!

photo from flickr

the rest of the day thus far as pretty much followed suit. it's been rainy and cold and we've actually had some snow! the hubby and i ventured to earthfare where i had a yummy salad and piece of fantastic veggie pizza. then we grocery shopped for the week. i love getting this done and then not having to fret over finding healthy meals during the week!

goals for the afternoon/evening:

gym with the hubby for some cardio
make christmas shopping list (wow - is it already almost the second week of the month!!??!)
finish some personal assistant work from home
make list of blog articles i want to work on
finish ideas about choreography for tomorrow's rehearsal

the blog article list is uber important as i always think of things to share when i am away from the computer and then am stumped when i make my way back! hoping the planner pad will also help with managing those ideas in the future! woo hoo!

control freak vs. surprise!

2009-12-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

my happy body consort jessica give me a great birthday present, but it was a total surprise until last night! even though my 30th was a month ago - we just could never work our schedules out to make my surprise evening a reality.

well, i must say i learned that surprises are so hard for me. as you may imagine (from the previous post of becoming a scheduling goddess) i really like to be in control. what i learned about myself was - sometimes i've gotta learn to let it go and love it! all day long i was so anxious to know what was going to happen. i was to call jessica after i finished at the "office" at 4pm. i called and she told me i had to meet her at the oh-so-gorgeous grove park inn for a glass of vino in front of the fireplace! i am so excited to meet up and catch up that i completely spaced on taking a photo of this beautiful hotel lobby. i got these photos from their website - it's so historic and beautiful! the hotel opening in 1913 and has had many famous guests:

During the summers of 1935 and ’36, author F. Scott Fitzgerald resided in our Room 441. He’s just one of the American luminaries to have stayed here, a list that includes Harry Houdini, Will Rogers, George Gershwin, Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt and Henry Ford. Not to mention presidents — William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon, George H. W. Bush, William J. Clinton and Barack H. Obama.

pretty cool - huh?!? i forget how close this is to my house! i should go more often and pretend to be a tourist and enjoy this amazing spot! you can read more about it's history here.

the view from above in the fall in breath taking!
ok - here's the best part of the surprise. i am thinking we are going to leave the gpi until jessica informs me the surprise is here! we are going for an evening at the spa!!!!! they have a most incredible spa! we were escorted in, given a locker and oh-so cushy robes - doned our suits and off we went to explore. (with a bottle of merlot!) i tried to sneak my camera in to get a few shots, but was politely told "no cameras allowed." no fair for this blogger gal....boo!

ahhhh...the spa! it was marvelous. hot tubs, hot sauna, dry sauna, cold plunge, cold wash clothes with peppermint essential oils, aromatherapy room, mineral (yes - salt water!) pool and the best was going outside in the cold to the hot tub surrounded by fireplaces. oh-la-la!

we stayed until they closed at nine! there was hardly anyone there and it was so wonderful to just girl talk! we talked about how it should be a once a month routine for us! just to reconnect, detox and relax! all my worry about what the surprise could be melted away as i soaked away. thanks jessica for a wonderful amazing super duper fabulous evening!!!!!

on another exercise junkie note:

i just found the best ab challenge on this fun blog oh she glows. oh how i wish i would have found this earlier and could be participating the whole time! i am going to challenge myself to keep up with this for the month of december starting today. i feel like i get the blahs during december as the weather changes, but this december i am focusing on feeling good and that means exercising and lots of home cooking!

CORE WORK: 6-10 minute core workout, 5 days a week, doing the following exercises:

Plank
Side plank
Plank with elbows on stability ball
Stability Ball Jackknifes
Stability ball roll out
Plank Rotations

check out angela's video and progress here. i'm going to get going with it this morning after a little walk and cardio. wishing you all a happy weekend!

feeling the crunch & becoming a scheduling goddess

2009-12-01T03:43:00.001-08:00

i am so grateful to work for myself, but this week i am totally feeling the crunch of having way too many things happening! i used to feel like this all the time, so i am happy there is relief on the horizon (i.e. next week), but it still makes me mindful that maybe there is too much going on right now. i can't believe it, but i haven't posted since sunday - it's already wednesday!!! i've never let that much time slide! of course - i want to blog everyday and hopefully would like to get in the practice of making it happen more than once a day (we shall see!). i am going to take a good look at my schedule and see what i could possibly rearrange and/or change to make life a little smoother.

don't get me wrong - i love all the hats that i wear: wife, dog "mommy" to a very demandingpup, pilates & yoga teacher, exercise junkie, personal assistant (work from home, but still another responsibility), modern dancer with a company (who has a show creeping up in march), choreographer is said company, blogger and the list goes on and on. i also constantly feel pulled in two directions (1) is to be an uber successful business woman and continue to grow not only the business, but the mind/body services i provide and (2) to be in the creative world of dance and be the homemaker i so desire to be (home cooking, an organized home, travel with the hubby etc.) i know i can do it all! it's just hard to maintain perspective and not over book myself.

i think it is so important to take a step back - at least once a month and evaluate how things are going. i love doing it at the beginning of each month. once i get all the beginning of the month stuff checked of the to-do list (invoice clients, pay rent for office, mortgage, etc.) i love to look at the coming month and prepare - and be open to changing things around to make my life as smooth and manageable as possible!

i am so excited about this plan for 2010. i got a planner pad for my birthday and am already jazzed to get it going! i am in no way have been compensated for writing about this product - i just love it and know that it will help me gain better perspective on balancing and my scheduling life! (why, yes...i am a little calendar obsessed....)

here's the inside - love it! there are 3 different "levels" and then two side bars.

in between each month there is a monthly calendar and a whole page for notes for the month. so many weekly calendars don't have the "look at the whole month" page, so i am totally into this feature.

the weekly view has three levels. the first has seven categories (that you pick and name) that can focus you during the week. i think mine are going to be: blissful body (business), blog, personal assistant job, exercise, home, book thoughts/ideas, and one that will rotate week to week depending on what is happening.

then comes with things to do by the day - based on the categories list. i love to check things off my list! (i'm actually a crosser - i love seeing that big line through what i have accomplished!)

then comes the specific layout of the week and time management. appointments, etc.

on the side there is a list of phone calls and expenses. yeah for keeping up with the business.

i am super (maybe a little overly excited) about this calendar. cheers to celebrating an organized, mindful life.

what do you juggle? and how do you keep your life managed, mindful, calm, and organized?

beautiful day - yippee hooray!

