Bulldogs & Beach Daze

Last weekend, we celebrated a friend’s birthday at a new favorite beach of mine, Point Dume. There were rocky cliffs, turquoise waters, sea lions, and the types of things you might think of when you think of Malibu. Actually, I didn’t see the sea lions or think there were sea lions in Malibu, but I heard and believe they were just around the bend.

The only small bit of trouble was that we brought one of these girls without knowing about the steep stairs and rocky descent down to the water:

via Instagram

Fortunately, Cricket loves the beach, so she trooped on out to the ocean and the whole group of us had a very nice day.

I’m still dreaming of a dog of my own, and I hope you’re still heading outside to seek out sights near you!

3 Tips for Solo Camping (as a Lady)

As you know, I’ve now been on a solo camping trip to here, and I’ve returned to share some wisdom of the wilderness. These are not very gender-specific rules, and they might even be helpful for everyone, but I did take being a lady into account when sleeping in the woods alone. And I bet I am not the best person to give this advice since I’ve only done it one time, but I’m obviously very excited about it and have been talking it up a lot, so here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Plan ahead

   It was important to me to pick out my campground ahead of time. Even though my site didn’t end up having the best view, I was glad to be close enough to other campers to feel safe without being overcrowded. Solitude can be sweet, but for my own security, I preferred not to be too isolated. I planned to arrive with plenty of daylight to establish camp and scope out the area before dark. Years ago, I also practiced setting up my tent ahead of time just to get the hang of it.

2. Do some activities (but not too many)

   I knew I wanted to squeeze some planned activities in—like June Lake Beach and the June Lake Brewing Company—but I also left plenty of time for lounging and breathing. I thought I might get bored in the dark and hit my sleeping bag at 8pm, but my fire kept me interested well into the night, and then I looked up and saw all the stars!

   Also, you should know how to build a fire on your own. It’s pretty easy in a dry climate. The internet has tips. Luckily, I once went on a camping trip in Austin with a mountain man and two bada** ladies who knew what they were doing, so I acted all “Oh yeah, I know about fires, too,” and observed their tricks while pretending to gather sticks and be helpful.

3. Lie

   Unfortunately, in the life of a lady (or general person) on her own in the world, sometimes bending the truth is required. I made some friends at the brewery who offered an invitation to come out in Mammoth Village with them later that night. They seemed fun and friendly, but I fibbed and told them I had other plans and hadn’t decided where I’d be staying that night. I might have missed out on some good times, but I had a separate date planned with Nature. I think if someone is going to turn into a real friend, they would understand why you couldn’t be completely honest.

That might be all I learned this trip, besides not to eat too many Hot Cheetos on the drive up. If you can get past the initial scariness, camping on your own can be a wildly empowering experience and a great way to enjoy spending time with yourself.

Sunday Special, Vol. 5

It could be something about the new moon or the high of a great weekend, but I'm giving every category a plus! I hope your Sunday feels just as swell.

Health

l went to a Dodgers game where I ate a hotdog, a pretzel, and a very large beer, but I think and hope the rest of the week held more vegetables than baseball stadium items. All the yoga classwork, teaching, and assisting made it difficult to maintain my personal practice this week, so I spent Saturday and Sunday reconnecting.  (+)

Family

Phone calls and texts are the name of the game. One of my friends' grandmothers passed away this week, so I made sure to call mine. I could do a better job of checking in more regularly-- I'm lucky to be able to talk to her!  (+)

Friends

I made a surprise new friend at the very first college alumni gathering that I've ever attended (the Dodgers game), and another precious friend invited me to her birthday party out in Joshua Tree. Plus, plus, plus. (+)

Intimate Relationships

I prefer to keep this section private for now :)

Mission/Work

I was back to a normal teaching schedule this week. I've shifted from subbing almost every class to having a few permanent classes of my own which has been very nice since it allows us to get to know each other better and lets me learn more of the students' practice. I'm happy that things are steadily progressing on the teaching front. (+)

