The Breakup

I'm in an unhealthy relationship and I've decided to get out of it. I'm breaking up with my Smartphone.

We haven't been getting along well lately. I'm finding that its very clingy. It insists on being carried around everywhere - the car, the bed, the kitchen table, the playroom, the movies, the restaurants, even the bathroom for crying out loud. I've started to notice that my 8 month old son really hates it too. If he can't throw it or chew on it then he's constantly swatting it away if I'm holding the phone and playing with or feeding him. It, along with most other screens at my house, is turning my daughter into a zombie. Not the brain-eating gross-looking kind but the I-can't-be-bothered-with-anything-you're-saying-right-now kind.

My Smartphone is very demanding of my attention. When I put it down and step away, it sits there, staring at me. I can almost hear it saying, "Just take a quick look at Facebook. I bet someone liked your post...Don't you want to see if you have a new email...OMG! 10 people just liked your Instagram photo...I bet you want to check the weather, I have an app for that..." And on and on and on. And then it just has to buzz and blink and light up whenever anyone anywhere makes contact with me in some way, shape, or form. And if I don't acknowledge its notification quickly enough, it buzzes, blinks, and lights up again.

To be fair, it does have some redeeming qualities. I love the camera, Google Maps, and Clock. All useful tools condensed into one device. And while I'm very grateful for the ease it provided this past year during my project, My Year of Yoga, one thing my daily yoga practice has brought to my awareness is the absolute necessity of being present. Its taken over a year for me to truly and honestly realize what it means, what it feels like, and how my life is different when I am really, honestly, present. And I cannot be fully, honestly present as long as my Smartphone dictates as much of my life as I'm ashamed to admit that it currently does. Its distracting nature has affected my relationships, my patience, my stress levels, and my overall quality of life. So we're breaking up.

My intention, moving forward, is to practice and live in the present moment. To actively listen to what the people right in front of me are saying. To be fully engaged with the actual, tangible things in life and with the people around me, rather than with what and who is behind the screen. I intend to stay present to what is happening right now instead of scrambling to get a photo so I can post it on all my social media accounts. A memory is not really a memory when its only lived through a screen.

To make this all possible, my Smartphone is now just a Phone with special talents. It has a camera, a clock, a map, and text messaging. All my other apps are gone. I have to check email from an actual computer which means I won't be checking my email during every possible moment of downtime. I won't be checking anything for that matter, while I'm waiting around for an appointment, riding the elevator, or standing in line. I might be the weirdo just standing there, staring into space. But really, how is that any weirder than the two people I saw this weekend sitting across from one another at a restaurant both tapping away on their Smartphones and checking their Facebook pages? You won't see me on my social media sites much, with the exception of my blog posts, my periodic My Yogi Lifestyle posts (the continuation of My Year of Yoga), and the occasional special post I deem worthy of taking the time to share. My phone sits in the kitchen in a designated spot (like those crazy land line phones from the olden days), and when I walk by it, I'll see if I've missed a call or a message.  I'm not accessible 24/7 so if you need me, just call or text and if I miss you, I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

My Yogi Lifestyle (Day 359)

‪#‎myyogilifestyle‬ is a continuation of ‪#‎myyearofyoga‬, picking up where I left off when the year came to an end. One of my intentions for the new year is to be mindful of where I channel my energy and I've come to realize that means spending less time in front of my telephone or computer screen and more time focusing on the Real that's right in front of me. I also, however, feel that my energy is well spent in sharing what I learn and how I live my yoga, and so, these posts will continue indefinitely but not daily. Here is what inspired me today...

My intention for today is to practice Santosha, or contentment. As humans, we seem to always be looking for the next thing, striving for more, and believing that what we have right now just isn't enough. As soon as we get what we want, we want something more. We push ourselves to hard, we are impatient with ourselves and our lives, and we end up breaking ourselves down, becoming less productive, less happy, and less at peace with the way things are. There is, no doubt, a great deal of good that comes from looking forward, setting goals, and working hard to achieve our dreams. The disconnect, though, is when we become disillusioned by this imagined future self or this imagined future life. We disconnect completely with the present and when we are not living in the present, we are not really living at all. We must continue to work toward our goals and intentions while at the same time, letting go of our attachment to some expected outcome. We must be content with and find peace with where we are now and with each step that we take along our journey. Each step is as significant, if not more so, than any final outcome. "Allow yourself to savor the sweetness of Santosha, and you'll find yourself deeply satisfied with much of what life has to offer." ~Constance L. Habash

Oh So Grateful: A Gratitude Practice

This busy holiday season has kept me away from much of my blog writing but I thought I'd share my gratitude practice here for the next 20 days. Each day through Christmas I'm posting one thing for which I'm grateful. I've been thinking a lot about gratitude and being thankful over the last few months and one thing I've come to realize is that the best way to a happy and fulfilling life is through gratitude. Instead of focusing on what we don't have, we must focus on what we do have. There is so much to be grateful for in each and every moment.

