wonderful weekend

This weekend has flown by, but since I'm actually on spring break, I still have 7 days left to savor! Friday night started off a little rocky: when I showed up for my much needed massage, the owner had double booked my wonderful massage therapist, so I went home and I must admit, pouted for a good half an hour. It all ended up ok, however, because the owner called me and said I could have a complimentary masssage due to the mix-up. It was an hour and a half later than I had planned, but I got my massage and as always, it was fabulous, and free!

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning up the house, shopping at Sam's, reading at Starbucks (I bought the newest Jodi Picoult book, and I CANNOT put it down!), and then dinner at friends' house.

Today I slept in (didn't get up until 8:30 am!), went out for bagels for breakfast, & browsed at Michael's and Barnes & Noble. In just a bit I'm headed out to take a yoga class & then will come back home for some card making & stamping.

All in all, it's been a great weekend! I hope yours was, too!

Namaste'
Leslie

self-care spring break

This time tomorrow night I will be getting a much needed 90 minute swedish massage. This is the kick-off to my spring break & I. can. not. wait! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE getting massages. After a massage, my body feels a lot like it does after practicing yoga, but I don't have to do as much work. :)

I won't be traveling over spring break, as my husband isn't off work on the same days. I actually find staying home for the week is incredibily rejuvenating and relaxing. Other items on my agenda? Mani, pedi, hair appointment, dinner at friend's house, and a day trip with a girlfriend to St. Louis! The weather is supposed to be fabulous, too!

Even if you don't have a spring break coming up, how can you practice a little self-care? You deserve it!

Namaste'
Leslie

gratitude list

Feeling a little blue? I've found making a gratitude list can help me get that positive energy and mind-set flowing again!

Today I am grateful for:

*sunshine
*spring-like weather
*my husband having me come outside to see a hot air balloon taking off right by our house
*my pup making me smile by growling at the hot air balloon (we can now add this to our list of
things he's afraid of)
*my blog and blogging friends

What are your thankful for today?

Namste'
Leslie

wherever you go,

there you are...

"Guess what? When it comes right down to it, wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you are thinking right now, that's what's on your mind. Whatever has happened to you, it has already happened. The important question is, how are you going to handle it? In other words, 'Now what?'

Like it or not, this moment is all we really have to work with. Yet we all too easily conduct our lives as if forgetting momentarily that we are here, where we already are, and that we are in what we are already in. In every moment, we find ourselves at the crossroad of here and now. But when the cloud of forgetfulness over where we are now sets in, in that very moment we get lost. 'Now what?' becomes a real problem.

By lost, I mean that we momentarily lose touch with ourselves with the full extent of our possibilities. Instead, we fall into a robotlike way of seeing and thinking and doing. In those moments, we break contact with what is deepest in ourselves and affords us perhaps our greatest opportunities for creativity, learning, and growing. If we are not careful, those clouded moments can stretch out and become most of our lives.

To allow ourselves to be truly in touch with where we already are, no matter where that is, we have got to pause in our experience long enough to let the present moment sink in..." --Jon Kabat-Zinn

Definitely needing this book right at this very moment.

Namaste'
Leslie

random acts of kindness

Today I attended a conference and one of the main points I took away from the keynote speaker is that kindess matters. This is something I think we definitely need to be reminded of regularly. Sometimes in our very fast-paced, somewhat egocentric society, it can be hard to remember that small acts of kindness can truly make a huge difference in a person's life. These kind acts can shift a person's energy (both the giver of kindess as well as the receiver) and change the entire dynamic of the day. The rippling effects can also go on and on...

How can you commit random acts of kindness?

Namaste'
Leslie

yoga teaching sabbatical

This week I was notified that I would no longer be able to rent the space I was using to teach yoga. Interestingly, that very same day I had this moment when my inner voice was thinking of the possibility of taking a yoga teaching sabbatical. Then, I was actually given the opportunity to take one. Gotta love synchronicity.

I have been teaching yoga classes non-stop for over 10 years and group exercise classes for another 3 prior to that. I don't really know what it's like to come home directly from my day job and have the entire evening free to do with as I want. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE teaching yoga, but I also want to know what it's like to be completely done with responsibility after a days work. On Mondays, I leave for work by by 7:00 a.m. and don't get home until 6:00 p.m. Wednesdays I leave at 7:00 and don't get home until 7:00 p.m. It can make for some long days, and I am looking forward to having more evenings free. I am also looking forward to being able to attend more yoga classes. As an instructor, it can be difficult, although incredibly important to go to classes.

I know that this yoga teaching sabbatical will most likely not last long, as instructing yoga is a passion of mine. But in the meantime, I'm going to just enjoy the adventure of change!

Namaste'
Leslie

love me some books

Have I mentioned I love, love, love to read? Seriously, there is nothing like having a good book in hand. I also love learning and find because of this, I often read non-fiction. I pretty much always have a yoga book, personal-growth/self-help book, and most recently a business book with me.

My newest yoga read is A Woman's Book of Yoga: Embracing Our Natural Life Cycles by Machelle M. Seibel, MD and Hari Kaur Khalsa. So far, I am really enjoying it. I find it very beneficial to read yoga books about all different styles--I figure it can only enhance my current practice and teaching!

I am also reading The Art of Extreme Self-Care: Transform Your life One Month at a Time by Cheryl Richardson. Cheryl is on of my all-time favorite personal growth authors. Every thing she writes resonates with me!

Would love to hear if you have any recommended reads!

Namaste'

Leslie

wednesday flow

Here is a flow sequence from tonight's class:

Start in Mountain Pose
Inhale arms up
Exhale forward fold
Inhale half way up and out (Monkey)
Exhale plank and slowly lower (all on exhale, if possible)
Inhale cobra or up-dog
Exhale Downward facing dog
Inhale right let lifts
Exhale swing right leg through
Inhale Warrior One
Exhale Warrior Two
Inhale turn the right palm up toward ceiling
Exhale reverse hinge (left hand to left leg, right arm reaches up and back)
Inhale stay in the reverse lunge and stretch a bit deeper through the right side-body
Exhale Warrior Two
Inhale both hands down behind the back, and clasp the hands together, while opening chest
Exhale hinge forward bringing the forhead toward the right inner ankle (let gravity pull the weight of the arms, with hands still clasped, toward the floor)
Inhale back up
Exhale Warrior Two
Inhale right palm up toward ceiling
Exhale Revers hinge
Inhale stay in the reverse lunge and stretch a bit deeper through the right side-body
Exhale cartwheeling the arms to floor and return to Plank, slowly lower (all on exhale)
Inhale cobra or up-dog
Exhale downward facing dog
Repeat from down-dog on the other side

Enjoy and go with the flow!

Namste'
Leslie

yogathought

"Write this down, place it in a conspicuous place, and repeat it to yourself.

I live in a Divinely inspired Universe.

I have nothing to fear.

I trust in myself, and when I do so,

I trust in the very Wisdom that created me."

-Wayne Dyer

Namaste'

Leslie

mixing it up in march

How can you make small changes and decisions to add a little spice to your life this month? Here are a few ideas of how you can mix it up in March:

*drive a different route to work (of even better: walk or ride your bike)
*eat a food you've never tried
*go to a new restaurant
*host a small dinner party
*write letters to 3 people who have made a positive difference in your life
*take a small step to make a positive difference in the life of someone else
*watch an inspiring movie
*buy fresh flowers for your home
*listen to a station on pandora you wouldn't normally choose

I am a firm believer that it's the small touches are that make life more enjoyable!

Namaste'
Leslie