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!