Life IS complicated. We can try to make it simple and easier by steeping ourselves in our practices. Or we can work to dumb it down.
 
For most of us, we don’t want to sit in the passenger seat and watch life roll by. We want to participate and that means continuing to grow and change.
 
And that’s hard work. It’s not the easy way. If you are reading this, then you are probably like me, and want to live to the fullest that’s possible, each and every day.
 
And some days, that means dumbing it down because we can only take in so much, we need to process through things, or we need a day to recover from all the crap that happened the day prior.
 
But for the most part, we strive to grow and change, and figure out on continually deeper levels who we are moment by moment. So we can experience life at it’s fullest, share what it is we want to express, and make our mark on the world.
 
Some days this is harder than others – dealing with our demons and these voices that tell us we’re nothing, or remind us of all the times we’ve failed, or that we might fail this time, and this fail will be BIG. We try to talk ourselves out of living large with all those FEARS that stalk our dreams and silent thoughts.

And then on other days, we manage to tap into our inner strength, wisdom, and confidence, and we let our lights shine bright and stand fully as we are, speak our thoughts clearly, and turn a blind eye to anyone who doubts us.
 
On the days when you struggle, or the times when you are losing the fight for your own freedom – those are the times when your practices can help you move forward.
 
Whether it’s a physical or sitting practice, or both, remembering to turn to your practice for support is key. Understanding which practices help you in what moments is also critical.
 
And turning to a teacher, that can help guide you, teach you the practices designed for specific situations, and can understand where you are, and what you are struggling with, can be life changing, and may help propel you further, faster than you can get on your own.
 
Share your voice! I’d love to hear from you in the comments below - what are your favorite practices to keep you moving through life? Or share a time when you let your light shine through the darkness of your fears so you could shine bright!

​There's nothing like moving to a new city to fully turn your entire life upside down. If you are feeling completely settled and comfortable in all aspects of your life this will surely shake things up. It definitely did for me!
 
It’s funny what you crave when you are sitting with all this unsettledness. These are the times when any and everything that comforts us comes into play as we try to find something to root us back down and feel our legs again.
 
Ironically, after we moved, it was many of the things I was ready to get away from that I started to miss – the guy on the moped with the squeaky brakes that drove by the house everyday, the noise from our more urban neighborhood {I wanted quiet and to be able to see the stars at night, but all of a sudden I missed those city sounds!}
 
I sought out anything that was familiar to feel at home. It’s why people seek out McDonalds when they are in foreign countries – something to connect them back.
 
It's at times when life is most unstable, that you look for the comforts of what's familiar – seeking out anything that can ground you. {I remember my dreams shortly after we moved all had to do with soft or squishy floors. I knew that was a message of grounding for me - to finish unpacking and organizing so that I could begin to feel at home here.}
 
A healthy way to stabilize is by creating a routine. It's the times when life is chaotic, or you are trying to accomplish something big, that you need the routine to feel grounded, safe, and comfortable.
 
When life is going along smoothly and you are feeling a little stuck or bored - this is the time when you can change things up. Break out of your routine. Maybe get rid of your old routine completely and create a new one. Do something on your list that you’ve been afraid to attempt. Allow some new adventure to come into your life.
 
So are you in a place where you need to create routine or bring on something new? Both are helpful and knowing which one you need, and when, can help you shift between them to keep moving forward in your life. When you listen to what's going on within you, you can figure out which one you need.
 
Staying stuck in a routine can cause you to get bored and feel lost. But using routine to give your self some discipline to get things accomplished is important. Keeping things fresh and new is crucial to growing, so you can learn who you are in new situations. But always being on an adventure doesn’t provide time to get things done in life. Allowing both, gives the opportunity for more of who you are to become known to you, and seen by the world.

​Happy New Year & Welcome to 2016! What’s in store for you this year?
 
I’m not one for making a long list of resolutions that never make it off the page and are easily forgotten after a few weeks.
 
However, we have major delineators in our lives marking the end of one thing and the beginning of something else.  And for this reason the start of a new year makes this a good time to invoke change in our lives.
 
So instead of a long list of resolutions, why not pick just one thing to focus on? It doesn’t have to even feel “resolutiony” – just pick something that you feel passionate about.

Then create a feasible outline to help you map out a plan so you can find success. What are challenges that you might face? What might be some solutions for those obstacles? Get specific in where you want to go and how you want to get there.
 
Enlist the help of others. Who will be supportive in this endeavor? Who might you want to leave out because they won’t shower you with the support and love or even a much needed critical eye during this undertaking {I’m talking about those negative, pessimistic, Debbie downers – you know who I mean}? Surround yourself with folks that will be there when you need them. Or create a little support group with others that are embarking on their change for 2016!
 
Creating a roadmap will help get you excited, allow you to see what is and isn’t realistic, and possibly shine some light on new exciting ideas that hadn’t been visible before.
 
After you have a plan outlined if the task is feeling too big and you’d like some extra support and guidance I’d be happy to work along side you in the Moving Forward Program to make things happen and see you to success!
 
My two undertakings for this year are to start making healthy smoothies and composting! What are you bringing into your life this year?