Saturday, May 14, 2016

Costa Rica!!!

Costa Rica…

What a magical place!
If you’re looking for a high-adventure spot, it’s definitely worth the trip!

From swimming in waterfalls to lava-heated mineral pools to canyoneering to kayaking to spelunking to zip lining to giant-rope-swinging to scuba diving to beach-chilling…. It’s a gorgeous country full of exciting things to do!

What a wonderful way to spend a birthday :)

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Thoughts on Yoga Teacher Training

Yoga Teacher Training is one of those things that I always kinda wanted to do.

Though my personal practice over the years has been inconsistent (no longer, however), I’d get that feeling each year that teacher training was something I should look into. So, each year, I’d look into options and get all excited, but things always got in the way. Schedules didn’t work out, mostly, since I do work full time. So I’d write it off and shove it into the back of my mind yet again.

Well, this year was different. Last fall I decided that it was time to make things happen. I did my usual do-a-ton-of-research-online thing, checking out different programs, schedules, prices, expectations, and teachers. I sent out a bunch of feeler emails, I started trying different studios around the valley, and I decided that Salt Lake Power Yoga was the perfect option. I made arrangements at work, jumping through a lot of hoops, and I bucked up and paid the fee. Then the nerves set in :)

Teacher Training lasted through March and April, landing on every other weekend (ALL weekend). It made life super full and busy, but it was such a great time! I learned a ton, met some wonderful people, deepened my personal practice (hello, headstand!), and, now that I’m done, have started teaching a few (2) classes a week to get started down this exciting path!

If you love yoga and want to share that passion, I highly recommend making YTT happen. The time, the money, the scheduling… they’re all so worth it in the end :)



A few things to share:
-You don’t have to be “ready” or “good enough” for YTT. I’m naturally inflexible, don’t have a handstand (yet), and struggle through plenty of poses. That didn’t matter. As long as you’re willing to learn, you are ready now!

-I learned a lot about self-care through the long days and arduous practices. Hydration, eating small-but-nutritious meals, plenty of sleep, and comfort items like blankets and tea were essential for getting through the training…. And the same applies to tough times throughout life in general :)

- I highly recommend doing your research beforehand, since you’ll be buying into your studio’s philosophy and “flavor” when you do their trainings. If you want to teach a gentle, relaxing yoga class, a power yoga studio might not give you all the tools you want. Knowing what I was getting into helped a lot :).


So thankful for this experience and opportunity!!!


Sunday, April 10, 2016

Avoiding burnout

Even when your life is ridiculously charmed, stress happens.

In this culture where we seem to think that being busy = being happy, our lives can get all too filled with... things. Work, volunteer opportunities, workouts, social events, errands, and so many other other things consume our time; and even though they can be great/worth spending time on, they add up.

Balance is not something I'm always great at. But it's something I'm trying to be better about. I try to take more baths, do more yoga, steal small moments to just BE, and, on Monday, I took a spa day at the Kura Door. :) Best. Experience. Ever. Not only was it gloriously relaxing, it also served as a great reminder that I need to take little moments for myself, to refresh and recharge, rather than just speeding through life.

Now if only I can keep it up :)

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Some things are just good for your soul

On a wonderful women's retreat this weekend, we had a great discussion about taking care of ourselves and "filling our buckets," and it was a great reminder to me that we, as humans, simply can't run on empty. Cruisin on fumes might work for a while, but the breakdown will come eventually unless we find ways to refuel.

These past two weekends were definitely some of those refueling experiences for me - spending a gorgeous day with family and getting to know some pretty amazing women. :)



Self-care has started to get more attention, and that's a good thing in this time of being constantly on the move. There are so many things to do, experience, and accomplish in life - it can seem impossible to slow down! Fortunately, people are recognizing that this is something we need more of in our personal lives, careers, fitness pursuits, and pretty much every other aspect of life. Balance is so essential to prevent burnout, so here's to filling our buckets and staying strong and happy! :)

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Forever generalist...

Sometimes I see people who are REALLY good at something - their sport, their instrument, their talent, their passion... and I get envious. I seem unable to specialize, and my time and energies are spread out over too many hobbies... I love skiing, and biking, and running (and therefore triathlons), and yoga, and lifting, and reading, and writing, and music, and climbing, and just way too many things.

I feel extremely lucky to be able to try so many fun things and to indulge in so many hobbies, but it definitely means I'll never be amazing at any one of them. I can't spend too much feeling sorry for myself, however, because I do have a lot of fun :)

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Florida vacation...

Little vacations are so needed.... and this was a good one!! :)

Scuba diving at Devil's Den, cajun boil, Wizarding World of Harry Potter (squeeeeeee!), and Magic Kingdom!!

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Where to find races

I just signed up for another sprint!

I like having a race in my future - something about a date and a commitment keeps me on track. When I don't have a specific goal, it's easy to skip workouts, slack when I am working out, and kind of wander aimlessly through a fitness routine... so having a goal for a race (whether it is a specific time goal or simply to complete it without dying) keeps me motivated.

There are several places I go to find races, some are run specific and some are tri specific, but they're all fun to browse :)

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-finder

https://runsignup.com/

http://runningintheusa.com/Race/

http://www.active.com/

http://www.racetri.com/



Anyone want to join me for the Salem Sprint in May??? :)