"Today, let us swim wildly, joyously, in gratitude."
~ Rumi

Beautiful yogis,

I have SO MUCH to be grateful for.

Thank you. Thank you for the gift of your presence in my life. I am deeply grateful for the light you shine in my world.

My wish? That we transcend this day of giving thanks and commit to living a life full of gratitude. 

First, let's get clear about what it means to practice gratitude. According to Robert Emmons, psychology professor and gratitude researcher at the University of California, Davis, there are two key components:

• We affirm the good things we have received;
• We acknowledge the role other people play in providing our lives with goodness.

A few fantastic ways to deepen our practice of gratitude? Click here

"Our society is much more interested in information than wonder,
in noise rather than silence.
And I feel that we need a lot more wonder and a lot more silence in our lives." 
~ Fred Rogers

Hello, friends!

What a week it has already been!

Time Change. Full Moon. Election Day. I hope you were buckled up for the ride.

Personally? I am THRILLED by the absence of political advertisements! 😉

Sometimes, the cacophony of daily life is a lot. And, it can be difficult to hear our own truth amidst the soundscape.  

Busyness can be fulfilling. Commitments often provide purpose. Connectionis essential to our well-being.

But, how do we find balance for ourselves when life asks a lot from us? Especially when our culture seems to value (admire?) over-working, over-scheduling, and exhaustion. How often do conversations turn into how busy, or how tired, or how stressed, someone is? ​

Continue reading to learn about JOMO and deepening JOY when we REST 🐸

Hello, beauties!

Today, a look back to the very first yoga class I ever attended. 

Truth? I was forced into it. 😅

Well, that might be a little strong, but let's just say . . . I did not voluntarily decide to show up in a studio. ☺️

The class was held at my friends' art gallery, and this specific offering was for a group of gals who knew one another. Every person, except for me, already had some experience with yoga.

I was in a rough patch, and my dear friend Theresa said, "You are going to this yoga class. I am picking you up and taking you this first time. After that, you can decide for yourself." 

Something profound happened for me at that first class.

I remember feeling self-conscious at first (I didn't have any "yoga clothes," I didn't own a mat, I had no idea what I was doing). But, by the end, everything had shifted.

Connecting to my breath and my body got me out of my head. It felt good to move and stretch and flow. The stillness of savasana felt comfortable and deeply nourishing. After the completion of our final OM, I cried. Not a few, gentle tears. More of a snotty, throat-rattling sob. 

Then, I got back in my head. Part of me felt super self-conscious and very embarrassed by my "outburst." 

I'll never forget my friends' response. They gave me, and all of my emotions, space. Safe space. And, I use that word "space" very intentionally. They didn't hover over me. Or, try and fix anything. Instead, they gracefully accepted my experience, and they did it without judgment. 

Gaining access to my breath and my body allowed me the release I so desperately needed. I felt renewed. Somehow, I was both exhausted and energized. Finding stillness, and enjoying it, felt brand new. I knew I needed more. In fact, I wanted more.

The next week, I drove myself to class.

I have attended yoga classes ever since.  ​

Learn more about how, and why, we are rewarded when we have the courage to look within by clicking here.