Let Yourself Land

There’s such a difference between the beginning of January and its final days. Here in the third week, I wonder, are you sticking to your resolutions? Have you altered them? Softened them to fit your real life? As we come back from the holiday chaos—increased energies, hectic schedules, indulgent diets—we try to take back the reigns at the beginning of the year with schedules, rules, and controls.

I, for one, enjoy this. It’s easier to have strict guidelines than to make a new decision every day. “I’m choosing not to drink this month.” I’m doing 30 minutes of cardio per day.” Ok, no questions. But then we get to the third week, and it’s time to check in on what’s working for us. There were the two mimosas on a football Sunday. Plus the day work was crazy and I only had twenty minutes to exercise before teaching a class. A few imperfections. They’ll have to be OK.

If you notice yourself slipping up a lot (and I mean daily or a few times a week), don’t start by beating yourself up or questioning your willpower. If you messed up, first offer yourself forgiveness. Then reflect. Where are you coming from—how was your energy and your life a month ago? Have you been realistic in what you could take on? Are your goals right for you or were they perhaps superhuman? Consider sharing them with a trusted friend.

I’m not suggesting you throw out all of your goals and lie down on the couch (although it’s Friday afternoon so I won’t be mad if you do), but allow some space to assess and readjust. Set yourself up with the best habits that you know you can, and then leave a little room for life to flow in between.

Have a wonderful weekend.

<3 Cori

2021

It’s still January (in case you haven’t already noticed from the freezing temps and the way it keeps snowing!) so I hope I can still do a 2021 recap. While it was another weird year of uncertainty for everyone, but SO much happened this year that I don’t want to forget…

Winter LBI sunsets. Snow! Two spring trips to California. My birthday celebration in Keystone, Colorado. Yoga on the beach, by the bay, and in the studio. Nature time in the Delaware Water Gap (and exploring more of my new state of NJ). Becoming an official New Jersey resident and finally unpacking all my stored boxes into my own apartment. A best friend’s wedding in Amsterdam plus a side trip to Paris. A lovely amount of trips to Harrisburg and other parts of PA to visit my sister. And last but not least, all the holiday festivities and a family trip to NYC after two years away.

My grandma celebrated her birthday last week, and when I called to wish her a happy one, she had some reflections to deliver. She considered the number, and I commented that we’re both getting older. But if someone offered her the chance to wake up tomorrow and be 25 or 35 again, would she do it? “Only if they’d promise I could live every year since then in exactly the same way,” she said.

I hope I feel the same when I reach my 80’s. At this rate, I think I will.

2020

What a day. One of my favorite yoga teachers from Austin, Erika, whose class I used to attend religiously would always remind us, “We are more alike than we are different”. We all want the same things: to feel safe, to feel loved, to feel free. Some days it’s harder to understand how other people think and what drives them to do what they do. Today is one of those hard days.

I find it difficult to believe that this time last year, I was still wandering in Australia, ordering too many flat whites from coffee shops and deciding whether to come back to the US or not. I’m glad I did, at the time I did, obviously because of Covid lockdowns and because 2020 was the year I finally came home.

We’ve seen a lot of memes about the horror of 2020 finally being over, but I’ll remember it as a year that brought me closer to home than I’ve been in a long time. Among all the shaking up and uncertainty in the world, there’s a certain comfort and ease in the feeling of sitting on the couch with your family, or at least knowing that a friend is only a short drive away. I’m still fighting off chin pimples from many hours of mask-wearing, but at least I’m doing it at home.

Yoga Workshop Day 5

I really left you hanging in Bali, and I’m sorry for that! I found the whole trip to be perfectly rejuvenating and exactly what I needed. I had been feeling a little lonely from months of solo travel and brand new friendships, but visiting Ubud reminded me of the joys and freedom of traveling on your own. I spent so much quiet time in nature and in the city doing the things that I wanted to. I learned even more about the yoga practice and connected with many friendly faces.

The fifth day of our yoga workshop with Kino was the closing ceremony. As usual, we kicked off with our daily discussion of the yoga sutras. We learned that in all of the 196 yoga sutras the word LOVE is never mentioned. Still, Patanjali hints at it, with references to pranidhana (devotion), maitri (friendliness), and ahimsa (non-harming). The feeling of love is infused into his words, and any act of hatred would be considered an act of self-harm. He recommends that whenever negative thought forms appear, as they inevitably will, the seeds of the opposite thought should be planted.

In the Ashtanga yoga closing mantra, we ask that all beings be happy and free from suffering. Kino had us take it a step further in a seated metta meditation. In metta, we first call attention to ourselves—if I’m not happy and free from suffering, how can I fully wish it for others?—then to the ones we love and feel close to, and finally (the hardest one!) to those we dislike or the people who frustrate us. As spiritual seekers, we liberate ourselves from wishing ill upon others as we do our best to free the rest of humanity.