Finances

I ate a lot of packed lunches and sort of restrained myself by avoiding expensive chai lattes so, what the heck, I'm throwing in a plus. (+)

Adventure

I'm a little tired of driving, but I am certainly not going to complain about a trip to Joshua Tree to see my friend's perfectly decorated future Air-bnb abode. (+)

Hobby

I went up to sing karaoke by myself for the first time, but it's too soon to tell if that will become a hobby! However, I spent an afternoon crocheting with a crafty friend at a cute little art store, so it's still a win. (+)

Spirituality

I finished reading Wherever You Go, There You Are, and there were multiple instructions to not share the details of whether your meditation practice is going well or not, so please forgive me for doing that in the past! I'm pleased to be learning new pranayama, or breathing, techniques from teacher training, but it definitely requires a lot of focus and discipline to keep my mind on track. (+)

Emotion

I would have given very different answers depending on the day of the week! Wednesday was a cloudy day, I was low energy, sitting on the beach between classes, and could almost feel myself on the verge of tears. I dragged through our group meeting and class that night, and couldn't wait to get to bed and end the day. On Thursday the sun came back, and the weekend was all a blur of fun. Emotions can be such an unpredictable whirlwind; sometimes we just have to sit and watch them pass. (+)

Yosemite

If you ever find yourself only an hour's drive from Yosemite National Park and you're not considering going to Yosemite, well, I kindly suggest you reconsider. I'm glad I did!

It was an early rise for me, but it felt like a full day of seeing the sites and hiking in some trees before making the drive back to LA.

I found it to be well worth the trip.

June Lake

Hi sweet friends!

Last week, I made a spontaneous pilgrimage to NorCal to visit June Lake, one of the places where I skied with my dad this spring. It's crazy how time slips by--I can't believe I've been out here for almost six months already! After seeing June Mountain in the winter, I knew I needed to check out the area in the warmth of summertime. 

Even with the five hour drive up there, the day was full and peaceful. I found a musical road in Lancaster, CA on the way, then spent the afternoon hiking around the campground and lounging at the beach. August had made the grounds hot and dry, but the waters of the lake were perfectly cool and refreshing. And I don't think any trip to June would be complete without a stop at the local brewery. 

I drove around the June Lake Loop whilst eating too many hot Cheetos and scoping out some other more scenic campgrounds. I was pretty happy with the one I chose, but could've used more access to the water (like at nearby Silver Lake in the photo below). Anyway, mine was safe, bear-free, and with bathrooms so I really can't complain.

The next day including a brief visit through Yosemite, and I think that deserves a post of its own. I hope you're still out seeking summer adventures wherever in the world you are!

Sunday Special, Vol. 4

Welcome to September! Here we are on a Sunday that's like a Saturday with a Monday like a Sunday coming soon. I spent the last days of August on an exciting trek up to June Lake and Yosemite, and I will tell you about it very soon. Here's the check in:

Health

Well, I was an unsupervised child on the camping grocery trip so things started off with apples and turkey sandwich supplies but quickly flew off the rails with chocolate pretzels, hot Cheetos, and frosted mini wheats a.k.a. crack cocaine. I tried to make a comeback later in the week, but yesterday after yoga in Santa Monica, I figured why not stop at Sidecar Doughnuts because, really, WHY NOT? There was a very intriguing chef's special chocolate chip donut with cookie dough in the middle (a cookie doughnut, if you will) that I could not resist, but it ended up being a bit too much even for my sweet stomach. If you haven't been to Sidecar, you certainly should, but my belly advises you to keep it simple with Huckleberry or Butter & Salt.  (-)

Family

Monday was my dad's birthday, so I sent him an electric knife since that is a thing dads are asking for as birthday gifts. A major highlight of the gift was finding the perfect card featuring a pug (do you know I love pugs?) flipping pancakes with the greeting "Dad, you're flipping awesome!" (+)

