trust your gut

credit {here}

recently, my husband and i were looking into purchasing a home.  we convinced ourselves that we had “outgrown” the cottage that we’ve called home for the past 2 and a half years, and were in need of a bigger place where we could really start living.  we put in an offer on a home that was a pretty good deal – a short sale that met 80% of our must-haves.  though a few things were missing, we trudged forward, putting in an offer, negotiating, and eventually getting an accepted offer.  the funny thing is, at different points along the way, we both had doubts  - wondering if this was truly the right thing to do at this point in time.  when we finally talked about it, and crafted a good, old-fashioned pros and cons list, we were finally able to see that this was not the right decision for us at this point in time.

if we got the house, we would be house-rich, cash-poor.  we’d have a cute place to entertain friends, but no money to do so.  not much fun.  our monthly expenses would be significantly higher, and we would  be barely able to save; not to mention, there would be no date night outs or weekends away for quite some time.  so, even though our cottage (which we’re lucky enough to own) is a bit small, it affords us so much more than the new place possibly could.

sometimes, there’s real value in honoring that subtle feeling that surfaces in your gut.  that deep-seated wisdom that gently nudges you in the right direction, but unfortunately it’s so easy to ignore.  craig and i both felt it – our inner “knowing” was letting us know that purchasing this place might not be the best idea for us, but we both suppressed it initially.  instead, favoring the thought process that we should get a bigger house now that we’re married. 

my yoga teachers are always saying to “honor your wisdom”, “listen to your inner knowing”, “trust your body”, and i try my best to do so while on my yoga mat, but this off-the-mat, real life lesson has enlightened me to the applicable power of this teaching.  once we “trusted our guts”, and walked away from the deal, craig and i both felt instantly lighter.  and that lightness only comes when you know you are truly aligned with what is best for you and for others.

because we honored our inner wisdom, we now will be able to save substantially for a bigger, better place in a few years, have money for the future (i.e. kids, retirement, investments), travel to all kinds of awesome places, and still enjoy date nights out.  and, for us, spending time together doing things we enjoy is what makes our life beautiful! 

next time your gut tells you something, try listening for a change – you may be surprised by the doors it can open for you.

meditation for your journal or cushion:
what does your “gut feeling” feel like in your body?
when was the last time you listened to your gut?  did it pay off?

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don't let nerves get the best of you!





butterflies in my stomach don't feel this innocent and beautiful.  credit {here}

yesterday, it was my turn to teach the free community at my yoga studio.  no big deal on a typical day.  but yesterday, i knew my teacher, an amazingly-skilled yogi, was attending.  as part of our yogadharma teacher training, she kindly offered to attend and evaluate a class taught by each student.  butterflies big-time.  it’s a funny thing about nerves.  you know they’re (to a large degree) unnecessary.  and when you reason your way through the situation that awaits and break it down, you realize that, in truth, there is very little (if anything) to be concerned about.  but often nerves still get the better of us.

and, the catch 22 is that when you’re nervous about doing well, you often hold yourself back from delivering your very best.  no good.  as a work-in-progress, i still definitely suffer from nerves from time-to-time, though way less than i used to.  i used to literally feel sick if i had to present a book report in front of the class.  ahh…4^th grade…  now, i feel comfortable leading my weekly yoga classes and enjoy sharing my teaching with others.  but yesterday, with the curveball of “being watched” (lol), my nerves were definitely making themselves known.

so, what can you do when your nerves are getting the best of you?  first and foremost breathe.  and then breathe some more.  i’m sure you’ve realized that when you’re feeling anxious, the breath gets shallow – take a moment to sit quietly and breathe deeply in and out through your nose.  focusing on the breath is the quickest and easiest way to quiet the mind – and your nerves – if only temporarily.  plus it’s very “yogi” thing to do : )

also, when i’m nervous about something, i often try to keep myself from thinking about it, which just makes the nerves worse.  instead, take a moment to visualize the room, the people present, and how you would like to look and feel.  don’t run from thinking about whatever is on your mind, move into it.  you might realize it’s not as scary as it seems!

next time you feel butterflies in your stomach and find yourself worrying about something that’s on the horizon, focus the mind with breath and visualization.  know that “this too, shall pass”.  and remember that often the most uncomfortable situations are the most rewarding, because they force us out of our comfort zones.

meditation prompt for your journal or cushion:

start with 10 deep breaths in and out through your nose.

when was the last time you felt truly nervous?
what did the experience feel like in your body?  (where was the energy located?)