One of my yoga instructors recently said that while we can't control what happens around us - our life situation, the people in our lives, or the events that transpire - we can control 3 things: our thoughts, our words, and our actions. This has really stuck with me as a reminder that we have more control, more power, over our lives than we realize. Its so easy to let the ego take over and place blame on external circumstances and other people as the source of our unhappiness, stress, or sadness. The truth, though, is that no one outside of ourselves can control how we think about, how we feel about, and how we live our lives. Instead of dwelling on all the things that aren't the way we want them to be, instead of focusing on all the things we don't have, we can find peace and contentment through the practice of gratitude. Being grateful for even the littlest things, or the things we take for granted, like food on the table or a roof over our head, can bring us great joy. The more we think about and embrace the good in our lives, letting go of our wants and our sense of lack, the more at peace we will be.

Life is good. Its a gift that is filled with an abundance of things tok be grateful for. Choose happiness, choose joy, choose gratitude, and choose to be at peace within.

Oh So Grateful Day 1: 

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about #gratitude. As part of #myyearofyoga I thought I would add one post each day from now through Christmas of something for which I am #grateful. Today I'm grateful for these little angels and all the heartwarming smiles they bring to my life.

Oh So Grateful Day 2: 

Today I'm #grateful for this generous little spirit who picked out and wrapped her brother's and daddy's Christmas gifts.

Day 253 of My Year of Yoga

"Ong namo guru dev namo" means "I bow to the Divine Teacher within." In a lot of my writing I talk about my teachers, the people outside of myself from whom I learn, especially my children. But my own inner teacher must be acknowledged because without that, I would not have the ability to see what is before me. We are all our own teachers. We all have the knowledge, theunderstanding, the light, and the spirit within us to show us the way. We do have the answers we need, we just haven't all learned to open ourselves up to our innate wisdom. Yoga poses, pranayama, or breathing exercises, and meditation unlock our energy blockages, quiet our overactive minds, and cultivate balance, concentration and awareness. It's with this practice that we begin to know ourselves, recognize the answers, and live a more joyful life. Trust yourself, trust the process, and trust your journey, for you are Divine and you know the way.

#Divine #trust #faith #trusttheprocess #yogapractice#knowyourself #meditation #wisdom #balance#awareness #yogapose #pranayama #spirit #innerlight#shineyourlight #liveyouryoga #yoga #yogagirl#yogamama #yogaeverydamnday #namaste#yogainspiration #yogajourney

Day 251 of My Year of Yoga

"People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, all life for happiness." ~Unknown
We always seem to be waiting for something, looking for the end result or the big reward. We have a hard time being content with whatever we are doing or wherever we are in the moment. We go so far as to make ourselves unhappy now in anticipation of some great joy that awaits us down the road. But what I've found as I've brought a daily yoga practice into my life, is that joy can only be found in the present. It's not something that we can work towards or that we are entitled to, it's something that we already have. We just have to stop waiting for it and let it in, right now, in this moment. 

Day 247 of My Year of Yoga

Day 247 of #myyearofyoga :
"We all cling to the past, and because we cling to the past we become unavailable to the present." ~ Osho
Or we worry about the future or dwell on our to do list...there are so many things that take us away from the present moment. Our lives are overwhelmed by our schedules, deadlines, and commitments. We are constantly juggling tasks and rushing from one thing to the next, trying to get as much done as we possibly can. But between the multi tasking and the run around we loose sight of life because we are forever looking either backward or forward. Life only happens in the present, right now. We all have busy lives and things to do and we can't simply drop our responsibilities and abandoned our commitments. But we can slow down, take time to breathe and see what is before us. We can reevaluate our to do list and give ourselves permission to assess what is important today and what can wait until tomorrow. I've started choosing the top 3 things on my to do list that are the most important to accomplish today. I can get three things done without being overwhelmed. It's an attainable goal. Once they're done, if there's time, I can add another. I've found I accomplish far more this way, I still have time to devote to myself, and I'm more present for those who need me. Let go of the past, let go of the future, and be present to what is truly important.