Friends

Even though the mid-week camping trip was solo, it's been so nice to continue growing a broader group of friends here in LA. The yoga teacher trainings have introduced me to many wonderful people, and I've been running into friends in almost every class now. Also, on Friday night, other friends took me to an extra special art event where we scored some patches and gummy octopi (I guess that was a plus and a minus due to other indiscretions which you can read about in the Health section of this post). (+)

Intimate Relationships

I prefer to keep this section private for now :)

Mission/Work

My teaching schedule was pretty light this week because I had originally planned on going to Burning Man, but all of the arrangements didn't come together as I'd hoped. On the bright side, I picked up a new permanent class--Thursday mornings at 9:30 at 24 Hour Fitness Monterey Park! -- and (sort of) started a monthly email newsletter for yoga happenings. (+)

Finances

Still a minus because I was not very firm about sticking to my two times eating out budget for the week. Better luck next time. (-)

Adventure

Very big adventures were accomplished this week! Camping on my own for the first time was a rousing success! And I picked up a National Park Annual Pass in the hopes that many more journeys will follow. (+++++)

Hobby

Do camping, reading, and yoga count? I got a little frustrated with piano practice because I'm never certain if I'm putting my fingers in the right spots on the keys. My grandma says I need real lessons instead of a book/YouTube. Do you play? Any advice for a confused beginner? (+)

Spirituality

Being on my own up north allowed me to experience a connection to nature while I read more about mindful presence with Jon Kabat-Zinn. I had a reassuring feeling of being home and safe in new places, but of course there's always the need to put down my phone more often and just be. (+)

Emotion

Emotions were on high this week since my busy mind loves venturing from place to place. I'm always packing as much into each day as possible, although that can make me a little restless. I'm slowly learning to spend more time sitting when I haven't scheduled a surplus of activities. (+)

Happy long weekend! I hope your sweet days are filled with what you love.

New Video: Yoga for Neck Pain Relief

I woke up with a little stiffness in my neck one day last week, so I recorded a few of my favorite stretches. I hope it helps if you're experiencing some of the same!

Success and No-Success

Well, I was going to give you all a week-by-week recap of my 300 hour teacher training with YogaWorks, and suddenly here we are in week three already! How did that happen?

Our 30-person group meets every other weekend for a workshop on revolving topics (ie. standing poses, hands-on adjustments, pre- and post-natal, etc.) and every Wednesday to discuss philosophy. During the weeks we study under an experienced mentor teacher to attend and assist her classes. We also work in smaller groups of 5-6, all under the same mentor, to practice teaching and receive more personalized guidance.

We're now two workshops, two Wednesdays, and many mentor classes in and, flashing back to week one, I'll try to pick out a most interesting observation from each week.

The lectures that tend to stick with me best are usually the philosophical studies, and our first night class on the Bhagavad Gita kept me thinking long after returning home. The story reminds us of an important aspect of life--discovering our purpose, our dharma, and acting according to it without attachment to results, awards, or success. Can we find our purpose and keep fulfilling it when it doesn't bring riches or glory? And even if it does, can we stay true to ourselves and keep doing it, unaffected by the powerful ego?

Our teacher left us with a quote:

"While remaining the same in success and in no success, such sameness is said to be yoga."

After two and a half years as a yoga teacher, I feel a certain reassurance that this teaching is what I'm meant to do. When I pass auditions or someone returns to my class regularly, I see it as a sign that I'm doing well. But really, the assurance is not about any of that; it's the joy and the flow that I get from the teaching itself. Likewise, in any work or activity we undertake, like playing an instrument or writing a book or taking care of someone, we often find ourselves doing it for the sake of doing it, unselfishly and without concern for a return on investment, simply because something inside said it was right. And that's when we really know it's the stuff for us.

Sunday Special, Vol. 3

Whew! This week was as hot and lazy for me as a late August no AC week could be. I hope you're powering through, and finding ways to be productive (and to relax!) amid this summer heat. Sometimes it's smart just to let the air of the season direct your activities (and your naps!)

