me & my mat (yoga: a love story)

ahhh yoga.  for all my fellow yogis out there, you'll completely understand the sentiment of my first sentence.  yoga is relatively new in my life.  i "found" it last year.  i was following the p90x workout program (yes, it was as intense as the infomercial seems.)  anyway, one of the p90x workouts was a yoga dvd.  initially, i must admit, i didn't "get" it.  (well, tony horton is no yoga instructor for starters...) but as the weeks passed, i found myself actually looking forward to it.  go figure.  without even meaning to, i had fallen in love.

spontaneous yoga at philly art museum

yoga is all consuming when you first fall.  you talk way too much about it to everyone you know.  you find yourself bringing it up in completely unrelated conversations, and people begin to wonder if you've joined some kind of cult.  but you can't help it.  it's wonderful and new and is completely unlike anything you've done for yourself before.  it's kind of like swimming on land.  it's very fluid (or you try to make it fluid...)

because of p90x, i was introduced to yoga as a work out.  it's not really, by the way.  yeah, it can make you sweat and can give you muscle definition and has helped to get me in the best shape of my life.  (no joke, it really has.)  but first and foremost, it's a practice.  something you work towards - not something you tackle or accomplish.  a ritual, if you will.  a gift to yourself.

it connects you to your breath.  your inner self.  it makes you feel alive in a new kind of way.  a way that enables you to fully inhabit your body and walk a bit taller.  you feel healthier, fitter, graceful and more at peace.  it's truly miraculous.  i start almost every day now with some yoga - it just puts me in a better place.  there's nothing like a few sun salutations to set you right with the world. 

now, i know that it's not for everyone.  no one thing works for everybody or is experienced in the same way.  but, if you're interested in trying yoga, don't say i didn't warn you.  you might fall.  and fall hard.

me, han, craig (nice pose, babe) namaste.

if you're interested in trying out some yoga, here is a link to a few of my fave dvds: the yogaworks series is great, and if you're a newbie their "beginner yoga" program is really wonderful : ).

The Only 3 Things You'll Ever Need

Ever wonder what it takes to improve your health, achieve greater happiness and live the life of your dreams?
Well, there are three principles which will help you reach all of your dreams (and they’re free!). You ready for them? Drum roll please... They are: intuition, simplicity, and beauty.

Sure, that all sounds well and good, but how do you get from here (the cave of self-consciousness, stress and dieting) to there (the land of self-appreciation, happiness and health)?

Well, these three principles will be your guides and aid you in all of your lifestyle decisions. They'll ground you and remind you what's truly important as you strive to create your best life. With intuition, simplicity and beauty as you guides you will begin to move along the path towards well-designed living.

If you trust your intuition, your innate wisdom, you will discover what you truly want in your life and what you no longer need. You will naturally begin to seek greater simplicity in both your lifestyle and home.

And, when you simplify your lifestyle and home environment, the innate beauty that was there all along begins to shine through. If you follow and trust these principles of well-designed living, I guarantee your life will become richer and more fulfilling. Not to mention, you’ll wind up taking better care of yourself, your family and your home.

Happy living : )

Cailen first published article as The Only 3 Things You'll Ever Need on Technorati..

Inspirational Reading : )

Hello all!  I've compiled a list of a few of my favorite blogs that I follow.  Check them out - they offer some really great advice : )

• www.ThinkSimpleNow.com
• www.thechangeblog.com
• http://www.happiness-project.com/
• http://wholelivingdaily.wholeliving.com/author/kate-hanley

All the above blogs offer awesome tips about how to live a happier, healthier life.  I always look forward to seeing what they have to say.

Have any favorite blogs I should check out?  What do you think of the ones I listed?.

Don't Worry, Be Happy : )

Did you know that you have everything you need within you at this very moment to be happy? You just have to recognize it and choose it. Yes, happiness is a choice. Sure, if you had a bit more money or weighed a bit less, maybe you’d convince yourself (or allow yourself) to be marginally happier for a short time, but what it really comes down to is your attitude.

Every day we are faced with a thousand little things that we need to take care of. We all have to go to the grocery store, walk the dog, go to work, make dinner, pay bills, etc., yet some people just seem to enjoy the ride more than others. Some people see life as a journey, enjoying each precious moment; others see it as a destination, always waiting for the future moment when they can “enjoy” life. When you think about it, doesn’t it seem a bit wasteful to put happiness on hold until some future date when the stars align, you magically lose 20 pounds and win the lottery? Because, chances are, that day will never come, or even if it does, I’m sure your hair will be frizzy or you’ll get in a fight with your husband… If you can’t be happy now, what makes you think you’ll be “happy when…”?

Happiness grows from the inside out, not the outside in. Choose happiness. Choose it now. When something starts to bother you, and you feel yourself slipping into that negative, dark space, take a deep breath and smile. It may seemed forced, but over time that smile will transform into a genuine grin : ).