change is good~new blog

Sometimes we just need to make a change~big or small. We just need to act, do something different. I've been playing with the idea of changing this blog for a long while now, and I decided today was the day. Instead of recreating this blog, I decided to create a new one on wordpress. You can now find me here. I hope you stop by, and if you do, please leave a comment because I'd love to hear from you!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'
Leslie

p.s. Not sure if I will continue to write on this blog or not. I'm just going to see what happens...

may favorites

May 2011 Favorites:

Loreal Elnett Satin Hair Spray

(Love this stuff! It doesn't leave my hair sticky or stiff & brushes out easily.)

Benefit Coralista Blush

(If you are going to splurge on one blush, this is the one. It is my all-time favorite coral blush. Beautiful!)

Acuvue 1-Day Contact Lenses
(I've worn contacts for years. I've always worn the disposable ones you are only supposed to wear about 2 weeks; however, for the past few years, I've gone through right eye contacts twice as fast as left eye because they always seemed to get an annoying film over them. I recently switched to 1 a day contacts, and although a bit more expensive, they are SO worth it. I haven't had any right eye problems since I switched! Should have made this switch a long time ago!)



Half-Moon Posture (Ardha Chandrasana)-photo from Yogajournal.com
This is one of my all time favorite poses. The sense of expansion and lightness I feel in this pose is like no other! Love it!)

*Pink & Purple Feather Hair Extensions*

*anything Turquoise*

*MC Yogi station on Pandora*

And last, but certainly not least:

*Instructing Power Flow Yoga again regularly at a groovy new studio in town: Yoga Sol*

Feel free to share your May favorites! I'd love to hear what you are loving these days!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste

Leslie

june yoga journal cover

I am loving the June issue of Yoga Journal

~the topic of women and leadership is a favorite of mine!

If you are interested in seeing a bit of the cover ladies speak,

check out the live magazine.

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste

Leslie

challenging power yoga sequence

Here is a yoga sequence from the class I taught yesterday:

Begin warming up with a series of sun salutations.

Once warm, continue on with this challenging power yoga sequence--

*hold pose 5 breaths before moving on to the next posture.

*Downward facing dog* (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Lift right leg and swing through

*Warrior 1* (Virabhadrasana I)

*Warrior 2* (Virabhadrasana II)

*Reverse Warrior 2* (Urdva Virabhadrasana II)

*Extended Side Angle* (Parksvakonasana)

Inhale back up to Warrior 2

Straighten front leg and prepare for Triangle

*Triangle* (Utthita Trikonasana)

*Pyramid* (Parsvottanasana)

*Standing Split* (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

*High Lunge*

*Revolved Side Angle Pose* (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)

*Low Lunge with both arms resting on inside of right leg-lower upper body down*

*One legged King Pigeon* (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

*Downward facing dog*

Lift left leg and repeat all on other side

Don't forget to breathe, breathe, breathe!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'

Leslie

newest favorite smoothie recipe

Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Green Smoothie

1 banana

1 1/2 cups soy or almond milk

2 heaping tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon natural peanut butter

1 big handful of organic spinach

2 cups ice

Put it all in the blender and blend!

Enjoy!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste

Leslie

get your flow on sunday!

I'll be spending part of my Sunday with Gabrielle Bernstein and Latham Thomas
getting my flow on...

What will you be doing?

LOVE me some ustream!

Peace,

Leslie

letter to your future self

Tomorrow night my group of almost 300 Senior students will be walking across the stage and receiving their diplomas. This week has been incredibly busy with many exciting Senior activities. It has been a pleasure and honor to watch these students grow and evolve over the past three years!

At one of the activities, a group of students gathered for a small reunion. The teachers who hosted this gathering had a box full of letters the students had written as elementary school students. These letters were addressed to "My future Self," and had been sealed since the time they wrote them.

I LOVE this idea! Why not take some time this weekend and write a letter to your future self?

