A few things to share…
– My heart breaks for those facing devastation and loss in Oklahoma. Have you seen this touching live interview where a woman is reunited with her dog?
– I updated the Workouts + Yoga page. So excited to continue to add to this. Maybe one day I can find a way for it to become a little easier to search what you’re looking for as I add more content.
– I updated the Find Me Here page with all the info on my teaching/training schedule for my local readers.
– My heart is insanely happy that So You Think You Can Dance is back on. Favorites from tonight’s show include the dancer from the Orlando Ballet, the 4 year old dance prodegy that learned it from Cyrus and the father/son team and of course the family exorcist dance. How can you not love that?
Any fellow SYTYCD fans? Can’t believe this is the 10th season!
Breakfast pre teaching and taking yoga was overnight oats. Still not doing it for me.
What did do it for me was yoga. Teaching and practicing felt so good this morning. One of the teachers that I did my teacher training with was subbing the class after mine today so I stayed to practice. I haven’t taken a class with her in over a year so I was so excited to hear she was dropping into the studio to sub. The class wasn’t necessarily harder than the normal classes I take but it left me completely spent. It was SO hot in the room but I was also SO into my practice. Every time she said “inhale,” I freaking inhaled all the way in. Every time she said “look for the ceiling with your eyes,” I made my way into a deep upper backbend. Handstand options, I took them. I did everything she told me to do.
This is so different for me. I’ve gotten so complacent with my practice. I take the same classes from the same teachers over and over. All it took was one class with Johnna to make me remember the difference between going through the motions versus being completely present for it. This doesn’t only apply to yoga but to life. It’s so easy to become numb and robotic. It blows my mind how the simple act of trying and feeling can shift things so much.
This practice really shook me up. I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling all out of sorts.
Lunch after class was a big salad with greens, salmon, artichokes, oranges, goat cheese, pecans and beets with balsamic.
I worked until 8:30 tonight but a good and healthy dinner was a must when I finally settled in. Pecan crusted chicken, roasted asparagus with lemon pepper and roasted butternut squash with sea salt, pepper, cinnamon and chili powder.
I’m coaching 6 and 7 a.m. CrossFit tomorrow followed by a busy training schedule so off to bed.
Can you tell a difference in your yoga or workouts in general when you go through the motions v. focus on being really present? Does it feel different?
I did a short yoga practice (very short, but at least it was something) today after taking an unplanned hiatus for a while and I found i much easier to be present after that break. Now I am ready to bring it back stronger than ever.
Good luck with your busy day ahead of you 🙂 Your roasted asparagus looks absolutely fantastic!!
Yoga has helped me immensely over the years to simply be present in the moment. I used to be so future focused that I’d go day to day and not even realize I missing out on what was happening right now. Every time I do yoga I’m reminded of how important it is to take everything one step at a time and enjoy what’s going on in the moment.
Being present is a gift we give ourselves.
I watched that video of the woman and the dog last night – sobbing!
Thanks for the reminder that we need to give whatever we’re doing our full attention and energy. I need to know this from time to time.
I was addicted to overnight oats for months but have been taking a break lately. I know I’ll be back at it before too long! All your food looks amazing. That salad… YUM!
And finally… YES, my husband and I are both thrilled that SYTYCD is back!! I loved all those you mentioned, plus the blond girl with the foster mother from near the beginning. And a couple of others who are escaping me at the moment. SUCH an awesome show. Addicted!
I can definitely feel the difference when I’m present in my yoga workouts. When I focus, I feel that everything is being more stretched and strengthened, and when I finish I feel a bigger sense of calmness and my body feels stronger as well.
Completely agree with what you said about going through the motions. I notice at yoga if I consciously am thinking about being present I have such a better practice. Same with just going through my every day life tasks. It’s not always easy to do but the days I am more present are always significantly better.
I can totally tell the difference. I have taken 2 classes in a row this week, both taught by different teachers and different styles. I have been frustrated with my practice lately, but focused on just being in the moment, sweating out the stress, breathing, and stretching out my tight hamstrings, and I feel SO MUCH BETTER. Sometimes we just have to let go and be in the moment.
I definitely feel the difference when I’m really into the workout, even if it’s not any harder than usual as you mentioned. Whenever I get in a rut and find myself going through the motions, that’s usually my cue to either take some time off or try something different, even if it’s just a variation on a familiar exercise or doing the same moves in a different order.
Funny that you haven’t been feeling overnight oats lately, since you’re the one who originally got me into them! 🙂
That is why it is important to practice with different teachers from time to time. Even though Vinyasa is supposed to be changing every time, the teachers general style and delivery doesn’t change. Even though we don’t exactly know what is coming next, we have a general idea. All teachers have a blue print. So if we take the same classes all the time, our bodies get used to that blue print and we are no longer being present.
That is why some students get mad when they have a sub. They hate change. They like being complacent and knowing what is coming next. They don’t want to work in a different way. They don’t want to be present.
That pecan crusted chicken looks great! Do you have a recipe for that?
I definitely notice a huge difference in my yoga practice and life when I am present vs. going through the motions. It helps me a lot when I decide before a practice that I am just taking that half hour, hour, or whatever it may be for myself, and that I am giving myself permission to just get lost in it without worrying about anything else.