The closing ceremony was held at the studio and hosted by a Balinese priest. He chanted and blessed us while we lit incense in our traditional flower baskets. Sometimes I roll my eyes at myself for being an American practicing yoga in a studio with American teachers in such a magical foreign country with a rich spiritual history. The traditional closing ceremony was a way to tie it all together and it helped me feel more connected to the local culture at the end of the week.

Yoga Workshop Day 4

Day four of the workshop focused a lot on physical practice. We learned more about backbends from an old skeleton who hilariously happened to be losing some limbs during Kino’s discussion. We hoped that wouldn’t happen to us when it was our turn to try! By the end of the session, I had learned even more about a safe backbending practice that I think will help me on the road to recovery from a long-ago injury. One of the main reasons I enjoy going to workshops with different teachers is to learn little techniques that have a tremendous impact on my practice. Sometimes you can hear a few people teach the same thing, but for some reason one teacher will say it in a way that finally clicks and stays with your forever.

For anyone who isn’t lucky enough to practice at a studio with a teacher for whatever reason—and this has been me pretty often lately— here are some pieces of advice from Kino on establishing and maintaining a home practice:

• Practice at the same time every day— This will help you stay consistent and avoid potential excuses or distractions.

• Attend a public class once a month— Or, if that’s not possible, attend a workshop once a year. Try to do it with the same teacher every time so they can get to know you and your practice.

• Choose only one “project” per practice— Focus on one key thing each time you practice. For example, this could be an intention or your breath, or something physical like keeping your core engaged during forward folds.

• Guard your energy— Your practice shouldn’t leave you 100% drained and unable to do anything else for the rest of the day. It’s nice to challenge yourself, but yoga should leave you feeling empowered and energized, not completely spent. If you find yourself with too much energy after a home practice, it could be time to attend a public class to get some new ideas.

Our yoga sutra discussion was short on this day. We talked about the popular 2.46 which tells us that a yoga posture should be both strong and comfortable. Once that is achieved, we can let go of unnecessary effort and focus our attention on the infinite (2.47).

The following sutra was new to me—what should we expect to happen when we do the asanas (physical poses) correctly? Number 2.48 says that we no longer become influenced by opposites or duality. In making the asana both strong and comfortable, we balance two opposites: sthira (strength) and sukha (ease). In the same way, we begin to balance other pairs of opposites in life such as like/dislike, mine/yours, pleasure/pain, etc. We are become free to remain steady without the constant distraction of running towards what we like and away from what we don’t like. We clear up space to focus on the higher limbs of yoga— pranayama (breath work), pratyahara (sense control), meditation, and, perhaps, transcendence. Finally, we find a lasting peace that is not impacted by the ups and downs of life.

Yoga Workshop Day 3

On the third day of our workshop with Kino, things got a little more physical. We talked about the obstacles that might spring up on the path to yoga— sickness, injury, laziness, lethargy, all types of doubt, neglect, preference for sensory pleasures, losing progress, bad moods, trembling limbs, and disturbed breathing. There are so many potential obstacles that it takes two sutras to cover them (1.30 & 1.31)! Kino reminded us of some (mainly trembling limbs, doubt and disturbed breathing) when we practiced lifting our legs and butts off the ground in various arm balances. It’s definitely enough to make you wonder how we’re supposed to stay on this struggling path for the long term.

The sutras that follow offer some advice. We’re supposed to keep going by returning every day to a single-pointed meditation practice. Patanjali says that single point can be the breath or any object of attention. This led us to talking about one of my favorite and one of the most popular sutras, 1.33:

Undisturbed calmness of the mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.

Well, that’s easier said than done, especially in today’s US political climate. I know my calmness of the mind has been disturbed when I read or hear about all sides of the debate and upcoming election. Today’s sutra is a gentle reminder to maintain our peaceful attitudes toward our neighbors/friends/family members/complete strangers even when they support an opposing viewpoint from us or act differently than we do. The best way to get someone to hear your opinion is not to tell someone that theirs is stupid or wrong—surprise! If you’re living your best, most peaceful, yogic way, attitude and actions always speak louder than words.

Yoga Workshop Day 2

I started taking yoga classes when I was 19 or 20. I was in college and it was just for fun. I remember learning from an older guy named Bill at the University of Delaware gym. My friend Annie and I would go and try to contain our laughter while he instructed us in partner poses and I would, more often than not, fall asleep in savasana. It felt relaxing and silly and like a perfectly lighthearted introduction to yoga.