Seal it and plan on opening it in 5 or 6 years.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Even if you don't have a graduation, find a reason to celebrate!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'

Leslie

heart chakra & yoga

Tomorrow afternoon I will be teaching my weekly Power Flow Yoga class at Yoga Sol. The theme is going to be focused on opening the heart chakra. The fourth chakra, or heart chakra, is the center of the human energy system and is connected with love (all kinds--not just romantic), compassion, & spirituality. It opens us to experience love for ourselves and others, and lets us feel compassion, joy and peace. If we allow our hearts to open and express love, this will permeate every area of our lives and enrich our relationships (including our relationship with ourself) in ways we can't even imagine.

Here are some affirmations to help us strengthen the heart chakra:
I am love.
I deserve love.

I am compassionate with myself and others.

I am able to express love in my life fully.

I am open to love in my life.

Here are some yoga poses to help us open our hearts:

*camel pose*
*fish pose*

*low crescent lunge*

*cobra*

all you need is love...

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'
Leslie

*picture from picturedepot.com*

prom & living the spiral

Last night my sweet husband and I attended prom--it's my 6th one.

I must say, while we were there, it seemed to be a hit. Most of the kids were dancing and genuinely having a good time. (Some of the proms I've been to that hasn't been the case.)

My sweet husband and I even snuck in a slow dance before leaving.

Here are some pictures from the evening: Dinner before at Tellers.

Having a little fun with pocketbooth app.

Today I'm off to a seminar on living the spiral:

http://darlingyoga.com/events-and-workshops/living-the-spiral-seminar/

Not exactly sure what to expect, but it sounds very interesting!

Should be a good time.

Enjoy your weekend.

Slow dance with your sweetheart!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'

Leslie

zumba & getting out of your comfort zone

One of the items on my May Intentions list is to try out a Zumba class. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, and since there is a Zumba class at the new yoga studio where I'm teaching, I figured NOW is the time!
Once I wrote that intention down on paper, I knew I'd make it happen.

(WRITE DOWN YOUR INTENTIONS & GOALS & YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO DO THEM!)

Zumba was loads of fun and immediately sent me back to my floor aerobics teaching days...

with a Latin dancing twist! So glad I went!

I believe it is so important to make a conscious effort to grow and learn and evolve.
One way to do this is to step out of your comfort zone and try new things!

What is it that you've been meaning to do for a while now?

What is something you'd like to learn more about?

What is something you'd like to learn how to do?

NOW is the time to act. No excuses...just action. It's that simple.

It can be something as small as going to a zumba class. No room for self-judgement...

just your inner guide. Shhhh.....listen....she IS there!

Once you know what you want to do,

BE WILLING.

WRITE YOUR INTENTION DOWN.

THEN, DO IT!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'

Leslie

mom's day

Although I'm not a mother,

I have no doubt it has to be the hardest job on earth.

Some say little baby souls choose their parents,

and I must have been a wise baby soul because

I chose a wonderful momma.

She taught me to be a

strong

independent

kind

creative

thoughtful

passionate

&

loving

woman.

For this, I will forever be grateful.

Thank you, Mom.

I love you.

XOXO,

Leslie

on inspiration

Living an inspired (i.e. in-spirit) life takes conscious effort. I don't wake up every morning feeling connected and full of spirit energy--that's for sure. I make small choices throughout my day to incorporate and invite in as much inspiration as possible. Some days it's easier than others. And, small choices do add up and can make a BIG difference.

Here are a few things that keep me living in in-spirit:

*prayer*

*expressing gratitude*

*practicing yoga*

*teaching yoga*

*listening to Hayhouse Radio*

*listening to inspiring podcasts*

*not watching the news--especially before bed*

*listening to inspiring music*

*reading inspirational books*

*avoiding negativity and violence--in word, thought, and action*

*making a conscious effort to invite in love, peace, & joy*

Add a little sprinkle of inspiration in each and every day!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'

Leslie

weekend in review

*attended YogaSol staff meeting--can't wait to start teaching again on Tuesday*

*got pink & purple feather hair extensions--more to come this summer*

*ate dinner on the patio at Flatbranch*

*paid bills*

*did yoga*

*Barnes & Noble artist date*

*purchased gift for Mom's day*

*planted flowers*

*planted herb garden--basil, lavender, lemon balm, oregano, mint, and rosemary*

*hosted chocolate pancake, sausage, & scrambled egg brunch for parents-in-law*

*cleaned house*

*sipped mocha at Starbucks while reading and making lists*

*meditated*

*watched Oprah--going to miss her show terribly*

*viewed youtube videos*

*cooked home-made pizza for dinner*

*devoured kale chips*

*enjoyed fresh flowers*

*completed AFAA CEU on Life Coaching*

Had a fabulous weekend!