2009-11-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

today was so gorgeous outside. i went out to breakfast with the hubby and brother-in -law. then was home and trying desperately to catch up before the work week starts tomorrow. there is so the hubby and i used to be avid mountain bikers, but i had a bad wreck about 3 years ago and can't handle it anymore. the hubby used to try to convince me to bike, but after broken bones and too many stitches - my heart just isn't in it anymore. the hubby has given up on me biking with him, so now we hike! the beast loves it more than we do! we are so lucky he behaves off leash and he can wander, run, and explore!

we live uber close to one of the many entrances to the mountains to the sea trail. so lucky to be able to drive 5 minutes (would walk, but streets around it are way too dangerous and busy!)

enjoying the fabulous weather.....

working on breaking in these boots! the hubby and i got new hiking boots over a year ago and we are still breaking them in! wowsa! they are serious boots. not to beautiful, but really supportive and comfy!

so about 3 miles in we turned around and the hubby warned me "somewhere along the path i saw some poop in the middle of the path. be careful not to step in it." i said "why didn't you move it or show me when you noticed it?!?!" anyway, i was careful. he really psyched himself out and totally stepped in it. new shoes and all! yuck! oh well, that's how it goes sometimes. we laughed so hard and i made him stick the shoes in the trunk before heading back home.

went to dance rehearsal tonight and feel to good about the progress we are making on the piece i am choreographing. i am committed to having the skeleton done my december 18th. maybe i can post an "in progress" video soon.

have a fantastic evening and a great start to a full week!

happy turkey day - belated!

2009-11-28T07:11:00.000-08:00

hope everyone had an amazing thanksgiving! i know i did. food. family. fun. dogs. playtime. wine. and being at home. the one i spent my whole life (until 18) in. it sounds weird, but i am so grateful to go home to the same physical house that i was brought home to as a child. that's right folks. my parents never moved! hard to believe in this day and age. it's a small house and i think we could have used more room when we were teenagers, but we made it work and i think the fact that we lived so physically close to each other all those years is part of the reason we are such a close knit family!
anyway, i was a very bad blogger this weekend and totally forgot my camera everywhere we went! i thought it was in my purse, my no - couldn't find it! c'est la vie! sometimes it is so so so important to disconnect in order to reconnect and this time at home was all about that! i so rarely get to come home and it's nice to just chill out!
yippee for important family time. i've got a drive to get home this morning. am going to get in a little exercise (jillian micheal's level 2 of 30 day shred), get myself together and get on the road back to the hubby and my beast.
wishing you an amazing weekend of gratitude and thanksgiving. blessings to you!

the skinny on the skin

2009-11-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

my skin. mmmmm....i have had eczema, well - forever. not just your run of the average itchy skin. i mean make you crazy itchy uncomfortable red wanna-jump-out-of-it skin. i am not sharing this to complain or anything cause there are far worse things to deal with and i feel so fortunate that i just have super itchy skin! i just wanted to share because it is such a huge part of my life and a massive motivator for living the mindful life and finding ways to keep my body happy!!! i am also really thankful at how much better my skin is as compared to 10 years ago. It makes such a difference when you find what works!

i have run the gamut with figuring out my skin. anything from traditional dermatology (a lot of that - they are way to ready to give you a few cortisone shots and prescribe some prednisone (ick, yuck, gross!) and send you on your way) to detox diets and elimination diets, but finally -at the moment - have gotten so much relief from a few simple things:

traditional chinese medicine

i take chinese herbs everyday and really try not to go without missing my weekly acupuncture treatment. i can really feel the difference if i miss it! thank goodness for the community acupuncture clinic here in town. you receive treatment in a room with four lazy boys and you pay a sliding scale fee. i think the combo of herbs and treatment has kept my symptoms at bay for quite sometime and am grateful to have found such a fabulous practitioner.

moisture! moisture! moisture!

boring, but true. what to do if your skin is super dry and itchy? put cream on it - of course! but, i have to do this upwards of 3-4 times a day (more sometimes) to literally feel good in my own skin!

low stress living

i've really taken control of my schedule lately and mindfully placed times of relaxation and rest. if i don't put those things into my calendar - i will just fill it up. you could say i am highly motivated - that could be an understatement. i spent my entire 20's giving and doing for others without much thought of what i needed to receive. i know now that i need down time (whether i like it or not). and that down time has to happen or my stress levels start to show themselves in my skin. i guess it's a good measure as long as i pay attention! my favorite ways to unwind can be found in this post.

mindful eating

i really try not to overdo any of the "typical" allergens. i hardly eat much dairy at all or at least i do my best to avoid it! i don't do wheat more that once a day and always choose an alternative if there is the option (i love love love ancient spelt bread!!!) i have greens everyday in some way or another. i never overdo acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus. i have dandy blend instead of coffee. i started eating meat again (advised by my acupuncturist) and that has seemed to help a lot, but i don't overdo! i still heart a good vegan meal! also avoiding alcohol - as much as i can - really makes a difference. it's all about noticing what "fires" my skin up and knowing when i am in a place to enjoy it and when i need to avoid it to keep my body from tipping over the edge of comfort.

we all have such different, amazing bodies. i find it so interesting how some people function best with a vegan diet and others need meat while others seem to do great with some other alternative. there are so many ways to mix and match what healthy living ideas work for each body! what a blessing that we are all different (it would be too boring if we were all the same!)

