Humbled

Sometimes, you need to be humbled.

Like me. Two weeks ago.

See, I had a huge reality check in terms of my yoga practice. I mean.. I already know that I'm no seasoned yogi and am still working on my strength and practice. But damn. That ish can be hard. And I still have a long way to go.

What brought about this.. revelation, if you will.. was a level 2 (out of 3) class I took on YogaGlo.com (more on that soon!). I figured: hey, I take mixed level Vinyasa classes all the time, I'm starting to get comfortable with inversions (ok.. so really just shoulder stand and wheel {aka the back bend thing}), and I've definitely progressed since I started taking classes regularly last year. Level 2 should be good, right?

Well.. sort of. I could definitely keep up with maybe 80% of the class. Never mind the fact that I was completely tired and out of breath by the end of it. But the other 20%? I'm telling you, that last 20% really made me realize how much more I not only have to learn, but practice and perfect as well.

I have to admit, I was so grateful for the realization and humbling experience. I've been so hell bent on wanting to get my yoga teacher training ASAP, and this was the first moment I was really able to take a step back and acknowledge that I've only just begun my yogic path.

The thing is, I love yoga not only for the physical aspect, but the spiritual as well. The same way being healthy is not simply a diet, but a lifestyle.. so is yoga. It's an amazing, all encompassing lifestyle and philosophy that truly speaks to me. And lately, I have been more committed than ever to progress with my yogi lifestyle.

Have you ever had a humbling, but exciting experience with something you're passionate about? How did it affect you?

Safe and Sound

It's my opinion that simple pleasures are what make life great. With all the other craziness that we all inevitably deal with every day in one way or another, it's what gives us some respite. Some happiness and joy, no strings attached.

You know, like reading a book. Doing a crossword puzzle. Long walks on nice days. A really, really good glass of wine. (Ok yes, these all happen to be very specific to me.. but you get the idea!)

While I try to fit as many of these simple pleasures into my daily life as possible, I experienced one a few weeks ago that was extra nice.. and all it consisted of was listening to a relatively new song with a new ear and a new sense of appreciation.

Here's where you ask what the heck I'm rambling on about.

A Somewhat Odd Introduction

To be completely honest, sometimes I feel like a phony. I feel like when (if) I tell people that I am going back to school (again) for nutrition and to become a health coach, they'll just laugh in my face.

I can't really say why. Maybe because I feel like I don't "walk the talk" enough. I don't eat completely organically, I really (really) love a glass of wine or two most nights, I constantly crave crunchy, salty foods, I totally have binge-induced moments, I'm often anxious.. you know how it goes. And truth is, I've struggled with my weight my entire life. I mean.. who the hell am I to be helping others improve their lives and their health, when I often feel so lost with my own?

In the grand scheme of things, no - things really aren't so bad. Where I am now is leaps and bounds ahead of where I was even four years ago.

But it's a process. I'm not going to pretend I'm perfect, and I don't want others to think I am. I got into this to help myself, but I quickly realized how much I actually wanted to help others, too - others like me, I guess - others who experience the same frustrations and challenges, but who also really want to change them for the better. To implement a newer, healthier lifestyle.. not a quick (temporary) fix.

So.. what's changed in my life over these past few years? I have to think about that for a minute.

For one, I met Scot. And while I was very much ok on my own.. there's something to be said about love, and about relationships in general. I was so lucky in that I found a good one; one that supports and loves and nurtures and challenges (in a positive way). All of it - all of him - changed me. He's helped me stay true to myself, and I love him fiercely for that.

I also started cooking more in the past few years. I read more books, and I went back to blogging regularly - a necessary creative outlet that I let go of for a while, but am attempting to find my voice with once more. I made new friends - good, genuine friends. I've made a new home for myself in a new state and city, and I've fallen in love with it.

Furthermore, I went back to school for massage therapy three years ago, and thus, got out of my restaurant- and desk-job rut. While those careers are great for some, neither were for me. I needed to tap into something that would help me help others - something where I could use my love of movement in conjunction with my intuition and caring nature. Massage has been able to fill that space for a long time, but recently, I have found myself craving even more. Not necessarily different.. just more.

Enter: my enrollment at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, with the ultimate goal of adding the title of health coach to my job description. It goes without saying that going through IIN's program is helping in and of itself, for sure. Since just this past November, I am now about 98% dairy free (I just can't seem to give up cheese entirely!), I've cut most pasta out of my diet, I drink way less coffee and alcohol, and my yoga practice has picked back up. I've started experimenting with spinach- and kale-infused green smoothies in the morning, and I've come to swear by coconut oil. I eat out less often and experiment more with different vegetables.