Hope you did, too.

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'

Leslie

may meditation challenge

Overall, the April Attitude of Gratitude challenge went well. I definitely believe one of the secrets to happiness is living with a spirit of gratitude!

If you're up for another challenge, here's the challenge for the month of May:

For at least 5 minutes a day
MEDITATE.

It's only 5 minutes.

We can do anything for 5 minutes, right?

There are all types of meditations:

You can focus on just riding the waves of your breath.

You can count each breath to keep your mind focused and clear.

You can focus on a phrase or mantra:

Inhale "Let"

Exhale "Go"

You can do a loving kindness meditation where you focus on these four phrases as you start by thinking about yourself, then move on to someone you love, & then the challenging part...thinking about someone who you don't particularly like:

"May I (you) be free from fear."

"May I (you) be happy."

"May I (you) be healthy."

"May I (you) live with ease."

If you have trouble clearing your mind, move first! Do some sun salutations, take a walk, dance!

Your mind will most definitely resist this process--especially since most of us are very addicted to thinking. It will tell you you can't do it. It will tell you you don't have time. It will tell you there are other more important things you need to be doing. It will start projecting into the future or clinging to the past. When you find yourself thinking, just name it in:

"Thinking" and return to your breath.

If you think you can't do it, watch the documentary Dhamma Brothers. It will inspire you. It's only five minutes, but it will make a huge difference in the quality of your days and nights!

Set your alarm for five minutes and give it a try!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,

& Namaste'

Leslie

april favorites

Here is my list of favorites for the month of April:

LUSH Karma perfume
LOVE this smell & so does my Sweet Husband!

MAC Costa Chic Lipstick
It's a beautiful, bright coral color that is perfect for spring & summer!

MAC Club Eyeshadow
This photo does not do it justice. It is the coolest eyeshadow color EVER-seriously.

It's a beautiful green color that blends out to brown.

You can quickly put on this one color and it looks like you spent hours on your eyes!

Neti Pot
This is most definitely not the sexiest favorite on my list, but it is a must have.

I am not sure how I ever survived before using a Neti pot regularly.

Every time I use this I am once again amazed at how much easier it is to breathe.

*walks with pups*
*glasses of water with fresh lime and lemon*
*listening to Hay House Radio*
*Ujjayi breathing*
*Anjaneyasana*

What are some of your April favorites?
Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'
Leslie

on putting that baggage down

While I love a beautiful piece of luggage as much as the next Diva girl, there is some baggage I just don't wanna carry. No matter how wonderful and loving and gracious our parents were as we grew up, we all acquire baggage. It's just a part of life. This baggage isn't like a gorgeous Louis Vuitton filled with inspiring beauty; this baggage is down-right ugly and filled with crap. It feels oh. so. heavy. to carry on a daily basis. It slows us down. It keeps us stagnant. It casts a dark shadow on our lives. Yet, sometimes we do everything in our power to keep on carrying it. We fill it with anger. We fill it with fear. We make up excuses as to why we need to keep it around. We hold on tight to it, as if we would have to go naked without its contents. We believe it is a part of us, and that we wouldn't be "ourselves" without it.

Here is the simple, good news:
We can CHOOSE at any moment to put our baggage down.

It is just that simple. We can send our parents, past lovers, friends, etc. light and love and forgiveness, and then set the bag down and MOVE ON. And, anytime we feel the baggage trying to roll back into our lives, (and I can guarantee it will at some point or another) we can make a conscious choice to stop it and simply refuse to pick it back up. While others may have filled our baggage full, we are the ones who have control of whether or not we carry it.

That, my friends, is personal power & responsibility

& we ALL have it.

What do you need to set down today?