thanks for reading my story of what influences my choices on a daily basis!

ooh la la...le bistrot français

2009-11-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

should have gotten to this post last night, but had a little too much vino and was soooo ready for bed when i walked in the door! the busy day has kept me from getting this posted until now! wow - getting ready for the holidays is work!!! sadly, i am reaching a point where any amount of alcohol in my system totally prevents me from having a good night's sleep. even just a relaxing glass of wine! bummer. i am planning to take as much alcohol out of my life this holiday season as possible! maybe a glass of wine on thanksgiving and christmas eve, but that's about it for me. really anytime i have to wake up in the morning i am not going to have anything to drink. it's just reaching a point where it's not worth it. plus - i am coming to the conclusion that it really bothers my skin (skin story post coming soon.) i also think that i have put on a little bit of weight and want to be mindful how empty those calories are - i would much rather enjoy a yummy treat instead!

had a fun day yesterday although i did skip out on my beloved monday evening yoga class. boo. i just was feeling like hanging around the house with the hubby so i did.

last night, i had the great pleasure of getting together with three girl friends who i dearly love and so enjoy their company. we are all kindred spirits. we met at bouchon french bistro here in asheville. i have been wanting to eat here, but never had the chance! we actually originally wanted to go elsewhere, but they were closed on Monday - we got lucky that we ended up here!

judy (on the far left) really brought all of us together! she now lives on the west coast and we miss her so much - but, we always gather when she is back in town for a visit. kim (in the middle) was recently voted the 2nd best massage therapists in asheville. she is an amazing healing therapist. check her out here. cadence (on the far right) is one busy mama! she owns a fabulous spa here in town called cadence's contouring that offers all kinds of yummy things for the body like massage with kim, endermologie treatments, facials with pevonia, m'lis detoxification therapy and all sorts of good stuff. we always have so much to chat about when we get together and love love love to share our passions for finding a healthy happy body!!

another thing we all share is a passion for great food! here is le steak au poivre i got as my entree. (i actually started with a salad of greens, walnuts, and bacon, but was so famished and enthralled in conversation i forgot to snap a photo!) my favorite part of this meal was the brussel sprouts - they were fantastic. i ate all the veggies and half the beef - took the rest home to the hubby! trying to mindfully eat food so good it's hard to stop!!

le steak au poivre was served with these marvelous pomme frites - i shared these with everyone as much as i could! they were delicious and a special treat!
finally we all split two marvelous desserts - both are the house specialties. this photo does not do it justice at all. the top dish was the creme brulee flight!!! wowsa - four mini-brulees: vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon and coffee. we all agreed the coffee was the best! on the bottom was the african queen: ripe banana wrapped in filo pastry, baked to order and topped with housemade caramel sauce and madagascar vanilla bean ice cream - as described on the menu - it was sinful!!!
after the desserts - i flew out of there and came home to bed! i had a 7:30am client this morning!

tuesday exercise accomplishment: 20 minutes on bike while catching up on the latest health magazine, 50 minute kinesis class with stacey, 25 minute treadmill walk/run! done! had to work off all that yumminess from last night!

yeah for a short week!

2009-11-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

ahhh. sunday. today has been relaxing and rainy. i also got a ton accomplished on my dance piece this afternoon in rehearsal. also, trying to get organized for the beginning of the holiday season. wow. can't believe i am actually saying that! so grateful that i get to travel and be with my family for a few days! my bro owns a retail store so it's s bit of a bummer that he will be working away on black friday and can't stay the weekend. that's ok - i just wish him a much needed super busy day! i am super stoked on this short work week!

am setting some blogger goals for myself this week. i am loving this blog thing, but also needing to step it up a bit, get more clear on what i intend it to be and keep the motivation high. my goals for the week are:

take photos daily for the blog
jot down blogging ideas as they come to me in oh-so-beautiful new journal (pictured above)
commit to bringing mindfulness to the blog (mindful living, eating, playing, loving, arguing, exercising, etc.)

there are probably many many more things this avid list maker could add to this, but i am going to keep my goals realistic. my ultimate goal is to use the blog to be more mindfully committed to living my life (in all ways listed above plus more!!!)

do you set goals for your blog? anyone out there have any suggestions about how they keep their blogging life interesting and inspired?

excited for the last few hours of sunday. going to dive into a book and snuggle with the beast.

my moving women

2009-11-21T06:28:00.000-08:00

i'm probably going to be posting a lot more about my dancing life as we are creeping closer and closer to our march 2010 show so there's lots of creative energies flowing and lots of work to do. this is the tough part. when you're working on all sorts of dances and there is so much choreography in your head (both yours and the other women's) and you still really have to think about it all. the awesome thing about dance is that eventually that thinking goes away and you're able to go on a sort of autopilot. the body takes over and you just flow and move and sense and love. these are the women i create with. you can check us out at our website. i was resistant at the beginning of the season about this upcoming show. we were all having a lot happening in our personal lives and not feeling the passion to create. i am so grateful to have gotten over that hump and now am immersed in the process. cheers to these women who keep the creative spirit in my life and in my body!

this is a promo picture from our march 2008 show called thin walls: a tale of the tangled and peculiar. this particular piece is called pathos sweet & lost choreographed by kathy. it was originally choreographed surrounding a sculpture by the same name in a local park. i'd had a bad incident and had stitches in my foot and a broken toe, so hence i sat. it became one of our favorite pieces of choreography.

this pic is of dead & lovely to the music of tom waits. it's quite dark humor. jenni choreographed it and it has been in our repertoire for many years.

these last two pics are from the movement for peace project we did in 2008. it was a giant event, but a special one and i love this first picture.

we'll be performing this piece again in our march show this year. it's all about the family unit and it's fun and exciting to perform.

hope you all enjoy this tiny glimpse into my creative world. you're invited to check out my dance bio here. it's so fun to see how different people explore their creativity. i'd love to hear about your most recent project/idea. or if you have ever had any experience with modern dance? have a great saturday!

inspiration...move me brightly....