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the ONLY diet you should go on

credit {here}

i am not a proponent of diets.  ‘nuff said.  but, with the risk of sounding contradictory, there is one diet that i think every single human on the planet could benefit from.  (drum roll please….)  the ‘diet’ of cutting out negative self-talk. 

listen to how you speak to yourself.  for most of us (for me, it was especially in my teen years), it’s often a steady barrage of negative thoughts and put-downs.  “ugh…you look soooo fat in that. / your hair is a frizzy mess today. / you think you can eat that?  it’s gonna go right to your stomach pooch!”  you women out there, can relate, i’m sure…which is kind of sad…

but that voice is not you– it’s talking “at you”, as if it’s a necessary commentator for your life.  for me, that voice is a mix of unreliable sources, like the media.  from reading magazines and watching tv, we learn that to be loved and adored, we have to be at least 5 foot 7 inches tall, 110 pounds, have gorgeous flowing locks and flawless skin.  i’m only 5 foot 5 – so according to this faulty belief system, i’m already failing!  that sucks!

purge yourself of your negative self-talk.  cut back on it as you would calories or carbs.  no amount of self-criticism will ever make you happier – has it worked yet?  so try something different.  if you see no results, and don’t feel any better, you can always go back to beating yourself up.

when a negative self-judgment pops into your head, notice it.  that’s the first step – just notice.  don’t judge because that’s a self-criticism, too!  (i know, it’s a tricky game to play, but it’s worth it!)  then just let it float away. 

if you’re feeling really bold, bring to mind something you like about yourself.  maybe your big beautiful eyes, your sense of humor, or your slender fingers that can play the piano (sort of).  even if it’s something small, it’s a start.  if you’re having a lot of trouble coming up with something, think back to compliments you’ve received from others – maybe you’re often acknowledged for your kindness, or your great smile, or your easy-going nature.  whatever it is, bring it to mind, and revel in the awesomeness that is you…even if it’s just for a few minutes.

for me, yoga has been key to eliminating my harsh self-talk.  yoga teaches you to accept all of your being - inside & out, mind, body and soul - just as it is now.  without forcing change, you're asked to become an observer of your body and mind, and then, from that place, you work to align the two with breath, movement and awareness.  pushing yourself to "change" with mean words and thoughts, only weakens you - you're pitting your mind against your body.  if you can, instead, work to combine the two, you have twice the power to affect positive change in yourself and your world.

as you crash diet your way out of negative self-talk, you may just notice that you feel a bit lighter in a way that has nothing to do with the number on the scale.

meditation prompt for your journal or cushion:
what are three things you like about your physical body?
what are three things you like about your personality?

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weekend menu: yoga & cocktails

this weekend i have yogadharma - my yoga teacher training - so there's not a lot of time left for cooking!  luckily, after visiting with my parents early this morning, my mom sent me home with a few servings of penne pasta with smoked mozzarella for my lunches this weekend. yum!  and though my time is limited, craig and i are still planning on meeting up with some friends at our favorite watering hole saturday night.

weekend lunches: penne with roasted red peppers, spinach & smoked mozzarella

recipe {here}.  picture credit {here}

happy hour with friends: cosmopolitan

cosmo recipe {here}.  for the best, go to bobby's!

saturday night dinner with friends: veggie pizza

we're looking forward to veggie supreme pizza from baked on main!  picture credit {here}. happy weekend! 

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