The next year I started going more regularly. First two or three days a week, which eventually built up to five days. It started with Hatha yoga, where I learned slow movement, breath, and extended holds. I ventured outside the school gym to a studio down the street to learn Bikram. I liked how the heated room opened up my muscles that were tight from working out and playing volleyball. But I grew bored of repeating the same 26 poses every day. When I traveled to New York on breaks, I found a favorite studio and teacher back home. She was a former dancer who blended the foundations of yoga with creative sequencing. I fell in love with the fluid movement of vinyasa.

When I moved to Austin in 2013, I found that I could have it all. I joined a Bikram-based studio near my apartment that also offered other styles. Yoga gave me a feeling of home and sense of community in a new city. It was the same year that ClassPass started, and in the beginning an unlimited package of classes was unbelievably affordable. I tried just about every yoga studio in the city. I found my favorites (still BFree, Dharma, and Practice) and learned more and more. The quality of teachers and variety of classes made it easy for me to go every day, sometimes more than once a day.

I completed my first teacher training at Dharma and began teaching wherever I could. My long-time boyfriend abruptly ended our relationship and I cried in a lot of classes, seeking peace on the mat. By early 2018 during my last weeks in Austin, I was work-trading at BFree in exchange for a membership and taking two or three classes every day. My practice felt stronger than ever, and I was teaching two or three times a week.

Flash forward to Los Angeles, I was in deep. I completed my 500-hour advanced teacher training with YogaWorks and taught 10-15 classes a week. Keep in mind that 10-15 classes weekly isn’t even a full-time yoga teaching schedule for a new-ish/non-famous teacher—many teach up to 25! I was working other jobs as well. I was so grateful for the opportunity to teach and to learn from my mentor, Heather Seiniger, along with some other wonderful teachers in LA, but by the end of it all, I felt burnt out in my mind and worn out in my body.

In this week’s workshop with Kino MacGregor, we’ve been discussing the Yoga Sutras. These 196 sutras, or truths/statements, explain the basis of the philosophy of yoga. Historically, a person in India would have to memorize them all (!!!) in order to demonstrate that they were ready to begin the practice of yoga. Now, every teacher training covers them, but we’re only required to memorize about 3-5. I’m enjoying studying them more deeply with Kino because she has a deep knowledge of sanskrit, so we go through each word and break down the translation. I love learning languages, and it helps me to understand the full meaning when I can see the roots in a word.

On day two of the workshop, we talked about Sutra 1.14, which tells us the three necessary qualities of a yoga practice:

Practice becomes firmly established when it has been cultivated uninterruptedly and with devotion over a prolonged period of time.

Kino explained further that a solid yoga practice contains three elements:

1. For a long time- A “long time” can mean different things, but in this case it’s one human lifetime. No biggie.

2. Uninterrupted- Kino says six days a week for at least five minutes a day.

3. With devotion- Your intention matters. Why are you on the mat? Why are you practicing?

2019 was the first time that I took any significant breaks from taking yoga classes. During months that I was working and teaching a lot, I sometimes couldn’t find the motivation to drive to a class or do a whole video sequence. When I moved to Sydney, I got back on the horse and began a physically intense Ashtanga practice, but by the end of the year I found that pushing through old injuries and being so hard on my body was catching up to me. I needed to rest.

January 2020 has seen a slow start for my yoga. I haven’t taught a class since October, and my daily practice has often been rolling around on the floor or seated meditation. My mind doesn’t know what to do. Is the rest appropriate, or am I being lazy? Is Ashtanga not right for me, or have I been doing it wrong? Am I still a teacher if I take a break? What should my practice look like now?

This month I’ve been seeking out the answers. The love and devotion is still in my heart, but there has definitely been some interruption. I’m glad Kino mentioned that 5 minutes a day is enough, because that’s about all I’ve been able to muster so far this year. She also told us that it’s important to take a sabbatical from teaching every few years, and I’ve certainly appreciated that. Since October, I’ve been able to be a regular student from some of the best teachers in the world, and now I feel lit on fire, eager to share all I’ve learned. (starting in El Salvador next month!)

I’m also ready to return to a more balanced practice. This week in Bali has felt incredibly healing—thanks to breath work, chakra balancing, massage, and trauma release (I’m spoiled. I know)— and I miss the sweat and power of using my muscles within their limits. I don’t think I’ll go back to taking three classes a day while demonstrating poses alongside my students. But after a sweet period of recovery, it feels right to continue my yoga practice for the rest of this one human lifetime.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. <3

Namaste.

