The truth is, I'm scared. I sit in front of this computer day in and day out wondering what I should say. What story am I going to tell today? Am I sorry? Am I tired? Am I okay? Am I not good enough for this? Some days I really don't know.

What I do know is I am lost. I am not sure who I am right now. Some say this is normal. Some don't understand what that looks like.

Mentally, I feel the best I have felt in a long time, but I'm tired. Physically, I am exhausted. I have been on this journey to really find my purpose and who I really am since last year. It really kicked into gear when I decided to take on yoga teacher training in January.

I have read book after book talking about self care, self awareness, and self help. All of the same topics come up in each book. They all say the same things over and over again.

You must let it go. You must not let anyone else guide you to do something that does not feel comfortable to you. This does not mean the journey itself will not be uncomfortable, but it must be your uncomfortable.

The truth is, this morning I did something that made me utterly uncomfortable, but now I sit here writing that I did it. What is that something? Well you will have to come back tomorrow and see. Link to that post right here..  Overcoming Fears one element at a time

Today my Truth is, is that I can feel uncomfortable and also accomplished at the same time.

Namaste.

Happy Friday lovelies! I am so excited to tell you all about my first teaching experience. Last Friday, I walked into the unknown. I walked into a studio for the first time in which I was unfamiliar. I was also not feeling my best. I sat anxiously waiting for my students. How many would there be? Would anyone show up? These were my questions. I had no idea. I took a stab in the dark and arrived at a very unfamiliar, scary place. A place of the unknown.

After a few minutes, 3 women got out of their car and made their way up to the studio with mats. I was thrilled and scared all at the same time.

It was a woman and her 2 daughters. Only one of them had done any form of yoga in the past and they were at my will to learn. I was in control and I was shaking in my boots.

I had planned only about a 45 minute class due to it being the first time, but because of the small class we had pretty much the full hour. It challenged me to create and make decisions on the spot. It was liberating to have a class listen to me and understand what I was telling them to do was a good thing.

At the end of the class I was able to get feedback from them. I told them not to hold back. They all said they thought it was great and I did a good job. They said being beginners they didn't know what to expect and they appreciated my attention to all of them.

I felt so good being able to guide these 3 ladies into a yoga practice, even with a few bumps along the way.

Now tonight is the real test. I have been told there will be more coming to this class... wish me luck!

Stay tuned!

Oh hey.. I didn't see you there... I mean I haven't showed up lately so I wasn't expecting you to either. But here you are. I thank you.

I didn't plan to take a few days weeks off. I got super pulled into a few other projects and here we are. But no shame. Those projects are inspiring my writing. They are giving me stories to share here on my beloved blog.

I woke up this morning and got a sign that I needed to write today. Something about today needed to happen on this blog. I am putting all my faith in that the Universe knows what it's doing.

I had an assignment today and I showed up. For that I'm very fortunate to feel like I've finally tapped into a clearer mind and letting so much of the mind chatter go.

 Hearing things more clearly now. Things are finally starting to happen in the direction I was aiming for.

I need to share with you all my very first, brand new yoga class. It happened. I survived and I'm geared up for my next one this week.

Friday. Come back Friday.

Xo.

The last 72 hours have been a whirlwind of events. First let me start off by saying, if you work hard enough, dream loud enough, and focus on the positive, things do happen. No, they don't always happen overnight, but they do happen. Oh and you will probably be exhausted after.

Friday I had to take my yoga certification practical test. This basically means I had to teach an hour long class by myself, to a class of 2 or more. I had 4 students plus my teacher in house while I taught. I was super nervous and honestly had nothing planned. I had to prove to myself that if I were meant to be a teacher, I could do it without a plan.


I knew everyone who came to the class except one person. It was comforting and scary all at the same time. I kept listening to myself teach, criticizing myself along the way. I was halfway through my class and I wanted to quit. My internal voice chattered up a storm while I tried to stay focus. I had to start breathing and put myself into a more meditative state in order to continue.

I let my own voice try to sabotage my test. I ended up completing my class and passing with flying colors, but my self doubt got to me. It reminded me that I needed to check my self doubt at the door and remember I could do these things. I was training. I was ready. My internal chatter never made it's way out to the open where the rest of the world could hear. I was grateful for that.