Health

This week, I went to the doctor, which I guess a lot of people don't normally do when they're healthy, but we should! My Austin doctor said it was safe to visit for a physical every three years if you're in good health in your 20's, but I'm in my 30's now so there may be a new set of rules. (+)

Family

Lots of phone calls! Nothing in particular to report. (+)

Friends

Some new activities here! Last Sunday we went to a soccer game at the new LAFC stadium and I think I've become a fan. All these teacher trainings have earned me new yoga friends all around, which is always a good thing. And I ate some vegan Thai food with one of my roommates since it's wise to have friends in the places you live. (+)

Intimate Relationships

I'll usually keep this one private since it sometimes involves being vulnerable or putting myself out there to strangers from the internet. 

Mission/Work

I'm feeling great about the yoga training here in week three, but I can't say I accomplished much else besides the basic necessities. This week had me slow and sluggish, but I'm still giving it a plus since all the things were done without any extra efforts. (+)

Finances

If you've been reading the past couple weeks, you know this area could use some work! I am loving that I have the time to experience much of what LA has to offer, but sometimes it gives me a "treat yourself" attitude that does not happen to be very affordable. I've made some carrot ginger soup, and I'm going to limit my eating out habit to 2x this week.  (-)

Adventure

Taking the metro to the soccer game was a fun one! And one night took me out in Venice Beach until the wee hours, so that was new. (+)

Hobby

I have a whole stack of yoga books checked out from the library, and I've been flipping my way through them. I made a few more hair wraps, watercolored a turtle, and played the keyboard with two hands. (+)

Spirituality

My meditation and yoga practice stayed solid, and I experienced some interesting reflections while reading The Dharma Bums. (+)

Emotion

Hm, this one held a few ups and downs this week. I can be hard on myself whenever I'm low energy, so I wasn't happy with the amount of lying around in the evening hours this week. On the other hand, there were plenty of fun times with friends to balance it out! I know everything comes in cycles, so I'll try to let August be what it is. (+)

Enjoy your Sunday, and let's not freak out that the next post like this will be in September!

Hands-on Healing

One thing I love about teaching is that it cannot be separated from the other meditative practices that I'm working on in life. As I teach and work to improve my teaching, I am continuously reminded to step myself, the ego, out of the way. It's distracting to wonder throughout class, "Am I doing this right? Are my words getting through to everyone? Do they like me?" Sometimes it feels impossible not to have those thoughts, but the more I focus my attention on what I'm doing, the more it seems like the teaching is coming from a deeper source, and I'm just another student along for the ride. 

And I'm sure it comes as no surprise that the yoga world has led me to other forms of spiritual practice and healing. It seems like every yoga teacher these days eventually becomes enveloped in a circle of tarot cards, a force field of crystals, and the mist of essential oils. My journey led me last week to become initiated in a more ancient form of energy healing, called Reiki.

I visited my teacher, Mer's, house for the initiation ceremony where she worked with me to explain the details and benefits of the practice:

"Reiki is a Japanese word that means Spiritually Guided Life Force Energy or Universal Life Force Energy. It’s an ancient form of energy healing that has a Higher Intelligence that knows exactly how to heal the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels of
our bodies."

Reiki is a hands-on healing technique that balances the spirit, promotes joy, and supports a health body. It has been found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, lower respiration rate, raise red blood cell count, fight insomnia, and, anecdotally, produce some healing miracles.

As Mer and I discussed the format of a healing session, many of the Reiki principles rang true to me, because doesn't this sound like what we should be doing for each other all the time?

• Focus on the person's highest good
• Stay in the present moment
• Provide a safe space that is comforting
• Stay away from ego
• Always work with integrity and authenticity

Even if you're not a believer in a thing called Universal Life Force Energy, there is something special about the healing power of touch and a conscious connection between two human beings. 

I'll be spending the next month or so practicing Reiki on myself, so that I may soon be able to offer it to others. Stay tuned!
 

