Uncategorized

Step Outside of Yourself.

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

My morning typically starts with coffee (let’s be honest, ALWAYS coffee,) my computer and  some sort of breakfast. I venture from my computer to a book or the gym, my yoga mat or the pool. Today I found my way to The Red Book and my journal. The chapter I just read is titled: Breaking the Rules: Healthy transgressions make the heavens applaud. Sera, the author…yes, we’re on a first name basis–talks about breaking out of the social norms in order to transgress, to change, to grow. Breaking social norms certainly is one way to mindfully mix up your life and move on and up, but breaking personal norms is too. I think, in many ways, probably more powerful.

She speaks of stepping outside of ourselves, outside of our normal habits and comfort zones and change it up a bit. Shutting off the TV and reading, drinking tea instead of coffee (no way, okay, maybe I’ll try it one day,) hitting on that dude at the bar, saying no when you are hit on by that other dude at the bar, quitting a kick-ass job that’s making you miserable. Ignoring that little voice inside of you that said “no” and scream “YES” back at it. Telling that voice to shut the eff up!

This morning I’ve been reflecting on my last few weeks. I’ve been scared and uncertain about my future. I told a friend of mine that I was “terrified” of an opportunity that is in front of me and he said, “Nope, no way, I don’t believe that YOU are scared.” I’m good at faking it, not so good at making it. I need to begin to see what others see in me. Another friend suggests I face my fear, challenge myself mentally, physically, and emotionally. I need to get uncomfortable. My yoga instructors say “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Really–though, that’s the only way we can grow.

One of my goals is to silence my fearful voice that has gotten so loud in my head. I’m going to stop telling myself Well, Self, you failed at not stuffing french fries in your mouth yesterday, so obviously you’re going to fail today…where’s the ketchup? That voice is going to shut the eff up. It’s going start saying things like Look at you, you sexy woman! You CAN succeed, you CAN do this.

How are you going to change today? What are you going to do to move forward, grow, and improve?

 

Defining ‘Community’

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Community. I love to define things here on my blog. Not that putting a definition on something really creates it for you, but sometimes it helps convey some sort of message by means of words that I didn’t write—the real meaning of the world, and then I’ll throw a curve ball with my own twist on the it.

 

Community:

noun, often attributive

: a group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or neighborhood)

: a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.

: a group of nations

 

I like the middle definition the best. I mean, a community of people have the same interest generally flock together in the same area to form a community, right? WRONG. Not in this day and age with the internet, blog-o-sphere, skype, email, facebook, texting, facetime…what other techy communication words can I throw around? Twitter, life 360, uhmmmm… I’m running out, MySpace? Is that still a thing? I probably still have one floating around somewhere online.

 

Anyway.

 

Community. I’ve always ended up finding myself in the physical fitness community. Both literally and interwebbidly (that is a word now.) I’ve tweeted about my training, I blogged about my races, my classes, my goals, etc… facebook has been a huge motivator and encourager and keeper of commitmenter. (Feel free to start using my new vocabulary any day now.) It’s all helping to morph into another form of community. One on one interaction of awesome people helping awesome people via…you guessed it…the internet.

            My amazing friend, Ashley, is a kick ass trainer over at Comfy Fitness in Chicago. She and I skype and text most days about workouts, she’s setting me up and kicking my ass virtually three times a week. I still need to have the motivation to get my ass to the gym and do the routine, but she supports me and encourages me even when I’m super sore and tired. I love having this support.

            My friend who lives in Miami is training for her first 5k (!!!!!) I love getting facebook messages from her telling me that she completed her first ever 2.5 mile run, she asks me questions, she tells me that my voice was in her head when she wanted to stop but I wouldn’t let her. My friend in Michigan is also beginning his running venture—totally new for him and he’s having triumph after triumph and tells me about it. I love hearing from and supporting these friends! Then I tell him my struggles with yoga and meditation and he reels me back into reality with wise advice, amazing quotes and things to read.

            The yoga community at Power Yoga Morgantown is amazing. This studio has had me commit to 30 days of yoga, I’m on day 16 and cannot wait to get to class tonight! I truly feel myself growing daily with my practice. #yogachallange (check it out on instagram, every time I get a ❤ from one of these amazing yogis it makes my day). I’ve also started building a yoga community at work. Getting people involved, girls who have never done it before trying it! Opening peoples eyes up to the power of yoga, exercise, stretching, bending and pushing themselves is amazing. Having the support while I push myself into uncomfortable places is amazing.

 

I guess my point of this blog post is to say that community, whether you’re involved via the internet or real live life—both are a wonderful thing to have. Cherish them, help them grow, let them flourish and bloom. You never know who you’ll meet and what connections you’ll make.

A New Definition on Necessity

/ Sloan / 2 Comments

I’m having a hard time connecting. I remember in college going shopping and finding cute clothes that I wanted, trying them on, buying them, loving them for the shear idea that they were cute. A new purse, earrings, jeans…etc., all of these things didn’t mean anything to me besides the fact that they fit, they looked nice or they accessorized my life a bit more. I’ve lost that.

            Recently, I truly only buy most things out of necessity. Well, I mean, necessity used in a loosely translated way—I suppose I don’t absolutely need a new candle or book, but both of these things brighten my day and help me pass the time with out turning on the television, helps me learn, and makes my room smell delicious. So necessity is what I buy for.

            I’ve been on the hunt for a new purse lately. I have one great, leather purse that I bought in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I love it. I cherish it, it’s something that I will literally have forever. I met the man that sewed it together and hand picked the hardware that goes so perfectly with the construction. This bag has a story. When I go to the store, the mall, Target, I don’t feel anything when I see the bags there. I see them as cheap, wrinkly, pieces of fabric that won’t do anything for me. So I wander the earring section—looking for a new pair of dangly earrings that might give me that bit of rush because of that instant, quick purchase. All I end up seeing are pieces of plastic that realistically, make me kind of sad sitting there on the shelf.

            The earrings that I bought in Vietnam were hand made by a tribes woman’s father. I spent all day with this woman. They wear the same pairs that I bought from their hands. The bracelet I wear (and haven’t taken off since) was given to me by the same hilltribe woman in Sapa, Vietnam, same with my ring. These pieces of jewelry have soul, have memories. They have stories. Even my silly costume jewelry has a memory of wandering Kao San Road at midnight while I dodged tourist eating fried scorpions and I haggle with the shopkeepers in broken Thai.

 

I’m down to necessity and stories. But even, the word necessity is being stretched. I like having little. And the little that I have have stories that I love to tell.

 

 

 

Necessity: wanting or needing something that will make your life a bit easier, more comfortable, fun or exciting.

            Example: a new book, some lush lotion or a new sports bra in a fun color.

A lovely smelling candle while I read my book is a necessity.

 

 ImageBelow: Thai costume jewelry. Above: Vietnamese ring

Image