I am happy to announce I am now a real teacher. That alone is a great accomplishment.


Now let's continue on with the crazy. We got up super early on Saturday to head down to Pennsylvania for a friends wedding. We also stopped along the way to visit another friend. The wedding was pretty great and I enjoyed seeing some friends and enjoying some good food. We got back to NY at around 11:30pm and I was beat. I passed out immediately and hoped to get plenty of sleep.

I was up early on Sunday to prepare for my essential oils class and for the arrival for my parents. I had a very successful class with lots of knowledge. It amazes me every day the things I can learn. New gifts to share with the world. It's amazing.



 After the essential oil class me and my mom headed to a mad hatter tea party. It is a yearly fundraiser for a local non-profit. We had such a good time sipping in tea, snacking on traditional finger foods, and enjoying conversation.

I am so exhausted today, but can't complain. It was a weekend surrounded by friends and family and that is something I needed.

How many goals in life have you made, but felt you would NEVER meet them so you either give them up or stop working on them? We probably all are guilty of this. I know I am definitely guilty of this. Today I want to talk to you a little bit about webinars and why they are super important to achieving goals.

I have a marketing degree and have worked in operations and fundraising and have found webinars and online courses VERY resourceful for my building blocks in these positions. We can always learn more. It is always great to take courses in subjects we already feel we are experts at. That statement is bolded for a reason.

Imagine you thought you knew it all, and then someone came in and gave you a perspective you didn't think to look in.  Mind blown right? Every person comes to the table with a different and new to you perspective. Remember, this is because we ALL come from different walks of life. We all have experienced different recipes, if you may.

We are all a custom recipe that is nearly impossible to duplicate. We can teach people a specific topic and duplicate it over and over again, but we can never teach someone to think exactly like us. Trust me when I say, you will learn something from every person who teaches something. That lesson may even be, you don't want to be anything like them. That's actually a very important lesson.

Always be you. But apply what you learn in your way. This week I am starting another webinar course to help me achieve some of my goals. It excites me when I find one that I know will help me. I don't mind spending the money to get the resources I need to build my brand and achieve my goals. I have always love that "back to school" feeling and am glad I can do that on my terms on my time right here on the internet.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of places to find and take webinars. A lot of times you can find free ones that will give you the basics to the in depth paid course. Sometimes the freebies are enough, but sometimes they spark something in you that makes you want to take the full course. The free webinars are also a great way to see if you will like the teacher and how they present their content.

Last night I did exactly this. I watched a free webinar and ended up loving it. I decided to take the plunge and sign up for the full course. Often in these free webinars, there is an offer at the end to save on the course. You will get a discount for taking a chance on the free webinar. It's pretty amazing.

So I'm interested in knowing.. do you use webinars and online courses? Have you found success in them? Share your experiences with me!

Guys I  have to say.. I am grateful this week is OVER. It has been one of those really busy, I can't catch my breath kind of weeks. I am legit working 3 jobs right now. My 9 to 5 and 2 of my own businesses. Can I just say, there is not enough time or energy in a day!

I don't want to say I am complaining, because I'm not. I am super grateful for all the opportunities that have shown up for me over the past 2 weeks. It is truly amazing what happens when you wake up everyday with a positive attitude and a will to keep going.

It is all so rewarding and challenging at the same time. It is bringing growth to places I never thought possible. I have spend a lot of night working on my business plans. I have made flyers and posted countlessly to social media. I can't wait to share everything with the world.

To give you all an idea, I got my first yoga gig. It starts in a month and I have so much work to do to get my classes together. I am going to be teaching to classes a week. Super excited about this!

I am teaching a free class tomorrow to friends and family for practice. I have a super fun flow scheduled and I spent all day yesterday planning music and such. The weather is supposed to be crappy, so I am going to move it indoors from my outdoor plan.

I am also working on being more involved in  my essential oils business. Now that I have yoga I can work on integrating them more together. There is so much benefits from using essential oils with yoga. I just can't get over how all of these things came together around the same time!

So much love for everyone around me right now. Thank you all for the support! I hope you all have an amazing Friday and a great weekend!

