It's been weeks, but I am still here!

It's been quite a June: I turned 30 on June 6th; my husband and I went up to Upstate New York for a weekend to celebrate the sweet union of two of our close friends; then I spent a blissful five days up in Stratton, Vermont with my friend Nikki - I practiced yoga for about four hours a day (give or take), meditated, drank in the sunshine and beauty of the mountain, danced freely in a black-light heated room and to the amazing tunes spun by awesome DJs...but more on all of that soon.

Since attending Wanderlust and being home (still soaking in it's afterglow), I'm noticing an increase in my own awareness of things more, specifically my reactions. I wholeheartedly credit this to my increase in mindfulness and yoga; I've started noticing that I am thinking more clearly to avoid that knee-jerk reaction.

Since 29 was my Saturn Return year and my pivotal shift into more of a healthy lifestyle, 30 felt more easeful. However, as I mentioned, June has been a busy month! But despite the business, all of these aforementioned factors have eased my human mind, which is susceptible to getting overwhelmed or anxious, or caught ruminating on useless thoughts. 

Ok, pause: are you totally judging me? It's ok! It's normal. You might be thinking, "this is bullshit," or maybe "um, this girl is weird," or "so you turn 30 and spend a bunch of $$ on a yoga festival and now you're all enlightened?!" I'm not sharing this to sound haughty or to brag about myself. I'm sharing it because I want to celebrate it, acknowledge it, own it, and pass the good word along to anyone who may benefit from it.

I'm not saying drop everything and go on a yoga retreat. I'm not saying go spend money on anything, actually. What I am suggesting is remembering how much power you have. You can embrace the whirlwind, and you can do so without getting swept up. 

Practice something you love, and maybe try to do it every day. This can be reading, cooking, drawing, singing...do this act fully, allow yourself to do only this one task (e.g., please don't multitask!). Be fully present and make the time for it! Reflect on how you feel after a few days, notice the shifts in your mind, in your soul. Notice how you're able to stop and breathe before reacting; notice how your thoughts are more evenly-paced and more healthy; notice the lightness you now embody.

In addition to incorporating something we love into our lives on a daily basis, it's also helpful to reconnect with nature, especially if you're an urban dweller like myself. Even if I can't readily kick off my shoes and walk barefoot in the grass, just strolling and admiring the thriving green growth of summer is enough for me to feel reconnected. 

Now that you've finished reading this, go outside. Go take five deep, nourishing, skin-breathing breaths. Walk through nature, admire the trees cleansing our air. Sit and watch, whatever is around. Be present. Be kind to someone. Smile at someone random! Just be, just do it, and don't judge yourself or the outcome of the act. It is what it is, and that's ok. Give yourself permission to pause and take a moment to inhale and exhale while in the whirlwind.

​- S

Things have been very busy lately! I'm taking an awesome Sport Psychology class and the readings have been taking up a lot of my free time. I'm also in my birthday week (more on that later!), we just celebrated my two-year wedding anniversary tomorrow is our TWELVE-year dating anniversary and my close bestest longtime friend Stacey and her family will be in town (BBG oh my goodness!)...and then Wanderlust GAHHHH ERMERGERD! I can't wait! So, things are busy, but all good things.

Anyway, lately I've been trying to recall this idea of focusing on what my body can do versus what it cannot. Sometimes - this actually happened this morning - I catch myself paying too much attention to those around me in my gym classes. As you may recall, I struggle with arthritis but have a decent idea of what exercises I can and cannot do. Sometimes, though, little Miss Ego shimmies her way into the room and I start to feel myself lose my focus on myself. I start to think, "Ok, I'll just try this next move...it's killing my knee but I should be able to do this, ughhh!" or I push myself too far and too hard... Then afterwards, while I'm struggling with the soreness and throbbing pain, I realize that it was indeed Miss Ego and not me that took over in that moment. I lost site of my body's limits, trying to force a square peg into a round hole. It just doesn't fit!

Every body is different. Every human is different. Just because something is offered to you it doesn't mean you have to take it. Modify! There is NO shame in modifying anything in exercise. If anything, I think it shows respect for your body, and how present you are in that moment; how lovely it is to take the time to listen and care for our bodies.