new thoughts, new play, and new energy.  see you there.

jai,

m

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.

Others stay awhile, make footprints on our hearts and we are never,

 ever the same.

~Anonymous

“Gratitude is the heart’s memory.”

~ French Proverbs

I am thankful and grateful for:
1. learning from the amazing people that walk into my life everyday
2. the smiles of the preschoolers who play yoga with me.
3. being able to wake up every morning and do something i enjoy.
4. finding new ways to fall in love with the day.
5. my family who supports me in what i do.
6. to watch the sunrise and sunset
7. to be inspired by the people i meet.
8. finding the quiet moments and knowing how to appreciate them.
9. having teachers who are excited about sharing their knowledge.
10. starry nights.
11. finding another creative outlet.
12. an understanding landlord.
13. not letting the small stuff get to me 75% of the time.
14. to see the beauty in most ordinary
15. the love and appreciation i feel from clients and students
16. being able to groove to the music
17. friends who are willing to help and up for new adventures
18. my passion
19. friend who nudge me back on the path when i lose my way.
20. the mistakes i’ve learned from.
21. my nephew reminding me to play
22. the universe opening up the doors for me.
23. not allowing fear to rule my life
24. the lessons i’ve learned from dogs
25. being able to put smiles on people.
26. love.

what are you thankful for?

– Oprah Winfrey

 - Winston Churchill

Things I’ve learned since picking up the camera:

1. It’s like yoga. I’m being in the moment. I try to capture it, but only to move on to the next. I’ve  been finding a meditative and relaxing factor to taking pictures.

2. It pushes me past boundaries I had put on myself. I don’t think I would have gone to the zoo in the fall, search for places to explore through the camera’s eye, or take myself on day road trips. At this moment, I’m enjoying the expeditions and looking forward to finding new places.

3. Helping me find myself again….my strengths, my weakness, my laughter, and sense for adventures.

4. Reminded me that certain people do come into your life when you need them the most. I found an old high school mate on Facebook , during  the same time I was trying to figure out my new go to place for replenishing my soul. She got into photography along the years and seeing her work was inspiring. Meeting her again made me smile and left me in awe. I was reminded of how much I did enjoy photography. She was the catalyst to push me into picking up the hobby again. Thank you Korri!

5. To let go. Sometimes I can’t control what comes out because I am relearning how to take pictures again. I take a lot of pictures and maybe only have a small handful that is decent. Practice. Practice. Practice. I just don’t stress about not being perfect, because what happens happens and I learn from it. On my first time out with my brother’s camera, the pictures were over exposed. I ended up making it work.

6. No matter how busy I am, I put time aside for me. I have one day a week I can play without guilt. If I get in more, that is bonus. If I don’t take the time out, I can’t be at my best for my clients and students (and that is where I felt I was going…not giving my best). Feeding my soul, enjoying the a little me time, all ends up in making me a better person.

At some point, I had forgotten this side of me. It can be easy to forget who you are and what you like when you put everything else ahead of you – the kids, the grocery list, the deadlines or meetings. These last few weeks with the camera in hand have made me realize slow down and smile deep.

~Nikos Katantzakis

The winner of the Weleda products is Ruth.

Enjoy.

Inspire: to incite, inhale, bring about occasion

Yoga was always an inspiration to me. Practicing it made me feel like I was on top of the world and at peace. Moving into teaching the very thing I was passionate and in love with was a dream come true. I’ve met some amazing people on this journey.

Lately, teaching has felt like work. I’m still passionate and won’t ever give it up, but even my outside practice of yoga has become more of a chore. I took something that made me feel alive and lately it’s felt stale. I’ve felt stiff and routine in what I give to those who attend my classes. On occasion, it felt lonely. Teaching and having a massage therapy practice can be pretty isolating, even if you are surrounded by people. Class is only an hour, and a massage session involves a different relationship of client/profession rather than friends.
Hamden Ballys closing really made me examine these feelings within – among other things. I had to be honest. One of my dearest friends, who knows me best, pointed out I turned my best outlet into a job. I never replaced that outlet for feeling free and being me with anything else. I didn’t have another place to enjoy just for the bliss of it.

At the end of summer I ended up watching a yoga student’s dog and home for the weekend. She’s an artist – oil painter. Seeing her studio put me at awe. Maybe my revisiting the creative side of things was where I needed to be. Painting, pottery and photography were always fun for me but I moved away from creating. They just slipped away without real reasons. Painting would just frustrate me right now. Pottery would be amazing since I love getting my hands dirty, and I was inspired by a Korean drama I watched over the summer.
At the moment pottery isn’t feasible. Photography was always good to me. I don’t know why I dropped it.

It took a while, but this fall I stepped out of my comfort zone (you know, like placing your mat in another part of the yoga room). I borrowed my brother’s digital camera, so I can take as many pictures as I want without worry of running out of film. I called a friend and we made a date to explore one of the state parks with cameras in hand. It was like coming home. Exhilarating. I drove home so happy from my little outing. THIS was what I needed. For months it felt like something was missing.

I would even go so far to say, picking up that camera again has been feeding my soul. It didn’t matter if the pictures didn’t come out right or not. I just listened to what was needed for me to be full again, to be inspired, to let find the fun again. So I promise myself once a week I will try and go on an expedition with the camera, to keep feeding my soul.