It's that time again, another fix has come and I am so excited to share it with you all! If you are unaware of what Stitch Fix is, it is a monthly clothing subscription box where your personal stylist sends you 5 fashion items. It can be clothing, jewelry, shoes, scarves, or purses. You set up a profile of your likes, dislikes, and price points and they get to work!

Check out my very first fix. I loved the first one. I also loved my second one, but was too sick to take photos. I will share some photos soon. This is my third fix, and I specifically asked for Maxi dresses, a cardigan, and a spring jacket. My stylist rocked it. Now here's what I got..

Loveappella Carlita Knit Maxi Dress - $78
I had this dress pinned on my pinterest board so I was so happy to see it show up! It is a petite so it is not too long on me and I really love the colors! For some reason this photo is not doing it justice, but I swear it is amazing in real life! So soft and summer themed! I absolutely kept this one!





Overall I loved the fix. I would of kept everything if it all fit correctly. Sorry for the blurriness of the photos. We were taking them in a hurry as we were losing the light and I really thought at first glance that they all came out okay. You get the point right?

So what do you guys think? Did my stylist do a good job?

Today I end my journey with my classmates. Our classes come to an end and we graduate. We have had times of laughter. We have had times of tears. We have had good days and we have had bad days. But at the end we have all made it to the finish line as a different person then we were just 5 months ago.

I have met my weekly goals. Yoga was the focus and here I am. Now onto a new chapter with new goals. First week up, organization and reflection.

I know there will be much more to reflect on, but as for today I just wanted to celebrate the accomplishment.

We did it! Happy graduation day yogis! <3

Namaste.

Today I am going to do something that is a little out of my element and comfort zone. I am going to talk to you guys a little bit about the business I am working on creating. If you have been reading this blog at all this year, you know I am working on becoming a yoga teacher. The learning how to become the teacher is the easy part, to actually be the teacher is a whole other ballgame.


Over the past several weeks as I have closed in on the end of my studies, I have really put into perspective what sort of knowledge that has been given to me, and what I should do with it. I have shared little snippets of ideas that I've had to utilize my knowledge. Now I want to let you all in on the second part of what I want to do.

I want to teach yoga to women with body image issues. I want a safe space where I can teach either one on one or in a class where every person in the room feels comfortable in their bodies. I have also decided I want to offer aromatherapy and essential oil blends to aid in yoga and everyday wellness.


Also, something fun and quick. I've started a FB group for women only. There will be topics on yoga, essential oils, wellness, and happiness. I also have a thread to share your business with the group. There will be more options to share and empower eachother as the group builds! I would love for you to join us!

Join Potions and Notions - Yoga, Essential Oils, Wellness, and Happiness (If for some reason you can't join, comment below and let me know and I will add you)

I have worked with essential oils for a few years now on my own terms. I've learned how to make blends and which oils can help promote wellness for me. I use them now in my everyday life and realized as I go into this next phase of my life, that I also want to share my love for essential oils with anyone who wants to listen.

I have mentioned a few times how much I have suffered with acid reflux. I recently started using a blend to help with that. I have to report that after a week of trying this out, my reflux has greatly improved. It absolutely amazes me. I hate taking pills, and I've always used oils as aromatherapy, but I am diving more and more into ingesting them as well as massage practices. So far so good.

I will tell you I am a wellness advocate for doTERRA. I decided to do this when I started to use oils more and more in my life. It just made sense to me. I could buy my own oils at wholesale and not have to worry about hunting someone down to place an order. It's a pretty sweet deal.

I am not one to really promote this out there, but I did want to pass along a May promo for anyone who was interested in a wholesale acount. . Anyone who signs up with a wholesale account (no commitment) and orders 100 pv starts off with 50 points towards free product. (1 point = $1 on all essential oils, so you are basically starting off with $50 free!) If you have interest, send me an email and I can give you more deets. No pressure, just sharing the wealth!

So what do you think? Can yoga and essential oils work together? Would you enjoy a yoga session with aromatherapy? Share your thoughts in the comments! I would love to hear your opinions and experiences!