Midsummer Music

I'm calling it midsummer here because, really, what good could come of admitting that it is anything else but that? And also, does summer ever end in Southern California? I will keep you posted.

This time of year has been good for me and the music scene. I got to see a best band play a best show at the Ace Hotel Theater in Downtown, LA. It was the night before my yoga teacher training and a last minute decision that I'll stand by for all of time. 

The next week, another best band played a pretty wild and unexpected show at the Hollywood Bowl. There were new songs and dancers and it was something good for me to see.

Also major thumbs up for having found friends here who are into similar music, which is a positive contributor to my not having to be the lonesome girl who just wants to enjoy a show, but I have sometimes been that girl and it was quite alright.

Sunday Special, Vol. 2

This week held a lot of teaching and A LOT of driving. In our 300-hour teacher training, we work with a mentor teacher to assist and attend their classes. I'm so glad to be training under one of my teachers from the 200-hour who is incredibly knowledgable and an amazing teacher along with being kind, patient, and easy to talk to. The only downside is that everywhere she teaches is on the other side of town from where I live. Luckily my flexible schedule lets me get where I need to be, even though I spend a lot of time on the road! Here's the weekly check-in:

Health

I took advantage of my teaching jobs in gyms to use the cardio equipment and the weights. It was the womanly time of the month for me, so I made a couple donut and ice cream runs even though I was reading this book that warns against following sweet cravings. All things considered, I felt pretty balanced so I'll give it a plus. (+)

Family

I caught up with my mom, dad, and sister this week. I was feeling a little disconnected since my mom was traveling in Europe and my sister works crazy long hours, but all of us are usually good about checking in at least once a week. (+)

Friends

On Thursday I had the best day with one of my friends from yoga teacher training! She was working at an art supply store on a slow day, so I stopped by to say hello and we ended up spending the afternoon coloring and painting together (+).

Intimate Relationships

I'll usually keep this one private since it sometimes involves being vulnerable or putting myself out there to strangers from the internet. 

Mission/Work

This was a big week! I've been substitute teaching a lot all over the place and I recently got my own regularly scheduled class. For better or for worse, I've become the go-to sub request, so I had a ton of classes to cover this week. I assisted my mentor's class for the first time, and on Friday, I was initiated as a Reiki Level One practitioner-- I'll tell you more about that soon! (+)

Finances

I had a business discussion with another yoga mentor, and she gave me some wise advice for the business side of teaching and encouragement to overcome my resistance to sounding like a pushy yoga saleswoman. I'm working on a more solid business plan and concrete goals, but I'll still give it a minus for now. (-)

Adventure

Not too much new adventure this week, besides the art supply store and the Reiki initiation. I'm ok with it since it was nice to settle down and have a restful weekend. (-)

Hobby

I made my first hair wrap, practiced the piano a couple times, and tried watercolor. Plus plus plus! (+)

Spirituality

I am enjoying the expansion of spiritual practices in my life. I have been looking for a place to study Reiki for a little while, and it felt perfectly right to do the attunement with Mer. (+)

Emotion

I felt a little scattered this week since my schedule was unpredictable day to day, but my personality really enjoys spontaneity so all of the uncertainty kept me joyous.  (+)

I hope your week was filled with all the categories above!

Manifested Month

I'm happy to tell you that over the past year, basically since going on Echo's yoga retreat in Thailand, I have been able to stick to a daily meditation practice. I've found that it has been immensely helpful in staying connected to my spirit and my intentions and being more mindful throughout the day. Every morning, I wake up and sit for 10-15 minutes as I focus on my breath or a mantra. Sometimes my mind wanders, but lately it's gotten much easier to keep my head clear. 

I've probably told you before, but one of my favorite meditation tools has been the 21-Day Meditation Experience with Oprah and Deepak. I think it's helpful for anyone who is new to mediation, and I love the balance of Oprah's personal stories and Deepak's spiritual wisdom. Even if it's hard for you to stay focused during the ~12 minute mediation section, there are usually 10 minutes in the beginning where you'll learn something important. 