#thepresentmoment #bepresent #letgo #letlifeflow#liveyouryoga #presence #yogaforlife #yogapractice#yoga #yogi #yogini #yogagirl #yogaeverydamnday#yogainspiration #dailyyoga #iowayogi #oshoquotes#yogaquotes #slowdown #breathe

Day 244 of My Year of Yoga

Day 244 of #myyearofyoga :
Be playful was my intention for today. When I woke up this morning I knew the day ahead was going to be fun but also a little chaotic. Four kids on a hot day at the Madison Zoo during a holiday weekend could easily result in flustered and crabby kids (not to mention a flustered and crabby mom), but then again, it would only be as good or bad as I chose to make it. We often build things up in our head, determining the outcome before the event even occurs. Looking at things from a negative point of view only fosters negativity. On the other hand, building up expectations can also lead to disappointment or annoyance when things don't go according to our plan. So rather than going into my day today with any form of expectation, I chose to go with the flow, to be playful, and to see and experience the day as it unfolded.

#beplayful #playfulness #kidsyoga#mommyandmeyoga #crowpose #letgo #gowiththeflow#letlifehappen #havefun #enjoylife #perspective#madisonzoo #yoga #yogi #yogini #yogamama#yogagirl #yogaeverydamnday #yogaforlife #namaste#liveyouryoga

Day 242 of My Year of Yoga

Day 242 of #myyearofyoga :
Why do we try so hard to be perfect? For whom are we trying to be perfect? Our friends? Our family members? Strangers? It occurred to me this morning that no one really wants you to be perfect. In fact, it's often someone else's apparent perfection that makes us feel imperfect. But when we have the chance to see others in their natural state, it's comforting. Brene Brown, in her book, Daring Greatly, describes perfectionism as "a defensive move. It's the belief that if we can do things perfectly and look perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame." And truthfully, the one who is bestowing the most judgment upon us is ourself. As a friend of mine said when I showed up to her 5:15 a.m boot camp class one morning with food stuck in my teeth and dried drool on my check (I mean, really?), she hugged me and said "this makes me feel so human." And that's exactly what we all are, human. We're not perfect nor should we try to be. We should simply do our best, act with good intention, and be our best self - whatever that may be.

#beyou #beyourbestself #yogamama #yogababy #yoga#yogi #yogini #behuman #daringgreatly #brenebrown#iowayogi #perfection #yogaeverydamnday#liveyouryoga #liveauthentic #dailyyoga #yogaforlife

Day 240 of My Year of Yoga

Day 240 of ‪#‎myyearofyoga‬ :
Let it go. Sometimes your day doesn't go quite as planned. But usually when you look back on what didn't go as planned, you realize that it was just a series of little inconveniences, small annoyances, or just your plan not working out exactly as you wanted it to. But is any of this really worth the energy that we spend on it? Is it really worth it to let that frustration turn into anger, and then to project that anger onto others? I had to remind myself of this today when I found myself losing my patience with my kids because I was frustrated over the little things that weren't working out according to plan. We must be able to let go of our plan when things go in a different direction, stop resisting what is actually happening, and realize that our energy is better spent working with the now rather than against it.

‪#‎letgo‬ ‪#‎letlifehappen‬ ‪#‎gowiththeflow‬ ‪#‎yoga‬ ‪#‎yogi‬ ‪#‎yogini‬ ‪#‎yogamama‬‪#‎nonattachment‬ ‪#‎namaste‬ ‪#‎kidsyoga‬ ‪#‎yogaeverydamnday‬ ‪#‎yogapractice‬‪#‎yogaforlife‬ ‪#‎yogadaily‬ ‪#‎yogaflow‬ ‪#‎iowayogi‬

Day 239 of #MyYearOfYoga

Day 239 of #myyearofyoga :
Life is amazing. Have faith in this knowledge no matter what your day brings. Life is a gift and even the hardest of hardships are simply part of your journey. Walk it with your head held high. 
#lifeisgood #lifeisajourney#walkyourownpath #befree #lifeisagift#liveyouryoga #yoga #yogi #yogini#yogababy #yogamama #acceptance#faith #namaste #hollyfloodyoga