Peace, Love, Lipstick

& Namaste,

Leslie

partner yoga & comment love

Tonight my sweet husband and I did some partner yoga after I led him through a short private session. If you're interested, check out this short demo of partner yoga.

Also, I wanted to let you know how much it means to me to get comments from readers. Please feel free to post a comment when you stop by. I so appreciate comment love!

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste'
Leslie

yoga workshop & lovely ladies of inspiration

I just got back into town from a two day intensive yoga assists workshop with Gina Caputo at Kansas Siddhi Yoga. It was a wonderful two days of learning. When I get back home from yoga teacher training workshops, my mind is always spinning with ideas and inspiration and a sense of being humbled, yet very empowered. I cannot wait to teach my next class!

If you ever have a chance to take a class or training with Gina, I highly recommend it. She is inspiring & tough as nails, but with a great sense of humor & a huge heart. She is now also added to my list of women who inspire me. Here's my current list of lovely lady inspiration:

Kris Carr
Gabrielle Bernstein
Seane Corn
Oprah
Madonna
Kimberly Wilson
Louise Hay
Cheryl Richardson

I think it's so important to recognize those who are your sources of inspiration, so you can begin to grow and learn and transform--particularly focusing in on the characteristics in that person you admire. What rational risks did she take to get where she is? What feeling does she evoke in you when you're in her presence or simply observing her? How can you give a similar feeling to others? How can you be fully yourself, yet integrate some of what you've learned fom her?

Who inspires you?

Peace, Love, Lipstick,
& Namaste'
Leslie

*photo from Kansas Siddhi Yoga website

shedding perfectionism

Perfectionism is not a prerequisite to anything besides pain.

I consider myself a recovering perfectionist. I know I am not alone with this constant battle, and many women, in particular, are right there with me. I come from a long line of perfectionistic women--some of whom still announce the title proudly. Here are some reasons perfectionism is a sure road to pain and disappointment and definitely worth the time and effort to let the title go:

Perfectionism can stop us from starting.

People who strive for perfection often will not attempt something because they feel like they can't do whatever it is perfectly. Many missed opportunities and experiences can go by in life for those who set perfection as their standard. Sadly, this means opportunities to grow and learn and transform and move in the direction of your dreams can be passed by.

Perfectionism can stop us from finishing.

Many times projects go unfinished because the perfectionist's perception is that she is not living up to her own unrealistic standards. The false notion is that not finishing something is better than finishing the project and it not being perfect.

There is NO such thing as perfection.

Striving for perfection will always be a let down because it simply does not exist. No matter what you do or how you do it, it will never be perfect, so you're setting yourself up to feel unworthy, not good enough, and constantly falling short. We all know (in our heads) that perfection doesn't exist, but we need that shift of knowing to move to our hearts, so we can let it go!

How do we make that shift to the heart knowing?

Radical Self-Love, Self-Compassion, & Self Acceptance

When you feel the perfectionistic voice sneaking into your head, make a conscious decision to shift your thinking. Imagine that you are talking to your best friend:

What would you say to her in the situation? How would you support and encourage her? How would you help her see her strengths and be more compassionate with herself?

Here's to shedding perfectionism, one self-loving thought at a time!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,

& Namaste'

Leslie

music & the soul

Jodi Picoult is probably my favorite contemporary fiction author. Her books always make me think about moral and ethical dilemmas. They are entertaining, and when I want a page-turner, she is always the author I reach for. I am currently reading her most recent book, Sing You Home. One of the characters is a music therapist. Here is a very interesting snippet from the book that as soon as I read, I wanted to share: "Some cognitive scientists believe human response to music provides evidence that we are more than just flesh and blood-that we also have souls. Their thinking is as follows: All reactions to external stimuli can be traced back to an evolutionary rationale. You pull your hand away from fire to avoid physical harm. You get butterflies before an important speech because the adrenaline running through your veins has caused a physiological fight-or-flight response. But there is no evolutionary context within which people's response to music makes sense--the tapping of a foot, the urge to sing along or get up and dance, there's just no survival benefit to these activities. For this reason, some believe that our response to music is proof that there's more to us than just biological and physiological mechanics--that the only way to be moved by the spirit, so to speak, is to have one in the first place." Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste' Leslie