Thursday, June 11, 2015

On Goal Setting

I've heard contrasting advice. Never post your goals publicly, its a surefire recipe for failure. Or, make your proclamation loud and proud. Hold yourself accountable to your audience.

I'm experimenting with a middle path that speaks to my nature. Discuss, share, explore, and make my goals part of my journey. There is no finish line. (stole that line from my gym's walls this morning) I recently heard a lovely podcast regarding the fear of death, and how it is revealed in the way we conduct our everyday life. I'll find that link, but not now. Right now I am writing. 15 minutes. Stream of thought. Timer on, music blasting. Does music help you write?

PHOTO CREDIT: UNSPLASH.COM


I've always listened to the booty bouncing, high energy, hip-hoppin, mega bass tunes for exercise. Missy Elliott gets me pumped. A friend recently shared that she listened to books on tape for her runs. I tested this out with my beloved Michael Stone podcasts. I had to switch back immediately. Running is all about the rhythm for me. I do need to carve out a space for listening to my podcasts for consistently. Working from home, I love avoiding the commute, but there is something valuable about that in-between space.

I posted a core meditation I practice on my website, and placing it there felt right, as it is a core part of my identity, as a professional, a yogi, a friend. Finding that in-between space in the breath fills my life with so much peace.

I wish for all beings to find peace, truth, and liberation.


Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Blog Facelift: Time for Change



PHOTO CREDIT: LUIS LLERENA VIA UNSPLASH.COM


When life rattles and shakes and rolls, I am thankful for the ability to roll with the punches. I attribute this grace to my yoga practice, which I was drawn to thanks to my early years in gymnastics. ( I also am a recent YNAB convert/pusher/lover. Finance is my new best friend. I'll add that to my list of blog topics to share soon!)

I love that yoga is a discipline, a practice, that is never complete. There is no trophy (on my path) or final destination. While enlightenment is a motivating goal for many, my teacher Michael Stone describes enlightenment as something we must seek in everyday life. This practice of daily, ethical mindfulness is a act of political activism. A radical act of caring for eachother, and this planet.

Today, I find myself in an empty space. A space full of potential, light and freedom. I seek these spaces in my life, and I rarely panic. The one time in my life when I felt out of control was the period of pregnancy and new motherhood. I accepted the gift of unemployment as a way to slow down and prepare for motherhood. I am now paying the wages of interest fees on that gift, but I have no regrets.

Freelance is a lifestyle that requires discipline, confidence, and creativity. Mortgage Bankers smile at you, while informing you that your income, your career is not quite valid enough to qualify for home ownership. As a student of astrology, it make sense that I am the earthy, grounded Taurus, able to keep my feet on the ground in such a windswept career. My life partner is a fiery Scorpio who is tethered to his job with the strongest sense of duty and work ethic I have ever witnessed.