rejuvenation motivation

i love reading about what others do to relax and renew. it always leaves me inspired and gives me great ideas for things i can do for myself. so in honor of all of those bloggies out there dedicated to self-nurturing, i thought i'd share some of the things i did to recharge and bliss out during my 'time out'

* put cell in bedroom at 8pm every night and refused to check it until after i'd enjoyed breakfast the next morning

* took time to notice the changing leaves, colors and weather during walks with the pup -this was an overall theme... i slowed down. and i'm always amazed how much more i appreciate everything in my life when i actually take the time to notice and pay attention to it

* treated myself to daily mugs of green tea and Emergen-C

* spent hours browsing fun recipes and trying my hand at new dinners and treats for the hubby and i

* cleaned the casa and de-cluttered

* enjoyed numerous hours catching up on inspirational, self-caring and beautiful blogs (i even found more i love!)

* looked up fun things to do while in st.lucia - kayaking, yoga, pilates, salsa dancing...  so excited!!

* grabbed some books i had abandoned and started them again

* steaming hot baths

* glasses of vino

* morning ashtanga

* running -half marathon training

*planned more fun hubby birthday things

* found some small races and yoga workshops to sign up for so i have something to continuously look forward to

this practice in self care has left me rejuvenated. i've practically inhaled my weights worth of green smoothies, i've taken time to make some fun plans, indulge in yoga at home (something that i don't do much because i'm usually practicing at the gym or studios) and catch up on some movies (thanks, netflix!) i am still incorporating a lot of these daily because we all deserve a simple luxury or two everyday. and luxury doesn't have to come in the form of a new car or $10k price tag... just reading the paper with coffee and doing nothing for a few hours on a random weekend morning can be deliriously luxurious.

ahhhhhhhhhhhh

do you have a self care routine or something you go to when you need a recharge? 

image

november dreams and indulgences

it's a new month and you know what that means! a new page in my journal dedicated to monthly goals and treats. it's a packed month and i'm so excited it's finally here.

november dreams + indulgences

* weekend getaway out east with awesome friends
* hubby's big birthday celebration in st. lucia
* yoga, hiking, spinning, kayaking, paddleboarding, beach lounging and daily massages in st. lucia
* meeting up for lunch with a friend from cali i haven't seen in months
* thanksgiving!
* adopting a turkey
* co-hosting a vegan thanksgiving dinner with friends
* more half marathon training
* more focus on ashtanga practice
* another hubby birthday celebration at a thai restaurant
* belated anniversary dinner for hubby and i with my parents

what are your november dreams/goals/aspirations?

techie time out

every now and then i tune out of technology. i don't blog a lot, or comment on other blogs, or even tweet or facebook much. these time outs are something i brought into my life when i see myself becoming a little too dependent on them ::insert blushing, embarrassed emoticon here::

i realized about two weeks ago that i was getting caught up in too much online and TV time, so i put  myself on a time-out and re-energized myself. when things get hectic, my running and yoga-ing and reading and meditating tends to fall a bit to the wayside -oops!- and my "turn on the TV and zone out for a couple of hours" becomes my routine. so, after much introspection and reflection, i've come back to play!

and here's my question of the day: why do you yoga?

i was asked what the benefits of yoga are the other day in class. it was a young girl, in her teens, that was super new to yoga and expressed confusion as to why someone really practices yoga. i prefaced my response by telling her she was going to get a seriously abridged version -otherwise i'd still be answering her question on her thirtieth birthday- and i told her people practice for very unique reasons.

for example, i came to yoga purely for the emotional aspect of it. i was seeking relief from a painful and life-consuming anxiety disorder and was craving the emotional release. some people adore the physical aspect of the practice and thrive on rockin' out a power vinyasa. my practice has recently evolved into the Ashtanga primary series as i now seek some of my yoga practice to complement my running and keep my body fit, toned and healthy. i also expressed how some people love bhakti yoga and kirtan and really connect to the spiritual side.  i am not a religious person by any means, but yoga has brought me more into a spiritual connection that i didn't think i had within myself. 

so, as you can see (at this point her eyes were glazing over) people practice for the physical aspect, the spiritual connection, the emotional release, the fun, the structure, the relaxation... its limitless!  and it is always changing.  as my life changes, so do the things i need out of my practice. 

so why do you practice your yoga? is it the same reason you started practicing? how has your reason for practice changed during your life?

image