So this weeks 5 day goals are being repeated from last week as, this is my last week before I complete my classes for yoga, so I am going to continue to focus on that rather than add in another goal to drive me over the edge. For that reason, I am not spending too much time on talking about those goals this week.

I do however want to touch on the fact that it is MAY folks. How in the world did we make it 4 full months already of this year? It is just flying! I am trying to not focus on month long goals this year, as they tend to stress me out more than they are worth and I am focusing more on my short terms goals at the moment, but because so many things are happening this month, I do want to focus a bit on setting up some longer term goals that I want to start this month.

As you all know (I mean I mention it pretty regularly! Oops!), I am going to be certified in yoga teaching this month. I am going to start working on a plan to use my training to its best capability and help anyone I can feel comfortable in their bodies as well as feeling healthier, one breath at a time.

I am going to start focusing more on my plan and set up some pretty personal goals for myself along the way. I tend to get excited about ideas and then let them drop when it gets hard. I feel like this is pretty common for a lot of people in general. When the going gets touch, we quit. I can't let that happen this time. I need to work through the hard.

I think I am going to spend my weeks listening to TED talks and Podcasts. Do you have any recommendations for me?

I am also going to continue writing every morning. It has been refreshing so far and really helps getting my thoughts out there.

I also forgot to mention that a friend gifted me a juicer last week and I used it for the first time yesterday and it is pretty freaking amazing! I love the fresh juice while I am writing and relaxing.

I think these things will help me stay on track this month. I am NOT going to give up! I am also excited to write about my date night that happened this weekend. That should show up this coming week at some point. I even took photos! *Pats myself on the back*

What are you working on this month? Anything big? Getting ready for summer? Talk to me!

I struggled with what I wanted to write today. I had a real struggle day yesterday and it really got me down. We all have those moments, I know. I just haven't had one in a hot minute. I am proud of that immensely as I feel like last year I had a year pass on the struggle bus.

I read an article randomly before I went to bed last night that talked about ways to start your day on a better note. One of the things it listed was writing every morning in a journal. Just let your mind wander for 3 whole pages. Write anything that came to mind just to get it out.

At first I thought that sounded a little obsessive. 3 pages? I can barely write one full page let alone 3. I went to bed kind of late and sort of obsessed over whether I would even get up early enough to write before getting to work. I didn't even have anything prepared for this blog today.

As you can see I am posting this at a pretty reasonable time, so the moral of this story is, I manifested enough energy in myself last night to get up an hour and a half early to enjoy the morning. I sat at my kitchen table with the sliding door open listening to the birds chirp while the sun blared in through the windows. I had a cup of coffee, a journal, and a pretty pink sharpie pen and got to work.

I wrote til my little heart was content. Everything I have been holding in this week that lead me to my struggle bus ride yesterday poured out on the pages until there were three whole pages full of hot pink writing. Man did that feel good.

I then sat and reflected on what I had accomplished before I sat down to write this. It was a really great feeling and a great way to start the end of my work week. I am grateful for the little struggles that remind me that life is what you make of it. You have a new start every day to make it right again.

I am going to end my last Friday in April on a positive note.  Can you believe it? When Monday comes again we will be in May. I hope you all have an amazing weekend and remember not to let the little things get you down.

I think I have mentioned this a few times already lately, but I've got the itch! The travel itch that is! I have been DYING to get on a plane and travel the world. Last year I really loved the idea of going on a solo trip. This is something I am still considering. I think it would be so empowering. I would learn a lot about myself. Not that I have not travelled by myself yet, I actually prefer flying alone. It is so peaceful and if I want to ignore my neighbor I can without feeling guilty. Seem wrong? Sue me!

Last year we visited Colorado. It was so beautiful!

So I have quite a few opportunities to travel this year. Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately? Depends on how you look at it) pretty much all of the opportunities come in September. I would pretty much need to take the whole month off to accomplish all of these opportunities. Now that doesn't sound like a bad thing, however my employer would probably not like me so much.

I do have 2 trips already planned, which makes me heart sing with joy, but I want more. I am attending my very first Wanderlust Festival in June. I will be an official yoga teacher by then and this is an experience I've wanted to experience for a few years. Everything aligned perfectly this year and me and R are heading to Vermont to do it. That will be a fun post to write once it happens!

