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

weekend in review

*All ready for The Little Black Dress charity event benefiting the local women's shelter.**At the event with my co-worker girlfriends.* *Our tulips finally bloomed. Yay spring!* *Veggies getting ready to be grilled.* *Spent the day with my good friend Tara. We talked for 8 hours straight--seriously. So wish she still lived in MO.*

*Late dinner with family at Chevy's.*

*Planted flowers in 4 pots and on top of our rain barrel. Only 2 more pots to go. Pictures to come.*

*Made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.*

*Grocery shopped--got lots of yummy fruits & veggies.*

*Read while sipping a grande, non-fat, no-whip, mocha in a for-here mug at Starbucks.*

It was truly divine. Hope yours was, too!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,

& Namaste'

Leslie

yoga at home sequence

I just finished an at-home yoga practice & it. was. divine. It was one of those practices where I turned the music on and just let my body lead. It always feels so good to silence the mind monster--even if just for a short time. I turned on my Le Spa Sonique cd, and just let go.

For those of you interested, here is the sequence I practiced today:

Start in Mountain Pose

3 1/2 Sun Salutations

Sun Salutation A--4Xs

Sun Salutation B--4Xs

Standing in Mountain

Inhale arms up

Exhale forward fold

Inhale extend half way up

Exhale forward fold

Inhale to plank Exhale lower slowly

Inhale Cobra Exhale Down Dog

(Now for the standing sequence--hold each pose 3 breaths)

From Down dog move into Warrior 1-hold

On the 4th exhale, move into Warrior 2-hold

On the 4th exhale, move into reverse Warrior-hold

On the 4th exhale, move into extended side angle-hold

On the 4th exhale, move into pyramid with hands on the floor on the outside of front leg, or on leg if you need to modify-hold

On the 4th Inhale, move into standing split-hold

On the 4th Exhale, move into crescent lunge (with back knee down or up--you choose)-hold

On the 4th Exhale, revolve the crescent lunge--hold

On the 4th Exhale, come back to center and move into pigeon pose-hold

On the 4th Exhale, move into Down Dog

(Repeat entire sequence on the other side)

Come into sitting for Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend-hold

Come onto back for Supine Spinal Twist-hold

Then, do other side Savasana for at least five minutes

Come up to sitting cross legged, hands at heart center.

Breathe as you focus on the following four phrases:

May you be free of fear.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you live with ease.

Namaste'

Leslie

weekend in review

*major grocery shopping excursion w/ Sweet Husband*

*yummy fajita dinner at friends' house*

*house cleaning*

*hosted good friends & their two little girls for the weekend*

*went on a picnic*

*shopping trip where I picked up this*

*reading this while sipping a mocha at Starbucks*

*BBQ at home*

*chocolate pancake breakfast*

*long walk while listening to this podcast*

*planted these*

*afternoon nap*

*bookstore browsing at Barnes & Noble*

*home-made ham & pineapple pizza*

Love weekends!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,

& Namaste'

Leslie

shifting

The end of my day at work today was hard. Being the receiver and then bearer of bad news doesn't sit well with my soul. I left feeling tired and drained. Then, I decided I was going to shift my stinkin' thinkin', and kick Negative Nelly to the curb--where she belongs!

Here are a few ideas to help with this shift

(you may need to utilize a few of these to get Ms. Nelly totally gone):

*take a walk*

*read inspiring blogs*

*do yoga*

*create a gratitude list*

*pet your pups*

*take three deep, full, present, relaxing breaths*

*write in your journal*

*meditate*

*kiss your spouse--a good, long, juicy one or at least get a good hug!*

*listen to fun, feel-good music (maybe even bust out in dance, if your body desires!)*

*read through a list of positive affirmations*

*watch something funny (nothing's as good for the soul as laughter)*

*walk bare-foot in the grass (maybe even do a cartwheel if you're feeling courageous!)*

Little actions and shifts in perspective, can make a BIG difference!

Peace, Love, Lipstick, &

Namaste'

Leslie

a few spring break photos

New hair with highlights Vision Board

Expect Miracles t-shirt

Lunch in KC

Peace, Love, Lipstick

& Namaste'

Leslie

spring break 2011 in review

*overnight trip to KC w/ Sweet husband & good friends*

*trip to St. Louis w/ Sweet husband and met up with good friends*

*hosted spring break soiree' w/ girlfriends*

*watched Kris Carr and Garbrielle Bernstein's Crazy Sexy Miracles lecture via ustream*

*dinner on patio at Flatbranch*

*long walk w/ the pups*

*Barnes & Noble browsing*

*Target shopping trip*

*designed and got "expect miracles" t-shirt made*

*Spring Cleaning*

*closet organizing*

*sushi & pad thai at Kampai w/ Sweet Husband*

*reading & mocha sipping at Starbucks*

*typed up loads of yogathoughts for upcoming yoga classes*

*made yummy pasta dinner*

*lunch at Bangkok Gardens & hung out downtown*

*made new vision board*

*got new do...lots of blonde highlights added to my hair*

Peace, Love, Lipstick

& Namaste'

Leslie

april attitude of gratitude challenge

I thoroughly enjoyed the March Movement Challenge and found it to be a really rewarding, yet do-able discipline. Knowing that I only had to move 20 minutes a day (we can do anything for 20 minutes, right?) the pressure of needing to work out for hours and the excuse of "not having enough time" both went right out the door. Most days I exceeeded the 20 minutes, too. How did it go for you? With the closing of March, I've decided to create a new challenge for the month of April (although I do plan to keep the movement going!) The April challenge is below. Please feel free to join me!