2009-11-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

i must admit - this is one of my most favorite pics from my july wedding. i just feel like it embodies the way i felt at that moment. super duper happy. the hubby in the background is making a bit if a funny face, but also looks happy. i found this passage the other day written in a news commentary (and i can't find it now!!). funny, the commentary was about not living together before marriage (which we did!), but i really thought is gave a great perspective.

Marriage is another word for "trust." Maybe "trust, plus." It is two people full of doubts, shortcomings, and love holding hands and jumping together. It's a risk, fraught with the potential to fail, and that makes it beautiful. Three-legged races, where two people hop, stumble, get back up, and maybe hit a stride until they fall again. It's funny, frustrating, and the wedding ring is a symbol for the rope tying two legs together.

it's the most wonderful time of the year...really?!?!

2009-11-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

so whether we like it or not the holiday season is upon us. and for many of us it can be a time of stress. let's not let that happen this year. start your season with some mindful intention and be ready to enjoy (not stress over) it.

last april, i went to duke integrative medicine in durham, nc for an amazing 8 day training on therapeutic yoga for seniors. it knocked my socks off! i loved every second and that really was the impetus for my to quit the drag me down full time job i had and pursue my passion for healing movement (my way!).

i think integrative medicine is the key to healthcare in the future and hope to be a part of it with the movement therapy i offer. i'll be sure to post more later on my love and passion for integrative medicine and why i think it is absolutely fabulous. (maybe, tomorrow?)

anyway, i am on the email list from duke and wanted to share what i received in my inbox today - just in time for the season.

6 Simple Steps to a Stress Free Season

WALK IN THE MORNING
when the world is still sleeping.

TAKE TIME FOR TEA
The caffeine and polyphenols in tea have the combined effect of mild stimulation and lasting calm.

BREATHE
Breathe in for 4 counts.
Hold your breath for 4 counts.
Release your breath for 6 counts.
This "UJI" breathing quickly reduces stress and calms your central nervous system.

TIME OUT
Take a break from demanding tasks
(like shopping or cleaning)
and difficult people (like that family member who rubs you the wrong way)and do something that nurtures you!

BE KIND TO YOUR FEET
Fill a bucket with warm water and add some drops of rosemary and peppermint oil.
Place a golf ball in the bucket as well.
Soak and massage your feet and calm your entire being.

PRACTICE LOVING KINDNESS
Volunteer at a soup kitchen or a local shelter and help someone who is struggling. Discover the benefits of a practice of gratitude.

the hardest one for me is going to be to walk in the morning. i am going to set a goal to do it 2-3 times each week during this season. i would love to hear how you can bring some of these relaxing practices into your life. thanks to duke for sending these great ideas along to me!

looking for a good read?

2009-11-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

i am an avid reader. i mean i really can't stop. it's a bit of an addiction. my hubby (not so much of a reader) always tells me he loves that i read. (even though i know sometimes he's jealous of the attention that goes into a good book and not into him!)

i just finished reading the guernsey literary and potato peel society. i recommend this book as an easy, good hearted read. it is structured in the form of letters and is set in a seemingly somber post-ww2 era. the main character juliet gets a letter from a stranger on the island of guernsey and it begins a wonderful tale of friendship. i think the connections throughout the book are entertaining and fun. there is mystery that reveals itself in timely interesting ways. it was a really quick read and one that i could put down at any moment and pick back up again when the time was right. often, the novel's i have read about post-ww2 europe have been dark and depressing; this book has it's moments of connecting to the truth of that time while simultaneously staying light with interesting (while not too complex) characters and descriptive scenery. i loved using my imignation to visit the guersney islands and travel vicariously! it made me really want to visit the island and upon some research a book club in nc just won a trip from the publisher to the island. how fun! this book also encourages the spirit of honoring your place and listening to your heart. i encourage you to check it out.

mindful monday, monday...

2009-11-16T16:54:00.001-08:00

my favorite thing about mondays is the yoga class i attend at lighten up yoga here in asheville! i used to me a major flow yoga junkie (and still flow on the mat at home all the time!), but really appreciate the detailed alignment of a good iyengar yoga class. the instructor and studio owner, lillah, is excellent and really come from an amazing anatomy based perspective. i am able to soak in all those details and knowledge and apply it not only to my own practice, but to the work i do with my students/clients.

also - i have a home manduka yoga mat and got this natural yoga mat as a wedding gift. i keep in my car for when i go to class and/or teach class. the only problem has been that i get to class and my mat is covered in dog hair! i love my pup, but i don't want his hair sticking all over my sticky mat.

hence....the solution from lowes:

i can keep my mat and various other (non dog related) items that i carry around with me on a daily basis. i love good organization!

i love the sign on the way to lighten up and am so excited because beginning in january, i will be teaching there!!! yippee! i have been searching for the right place and lillah and i had dinner last monday and it's a go. tuesdays 4-5:20pm! a prime spot! i am so looking forward to joining the yoga studio teaching community!
even though monday is my mindful day, i still enjoyed a glass of wine. the bottle was given to me by a client for by birthday. it was tasty. i love to have a single class and wind down for the day (not everyday, but some days!)
i was a vegetarian for over ten years and recently (per my acupuncturists encouragement) have begun eating meat. honestly, i never thought i would, but i really feel a whole lot better. so i always give many thanks for the animal that shared this health with me.

i made bbq beef in the crock pot all day today and after yoga sauteed some yummy kale to mix in with the meal. it was satisfying!
i'm off to enjoy the evening and finish the book i am reading. the first blissful-body book review to come tomorrow! have a great evening to all!