Landing in the Bahamas back in 2010. Man I miss that beautiful place!

My second trip is even more exciting. Me and my bestie since high school are going on a roadtrip/girls trips to this gorgeous boutique spa in the North Carolina mountains. I am so freaking stoked for this one. We are also planning to stop and visit some friends and family along with way. September can't come soon enough!

Now me and the hubs also want to take a road trip at some point and visit the south and we also have our 2017 park passes to visit all of Canada's national parks. We need to figure out when we are going to go and see at least 2 parks. If you didn't know you can get a free pass as Canada is celebrating 150 years of their national parks.

I also have a friend who will be in Costa Rica working her yoga magic, and she has invited me to come visit and stay with her at no charge. I just need my plane ticket. I REALLY need to find a way to make this one happen. It will be in the fall as well, so I really need to figure out a plan fast!

So tell me, where are you travelling this year? Do you have any special occasions or traditions that require travel this year? Share in the comments!

I am totally slacking on my Sunday updates ya'll.. Let me just whip myself in shape real quick.. So this past weeks goals were to be better attentive to blogging comments. That meant replying to my own comments, as well as commenting on other blogs. I think I nailed this one. I had a little drawback when Disqus was not letting me moderate my comments and I was panicked. I then realized I could moderate from my emails on my phone. Problem solved!

So for this week, I have to choose something because it needs to get done, not because I want it to get done. I need to practice yoga EVERY. DAMN. DAY. I graduate in 2 weeks and have 3 weeks until my class I need to teach to get my certification. AHH! It came so quick! So you may not see me as much this week as I NEED to make this a priority and get it done.

I am doing a little side goal of food I consume this week. I need to get back to a better diet. My body really hates most foods right now. I know what they are and I continue to eat them. So, it's also a kind of need goal, rather than want goal. It needs to happen. I'm tired of feeling icky.

Okay on to other topics.. I finally got to visit with my parents this weekend. I have not seen them since early February. They got a new puppy in January. We visited to see him. He has gotten so big since then! He was also less scared of us which was nice. It was a beautiful day yesterday. Not a cloud in the sky. I didn't want it to ever end!

Alas, here we are. Monday again. Back to the grind. I am happy the sun is shining. I need to take some photos today for my Stitch Fix that arrived on Saturday. So many pretty things! I am glad it is sunny so I can get that done.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Welp Friday, we meet again. You couldn't of come any sooner. I'm not sure what it was about this week, but it was pretty draining. Maybe it was the weather. We went from beautiful weather last week to rainy and dreary weather this week. But it's Friday and we can only look forward right? Now let me talk about the things I am grateful for this week.



I am grateful to have a job where I can work from home on days it is down pouring and cold out. My body really does not love the cold, so days I can stay snuggled up in my leggings and robe really make going to work that much easier.

I love that my week although draining was pretty quiet. I feel like I got a lot done that has been hanging out on my to do list for a little while. That always makes me feel better.

I finished the third book from my Spring reading challenge I made for myself. I only have 3 more to go and I feel pretty good about it.

As much as it's hard to be grateful for this one, I am to a point. My body has been very bloated this week. But it is reminding me that I have went off track again with my food choices. It is reminding me that I need to get back on track or I go back to this feeling. Thanks for the reminder, body!

Last, but not least, I have the travel bug. I want to get out there and see culture and get some relaxation. I have pretty much decided I need to take the whole month of September off to experience a million things I want to do. I wonder if there is a way to make that happen..

A girl can dream right?

How was your week?

ICYMI:
My weekly goal vol. 5
Body Image and Yoga

Linking up with: What's Up, Friday,  Friday Favorites, High Five For Friday, Friday Favorites, Oh Hey, Friday

Yoga has kind of become my life. I started training to be a yoga teacher in January and I graduate in 3 weeks! I don't even know how that's possible. It's gone so fast!

If you would of asked me a year ago if I wanted to be a yoga teacher, I would of laughed at you. Now look at me. It has completely changed my outlook on life and what it means to be healthy in my own body.

Today I want to to talk about body image and all the reasons women specifically avoid going to yoga classes. This is important to me, because once, this was me. I would avoid going to a class because I didn't feel like I fit the "type" that did yoga.