April Attitude of Gratitude Challenge

Each day during the month of April find 5 things (people, places, experiences, etc.) that you are thankful for and write them down! You can keep a gratitude journal and write them in it throughout the day or at night before bed. You can get a gratitude partner and e-mail or text your list to him or her throughout the day. You can have family dinners and share your list with each other at that time--get the kids involved, no matter how young they are! Also, begin and end your day by saying, "Thank You" and feeling the true abundance in your life. Feeling like you're living in lack is much more difficult to do when you live with a spirit of gratitude. Fight your lack-loving ego, and pour some gratitude gravy all over it! I know it's not April just yet, but here's my gratitude list for today: 1. Spring Break 2011 2. Thoroughly enjoying an evening last night with some girlfriends 3. Watching the Crazy Sexy Miracles lecture with Kris Carr and Gabrielle Bernstein 4. Enjoying my morning cup of decaf coffee 5. Smelling a yummy lemon scented candle burning in the kitchen Yes, life is full! What are you thankful for today? Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste' Leslie

march favorites

March is quickly coming to a close, so I thought I'd share some of my favorites from this month.

First, Revlon Soft Nude lipstick.

It's the perfect nude color, feels great on my lips, and the price is right!

Revlon Peach Petal Lipgloss

Love this lipgloss, and it goes perfectly over the Soft Nude lipstick. Loving this book! Wondering why I didn't write it myself! Found this non-sudsing shampoo/conditioner at Sally's Beauty Supply. It's sulfate free, has argon oil in it, and is made specifically for curly hair. I love how my hair feels after using it! I think I just might be giving up traditional shampoo! A co-worker introduced me to this Aveda Comforting Tea, and I fell instantly in love. Initially on the palette it tastes like many other teas, however at the very end of the tasting experience you get a shot of sweetness that I cannot really describe. It just might be the perfect tea. (The price is a little high, but I talked myself into buying it by thinking about it being less than $1.00 per cup!)I am also loving this Burt's Bees Citrus facial Scrub. I leave it in the shower and use it to exfoliate my face regularly. It's gentle, yet gets the job done! Love me some Burt's Bees!

*Blueberry Mango Green Smoothies* (YUM!)

*Pigeon Pose* (Can't get enough of this hip-opener this month)

*Black Eyed Peas Pandora Station* (For when I feel like dancing--or even when I don't.)

Last, but not least:

*SPRING BREAK*

I'm on it now, and enjoying it thoroughly!

Feel free to share some of your favorites for the month of March!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,

& Namaste,

Leslie

i'm back and yoga flow sequence

Tonight I subbed a yoga class, and it felt oh-so good. I cannot explain how teaching yoga makes me feel beyond it's like I'm returning home every time I teach. I'm present. I'm alive. I'm full of energy. I'm calm. I'm focused. I'm relaxed. I'm out of my head and in my body. It's amazing! I have been on a year long yoga teaching sabbatical (although I taught quite a bit subbing classes and in the school where I work during this time "off"), and while I know it was good for me to take this mini-break, I am more than ready to begin teaching regularly again! I am also thrilled that I will be instructing at a fabulous studio here in town that has just the vibe and energy I want to be a part of. April 19 is the exciting start date, and I know lots of good things are to come! For all you yoginis out there, I thought I'd share a flow that will get you nice and heated: Inhale to chair pose Exhale sink deeper into chair Inhale to your tippy toes (while in chair)--I always give this as an option, not a requirement Exhale feet go flat as you foward fold into uttanasana Inhale half way up and out extending the spine long Exhale to plank and slowly lower on the exhale Inhale cobra or updog Exhale downdog Inhale while in downdog Exhale walk or hop feet to hands Inhale half way up and out extending the spine long Exhale forward fold into uttanasana (Repeat 5-10 times to get nice and heated from the inside out!) Keep going with the flow! More to follow... Peace, Love, Lipstick, & Namaste' Leslie

my breakfast & smoothie recipe

I love home-made fruit smoothies! This one is probably my all-time favorite. I usually just eyeball the ingredients, but here's my estimate of everything that goes into this smoothie. Delish!

Blueberry Mango Green Smoothie
1 cup mango
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
2 cups organic spinach
1 1/2 cups vanilla soy milk
1 cup crushed ice
1 tablespoon agave nectar

(I buy a big bag of frozen mango at Sam's Club; however, I find it becomes really hard to blend if I leave it frozen, so I usually thaw the mango out. I do leave the blueberries frozen. Sometimes I also add 1/2 an avocado if I want it extra smooth. I also just use a cheap blender I bought at Wal-Mart. It's a Hamilton Beach one that has a spout which can dispense the smoothie, as long as it's not too thick. We used to have a nice Cuisinart blender, but it actually broke while I was making one of these. The Hamilton Beach one works wonderfully and the price is definitely right.)

Hope you have a great day! And, if you have smoothie recipes you love, please share!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,
& Namaste'