Monthly Archives: June 2014

•

Reflection: Wake up and do your Best

Wake up and do your best.

Basically, all you can do every day is wake up and do your very best. In your journey, what matters is what you think, what you say, how you act, and why. Will you be perfect? No. Will you make mistakes? Yes. Don’t let the critics get under your skin; let them go, there will always be critics. The supporters? Keep them close and don’t let them go. You hold the compass and decide not only where you are going, but also how you will get there and who you will take with you.

You choose. So choose wisely. Choose inspiration. Choose good people. Choose health. Choose kindness. Choose love. Choose enjoying the process, the highs and the lows. Choose learning and strength through the struggle and challenges, because this is it.

You will be dealt a balance of highs and lows. For some reason, I’ve always thought that when things are ‘right’ they must therefore be ‘easy.’ As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how flawed this thought proved to be. 

For example, yoga, Navasana (Boat Pose), never gets easier; but it’s certainly ‘right’ I feel myself quivering and shaking, and getting stronger with every breath spent holding the posture. Relationships are another great example; one of my very best friends in the whole entire world and I have always bickered like sisters, okay sometimes more than just bickered we could call it full on blow outs. With that said, we’ve always worked through our difficulties, maybe with a whole lot of tears, and emerged stronger. Was it is easy? Hell no. Was it worth it? No doubt.

Sometimes, waking up, and facing the up and down journey through life can be hard. But that’s what makes it so real, so amazing, and so worth it.

What really matters is getting out of bed and doing something. Our time here is fleeting, we never know when it will be over, so why not do your best? Why not connect with everyone that you can, hear all of their stories? Why not, stretch the limits of what you feel you are capable of? Why not feel ridiculously happy, because who really cares if others express jealousy? Why not let go of your own feelings of jealousy, because who is it serving? Why not step up to the plate, swing your little heart out, and maybe strike out? Because getting out of bed and doing your best, is the best thing you can do. If you fall, get back up, and know that in someway there is a lesson there. Maybe it is hidden or maybe it’s glaringly obvious, but it’s there.

Surround yourself with good people that support and love you, the light and the darkness, where you are now and where you are headed. Thank you to awesome teachers, like Marissa Jeanne Sinclair, who inspire and live their yoga. Thank you to all of my incredible supporters, family and friends, for loving and never failing to be there.

"When you get to a place, where you're seeing the positive in others more than the negative, it means you're doing the same for yourself. 

You amazing, wondrous vessel of spontaneity, creativity, beauty and strength. - The Universe"

Set your goals high, think about them, write them down, and then go after them.


With Love,

laura mary

•

Universe Memos

 

Life Lately:

I’ve never been a “writer,” per se, but now I feel their pain. Writer’s block, is a real phenomenon. Don’t be discouraged, there is a way to combat writer’s block, and that is with the power of intention. There is a huge power in setting intentions and then leaving them be, to develop as they will.

Oh the trials and tribulations of being me…

If you want to write a blog post and you don’t have an idea yet, whatever you do, don’t sit down to write one. Go do something else, like take a shower; really, you can do anything you want, except sit down to write.

While you have the intention of wanting to write, go off and do something else. As soon as you forget about the intention (though it has still been planted), suddenly, BOOM, ideas start flowing at a rapid pace.

Now, you have about 7 theme ideas in your head and you are trying to finish up your shower, whatever you do…don’t get out of the shower and plan on writing, because unless you repeat those 7 theme ideas in your head continuously (and all of the thoughts that stemmed from the original idea), you will only remember the last idea formulated.

Try that experiment, but, if you are not vested in the outcome of the blog post, you may find different results. However, I can conclude that I am clearly vested in the outcome of my blog, as this current post is the only idea that I’ve been left with since my shower ended.

I am going to interpret this as a gigantic memo from the Universe to slow down, let go of my attachment, and go do something that I enjoy. So I will go practice yoga for an hour with a notebook beside my mat…

And hopefully, you will all be hearing from me tonight!

I hope you enjoyed my stream of consciousness, I wrote this at midnight and I’ve been up since 4:30am! OH, life, why are you so awesome at dishing out lessons in the most unusual of manners?