It sounds silly, but there can be a misconception on who should be doing yoga. In todays world, body image is thrown down our throats. We are too thin. We are too fat. We don't have thigh gap. We have muscular legs. It seems no matter how you look, something isn't quite right.

As women we are always feeling pressured to look a certain way. This brings lots of self doubt and often makes us feel bad about something we may not even have control over. We detach ourselves from doing things we love or have interest in because we don't feel like we are good enough.

Not the best photo, but you get the point! - More professional photos coming soon!

Our bones are not all the same length or even shape. If you are trying to get into a pose and you are experiencing bone on bone action, that is no joke. You can't force a bone to go somewhere it wasn't meant to go. I know plenty of "skinny" women who can't touch their toes. They were not build to do this. And you know what? It's perfectly fine!

Yoga is not about getting into that perfect shape, it's about doing what your body needs. Reap the benefits of the pose, and quit looking around to see how everyone else looks. I stopped doing this, and now I can get lost in my own practice. My body feels amazing and that is all that matters to me.

Once I got into this mind set, it made me realize that I am doing what my body needs. Not what someone else's body needs. In one of the last classes I went to, I looked up in a challenging pose. What I noticed floored me. Everyone in the room was struggling. It wasn't just me.

Yoga is hard sometimes for everyone. No practice is ever the same. We all have good days and we all  have bad days. I know there will be students in my classes that will be more advanced than me. I am okay with that. It is not a competition. We can all learn from one another.

So as I close this thought, I want you all to know, if yoga calls to you, just go for it. Your body will thank you. I also want to let you all in on a little secret. I am building a business plan to offer yoga to women who are afraid to take that leap. Build a safe space for them to come and be themselves and to still love their body, no matter what your "shape" is.

I feel like my purpose is to help other beautiful ladies love themselves as much as I have learned to love myself through this journey.

Share with me your experiences with yoga, and what if anything keeps you from going to a class. I would love to hear your stories! Remember, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Soooo.. This should of gone up yesterday, but it was Easter and I was having the best day ever, so I kind of slacked off about being on the interwebs. But you know what? I don't regret it at all. It was a day of pure bliss for me, and I can't apologize for that. So let me talk about my goals real quick and then I will tell you all about my amazing weekend.

For those of you who are new, I am working on 5 day goals to reach bigger goals. Sometimes long term goals can be tricky and you need to get little things in order before you get there. Each week I share my challenge and then normally report back here on Sunday to let you know how it went. I invite you all to join me on this goals. We can support each other as we go!

Last week I challenged myself to get outside every day. Even if it was just 5 minutes. I am happy to report that I made it outside and enjoyed wayyyyy more time than 5 minutes. It was glorious to feel the sun on my face. The warmth of the sun brought me comfort. I just really loved connecting to the Earth. This is something I need to continue to do to keep my well being strong and happy.

Now for this week, I am going to focus on blogging goals. I am going to be more attentive to my comments and commenting on other blogs. I kind of lost that aspect this past week. It was not because I was ignoring anyone, I just got lost in the beauty of disconnecting. The other part was work was super busy and I had no chances like I usually do to read during work hours.


Now onto my weekend.. I had Good Friday off and I spent the day catching up on yoga reading, basking in the sun while my cats frolicked outside, and just enjoying Spring in all of it's glory. I also had a meeting about a potential business opportunity. More on that later as things unfold.

Saturday I spent the whole day with my yoga family. I always love these weekends. I am surrounded by love and positivity. I had many breakthroughs and even shed some tears. I felt so loved and supported as I was able to share some of my darkest regrets and secrets. I was able to let them go knowing I was forgiven by these wonderful people.

Easter Sunday was amazing for me. We had a later start for yoga, due to the holiday. I had breakfast with my love out on our deck in the sunshine. We cleaned up the house a bit, making it feel so warm and cozy. I took a walk to enjoy the nice weather. I went into yoga where I taught an impromptu 30 minute yoga set to a classmate in which I felt very confident with, which is all so new to me.