This month's theme focused on the Law of Attraction and what it takes to turn our desires into reality. It felt aligned to my own purpose, because this year I've been seeing more and more of my visions come into being. I remember one of Oprah's stories about growing up in poverty, but choosing to spend her time walking around well-off neighborhoods. She dreamed of living in a house with trees in the backyard, and later as an adult she realized that her own backyard matched what she'd once envisioned.

I particularly noticed happenings like this in my own life when I spent last month living a mile from the beach in Santa Monica. Here are my best tips (really Oprah's best tips) for creating a life that aligns with your dreams:

1. Get clear about what you want: This one is hard for me! I wasn't so sure about exactly what I wanted. I only knew more yoga and more ocean time would be nice. I'm not a great example of this, but bring some clarity to your goals.

2. Visualize yourself where you want to be: When we're manifesting, setting goals, or whatever you want to call it, it's important to really believe that it could happen for you. No problem; imagining life as a yoga beach babe is easy for me! I added some extra oomf with pictures on my vision board: the ocean and a bungalow near the beach.

3. Act as if you've already obtained your desires: Get as close to living out your desires as you can. My first months in LA, I spent a ton of time in Santa Monica. Most of the time, it wasn't intentional. I'd just take a yoga class there and spend the evening waiting out traffic. I have a feeling that spending so much time there made it easy to end up back again. 

4. Don't give up: Sometimes it can take years for our deepest desires to pan out. Sometimes it takes a lot of shaking up to make space for them. Sometimes they show up differently than we ever expected. In June, I had basically given up hope on subletting a place for the next month-- I resigned myself to the ~3 hours of driving back and forth from yoga training. Then I decided to check Craigslist "one last time" and found exactly what I was looking for.

Even if you don't believe in magical manifestations or think the law of attraction is a whole bunch of nonsense, it can be exciting and empowering to set goals (small or large!) for yourself and work your way there. Hope your life is growing closer and closer to all that you've dreamed!

*If you're feeling the call towards a Thai yoga retreat this year, Echo & Cole are going back so check it out!

Sunday Special, Vol. 1

When I was growing up, I hated Sundays. They always felt like a sad day to me. I've kept a jam-packed daily schedule at every age, and Sundays seemed slow and empty in comparison. While my parents, I'm sure, were enjoying a restful day off from driving us around to activities, I was bored and restless. Obviously I hadn't found out about brunch, yet, or the joys of having a free day to do what one wants.

As I became an adult, I promised myself not to do laundry or grocery shop on the weekends. When I worked normal Monday through Friday jobs, I never wanted to waste a full day of freedom folding my clothes or waiting in line at the store (of course, I don't have anyone to take care of besides me, and I'm sure that would certainly change all routines!). Sundays would be for adventuring, yoga, seeing friends, or any special activity that a weekday simply would not allow. 

I've created more mindful rituals recently (but still brunch!), even though I haven't slowed down much and sometimes Sunday isn't a free day for me at all now. I'd love to share a new one with you...

Weekly Check-In

I love to read, and I often read life tip books with the hopes of someday becoming a successful person. In High Performance Habits, I picked up a weekly check-in routine that seems to be a nice way to reflect on the past week and prepare for the next. I hope to share it here with you every Sunday, and I'd love to hear what's going well for you or what you're working on.

Each week, I've been reflecting on the following categories. I'll write a few notes on what was great that week or what could be better for the next. Each category receives a +  or -, and then the week gets an X out of 10. The overall scores don't mean much, but have been an interesting way to see what's building me up or bringing me down. 

Health

I was teaching so much this week that my personal practice and workout routine took a backseat. Plus, driving all over and meeting up with friends meant eating out a lot. I spent Sunday morning getting back to my running and gym habits which I plan to continue into the week.  (-)

Family

This one can be tricky since I live so far away from everyone, but I talked to my mom, dad, sister, and grandma on the phone so I give it a plus. (+)

Friends

This week, I met up with some long lost high school friends at the beach for a day and had a blast hearing their stories and reconnecting with them. Over the weekend another friend from Austin came to visit and we got to catch up and dance in a canyon-- what a treat! (+)

Intimate Relationships

I'll keep this one private since it sometimes involves being vulnerable or putting myself out there to strangers from the internet. 