First Steps: Sydney

When the plane wheels hit the ground in Sydney, I felt hesitant but hopeful. Jet-lagged and far from home, but trusting in the experiences that await me. I have to pinch myself a bit to believe that I’m really here. I dreamed up this whole adventure while packing to leave our Airbnb in Bondi Beach back in March. Some voice from somewhere seemed to say that I should come back. I imagined maybe I could drive cross-country, spend the summer in Jersey, and return to Sydney in the fall, but I almost shrugged it off as too crazy of a plan. When I bought my ticket, I even purchased the flight insurance, which I rarely ever do.

But everything since then has seemed to fall into place. My clothes and car are all at my mom’s house in NJ. I put my car insurance on hold for $20/month and took out a “planned non-operation” certificate so my vehicle could potentially stay registered in California next year. I have a place to stay with a dear friend for the first month. I didn’t have to use that flight insurance after all.

In spite of my middle seat, I slept for the first half of the flight here. Then the woman next to me asked if I wanted to switch to the window seat because she kept needing to get up. My streak of airplane seat luck continues! After watching a movie, I discovered a very timely book on my Kindle written by an Australian author. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying offers some of the exact messages I needed to hear and that I have faith will guide me in this whole process. As I settle in, I am reminded not to grasp and force frantically. The author shares the way she fell into composing music and caring for the elderly. Her story rings so familiar to me as she stepped away from a “good” job in banking to chart her own course. From feeling the joy of an afternoon alone beside a stream, to the exhaustion of overworking in service of others, her life stories really resonated with me. I had totally forgotten about the book’s place in my Kindle library, and yet it seemed to find me at just the right time.

As the plane descended into a grey early spring day, I closed my eyes to stop and breathe. Let things unfold. Follow your heart. Don’t chase the money (ok, maybe chase it a little bit to find a job in under a month…) Don’t let the fear of running out of it guide your choices. I am eager to push something to unfold—I set up a bank account, got a new phone number, and sent a dozen applications on the first day—but after my in-flight reading, I am willing to try to be patient and see.

Dog Days

Just over a week ago, I ran a race! I used to run a lot. I’ve run a few half marathons and even a full marathon in Disney World back in 2012. Whoa! Even thinking about running that far now hurts my legs. I’ve been keeping to shorter distances lately; 2-3 mile jogs just to be outside and stay in shape. But for some reason, this summer, I started wanting to run longer distances again. It might be the atmosphere of LBI. People are outside at all hours of the day walking, running, and biking. The island is completely flat, and it makes you feel like you might enjoy exercising, too! I thought about doing the full 18-mile race that runs the whole span of Long Beach Island, but unfortunately it takes place right after I leave for Australia. Instead, I saw posters for the Dog Day Race, a much gentler 5-mile fun run that happens in the dead center of the steamy month of August.

I guess most people probably don’t need to train all that much to run five miles, but I felt like I did. And while I was looking for a manageable training schedule, I came across a plan for training called the Galloway Method. I really loved long distance running, because of what it does for my mental state and because it’s my favorite way to see a city, but somewhere around the 10-12 mile training run, I would always get hurt. When race day finally arrive, my knee or hip would be struggling, and I never fully felt my best.

For the Dog Day run, I decided to try out Jeff Galloway’s run-walk method. Since I run about 9 minute miles in short distances, the method suggests that I run for four minutes and then walk for one minute—the amount you run in between depends on your mile time. I was hesitant to try it. I always beat myself up if I have to stop and walk, or I feel like I can’t count it as a full run. Jeff disagrees. He says that walking for a minute won’t set your time back much at all; in fact, most people are able to improve their times using a run-walk approach. The method also claims to prevent injuries. That was what convinced me to try it. I have to be on my feet a lot for my jobs down here, and I want to keep running, so I didn’t want to get hurt.

The day of the race was insanely hot! I wondered why they decided to start at 9:30am instead of earlier. I wondered why there weren’t more people passing out from heat exhaustion around me. I set up my new Bluetooth headphones that my friend gifted to me and set off on my run-walk. I was feeling pretty good considering the heat. I felt kind of silly stopping after four minutes for my first walk break, but the recipe says to start it from the very beginning, before you get tired. I could tell it was working. While I was walking, other runners would pass me, and then I would catch up to them or pass them on the next time segment. Of course, I’m never expecting to win any races, but I’m still competitive and like to do well compared to my past times.

When we came to the final mile, I was exhausted and happy to have friendly neighbors who set up sprinklers and hoses in their yards to cool us down. [Note to self to serve as a race volunteer someday!] I think if I hadn’t been doing a run-walk method, I would’ve ran over ten minute miles or decided to stop and walk altogether. I was hotter than ever, but I saw the lights from the firehouse finish line and gave it the final push. I was stoked to see that the timer was under 50 minutes.

