To Be Brave...

As February approaches (January where have you gone?)it is an excellent time to take a peek back at the New Year's Resolutions you were so excited about at the beginning of this month... 

I wrote this on January 1st: "2011, I bid you adieu - you were a stressful year, a whirlwind-of-ups-and-downs year. But I forgive you. I will choose to remember you in your very best light - my engagement, earning my 200hr certification, the accomplishments and joys of my friends and family. I also choose to be motivated by your upsets. I will not be afraid to make changes or take chances this year." 

Instead of posting my resolutions for you all to share, I decided to save them and check in again in a few weeks. I wanted to give myself goals I could stick to this year. Really, more than a list of goals, I wanted to give myself an intention. Setting an intention implies that first you need to recognize the way in which you would like to change. To do so we need to look inward, form a bit of a plan to weed out what is not serving our intention - to see if we are holding ourselves back in any way. Then you can move forward and create real change. The word for this in Sanskrit is 'sankalpa' or: resolve, determination, good intention.

After a good hard look at myself, I decided that my number one resolution this year is to be brave. Sometimes, in order to do what is best for you, you have to face fears and give in to the unknown. You have to surrender. You need to make room and accept that change may take time(versus whatever instantaneous result we crave). This idea can be daunting enough that we decide, instead, to stay exactly where we are - even if it means we are not as happy as we know we could be. Doesn't that just have a need for sankalpa written all over it? 

It seems to me that this lack of drive is fear causing us to pause on our path, so I resolve to (gulp) be brave. I cannot say that I want to teach more yoga, but not go out and audition. I cannot say I want to publish my writing, but never submit my work.  I would like to push myself to achieve more this year and can only do that by taking more risks. So cheers, 2012, your first month nearly at an end, I welcome the adventure. 

New Class!

I am very excited to announce that for the month of November I will be teaching at The Giving Tree Yoga Studio, in Astoria! I am so pleased to be a part of their fabulous community and encourage you to come check out The Giving Tree.

Join me Mondays, 10:00am-11:30, for a rocking Vinyasa flow class. Class is by donation - so you can pay what you like to get your yoga groove on! Each month this 'Yoga for a Cause' class is dedicated to a different fabulous charity. (Look for more on that soon!) Feeling very excited and honored!

New Glasses ... for Love Your Body Day!

In honor of Love Your Body Day, I will share that today I picked up my first pair of glasses. Glasses were so not a part of my identity... until now. 

Love your body - all your changes, gains, loses, breaks, bumps, good/bad hair days. 

Embrace it. Love it for all that it is and can do. 

A few other things on my body list: 

-degenerative discs 

-a nose that has been broken 

-two tattoos 

-five ear piercings (used to be six) 

-huge hair

-chicken pox scars

-t-nail shot through my thumb scar 

I have a yogi, nerdy, trips-over-her-own-feet, sexy body! 

What makes your body list?