Mission/Work

This week I finally felt like a real yoga teacher in LA! I taught 9 classes, which is probably half the number that I should be teaching, but it was reassuring to come out of teacher training with a pretty full schedule. On Saturday, I started the next level toward my advanced teacher training certification, and it all feels like the right path. (+)

Finances

This one usually gets a minus due to the whole needing to teach more classes thing... but now that the full-time training is complete, I've been applying to nearby studios and working on building toward a full schedule. (-)

Adventure

I'm still an LA tourist, so this week marked a bunch of milestones. I rode the rollercoaster at Santa Monica Pier for the first time (in the front row, and they sent us around TWICE!), went to Venice Beach for the first time since moving here, and spent a night in Topanga Canyon. Adventures all around. (+)

Hobby

My heart has been calling for me to learn to play the piano, so I bought a keyboard and practiced (ie. tried to learn Drake songs from watching YouTube videos) about 4 times. For next week, I ordered a book on how to actually play, so I'll have something more foundational to practice. (+)

Spirituality

This has been a positive for me even before teacher training. Last year, after going on a yoga retreat in Thailand, I started to develop a consistent meditation practice. I'm happy to say that I've stuck to it nearly every morning since, and have seen many benefits in my life. (+)

Emotion

All the yoga learning and teaching, friend visits, and new explorations had me in a happy state of mind. I'm trying to stay focused on the special stuff in the present without worrying too much about what's to come. (+)

I hope you enjoyed this little snapshot of life at the moment! I'd love to keep these going, at least until the end of the year.

Recap: YogaWorks 200-Hour Teacher Training

I talked to my grandma on the phone the other day, and she said she was happy to hear that so many things are going well in this little life of mine. She also said that she wishes I would go out to more places to meet single guys, because she enjoys having a boyfriend since he waters her plants regularly. Would be nice. Luckily, I share plants with one of my roommates who helps out with the twice daily watering that Southern California necessitates. Plus, I am of the belief that there is much to be gained from tending to one's own garden.

The number one reason things have been going so well is because last week I graduated from YogaWorks 200-hour Teacher Training! I was incredibly pleased with the program and ended up learning a ton of new information, even though it was my second time around doing a 200-hour certification. I found that the two programs that I've completed balanced each other perfectly-- the YogaWorks program was very anatomical and alignment-based while my training in 2016 with Dharma Yoga in Austin focused heavily on spirituality and weaving a themed flow into classes. It was a nice harmony to receive two different perspectives on teaching. 

The month went by so quickly, although I experienced various waves of emotions over the 4 weeks. Some days I was feeling tremendously lucky to be doing something I love all day; other days I was so worn out in my body from hours of yoga practice and exhausted in my brain from hours of studying. I couldn't believe it when the last days arrived. It was bittersweet to leave our group after spending so much time together during the month of intensive learning and yoga. But I'm happy that a few of us will be continuing onto the 300-hour program, starting this weekend.

I packed up my Santa Monica sublet and headed back to the trendy streets of East LA. Although it was hard to tear myself away from the beach scene, I'm excited to be settled back into my sweaty non-air conditioned room that's starting to feel more and more like a home.

Spilling (even more) Secrets

I suppose I left you hanging a bit after the last secret-revealing post. But the secret was that I left my job! Of course, it's only natural that you would wonder what's happened since... 

After about a month of working there and already contemplating leaving, I asked for a sign that would tell me what to do. Later that week, I crashed my car. And I'm not attempting to take responsibility off of myself for being an inattentive driver, but that was a pretty big sign to me!

So I put in 3 weeks notice and booked a long trip home to capitalize on the newfound time off. I didn't know what to do. The jumping is always the scariest part. 