bmc inspired

2009-11-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

i am taking a body mind centering course that meets once per month with a fantastic instructor, erik bendix. erik has training in bmc and alexander technique and is very inspiring. i've known for a while now that simply teaching movement for the sake of fitness/exercise is not inspiring me as much as it did in my younger days. the more i learn about the human body, the deeper i want to delve and explore and the more i know i want to learn. in comes body mind centering. wow - it explores the body from so many different angles not just muscles and bones, but fluid, organs, ligamentous, nervous, etc. etc. i love it because each time i delve into that realm of thinking a certain way about the body, i discover more about myself and in turn have this amazing reference to use with my clients. i believe it is so important to move from all aspects of the body and not get so wrapped up in the muscular system. anyway, this is a bit of a rant - but, i am excited that beginning in january i will start my training to become a bmc practitioner! it will take many years and lots of training, but i am up for it. i will begin with the fluid system!!!

after todays workshop on the bones, i had dance rehearsal where i really got far in the piece i am choreographing for our march show. i will be talking more and posting some video for feedback in the coming weeks. one of the hardest parts of choreography is finding good music, not too dramatic and with few or no words. any ideas?!?!

artsy walk

2009-11-14T13:30:00.001-08:00

this afternoon was the river arts walk at the fabulous galleries that surround the french broad river here in asheville. i love this area because it used to be (and still is in some areas) full of industry, but in the past few years has become a haven for affordable art studios and amazing local artists. the studio where my dance company rehearses is on the top floor of one of these buildings. the wedge gallery is one of the primary giant buildings in the area full of talented artists.

i love that it is right by the railroad tracks, but you still have a gorgeous view of the mountains.
it was packed. full of people and full of dogs. we brought the beast along for our adventure!
this is our neighbor's studio. he does amazing pottery with designs from his fabulous collection of lace. after seeing his work, everyone who gets married in the future is getting some of his talented pottery!
here's the hubby and beast walking around the area enjoying the views and talented artists.
one awesome thing about the wedge is that a brewery recently opened on the bottom floor. many of my ashvillian friends claim it to be the best local beer in the area (asheville did tie this year with portland for beer city usa). here i am enjoying the ipa.
here's the hubby with his pilsner (claiming it tasted like the one's we had on the honeymoon in germany!)
too many people to find a table, so we found a home on some steps!
then we went to another local favorite (obama ate lunch here when he visited asheville during the campaign - see here): 12 bones. it has famous bbq. we both had a small christmas jam ale (made by asheville brewing for the season and warren haynes annual concert every year here in asheville that he calls the christmas jam). it was good and had an evergreen flavor that reminded my of the holidays!
the hubby had pulled pork, mac and cheese, collards and cornbread.
i had pulled chicken, green beans, sweet potatoes and cornbread (i ate half of the chicken and brought the other half home for the beast's dinner)
they have crazy good made in house sauces. they are (from left to right) jalepeno, vinegar, mustard and sweet sauce. all were yummy. hubby loves the jalepeno. i love the sweet sauce.
here i am after a fun day! did i mention it is in the 70's here?!?!? it is beautiful! hope everyone enjoyed their saturday! it's so rare that we take an afternoon to just be and enjoy! both the hubby and i loved taking time out for each other and to be part of the community and experience this fun afternoon of sharing.

sisterly love

2009-11-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

just wanted to take to the blog today and have some gratitude for siblings. i know that not all siblings get along or have the greatest relationship, but those of us that have them should take a moment and set all that aside just to be glad they bring what they bring (good and not so good) into our lives.

i must say i am one of the few weirdos in the world who has actually never argued with her brother (my one and only sibling - except for my non-blood related "sister" erin). honestly, i have absolutely zero recollection of us doing anything other than getting along.

i don't really have any memory of life without him. i was eighteen months old when he was born and according to my mom, did everything i could to help take care of him. we used to drive our family crazy by referring to each other as "my brother" and "my sister" as if they would not know who we were talking about if we mentioned the name (i still catch myself doing it all the time - sorry to anyone who has to bear that!)

the above pic was from this summer at my "bachelorette" weekend - which was really just the weekend the hubby was in vegas (getting into who knows what) and i went to the beach with my bro. i get to see him this coming weekend and thanksgiving. this has been the longest we've gone (except for the college years) without seeing each other. just have him on my mind and wanted to share a piece of our story. cheers to my best friend, my brother.

short & sweet

2009-11-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

today, i am honoring the need to take an evening break from my daily posts! just needing to disconnect in order to reconnect! it happens. see you tomorrow!

rainy day

2009-11-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

today it is really dark, dreary and rainy. i have worked all day with clients and am so grateful to be home in my toasty house. plans are to drink some tea, read a book, maybe take a snooze, cook a cozy homemade meal (my hubby's favorite enchiladas) and maybe have a glass of vino. ahhh - the joys of embracing the weather and listening to my body's need for some chill time.

i really adore reading and go back and forth between books that inspire the work i do and fiction. sometimes i get into a rut of always reading about healthy living and healing movement, but know that it is important that i feed that creative imaginative self with yummy fiction! one day soon i'll post some of my favorite books on healing movement and yoga, but today - on this dreary day of sleepy reading and relaxing - i thought i'd share some of my favorite fiction. (soon, i'll also share what's on my ever growing to read pile!) bear in mind my favorite fiction books are always changing the more i read, so this list is for this moment!

books i love (in no particular order)

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Atonement by Ian McEwan

ok - that's all for now, but I am sure to think of many more! i am fortunate to be a fast reader and love every minute of savoring a good book. interestingly, a lot of these books have been made into movies and i have never seen any of them. seems like when i do i always think the book is way better!!! happy reading!

i would loooove any reading suggestions from anyone - got any favorites? gotta keep that "to read" pile growing!

live simply. love generously. care deeply. speak kindly.