I declined any of the post-race hot dogs, but treated myself to some watermelon and loads of H2O. As I walked back to my bike to ride home, I was reminded of one of my favorite Tim Ferriss Show podcast episodes when Derek Sivers talks about how he would always take the same bike ride to work every day and would really push himself, ignore his surroundings, and gas it as fast as possible. Then one day, he decides to slow down, take in the scenery, and enjoy the ride. He winds up making it to work in the exact same amount of time, with a much more leisurely spirit.

I’ll be thinking about that on my future runs and whenever I try to rush from one point in life to the next. Wishing you the most enjoyment in your journey, too.

Finding Your Tribe

I was sad to leave El Salvador and all of the adventurous, chill, and fun people I met on the retreat. Lucky for me, a lot of them live in LA, so I was already able to get ice cream with my new friend, Teri, and do more Buti yoga with Pixie. However, I’m a little bummed to feel like I’m finding my tribe in this city right as I’m about to leave again… [*life update here].

It’s been so fulfilling to find other people who want to build their lives into a grand adventure and who aren’t afraid to try something new on their own. I feel complemented and supported by others who aren’t cool with the, “Grow up and settle down” message in our society and who want to grow up and live their dreams while maintaining the playfulness and curiosity of childhood.

When I got back to LA, I spontaneously made a trip down to San Diego to see my friend Sara. We spent Saturday night singing karaoke songs in her living room and Sunday at the beach testing out our surf skills. We got tumbled by some waves, but that was OK. We were doing what we’ve always wanted to do and having a great time doing it.

On the drive home, I got a message from my friend inviting me to a PRIDE dinner party at her house. Everyone was requested to bring rainbow foods or drink to celebrate the opportunity to be oneself and the gift of love for everyone. I wasn’t planning to go home or to the grocery store; I had brunch plans with another friend. What do you know, during brunch that friend told me she had a collection of rainbow superfood powders and we could definitely put together a rainbow menu item. We spent the afternoon making colorful tie-dye waffles (she also happened to have a peace sign mini waffle maker!) and I had the perfect thing to bring to the party.

I’m going to miss all of these people so much! But if there’s anything I’ve learned from living in different places, it’s that your tribe doesn’t die when you leave. Sometimes it gets even stronger as it spreads out and new members are added. And then you end up feeling like you can land anywhere and find a sense of belonging.

Australia: First Impressions

Whenever I travel to a new country these days, there's a certain need to categorize it and figure it out based on other countries I've visited. I've been working to label Australia in this way. When we were walking at night, Amanda told me that she was trying to imagine the familiar with new eyes and see our walk the way I'd see it, so I tried to take a deeper look at the way I was absorbing it all.

I'd always thought Australia would be so similar to California that it wouldn't make much of a difference to come here from LA. There would be tan laid-back people, beaches, and the same Pacific Ocean. Yes, the same one I'd been seeing for 15 straight hours on a plane— isn't that incredible?

It doesn't quite feel like I'm in a new country, but so far, Sydney isn't fitting into the bucket I'd set out for it. The air is different here. It looks like the west coast of the US, sort of, but the humidity reminds me more of an east coast beach town. The way I transported from the airport seemed like I was landing in Singapore, since the public transportation was so easy and efficient, and there's that European influence that can't be ignored.

I feel a little like I'm repeating a cycle of life. In October 2017, I flew to Singapore and then to Thailand for a yoga retreat (where I met Amanda). Now we're here together again, and I'll be participating in a yoga intensive next week. After that first adventure to this side of the world, I went on to teach yoga at a hotel in Nicaragua. This summer, I have plans to co-teach on a retreat to El Salvador. Same, same, but different.

What's the need to get a handle on a country anyway? Australia is Australia. It doesn't have to be broken down into bits of other places I've seen. It's the same way with people. As I get older, I think I can determine upon meeting someone what type of person they will be. I'd better stay away from that one because she's this way, or, ugh, why am I meeting another guy like him? I wonder if I can let my eyes be as new to this experience as they are. Can I take in a situation without judging it or predicting an ending just like one I've been through before?

Amanda says she feels like a completely separate person than the girl who went on that first retreat. I can tell when I look at her life now. She's content in her job and lives in a beautiful, walkable town where she's dedicated to building a life of healing spiritual practices. It's been an incredible transformation, and I'm so happy for her! My own life looks different from the outside when compared with fall of 2017, but I still find myself repeating patterns and thought cycles from that time. There must be more that I have to learn here.

500 Hours

I’m still trying to wrap my head around it, but last month I finished a 500 hour teaching training with YogaWorks here in LA. It feels surreal to be done, since it had been a goal of mine since 2016 when I finished my first 200 hour training in Austin. It even feels a little anti-climactic because I’d been attending intensive workshops every weekend since August, spending 8 hours in the studio studying topics like anatomy, Ayurvedic diets, practicing with chronic illness, and prenatal yoga. Now that I have my freedom back, what was it that I used to do on the weekends anyway?