I had a vision of what I wanted to do with my yoga once I graduate. I am so excited about my plan and again as things unfold I will share it all with you guys! I am just so excited for everything that has been shown to me during this journey. I cannot say it enough. It is so refreshing and pure.

I hope you all had an amazing weekend and I would love to hear about your goals if you are following along with me! Happy Monday!

Today I am linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Chrissy.

I am so grateful to have found these ladies and their group, The Peaceful Posse. It is such a warm and welcoming space. I love that about the blogging world. Find a tribe that will help you along when you are feeling defeated. I can honestly say I am blogging more regularly due to this group.

So onto this week and weekend.. I am off today. My first time having a job where today is considered a holiday. It is really nice to have a day to recharge. It's been a crazy few weeks. I am spending today working on my yoga homework and having some "me" time. It is wonderful.

I am also working on some projects for this blog, which also excites me. I am so glad to have this space back. It makes me feel productive and like I am doing something for me and those who read this.

This weekend I will be immersed in my yoga training. I am only 2 trainings away from being a teacher ya'll! That is so crazy to think about. I can't wait to have this under my belt and ready to reach the world. I am also working on some projects related to that. I am hoping you all will enjoy learning some of this wellbeing magic I have learned.

I am not doing much for Easter other than yoga and dinner with my hubs. It will be low key. Just what I need. Some R & R. What are your plans?

Today is absolutely beautiful out. I am sitting here typing this on my back deck. The sun is shining on me. My cats are getting some nice play time outside and there isn't a cloud in the sky. A perfect way to spend a day off. I am so grateful for this kind of weather. It really makes the mood lift.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and Easter and Passover.

I got four compliments this week on how blue my eyes look. My eyes have always been my favorite feature. It made me smile to know the sparkle was back. People were noticing I am coming back to myself again. It's a great feeling.



I am excited about my makeup again. I like to play with my makeup and make my eyes pop. I am also noticing I am taking an interest in fashion. I have always liked looking at fashion, but was always scared to try new things.

I recently signed up for Stitch Fix. You may have caught my first fix. I was dealing with a lot when my second fix came in March. I absolutely loved everything that came in but never had a chance to post it. I got a pair of teal skinny jeans, something I would have never bought myself, and I have to say, I am in love.

I am expanding my horizons. I am working on getting healthy. Things are going good. I am looking forward to my next fix which should be here next weekend. I can't wait to share it with you all. I asked for some specific pieces, as I have a wedding coming up next month.

I am not quite sure where this post is going, but I wanted to ramble on about my interests coming back. I am happy again to try new things. It's a wonderful feeling.

What is making you happy these days?

I had a lot of discussion about my health this weekend with my yogi friends in training. I had mentioned I feel like I have been sick through out this whole entire training and yet somehow I am still standing, ready for the next thing.

One of the things that everyone agreed on, is this journey moves things. This journey opens up things in your body, bit by bit. My body is cleansing itself of all the stuff I have held in for all of these years. All of the pain. All of the secrets. All of the disappointment. Anything negative.

It all got there through pain and stress. It all has to come out the same way. There is one thing I have noticed through all of this. I have felt stronger than ever. My body may be going through some hard stuff,  but I am able to see things differently. My day to day life feels clearer.

My relationships have changed. I am able to interact with people differently. I can speak my mind in a way that isn't negative, but is also showing people I am not a doormat. I am able to remind people that everyone has their own views on life and things they do, but that doesn't mean their way is the right way, just as my way may not be their way.

So many great things have come out of this journey. Friendships. Confidence. Strength. I am sad that it will be coming to an end in a month. I am also very grateful to have had this opportunity and experience. It really has made me a better person. It is making me the best me I can be.

It is opening doors for me left and right. Not just opportunities, but also knowledge. I am going to take this with me into new adventures. I am going to use it to teach and educate. I am going to use it to learn. So many great things.

Have you done anything in your life that changed it for the better? Tell me about it! <3

Another week down, another week of challenges. Last week I said I was going to up my water intake again, since I didn't do so well on my first challenge. I am happy to report that I met my water in take and I feel great. I got back into some physical activity. I am feeling stronger.