With love,

laura mary

 

•

Yoga: Life and Feeling Centered

 

Life Lately:

Okay. Well, it’s been a bit since my last post. Life has been pretty wild lately. This blog post will be everything but neat. Here is what’s going on with me these days!

Derek is in LA for 3 months (all summer). Before he left for home, we spent all of our time together. His family was visiting as well and we kept ourselves quite busy, it felt like we were both on vacation too.

We had a blast to say the least. Now, Derek is gone, I miss him a ton but I am taking this time to really focus on myself. Since he’s been gone, I’ve realized even more so what a rock he is, in supporting me in everything that I do. Not only does he make the bed and coffee every morning (hehe), but he also attends all of my classes, supports my teaching, and my dreams. I have never felt more myself, more beautiful, more challenged, and more loved. As I figure out where I am headed, I am so thankful that I have him as my mirror (even if from a distance) to look at and keep me real, grounded, connected, and practical.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. I left my job at the Cancer Center and I am currently teaching yoga full-time and doing wellness visits; I turned 27 (how in the WORLD did that happen?), Derek left for California, and I am faced with many real, hard, and practical life decisions…basically, I have to grow up.

I have to get real about the direction I am heading in life, which is an exciting one, I know that much – but rather than flow through in typical yogi way, I have to plan. I still set goals and write down my dreams, but I need to plan just how I am going to end up to where I want to go. This has resulted in me being even more obsessive with my planner (aka “homework assignment notebook,” as I refer to it). Meanwhile, I’ve been teaching so much yoga (17 classes this week + 1 wellness visit + coaching teacher training). Which is absolutely amazing (I will get there). Hopefully, I will adjust quickly to the life of a full-time yoga instructor.

While, I am trying to fit in as much career planning as I can, I am trying my very best to stay inspired with my yoga practice, teaching, and life. Life inspiration for me, means that in addition to practicing, I must go to the beach, hike, read, and spend time with people I love (but it’s for my job, I promise). But the truth is, I can't fit it all in! It hit me the other morning when I woke up, that my “to-do-list,” was complete with everything I love to do. One of the many joys of life these days is that – I never want to miss a single day of work. I love my job, I love working with and helping people; all of my students inspire me to be the best version of myself. Furthermore, I work with a group of teachers that are absolutely amazing.

And...What's the Problem?

However, with all of these wonderful shifts and changes and the beautiful ebb and flow of life, it has left me feeling a little less than centered. While I was working full-time at the Cancer Center, I made it an absolute priority to practice yoga #everydamnday (yep!); Now, I’ve noticed, my practices are a little bit shorter, I am snacking and grabbing quick bites to eat in between classes, and I have had less time to write. I know I need my rest, green juices, sweat sessions, mediation, time in the mountains and in the ocean to feel really, truly, centered. Derek knows best what I am like when I go a few days without practicing (don’t mess). Suddenly, rather than hold my own space strongly, I see a funny smirk on a person and think, ‘oh gosh- I hope they are okay, was it something I did or said? Okay, I better take this issue on and work it out.’

And I didn’t quite realize that I was doing this, until I came across this beautiful Marianne Williamson quote.

“What's difficult in life is to stay centered when somebody says or does something that tempts us to close our hearts because their heart was closed. That is hard. But that is also how we grow. We go through those circumstances in order to evolve into people who can hold our loving center no matter what the world throws us.”

- Marianne Williamson

I read this quote today and it hit home. It really struck me. While, my energy levels are perhaps depleted, and I am not feeling fully centered, I need to practice staying strong and holding my own space, regardless of what is going on in life.

If someone is having a bad day, and they treat you in a way that leaves you feeling bad…let. it. go. It is not, I repeat, not, your problem to take on. I needed this amazing reminder today. For my 6 am class this morning, I did a lot of core work (always) and heart openers. I shifted my perspective for the entire day, I feel open. I have been practicing moving through today with a loving intention and more compassion. I have been less reactive and definitely more open.

You never know what someone else is going through. Rather than make their story (issue) about you, take a step back, and be a little bit more open and loving; find some compassion knowing that they have something to work through.

Be ready to listen.

With Love,

laura mary