The end to a training is always bittersweet. You’ve been spending so much time getting to know your fellow trainees and experiencing teaching transformations together as a group. You go through the highs of realization and grasping certain concepts and the lows of physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion and simply not wanting to unroll your mat that day at all. Then, suddenly, it’s time to say goodbye and graduate, and you’re sent on your way with a paper certificate to remind you that you spent the past six months actually doing something.

The feelings are a mixed bag. Some days, there’s immense gratitude for having had the time and space to study with highly trained teachers. At other times, there’s the sense of fear and loneliness that comes with having achieved a step in your plan. There’s less of a road map and no more hand holding, you’re off on your own now.

I’m taking time to process and digest all of the information we’ve been soaking in during the training. What kind of teacher do I want to be? What are my strengths and weaknesses? Where do I still have more to learn? Am I there yet? Will I ever be?

In the meantime, I’d like to share my final project for the 300 hour program. I worked with my friend, Amie Leigh, to develop a series of yoga videos for people who have ostomy bags. This idea has been close to my heart ever since I learned Amie Leigh’s story and heard about her growing interest in yoga. I’m happy with the results and I hope it ends up helping someone. Please share if you know anyone with a similar condition who might benefit from beginning a yoga practice.

Namaste!

This Year So Far

Where have I been? Maybe you are wondering.

Everywhere, it feels like!

Something about January has felt powerfully rejuvenating, but in the way that I want to stay introverted and careful about letting the heat leak out from within me. So I’ve been in my room, working on projects and experiencing what it’s like to plant my feet back in this new home. At the end of December, I really was everywhere. I took the most successful red-eye flight yet to New York to have a full day in NYC with my sister.

We saw the tree and ate some yummy brunch foods. What more can you hope to get out of a wintry day in Manhattan?

I didn’t get much recovery time, because the next day my dad drove us up to Vermont for a beautiful day of skiing. It was sunny and warm and everything ideal for a now-turned-California girl returning to the East Coast in December! Of course, we included our usual stop at the Vermont Country Store. I showed that I haven’t grown up all that much over the years— I ate all the free samples and a whole bag of assorted candy!

The rest of the week at home in New York was refreshing and full of fun and family. I was so grateful to be home this year because, if you remember, last year was a little lonely for me in another country. But I’ll take a Christmas wherever I can get it!

Then it was back to NYC for a full family fun day. Big aLICe Brewing kept us all happy and getting along, in spite of conflicting opinions about how we should spend the day. I’m glad my sister got to take charge and show us around her part of the city a little bit.

I returned to LA with a few days left of 2018 to spend enjoying the beach. I definitely wanted to close out the year with the ocean, taking some time to reflect on the big move out here and how I never have any idea where it will all go from here!

2018 Highlights

Whew! Sorry, y’all. I’ve been off the radar due to travels and times with family and friends. I promise I’ll be back in full force in the new year. Meanwhile, here’s the best of what 2018 brought for me. Stay safe and be well!

January

I woke up in Ometepe, Nicaragua after what was probably one of my most memorable New Year’s Eves.

February

I became a mermaid.

March

I moved to LA.

April

I turned 30 and went to Malibu with Mer.

May

I quit my job (again). And watched my little sister become a doctor.

June

I explored some.

July

I went home for a while.

August

I completed a(nother) yoga teacher training.

September

I visited my other home and watched two wonderful friends tie the knot.

October

I got dazed in the desert.

November

My mom took me to the spa.

December

That’s now! I’ve been teaching and crocheting a lot. And not writing on this blog. And I went home for nine days.

What a year! Stay safe and be well. I’ll see you in the next one. <3

Sunday Special, Vol. 17

Well, I’m just going to assume you’ll forgive me for this being a day late and this being the first time I’ve posted since last week. Just like I assumed (ie. prayed) everyone would forgive me for forgetting that the class I subbed this morning normally starts at 9am while all morning I was thinking that it started at 9:30 (like my other morning classes). I realized my error at about 8:54, leapt out the door and down the stairs, and thanked my lucky stars that I only live 10 minutes from the studio with few redlights in between. I was 3 minutes late and we started class with a few minutes of breathing and settling which, man oh man, if they didn’t need it, I certainly did.

