om monday: reason for the season

with the holidays just around the corner, it's easy to feel a bit overwhelmed by our (endless) to-do lists.  buy presents, get the tree, decorate the house, wrap the gifts, attend holiday gatherings, and...oh yeah...enjoy the season.  but the truth is our to-do lists don't define us or our experience of this time of year.

"we're the creators of our own experience - remembering this, and living our lives from this perspective, empowers us."  - mike robbins

we have a choice in all of this, believe it or not.  we can allow our obligations to get the best of us and suck the fun out of this magical time of year, or we can choose to shift our experience.  easier said than done, i know.  but the first step is recognition.  in that moment when you're mind is reeling, and you're feeling like you'd rather check-out than tackle your next obligation, just pause.  take a deep breathe and notice where the "pressure" to get all those to-dos done is coming from.  my guess is that it's not from your boss or spouse or friends, but, at least in my case, it's self-imposed.  an arbitrary standard for "success" that i've set and now much live up to.

credit {here}

i encourage you all to pause.  take a deep breathe, and really reflect upon how you want to experience this holiday season.  because, when it comes down to it, you're the one holding the reigns.

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om monday: all or nothing

i have to admit, i'm a follower of the "all or nothing" thought process from time to time.  it's not something that i'm proud of, but it's something i've come to recognize and work with.

in case you're unfamiliar, "all or nothing" thinking goes like this - "ugh, i already ate way to many sweets....might as well have some more since healthy eating is shot for today". or maybe a few obstacles come up as you begin to pursue a new venture and you throw in the towel.  all or nothing is the code of the perfectionist.  either things are perfect or they're not...there's no in between.  no gray area.  no room for growth.

credit {here}

when we harden around trying to be perfect, we close ourselves off from boundless opportunities.  yoga teaches it differently.  it's about the balance of effort and ease.  yoga lives in the zone between your current abilities and your absolute highest potential.  you cannot be a perfectionist with yoga - or you'll quit.  no one can do all the poses perfectly all the time.  the beauty of the practice comes from walking on the edge of your comfort zone and discovering in what areas you can grow.

in yoga class i have been able to let go of my "all or nothing" perfectionist tendencies.  enjoying exactly where i am, because i've seen gradual improvements from showing up day after day.  and i know that i will continue to grow.  it's not about getting full form of the pose now, it's about appreciating where my body can go today while also knowing there is unlimited potential for expansion if i keep showing up for myself.

now, the next step is to take those lessons off the mat and into my daily life.  remembering it's not about perfection, it's about practice.

namaste : )

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om monday: mind yoga {guest post}

Well Hello Mavens,
 My name is Ashlee Michelle.

 Usually, you can find me over on my blog.
                                                                                                                                

But, today I get the joy of being a guest blogger here on
the most fabulous Lifestyle Maven, Cailen.

Today, I am going to talk about Yoga.
But not the physical kind of Yoga, I am going to talk about
Emotional “Mind” yoga. Yes, I called it Mind Yoga.

I have been practicing yoga, both physical and mental for about
4 years and I can honestly say my life has changed drastically.
Did you know that you are always practicing yoga in your everyday life?
When you lean over the get that pencil you dropped, or you bend down to pick up that load
of laundry, and even when you compliment your peers on their wonderful attire for the day.

 How are we able to keep our blood flow going, our minds at ease and our Karma good?
               Simple, we do it by breathing. In and out. All Day, Every Day
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Frustration, Anger, Tears, and tense muscles don't need to happen.
When you are having a bad day or you are in a tight spot, just close your eyes for a moment
and take a deep breath in, hold it, and then breathe out. When you open your eyes, your mind will be peaceful.

There is no need to get all stressed out and hurt about the things that aren't going your way.
There is also no need for being rude to someone, you can redeem yourself by just taking a breath in and releasingall that stale air and bad thoughts. It is quick and simple. Your mood will change and so will your luck.

If your mind is at ease, your muscles are calm, and you are generally happy...
Then you are practicing yoga in the right way.
Keep on Practicing...
Just Breathe!

Thanks for having me, Cailen.
Namaste!

visit my blog {here}

Peace, Love, and Butterflies
- Ashlee Michelle

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om monday: carpe diem

first of all, happy halloween!  i hope that the snow hasn't inhibited any of your spooky plans.

craig and i are just 5 days from our big day.  and with that wonderful event within our sights, we're trying (and succeeding to a large degree, i might add) to savor every single moment leading up to our wedding day.

this past saturday, we were surprised with quite a bit of snow - driving was a no-go, my yoga teacher training was cancelled and we lost power at our house.  instead of freaking out because we couldn't get things done, we made the most of our quiet time.

our final bottle of "countdown" champagne

we started a fire in the fireplace, uncorked a bottle of champagne and planted ourselves fireside while we reminisced about the past 6 wonderful years of our relationship together.

it's funny how it often takes big, life-altering moments to get us to slow down enough to truly savor what a gift life is, but, in truth, every day is a one-shot deal.  you can make the most of it and really "carpe diem", or you can busy yourself with all the inconsequential stuff that too often rules our lives and governs our days.

credit {here}

as our wedding countdown moved from months to weeks and eventually to days, we've done our best to slow down and really savor every little moment before we become mr. & mrs.

i hope that you, too, will take the time to notice the beauty that's all around when you slow down enough to see it.

carpe diem : )

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