Its a Hero

inspiration

weekly mantra.

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This week is another short, but very likely busy, week! But I’m staying in the present moment, so that I don’t stress

I believe in the promises of a brand new year — yay, 2012!

I’m addicted to blogs. And Pinterest {surprise, surprise}. 

I wish for a week of being present. That’s it. I wish it for you, too!

I’m happy because the holiday are over. Don’t get me wrong; it was fun. But wayyyy too busy. I’m ready for more at-home time.

Soundtrack/Mantra for the week: “Create healthy habits!” – The Daily Love {check it out here!}

remember:

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Sometimes we all need to be reminded.

monday mantra.

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This week will be a 4-day work week for me. I’m excited to be spending my Monday off in Pittsburgh with the BF. 
I believe that sometimes you need someone to remind you to breathe. And this is why I go to yoga. 🙂
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I’m addicted to yoga!
I wish for a less stressful week than last week. It was a pretty intense work week last week. By Thursday I was exhausted. I don’t know if I can handle that again! Fingers crossed…
I’m happy for every moment I have to spend with those I love. Life is short and you shouldn’t wait to embrace the moment until you’re reminded of this!
Soundtrack/Mantra for the week: “We use our bodies to into the poses, but really we use the poses to get into our bodies.” — one of my favorite yoga teachers, Terri Bahr, at a yoga class at Cleveland Yoga last night. Such amazing wisdom for yoga and for life.

the professor and the jar.

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I have some {or a lot of} anxiety when it comes to my schedule and to-do list. I always feel busy. I can never get everything done, and there is always so much going on. It’s easy to get overwhelmed at the thought of it.
One of the ways that I try and take a step back from all of lifes stresses is power yoga.
A common expression used in yoga is to ‘leave it off the mat.’ When you come to your mat at yoga practice, you should be escaping all of the exhausting thoughts. For those of you who have practiced yoga or meditation, you’ll know that this is much easier said than done.
But during one of my recent yoga practices at Yoga Bliss in Akron, my teacher told us this amazing story. And I decided that it has to be shared:
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A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.


So the Professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous “yes.”

The Professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the space between the grains of sand.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else -the small stuff.
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“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Go out to dinner with a loved one. Play another 18.


There will always be time to work, clean and fix things. “Take care of the rocks first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The Professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”
This was exactly what I needed to hear. So many days I feel overwhelmed, and really I don’t have that much going on. I let it overwhelm me. And I shouldn’t.

This story will be something I revisit over and over again when I feel like I have no time for things in my life.

What helps you keep things in perspective?

impacts

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So a recent post at City Girl Lifestyle really got me thinking. She wrote about how she grew into her yoga practice 8 years ago and about how she found a space to practice that made her feel completely at home. I feel the same way. I have only recently become serious about my yoga practice. I found a space that felt like home. That place was Cleveland Yoga. More specifically, I found a teacher that really made sense to me.


I realize that for those that do not practice yoga, this may sound odd and, frankly, foreign. But finding a yoga space and teachers that connect you with the spiritual side of yoga is very important. Unfortunately, shortly after I began practicing at Cleveland Yoga, the teacher who drew me to my practice moved to California.

Talk about a bummer. I still practiced at the same regular class times. With substitute teachers. Eventually I started exploring other classes. So glad I did! I came across a teacher that I connected with more than the first teacher! Terri’s dialogue during class was just what I needed. I came to class with the stress of that day and it was as if she knew me and knew exactly what to say.

But of course she didn’t know me. And she still doesn’t. I still attend her classes. I say nothing. I just listen and grow in my practice. But she has had a profound impact on my life and doesn’t even realize it.

Which makes me think… isn’t it odd that someone can have such a huge impact on your life and they have no idea who you are? It’s lovely actually. I’m still uncertain what I will do with my yoga practice when I move from Cleveland to Syracuse, but I’m hoping I will find another awe inspiring teacher…

{Image Courtesy of About.com}