2009-11-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

ok - i know i may be perceived as an obsessive "mom" over this second post about my pup (see first one here), but i just found a great list that i kept that contemplated all the things we can learn from dogs and i wanted to share it with you all!

ps - i love ranger's tongue sticking out in the above photo!!!

if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

when loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
never pass up the opportunity for a joyride.
allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
take naps.
stretch before rising.
run, romp and play daily.
thrive on attention and let people touch you.
avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
on warm days, stop to lie on your back in the grass.
on hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
when you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
eat with gusto and enthusiasm. stop when you have had enough.
be loyal. never pretend you're something you are not.
if what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
when someone is having a bad day be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
be always grateful for each new day and for the blessings of you!

i need to look at this list everyday and be reminded of all these fabulous things!!!

the art of gratitude

2009-11-09T12:32:00.000-08:00

on several of my earlier posts i set a goal to send more snail mail (at least two per month) and i really get the opportunity this month to thank everyone for their awesome birthday thought and gifts. i loooove thank you notes. oddly, it was never really ingrained in me as a kid, but post college i worked for an amazing women as her personal assistant. i loved it and the best thing about the job (as strange as it seems) was that i wrote all of her thank you notes for her. the family had just moved to the town and were hosting and being hosted all the time. needless to say, she had a lot of thank you notes to send. i had to get creative with these and really explore many different ways of saying the same thing. it was fun and made me appreciate the art of a nice letter. post our july wedding, i wouldn't let my hubby touch the beautiful thank you notes we had our names printed on to use. i was the queen of gratitude and had all my notes out within the month! i just found so much joy in thanking everyone!

in this era of email and facebook and blogging, we are losing the art of a great handwritten letter! i think taking the time to write a letter and send it snail mail is so important! it brings you to a place of mindful thanksgiving.

some of my current cards/stationary in rotation:

when to send a thank you note?

when you receive a gift (the obvious)
when someone goes above and beyond for you
if someone has you over for dinner
when you stay overnight at someone's home
if a person plays host and shows you around their city
when someone throws a party or gathering for you
anytime you think someone needs to know what a good friend they are!

my tips on writing the actual note

try to send it within 2 weeks of said event
send it snail mail (how fun is it to get something unexpected through the mail!!!)
use stationary (ahhhh stationary. i love it and could get lost in a paper store!!! more about that another time)

express thanks for the gift or service (it's a good idea if you're thanking them for money to use another word such as "thank you for your generosity")
i like then to express how, when, where i expect to use the gift or how the act of service affected my life or my favorite part of the event
then - share something about your life, your day, or something you are looking forward to
follow that by saying something about the past or future ("it was great seeing you" or "i look forward to seeing you soon")
thank them again (in different language - get creative!) for the gift

let yourself enjoy and savor this mindful practice of thanksgiving. i know sometimes it's just another chore on the list, but it's one that can be filled with so much joy. happy writing!

birthday with my sister & girlfriends

2009-11-08T06:45:00.001-08:00

one of my goals for 30 is to get together with other girlfriends at least once a month. fortunately, i have the moving women - the company i dance with. it's challenging sometimes to manage dance in my schedule and find time to be creative and inspired, but in the end it is worth it because i gratefully spend time every week with these four women below. i'm sure to blog more about creativity and dancing in the months to come as we have a show in march 2010! last night the four of us and many other wonderful women for scorpio birthday drinks!

ok, so i only have one sibling that i grew up with (my best friend jack), but i truly believe my friend erin (the gal next to me above) is my sister from another mother. people mistake us for looking a like so often that two years ago we created and choreographed a show about daisy and violet hilton (siamese twins from the vaudeville era). here we are in my favorite promo pic from our march 2008 show!

we also have s similar spirit - something i cannot put word to, but know it there. amazingly, our birthdays are one day apart from each other! i love that we get to celebrate that day together every year. last night we had a yummy dinner at curras dom - a locally owned "upscale" mexican resturant. it was fantastic. then afterward, we met up with some girlfriends for a fabulous evening of champagne, wine, talk, and laughter!

i think as women we sometimes let time for ourselves get pushed aside for the time we feel the need to give to others. i am not a mom yet, but really want to find the ability to recognize that need before having a family. sometimes it is hard enough just maintaining my work life, the hubby, our home, and the beast! my goal is to have a girls night at least once per month and hopefully add a creative girls night in there in the new year! i love having this month of gratitude and my birthday to reflect and connect!

dog is love.

2009-11-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

how i love my sweet son or the beast or my pup or the roo or whatever name i have for him on any given day. i always had dogs growing up, but they were always outside dogs and at the time, i was told i had an allergy to dogs, so i really avoided them as much as possible. when the hubby and i decided we were going to get a dog - i couldn't wait. this is ranger. he's half german shepherd and half standard poodle and 100% love. he was the ring bearer in our wedding and he greats me all the time in the present moment with love and respect. i adore him and know there are so many things i have learned from him that no human could ever teach me! cheers to my beast!

better my food

2009-11-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

i've been trading with my wonderful friend, wendy, to experience her health counseling. she was trained in integrative nutrition (program by joshua rosenthal) in nyc. i love all the information she has to impart and am really enjoying these bi-monthly sessions with her. i've always considered myself a pretty healthy eater, but it's great to check in with her and re-establish some healthy positive habits.

some habits she has helped my become aware of and establish in my life are:

more mindful eating. turn off the computer & tv, don't answer the phone, sit at the table and eat. chew with awareness. savor the meal and be grateful.
added more leafy greens to my diet, upped my fish oil and (in these winter months) coconut oil.
added a daily vitamin with plenty of folic acid and vitamin d
i've learned about the energetics of food. i knew eating local foods brought connectedness and harmony. i've learned things like meat, beans, and root veggies can be grounding and relaxing. leafy greens, fruit, raw foods, and chocolate can be light, creative, and flexible. i am excited to add these ideas to my life and diet.
learned more and more reasons to keep my diary consumption to a minimum for my body (more to come on that in a later post)

i'm only a third of the way through and am learning so much. even if you are a healthy, mindful eater, working with a health counselor is a fantastic way to gain new perspective on your nutrition and all those things in life that affect your general well being. cheers to mindful eating!