Health

I feel very excellent and nourished today after a very restful Sunday! I can’t say that I felt like this all weekend since on Friday night a friend and I went to happy hour at a cute little restaurant, followed by second happy hour at a sneaky little back bar, followed by regular old later in the night drinks at the neighborhood standard. Five drinks at night and teaching two yoga classes in the morning don’t really mix, per say, so Saturday afternoon called for a nap and some water and then a lot more water. (-)

Family

I’m Christmas shopping in person and online, basically everywhere I go, and I’m so excited to be going home in just over a week! (+)

Friends

I made some new ones and saw some traditional ones this weekend. We went to a new (to me) nightclub for a wild and fun time, and some took me to the tastiest vegan junk food place that made me briefly stop to reconsider my non-vegan ways. (+)

Mission/Work

After procrastinating tremendously, I completed ten hours of online training for a new part-time job and I’m psyched about it! I’ll be helping (mostly international) employees who have been relocated to work in Los Angeles get settled in, find housing, start driving, and generally figure out the city. It should be an adventure since I myself am still figuring out the city, but I have a bit more experience exploring and becoming acquainted with new places in a short time than most folks, so I’m hoping I can be of great help. (+)

Finances

Hmm there’s a delicate balance between making enough money to live and spending it all on Christmas presents. I’m trying to offer more handmade items and more of my presence this year, but there’s of course still a big part of me that doesn’t want to be known as the poor yoga lady who quit her real job and now gives only cheap gifts! I’m subbing a lot of extra yoga classes this week to keep things in the positive. (+)

Adventure

Going out in Hollywood is still always an adventure to me! (+)

Hobby

Well, I’m still crocheting the triangle scarf and I finished watching the Sopranos finally. I don’t know what to say about the ending… Also, at the diner in the last scene, everyone is eating onion rings by putting the whole thing into their mouths in one bite. Do you eat onion rings in that way?? I am much more of a multiple bites kind of gal. (+)

Spirituality

I am definitely realizing the power of a centering session. On Saturday, as I told you, I was in recovery from all the happy hours the night before. I took a nap and was wanting to feel fresh again, so I went to a class with one of my favorite LA teachers. It was harder than I expected a Yin/Yang class to be, but I left feeling so energized and completely reset. The teacher, Jeanne, is really something! (+)

Emotion

Excited for as much cookie baking as possible this week and for New York travels next week. (+)

Sunday Special, Vol. 16

Yesterday someone asked how my week went, and I didn’t know what to tell them because, honestly, where did it go?? There’s something about these crazy days in between the Thanksgiving and other holidays that can make us lose all track of normalcy, grounding, and taking good care of ourselves. On the other hand, this weekend in yoga teacher training was really special for me because we spent 8 hours learning about Ayurveda, the nutritional side of yoga, which I find extremely interesting. I’m excited to share a little more with you in the next week or so. Anyway, happy Hanukkah if you’re into that and here’s a recap of the past week:

Health

I think I combated all the indulgence of Thanksgiving by not eating very much and moving slowly back into yoga teaching and practice. It was sort of balancing when compared with last week, but skipping meals or sustaining myself on snacks alone always makes me feel a little flighty. I’m sure that contributed to this week’s wildness. (+)

Family

My mom sent me an amazing bday package forwarded from the staff at Canyon Ranch! I’m almost a third of the way through, but the gifts of 30 keep showing up for me. I’m glad my mom is the type who will drive to the post office right away to make sure I get a surprise package ASAP. (+)

Friends

This week felt jam packed, so I’m glad I have friends who like to do what I like to do. Some are in my mentor group for yoga, so when we meet to work it just feels like hanging out and catching up. Some come to support my classes. And one will go to see a movie with me that she’s already seen just so I can see it for the first time. Man, I’m lucky! (+)

Mission/Work

I felt strong and stable in the classes that I taught this week. However, I have a training exercise to complete for my new part-time job, and I’ve definitely felt myself procrastinating hard! It’s due next week so hopefully the tips I learned in yoga weekend will get me focused and motivated before then. (-)

Finances

Christmas shopping is tough on a yogi salary, but I’m gathering deals and making a lot of stuff out of yarn. I had a crazy scare this week with Travelocity/Jet Blue and realizing that, for some reason, my flights home were booked in MY MOM’S NAME! How did that happen?! Not possible! But after 3 hours on hold/on the phone and not taking no for an answer, we got it straightened out and I can still go home for Christmas without spending 500 more dollars. Whew! (+)

Adventure

I saw the Queen movie! That was adventurous enough for me. I want to see it again and again and sing and dance and where only sequins until forever. (+)

Hobby

I’ve moved on from crocheting bikinis to more weather appropriate items, like this scarf. And if you count yoga as my hobby, the workshop this weekend was very fulfilling. (+)

Spirituality

This week has shown me some challenges to my spirit in the romance department that make me doubt what I’ve been manifesting in that area. That’s meant back to the drawing board in the dating game, but I guess I can count it as progress if I’m no longer willing to put up with much B.S. from anyone. (+)