But, despite all these great, amazing, positive changes.. I've realized that stress is a killer for me. I get stressed, and all the fresh fruit and vegetables in the world wouldn't be able to satisfy my craving for some tortilla chips or chocolate. And while I've mostly learned to forgive myself for this occasional behavior (I mean, I seriously can't help the current PMSing!), I both want and need to get to a point where I don't sweat the small stuff. Where I can deconstruct my cravings and handle them better. Where all of this is second nature, and not such a challenge for me.

And really, it all starts with the old mantra, "one day at a time".

Look how far I've come already.. there's no reason that can't be enough, at least for now. I've made so many small changes, but they all took their own time over the last few months. And with a bit more, maybe I can reach my goal of being more confident and less frazzled. To be even more in tune with my body and have a more well-rounded, satisfying life. That's what this is all about, when it comes down to it.

So, this is my commitment to myself, and to you. I'm not about to hide anything in an attempt to make it all sunshine and rainbows (clearly). But, I am here to inspire, to help, to listen, and to share.

I hope you'll take this journey with me.

Open Hearts

Over the past few months, I have found myself rediscovering my gratitude and passion for yoga. As a former professional dancer, I thrive on movement - and while yoga never played a starring role in my life, it was always a strong supporter. Since I  left the dance world and became a massage therapist, however, it has suddenly become something that I not only need, but that I thrive and flourish on - something that supports and nurtures me both physically and spiritually.

Some of my favorite postures as of late have been different types of heart openers - extremely fitting, seeing as Valentine's Day is right around the corner! In an effort to share a bit about these poses with you, I reached out to one of my favorite teachers, Leslie Edsall, for some further insight. Seeing as she described everything I wanted to talk about with such grace and depth, I figure that I'll let her do the talking. (Hey.. I'll do the poses!)

"In order to give, one must have a willingness to receive. In order to receive, one must have a willingness to give. Inhale (receive). Exhale (give). Inhale (opening up) Exhale (folding in). In yoga, we can access this source of giving through the heart center (heart chakra), a place that fosters compassion toward one’s self and toward others. This is the largest benefit of heart openers, but the effects of the postural alignment is also profound. Heart openers help to reduce chronic neck and shoulder pain, typically due to at length sitting and driving. Students can use heart openers to bring the upper body and head back in to alignment over the hips and knees; therefore, improving the energy flow (prana) throughout the body while increasing the lung capacity, taking in full body breaths (pranayama). Prana and pranayama will bring more ease to the mind for improved health and vitality in the body.

It is recommended to ease in to heart openers and back bending so that the spine is warmed up properly. Yoga classes are typically structured with a few different variations of three or more heart openers."

That being said, "heart openers can be confronting, especially if the physical act of opening the front body and bending back creates a sense of fear. For some students, the energetic opening of the heart makes them want to pull back inward. The best way to overcome these hurdles is to practice and start with what feels right. Students can experience passive heart openers by resting the spine on a bolster or block, allowing the shoulders to fall open and the heart to begin to lift."

Some other, more subtle heart openers are:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose)

Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge)

Students can also approach heart openers “belly-down” with poses like:

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) - not pictured

Salambasana (Locust Pose)

Sphinx Pose - not pictured

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Deeper, more advanced heart-opening backbends include:

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Facing Bow Pose).

Let's not forget a fun balancing pose, like Natarajasana (Dancer’s Pose)!

To wrap it all up, I asked Leslie if she preferred certain heart openers to others (since I'm personally a sucker for a good dancers pose!).

"I don't have a favorite since they all have their place in my yoga classes and in my own practice. Every time I come to the mat, my energy is different and I must honor where I am that day, working from that place of kindness towards myself. Some days it's a gentle practice and others it is more intense. We all must work from that place of honoring what our body needs at any given time that we come to the mat."

Honestly, I couldn't have said it better myself!

In what ways will you honor your body, mind, and spirit this week? Do you personally have a favorite heart opener?

A Healthy Heart

It's our control center, our constant internal pacemaker. It's the strongest muscle in our body, but can get broken easily. It's the size of our fist, but can feel as big as Texas. It is inside all of us, but we also tend to wear it on our sleeve. We live from it, and we love with it.

Our heart. It's one of the most vital organs in our bodies, and one that, like most things, needs to be maintained and cared for.

One of the most optimal and easiest ways to do this is to be conscious of what we actually put into our bodies. Have no fear - one of the the best parts of eating heart-healthy foods (aside from their obvious nutritional and health benefits) is that it doesn't have to mean eating bland, boring foods. In fact, you may be already eating for your heart health without even realizing it!

Before we get into the good stuff (aka, the food), let's go over a few of the key points when it comes to talking about heart health. This will help you understand a bit more about why certain foods are as beneficial as they are!