yoga & cultivating a home practice

2009-11-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

setting the space

i am grateful to have a home office where i have enough room to have a small alter and meditation area and where i have plenty of room to stretch my yoga mat out. it has really helped my in cultivating time on the mat daily. to jump start and re-inspire my practice i have begun florian yoga's 30 day challenge. i am on day 4 and so far we have om-ed together, committed to conscious eating and 30 minutes of exercise daily, learned a mantra and listened to a grounding meditation. yippee - what a great way to feel inspired.

here's where i find peace, practice, and occasionally roll around on the floor with the dog!

how do you create your space? look around and find a space (even if it is just a corner). place a candle there or a sentimental item to remind you to be mindful when you are near that space. take a seat there and set an intention to allow that corner/area/space to be sacred to you when you need it. at least one time a day visit that space (both mentally and physically) and be peaceful - whether just sitting or rolling out a mat and practicing some mindful movement - at least 10 minutes each day. carve that 10 minutes out and plan for that time. see how setting the space can cultivate a greater practice in your life!

30 goals for 30 years!!*

2009-11-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

meditate at least 10 minutes everyday
get my body moving 30-60 minutes everyday
learn to jog with the beast on a leash
take BMC course
go to surf camp in costa rica
find quality time with hubby everyday
more and more home cooking
run another 5k
have girlfriend soiree once per month
start planning to start a family
honor time for me rather than over committing
take (at least) one weekly yoga class
start writing the happy body book
visit and call grandparents more often
journal daily
have non scheduled time at home everyday
study mindfulness based stress reduction and read more jon kabat zinn
maintain weekly acupuncture session
have lunch or hike with a girlfriend(s) once per week
find a guest blogger opportunity
use planner pad to keep commitments and lists manageable
eat more leafy greens
get on the yoga mat everyday
continue to cultivate mindfulness practices
choreograph dance piece all by myself
talk to jack on the phone everyday (unless he's traveling)
keep blogging on life, health, and creativity
take more photos of life
find place to offer weekly yoga class
write more snail mail (at least two per month)

*sorry this didn't get posted yesterday!!! birthday got super busy, but was fantastic! there will be two posts today to make up for it!

be where you are

2009-11-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

i teach pilates & yoga for a living. i am so grateful to be in my own space and working with a caring group of people. i know that my journey toward teaching healing movement has just begun. thought in today's post i would share where i work and what it looks like. here's a little tour. keep in mind it's just one small room, so there's not much explanation! 80% of the equipment i have there was made less than 3 hours away in anderson, sc by edgar tirado. he is an amazing craftsman!

one thing i love about working with people is encouraging them to be where they are without judgement. we often have an idea about where we want to be or where we should be or how we should feel, etc. i love the challenge to take all that should-ing away and just observe. notice. honor that place. relish it and be grateful. it is also my challenge as a movement educator to allow my clients to be where they are without any of my own pre-concieved notions about any of the should-s. notice any of the should-s creeping in your own interactions with yourself and other people. be mindful. let them go and dissolve into acceptance.

día de los muertos

2009-11-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

day of the dead. sounds a little ominous and dark, but it's a mexican holiday that i have grown really fond of. holidays and traditions of other cultures are nice moments of reflection (especially when they are so different than anything i traditionally did as a kid). after traveling to merida, mexico with a company i danced with several years ago, i really connected and was inspired especially by the day of the dead. in our culture, we often fear death or ghosts or connections to the after life. this day is often quite light hearted as people reflect positively upon those they have known that have now passed into the after world. it's also an opportunity to bring focus to other aspects of the life cycle: fertility and life for the future. traditions include creating an offer to honor the dead using sugar skulls, photos of those who have passed, marigolds and even favorite items or foods of dead loved ones.

my friend jenni had a wonderful gathering on saturday where we drank mexican coffee, ate pumpkin bread, made sugar skulls, and added family photos to her amazing alter. i didn't take any photos, but hope that i can get some from her to show how magnificent it was.

found one! here's the amazing alter at jenni's house!

here's my small alter in honor of my great aunt pat who passed away this year and my great grandparents lovingly called "dandy & pop." dandy lived until i was 21 years old - i am so grateful to have had such a relationship with a great grandparent. she is missed dearly.

i invite you to bring a mindful moment into this tradition. reflect on those that have gone before you - people you knew and even ancestors or people that shaped your life that you didn't know. imagine where you would be without these influences and send gratitude toward them and thanksgiving toward the life, the body, the health that you have today. welcome to november.

national blog posting month is here!

2009-11-01T05:06:00.000-08:00

so....i found this group of folks recently and loved the idea of signing up and committing to blogging everyday for the entire month of november. can i do it? will i like it? do i have enough interesting things to say? yes!!! i say to myself - you can do it. i think it will give me a strong perspective on the blogging world and will really connect me to this project of sharing and exploring ways to find bliss throughout this hectic, crazy life. wish me luck and stay tuned to see what i come up with!

on another note, my house is beginning to come back together post our almost 2 week flu battle. i love to be clean and be organized and have felt quite out of control both with the way my body has been feeling and with the mess that is my home.

before i left my full time job this summer and got married, home was just a place to sleep and keep things. i was so busy i rarely even cooked. now i really take pride in home. it has such a different meaning to me. i love it more and more everyday. i really sense that it is my nest and it is my pleasure to nurture it! another thing that happened this summer was the hubby moved his home office to another location. yippee for that. it was so hard to leave him alone when he was working - he was just in the other room! now his old office has become my office and for the first time i have a desk and files and all that good stuff. i am going to make an inspiration board in there this week. i need it. there are so many ideas about my pursuits to finding my own happy body and sharing those findings with the world....i need something to help capture those feelings and ideas...so this week's project is to begin that board. wish me luck! hope you stay tuned for my 30 posts in 30 days. (also i will be celebrating 30 this month, so it just seemed to fit!)

