day 11 and exciting news!!!

Welcome to Day 11 of the Summer Sun Salutation and Meditation Challenge. How's it going? As the number of sun salutations increase, know that you can rest when your body needs to rest.

Now, for my exciting news...I've mentioned in a few previous posts that I had some exciting news to share, and I decided today is the day to share it with you (drum roll, please, and no, I'm not pregnant, for family and friends who were probably thinking/hoping that was the case--but I am giving birth to a dream that I've had for almost 5 years now!):

Last month, I received notice that the studio where I teach yoga is closing. While I was saddened to find out this news, I made the decision in that moment that rather than return to teaching in a gym setting, I would take the plunge and find a space to rent and teach on my own! This has been a dream of mine for years now, and although I always knew it would happen, I wasn't always able to wrap my brain around when or how.

Since making up my mind that now is the time, it has been amazing to me how all the puzzle pieces of making this happen have so nicely come together. I already have a small space lined up and, with the help of my sweet husband, will begin painting and creating a welcoming, Zen atmosphere next week. Since I'm off work for the summer, the timing truly couldn't be better. I will begin teaching classes in my new space on July 1. I cannot wait! I feel completely and totally euphoric about the whole process. I know I will encounter challenges, but I know I am ready to handle them, and I definitely think there will be much more joy and rewards than challenges!

I'd like to share a little about my new business:

After much thinking, I've named it CREATIVE SPACE YOGA (I chose this name for 3 reasons: 1. My life motto (and the three main points of my graduate commencement speech) are: Create your life*Seek balance*Live with a spirit of gratitude--Creative Space Yoga will be a place where people can come to start consciously creating the life they want and dream about. 2. I had to be creative about finding a space for yoga...hence, Creative Space. 3. It's a place for all my fellow yogis and yoginis and me to express our creativity!

CREATIVE SPACE YOGA's mission is to provide a safe and nurturing space for you to practice yoga and use it as a catalyst to consciously create your life, seek balance, and live with a spirit of gratitude. CREATIVE SPACE YOGA values include: life-long personal growth*creativity*community*service*gratitude

So, all you ladies (and gents) out there, please wish me luck and lots of good vibes! I've never been one who was very business-minded or oriented, but I am so very passionate about yoga and how it can change lives that I'm definitely ready to jump in and learn about business in order to share my passion with others! I even purchased my first business read this week. (One of my goals this year was to read a minimum of 3 books about business to learn more), so I bought Ladies Who Launch: entrepreneurship & creativity as a lifestyle by Victoria Colligan & Beth Schoenfeldt. So far, it is full of inspiration!

Here are a few yogathoughts from this fabulous book:

"Our culture tends to discourage women from reaching for the stars and embracing our creativity. The messages we are more likely to receive are: "Work hard," "Stay our of trouble," "Get good grades," "Play it safe," and "Be responsible." Because of these admonitions, it becomes easy to let years of precious life go by without writing that book, pitching that idea, creating that loving relationship, or simply decorating the house exactly the way you want it. Your "inner entrepreneur," the creative engine that can transform your dreams into reality, is kept in check."

"Rather than suppressing your desires because you don't want to be too bold, too proud, too much, too greedy, we say let them loose and allow them to grow!...First, you have to realize that you can have a say in your life; you can escape the expectations that you learned from your school, work, family, and friends. You have to appreciate that you can custom-design our unique path and that no matter what you were told, you are a brilliant, innovative being."

"When you're birthing something, from a new room in the house to a lemonade stand, your inner magic wand is in action. It's not about what, but more about doing. This means that going out in the world, making things happen, and stirring the pot is more than just fun and possibly lucrative; it could save you big bucks on therapy bills and also fill in a few of the holes that crop up and make you feel like something might be missing."

Never forget: When one door closes, another door always opens. Look for the opening door.

Namaste'
Yogadiva