inspiration

Crystal clear blue skies, the sweet salty air, the warmth of the sun, the beautiful boundless ocean reaching beyond the horizon, good friends, an open heart, and a yoga mat.........magic!  Anything is possible!!

headstand by candlelight

After a long night of costumes, candy and trick or treating,  Halloween was coming to an end.  Fun, yes. But, exhausting just the same.
As the silence of children in comas overtook the sounds in my house, I found myself in my studio walking around with a candle in the dark. What was I looking for? Or better yet, what was I hoping to find?

I just sat down on my yoga mat on the floor and found myself mesmerized by the flame and the beauty of the hand blown glass container it was in. Slowly, I put it down and just started to do a headstand in the candlelit darkness. My external awareness became numbed by the sensations in my body, turning my world upside down (or rather, right side up). How glorious it felt to connect with ME. I found the peace I was looking for...

change of seasons

As we go from summer's warmth to fall's cooler temperatures, our fitness routines must make the change as well. One thing that should remain the same: sunshine and fresh air. That sense of well being and euphoria is compromised by the waning daylight during these cooler seasons. So, keep taking those long outdoor walks and continue to spend as much time possible out in nature. The benefits are only positive!

want vs.need vs.desire

Sometimes "wanting" to workout and "needing" to workout become one in the same. I find that I want to workout because I know in the end, I will feel great and know I am keeping myself healthy.  Nice perk! I also find that if I "need" to workout, it is often because I did something that I need to make up for. So there's the guilt factor in that "need".  So, does one get driven by guilt or desire???  The guilt can be the impetus that leads to a desire.....make sense?  In my case, the "guilt" of not regularly doing my yoga practice led to tightness and lower back stiffness, which led to the "need" to do my practice, which ended up filling me with the "desire" to work harder because it FEELS SO GOOD WHEN I'M DONE!!

mindful moment

Anyone, ANYONE can take a break from their daily routine, work, chores, for one hour to reconnect with the mind and body!! ANYONE!! You just have to WANT TO. Sometimes "wanting to" takes a little peer pressure..... And, oh does it feel so good!

open heart/open mind

Working out can sometimes be such a "chore". Some feel they HAVE TO get their workout done before the day is over or they will feel incomplete (i.e. working out has been added to chores like doing the dishes, washing the laundry, taking out the garbage, etc.). Drudgery, boredom, and retaliation often will follow. But oddly enough, just going to your heart of hearts - make your workout something you TREAT YOURSELF to. It does not always have to be "the list" from Men's Journal or Self magazine (and realistically, we know we will never come close to looking like the model on the cover). It can be fun and creative and self designed. But the bottom line, it has to be from your heart, and know it feels good. Eventually, one can train one's self to make up different exercises that target the muscle groups of focus or regularly change up that daily cardio workout. Take your workout to different locations: the beach, the park, in the woods. When doing it with an open heart and an open mind, it becomes like a daily gift to yourself, a special treat to look forward to (kinda like that slice of chocolate cake after a healthy meal!).

try

Sometimes I create a goal (diet, specific yoga posture, exercise program...) and focus on what I need to do to make it happen. That's when the "struggle" begins. That one goal becomes this HUGE effort that does not feel like any fun to try and do. So now I've spent minutes, hours, days trying to figure out why it is too hard to do. Sometimes it'll keep me up at night. But, all the while I am miss out! During all that thinking, I have already burned time, energy, andrenaline....I think the key is TRYING. At least I know if I TRY, then I can make an educated decision whether it's going to be a "yes" or a "no". Oh, but then I can go into the thinking of the "what if's" of trying. But I won't go there.

I may faulter a few times in my efforts, but most of the time, the FUN IS IN THE TRYING!