list 'o' happiness

2009-10-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

i have been a little down in the dumps lately with the flu and bummed about not having the energy for my beloved yoga and movement. i know my body needs to rest and i am honoring that (even though i really want to push through and get moving!) my great buddy and happy body consort, jessica, was an amazing friend today when she suggested i make a list of all the things that made me happy. she warned me not to make a list of things that don't make me happy - that's too easy to do, but really seize a mindful moment and - without judgment - check it with all the things (big or small) that make me happy! i came up with a list last week of things i do to relax and lots of those things repeated themselves on my happy list! here are some highlights:

be on the beach & near the ocean
hiking with my pup
spending quality time with my hubby
being there with a client in an "A-HA" moment
giving my mom, dad, & brother a big ole hug
taking a yoga class
exploring body-mind-centering
eating a yummy homemade meal
sipping on a glass of vino
being in the presence of good girlfriends who "get" me
watching a sappy/romantic movie
getting a massage
blogging
laughing
dancing & moving
reading a book that sucks me in
having a clean & organized nest
catching up with friends i haven't seen in a while
talking about healing movement with jessica
watching my friend's babies grow up

so these are just some of the things on my list - what made me feel so happy was that i felt like the list could just keep going. that makes me really appreciate my life and who i am and all the people i get to share my life with! kudos to all of you! thanks. i highlighted my top 5 of the moment. what are your top 5 things that make you happy?

compassionate communication

2009-10-28T14:32:00.001-07:00

one of my favorite mindful practices (an i am sure one of the hardest one's) is to attempt compassionate communication. i got married this summer and i do everything i can to practice this technique - and we for sure need to be reminded of it at times. he's my best friend and the love of my life, but sometimes when we disagree, we really disagree. i think it's a healthy thing for us to have our different opinions, but we always need to be reminded that it is a-ok to agree to disagree.

here are some things to remember (adapted from www.ashevilleccc.com):

- we all have the same basic needs.

-strong feelings arise when we our needs ARE fulfilled and when they ARE NOT fulfilled.

-learning how to communicate our own and listen for another's feelings and needs us a way of cultivating mindful and peaceful interactions.

-when judgment's arise, they are often masking a repressed feeling and need.

-translating judgments into feelings and needs is a way to practice mindful interactions with ourselves and others.

wow! those things resonate so true to me and - i hope - to you, too! they are really powerful and important to think about before you get into a disagreement with someone...before anyone says something they do not mean!

here's an example of how it is suggested to communicate in a mindful way. first, recognize the judgement you are feeling and translate it into a need such as "you're trying to control the situation" can be translate to i feel "frustrated" because i need to "be included in the decision making process." i really like this format of judgement and then i feel______because i need to_______. give it a try - it's a great way to put a new spin and perspective on any conversation and it helps to keep you mindful and present to the way you feel and the way the person you are speaking to feels as well.

happy communicating!

ways to relax

2009-10-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

i heart the post today on carrots'n'cake asking everyone to post what they do to relax. here my list of the things i do to relax:

go for a walk in the woods with my hubby and my beast
make a cup of Dandy Blend add some stevia and soymilk creamer
grab a good read (not one that involves too much thought)
catch up on grey's anatomy or project runway online (no tv here!)
yoga. yoga. yoga.
sit comfortably and breathe.
snuggle up with my pup (sometime referred to as beast)
tidy up. surprisingly, this brings me so much satisfaction that is really is relaxing.
glass of yummy vino white or red.
call my brother - who is my best friend.
journal & dream.
write a letter to snail mail to a friend or family member
look at photos!

it's nice to take the time to think about what actually makes me feel relaxed. maybe it can serve as a reminder to do these things more often.

creeping on 30.

2009-10-26T08:09:00.001-07:00

so, i turn 30 in a little over a week. i am actually sort of excited about it. my dear friend erin told me once that you spend the 20's figuring out who you are and in your 30's you get to really be who you are! i love the idea of letting your birthday set resolutions. we all get so psyched out with the whole new year thing, so reflecting on your birthday is unique and individual - it resonates with me. here's my list. lots of things i am recommitting to myself and i am trying to find new things to add in. i am turning the big 3-0!

start (and really write) a blog about creativity, yoga, and the healing aspects of movement! (alas - having been sick for the past week movement has alluded me, but will return asap.)
JOURNAL regularly
get on my yoga mat everyday (even if just for a little bit....it all adds up and counts!)
of course - find mindful moments throughout the day
bring gratitude into my life and household. i'm going to make a blessings box (and decorate it up) and write something my family is grateful for everyday!
make my own holiday cards to send out this year
take a course on compassionate communication
more & more & more home cookin - yummy!!!!
eat more greens - always trying to get those dark leafy's in!
get a planner pad (i asked for one for my birthday or christmas from mom and dad). put time on that calendar to nurture my nest, be with my love and the loving beast!

hopefully, i'll think of more - i'm going to keep this list going in my journal until my birthday and then sit down, edit, and commit.

hoping to be back to myself and back to work on wednesday (maybe even get in a gentle asana practice!) here's hoping for wellness!!!

living the life.

2009-10-25T20:16:00.001-07:00

being mindful is the hardest thing i do everyday. it's so easy to just plug along and get wrapped up in the things i have to do or the things i think need/could/should happen in my day. learning to become detached from all those "to-do's" and live presently is my daily challenge. try sitting quietly at your desk, on the floor...wherever you happen to be and close your eyes. notice what is happening. are thoughts racing around in your head (they often are for me!)? start to slow down and let go of those thoughts...you'll think of them again if they're really important. notice your breathe. is it tense? is it rushed? is it smooth? be an observer and watch yourself inhale and exhale. then just allow yourself 5 minutes to be with your breath. as you feel your mind wander away (as it inevitably will!) gently bring the attention back to the breath. ahhhh....enjoy. these few minutes will resettle you back into yourself and re-energize you for all that lies ahead. bliss with breath!

i heart this pic of my "beast" and i - he always reminds me of being present in the moment and of pure love and compassion!