express yourself

My husband and I spent the weekend flower and plant shopping and then landscaping at our new home. We negotiated with the builder to let us do our own landscaping as we both really enjoy the process. Landscaping, while very hard work, is also a process that really gets my creative juices flowing. Choosing the flowers and plants and different heights and colors and then arranging them in the space is so much fun--not to mention watching the plants grow and bloom and spread over time!

Have you been feeling very creative lately? If not, there are many ways to get your creative juices flowing:

*write

*draw

*play an instrument

*dance

*plant a garden

*cook

*color

*paint

*redecorate a room

*create a new yoga sequence

*make a collage

*try out a new hair style

*paint your nails a bright summery color

Have fun & express yourself!

Namaste'

Leslie

yogathought

Here is your yogathought for the day (I'm still working on this one!):

"You'll simplify your life and feel inspired if you learn to play, rather than work, your way through life." --Wayne Dyer

Happy weekend!

Namaste'
Leslie

all in a days work

First, I want to give a big shout out to my friends Trevor & Samantha (if you happen to be reading this, we should get together soon!) for introducing me to the iphone hipstamatic application. I've been mulling over getting a pink Holga camera for about a year now, as I love the look of old photographs. However, the cost of buying film and processing it has stopped me from taking the plunge and buying the camera. Now, with the hipstamatic application, I can get the look I want and have it all digitally! So Very Excited about this! Thank you!

As my partner counselor said today, this week is kind of the "calm before the storm" at work. Starting next week, students will be very stressed getting ready for finals. With the purchase of my new app, I decided to shoot a few pics of my office. I've tried to create a very calming and welcoming environment at work. It's always amazing to me how much one's surroundings can really set a tone and vibe for the interactions and experiences in the space.

So, here are a few hipstamaticized (totally made this word up) shots of my office (and my sweet husband and I tonight at dinner):

Namaste'

Leslie

3 things I'm looking foward to

I understand the importance of living in the present, and I try to do this as much as possible. However, I also think it's fun to have things to look forward to and get excited about. Right now, here are the top 3 things on my list:

1. the last day of school for this school year (12 days and counting)
2. moving into our new home (CAN NOT WAIT)
3. the release of the movie Sex & The City 2

What 3 things are on your list?

Namaste'
Leslie

update on my yoga teaching sabbatical

I have been on a yoga teaching sabbatical for just over one month now, and I must say it's been going very well. The week after I stopped teaching, we got a contract on our home and got the house we wanted under contract (it ended up being a very busy week--and talk about perfect timing!). Since then, I've been very focused on selling some furniture (on craigslist--love craigslist!), getting ready for a garage sale we are having this weekend, and thinking about and planning how I want to decorate our new home. It's been an exciting and busy time.

I have been able to go to a few yoga classes (which have been great!), and I've done some yoga dvds at home. I am actually subbing a yoga class tonight and another one in two weeks, so I am still getting small doses of instructing. I will say, when I go to a class a part of me yearns to be the one up in front leading. However, I know at this point in my life this sabbatical is exactly what I need. I'm finding that sometimes it's good to take a step back and take a break. It can also be good to step out of the roles we so identify with...who am I if not a...yoga instructor (you can fill in your own role here)? I have also taken a break from studying and reading about yoga--my practice is all that exists for me right now as far as yoga goes.

At this time, I am very satisfied with where I am. I always joke that I'm a "Type A personality on Yoga"...I believe it's so important for those of us who are "Type As" to take a step back every once and a while and surrender some of that drive, control, and need to excel. Sometimes that step back is exactly what we need to be catapulted forward in the right direction!

Any area of your life right now in which you need to take a sabbatical?

Namaste'
Leslie

momma's day

This morning we had a wonderful mother's day brunch for my momma & tonight we had a mother's day dinner for J's mom. I am so very thankful that we were both raised by such wonderful, caring, & creative women.

Hope you had a great day, too!

Namaste'
Leslie

rollercoaster ride

In less than two months, my husband and my animal family are moving across town. It's somewhat hard to believe it's finally happening, but I am so very excited about it! Looking back, it's all coming together perfectly, but in the midst of trying to sell our home, I must admit there were many days when I didn't deal with the situation well. I had absolutely no control over our home selling, and I like to be in control. I didn't know when our home would sell, and therefore couldn't be sure there would be another house on the market we loved at the perfect time--this made me incredibly anxious. I spent way too much time in my head, and not nearly enough time in the present. I really feel like I've been on a nine month roller coaster. I will be the first to admit, I am so very glad to be off the rollercoaster, and I am most definitely a work in progress...

On another note, with this move, we have already put a bunch of furniture on Craigslist, and we are preparing for a garage sale next week. Overall, I don't think we have a ton of "stuff," but I'm definitely ready to let go of some things. As I'm going through my stuff, I'm once again coming back to the question: "Do I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this?" If the answer is no, I will be letting it go. I am a firm believer that we have to clear out in order for more good to come. The "good" has already been coming my way, and I'm ready and open for more of it!

What do you need to clear out in order to open up more space?

Namaste'
Leslie

you can heal your life

Today I watched the movie/documentary You Can Heal Your Life, and I am feeling completely inspired. It's based on the book by Louise Hay--which I haven't yet read but now have on order. It's essentially about the law of attraction and how your thoughts affect your body and the creation of your life. I definitely recommend it; however, I feel I must add that there are times when it is very cheesy--I've found many of these type of personal growth, low budget films are a bit corny--but, I just keep focus on the wonderful message, and I am usually able to look past it. If you've already seen it or read the book, I'd love to know your thoughts!

Namaste'
Leslie