Emotion

We decorated our house for Christmas on Friday and I’m so very much in the spirit. (+)

Our Canyon Ranch Vacation, Day 4

The last morning of our trip came quickly, and we were already feeling nostalgic about having to return back to, sigh, regular life. Blah! My mom and I imagined out loud someday returning with my sister, since the three of us have always wanted to go together, yet we can never seem to get our schedules to align. My mom said maybe someday I could round up a group of girlfriends like she used to do. Apparently, if you visit with a group of friends, there is a way that the group organizer gets a free vacation out of the deal so, um, hi friends! ;) The last day was just a morning for my mom and a half day for me before I made my way back to the smoke scene of Los Angeles. Here’s what it was like:

6:15am Why are we getting up so early on vacation again?

7:00am We join the 50 minute speed and hill interval walk, which is enjoyable. We had considered taking an 8 mile scenic walk to check out a nearby canyon, but obviously that is a crazy amount to walk on a whim, so here’s a picture of it. You can imagine that we were there:

via

8:00am The last breakfast! I cry into my french toast and bowl of yummy fruit muesli.

9:00am My mom does a multitude of exercises while I attend acrylic painting class. The description doesn’t tell me much of what to expect, and I’m worried it will be like one of those paint and sip parties where everyone has to paint the same thing and it’s a cherry blossom or a bridge or something else that you don’t really care about. Then I’m nervous because we start really slowly, learning about color theory by blending different quantities white and black into a single color. This lesson actually improves my knowledge of making colors, and after that we can paint whatever we want. I totally copy one of the paintings I’ve seen hanging on the walls at the Ranch, and it comes out pretty nicely.

11:00am My mom’s flight is a few hours before mine, so we eat an early lunch and more dessert bars at the outdoor cafe.

12:00-4:00pm We’re rushed to say goodbye, but we’re both glad to have had this week of bonding together. I stay for a few more hours, enjoying the sunny desert weather, taking another Zumba class, and treating myself to one last soak in the hot tub. Then it’s time to turn in my plushy robe and slippers and head for the airport.

Between Tucson and LAX, I rope myself into helping a couple of Guatemalan women locate and reunite with their relatives, so I feel like I have done my part to give back to society after taking a week of luxuriously selfish pampering. Goodbye Canyon Ranch! I hope we see each other again soon.

Sunday Special, Vol. 15

Happy belated Turkey Day y’all! I am thankful to you for being here and reading the things that I write. I hope you enjoyed a tasty feast and some time with your loved ones.

I was hanging out with this crew all week while their parents were out of town:

Health

It was Thanksgiving, so I am not even going to go here… but my belly was happy and everything was delicious! (-)

Family

I missed my fam around the holiday, but I had looked up plane tickets to fly to see my mom in Savannah for Thanksgiving, and they were $860. No thanks! I’ll be looking forward to going home for Christmas. (-)

Friends

I got to experience my first LA Friendsgiving events and they were such a treat! I’m grateful to everyone who checked in on me to invite me to their homes or to make sure I had somewhere to go. I feel very taken care of. (+)

Mission/Work

I had a much needed small pause from teaching this week, because most of my usual classes were canceled at the gym. I did pick up a few subbing opportunities here and there, so I didn’t completely turn into a melted puddle of mush watching Netflix on the couch. There was just the right amount of balance. (+)

Finances

A financial tip for you: if you stay in your house every day nesting and resting, you are way less likely to spend money on stuff out in the world! That worked for me over the long weekend. However I was susceptible to some Black Friday/Cyber Monday email temptations. It feels like the deals have spread from one day into a two week shopping spree! Yikes! (+)

Adventure

Not too much, unless you count binge-watching a new show as an adventure… I did have some fun explorations going out in Hollywood during my time off, though. Glad for new friends who like going out on the town. (+)

Hobby

My crochet skills have progressed from bags to bathing suits and I made a cute little bikini with cactus appliqués. I don’t think it can be worn in the water, unfortunately, so it may just be a suit for show. (+)

Spirituality

As I get deeper into teaching and my schedule of classes has been filling in, I realize that it’s hard to practice yoga on your own when you’re also teaching 2-3 times a day! Especially when you’re teaching at different studios and driving all over the dang place. On Thanksgiving Day I went back to one of my favorite neighborhood studios (Namaste Highland Park) and took an amazing class that helped me to reconnect with my practice. It’s important for me to experience my own practice outside of teaching, and I am glad to have room in my life to do that. (+)

Emotion

Delighted! This week/weekend was the perfect amount of time to recharge, hang out with friends, enjoy yummy food, crochet, and chill. I feel prepared to be productive this week and (hopefully) to eat not quite so many carbs. (+)