Since then, some happenings have come together. I applied for and received a scholarship to do another 200-hour yoga teacher training-- the same level that I have now, but this one is certified by the Yoga Alliance which is a whole important or maybe not-so-important deal. Then in August I'll start a 300-hour advanced teacher training which is a deeper level for yoga teaching professionals who want to know most, if not all, of the knowledge. 

For the month of July, I've been subletting a room in Santa Monica, riding my bike to the beach, and basically making all of my California dreams come true. Add to that studying yoga 40 hours a week and it is feeling pretty alright to me.

No matter how twisted your path has become or how fearful you might be to switch directions, remember that it's never too late to change your mind. That just might be what this is all about anyway: 

"A further meaning to the word yoga is 'to attain what was previously unattainable.' The starting point for this thought is that there is something that we are today unable to do; when we find the means for bringing that desire into action, that step is yoga. In fact, every change is yoga."

New Video for Chest & Shoulders!

Back at it after a brief repose!

Spilling Secrets

Last weekend, my dad was off in Maryland visiting family and checking out the devastating flood damage in a little city that I love so much. During his catching up with one of our family members who happens to be an avid follower of this blog, it was mentioned that I haven't been posting as much recently. I suppose that's because I was jet-setting a bit and trying to make the most of time with friends and family. But I suppose it's also because I have a secret..

I find that it's more difficult to write here during times of uncertainty. It's easier for me to tell you about travels, tasty snacks, and the best hiking trails than to talk about the scattered pieces of real life and my silent search for the next steps. But there are a lot of other places where you could find elephant photos and hiking trails, so you're probably not here for the fluff. I like that about you.

Back in May, after a few indecisive weeks and a very decisive car accident, I decided to end my term of service with AmeriCorps. I felt guilty and unsure. I didn't want to be quitter, but I knew that the job was not what I expected and was not matching up to the path I wanted my life to take. It seemed like the work experience was based on the dreams of a previous version of me, who had a particular idea of what "work" has to mean, but no longer fit with my goals and vision. On top of that, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that it's a bit challenging to pluck a traveling yogi off the mat and stick them in a fluorescent office with a 90 minute commute.

Once I made the decision, other factors started to fall into place. My manager and coworkers were all very supportive, making it even harder to leave. Space opened up for me to visit home and reconnect with my roots. And some new summer developments have come together that I will tell you about soon!

I'm trying to feel more confident in doing what I know is right for me, without worrying about how it might be perceived. I never want to stop helping people and serving my community, I just want to do it through work that feels purposeful to me. Thank you for being here and keeping me honest.

Not-So-Dirty New Jersey

It's nice there! And there aren't many better spots to watch fireworks than a rooftop deck with 360 degree views. I've tried Fourth of July in other areas, but this one seems to be the right choice.

It isn't too bad for sunset scoping, either.

I enjoyed a week at the beach with my mom. It was full of celebrations, sun, and swimming, with a couple of friendly visitors dropping by. I'm so glad I had the time to visit and that this place can be a special part of each summer.

America's Favorite Playground

Are you looking for a place where you can lose a lot of your money and where waitstaff will assume your uncle is your husband? Well, don't waste another minute, and get your not-too-fancy self down to Atlantic City.

It's important to see your faraway family members whenever you can, even if it's for a one-day meet up in a strange state, so when Uncle Rick and I learned that we would both be in New Jersey at the same time, we quickly made plans to spend time together. I let slip that I had never been to Atlantic City, so he insisted that we drive down together and check it out. I insisted that we should not, because it would be the 3rd of July with possibly scary levels of beach traffic. But eventually he won me over, mostly due to my curiosity and extremely open schedule. 

And it was.. an experience! Some of the casinos were a little empty for a holiday week, but there was much gambling to be had and, of course, the beach. So we enjoyed a day of strolling and sightseeing while catching up. I can't say that gambling is a number one favorite activity of mine, but it was fun to do something new to check off the list.