Now onto this coming week. I had to really think about what I wanted to accomplish this week. There has been so much going on that it makes it tough to stick to one thing. This week I am going to spend time outside everyday. It is supposed to be really nice out and with working from home I don't get out as much as I used to.

The sunshine will be nice.

What do you plan to do this week?

Guys I am happy to report that "Cal" has finally passed. It was uneventful and only a little painful. For those of you who have no idea who Cal is, it was my kidney stone. Yes I named it. No I don't think that's weird. Moving on.

So I had a visit with the specialist about he stone. Had an ultrasound done and they could tell me I did indeed pass the stone, however I had 4 more behind it. I have 2 stones in each kidney. Lovely right?

Moving forward I have a very strict diet to follow while we conduct a few more tests to see the exact cause of the sudden kidney stone party in my kidneys. The good news, these stones are pretty tiny compared to Cal, so I may not even feel them pass, but if they should get larger before they pass I will be in the same boat again.

So let's talk about this diet. Basically I am going to call this the fat kid diet. Basically all of the foods I love to consume to be "healthy" are on the list to cut out of my diet. Things like spinach, peanut butter, sweet potatoes, tea, and the list goes on. Now if I am okay with gaining tons of weight, I am allowed things like soda, fruity pebbles, mayo, and other sugary items.

This makes me so sad. I was starting to do very good in my diet. There still are things I can eat, it just makes it that much more challenging. I of course am encouraged to drink tons of water, thus the reason for another 5 day challenge to drink more water.

On a better note, I have been able to finally do some exercise and practice more yoga since the stone passed. This at least makes me feel like I can still work on my fitness. I did a lot of walking/light hiking this past weekend. I went on a long walk with a friend on Monday to a beautiful waterfall and I clocked burning over 700 calories. That was awesome.

I took a rest day yesterday and plan to do some cardio and strength training today on my breaks from work. I am seeing things finally looking up! Makes me feel better.

How is your week going?

Another week, anothere goal. Last week I pledged to write 5 letters. One everyday of the week. Monday was strong. I banged out that letter and had it all ready to go. The rest of the week, not so much. I was still so focused on the stone issue that I didn't get the others done. Something to finish up this week.

So for this week's goal, I think I'm going to focus again on my water intake. This is something that I lose steam at quickly. My body needs the water, so I'm aiming to drink at least 40 ounces a day, if not more.

What are your goals this week?

You guys, I am such a slacker! I am excited though to share my Spring reading list with you all. I have what seems like a bazillion books laying around my house, yet always seem to find the need to buy another 5 or 6 here and there. I have decided to put my foot down.



My community has a Spring and Fall book sale where I can get some great books for as low as a quarter. That sale is coming up in May and I REALLY need to read some of these books before I go buy some more. It will kill me if I can't attend, but I need to have some restraint. So I have decided to challenge myself to read these 6 books before the sale comes. I have a nice little mixture of different genres so I am hoping to get them all done.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes - I have been wanting to read this book forever. I did cave and see the movie, but I still want to get this one read. I found it at the Fall book sale for super cheap and have no real excuse on why it isn't read yet.

Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo - I started reading this LAST Spring right after I brought it home from the Spring book sale. I am almost halfway though, but for some reason just put it down and never picked it back up. It's not that I didn't like it. I am really not sure why it never got picked back up. I am not a quitter so I am going to finish this book!

This Year I Will... by M.J. Ryan - I have had this book for awhile now. I found it on clearance and really wanted to get it read early this year. I am going to power through this one because self-help is my new favorite kind of book!

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick -  I got this for my birthday in December and keep looking at it and just haven't had the interest to read. I am going to get this one done because I love Anna and can't wait to read her book!

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern - I picked this one up at the Fall book sale as well. It has been reviewed all over the place as an amazing book, so that is why I got it. Again, just never picked it back up after it came home. I am excited to read something different.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty - So this one is on my kindle so I have no photo of it. I started reading this a few weeks ago. It has been SO slow moving for me. I have heard wonderful things about Liane's books. I am wondering if I just started off with the wrong "first" book. Can someone please tell me it gets better or maybe that other books are faster paced? I am at 48% and it is kind of driving me nuts to read.

I may add books to this list as I go on, but this is a good start for me.

What books are you reading this Spring?