It’s easy to forget about the abundance of people, things, ideas + resources, both tangible and intangible, not within your direct line of sight. But Charlie Brown got it right.

This fog has me in a funk. I’ve been less productive, less motivated, and less inspired. The unusual weather event hovering over my state makes it hard to see what’s right in front of me. But then I remember Baltimore…

Yoga isn’t about simply stepping onto your mat, but rather turning inward, quieting the chatter of your mind, and finding peace in the midst of a chaotic world. So when I began to beat myself up for not keeping my commitment to a yoga challenge, I decided to take my yoga practice off the mat and into my world with these 4 simple lessons.

When we’re in a situation that feels uncomfortable, sticky, awkward, or just plain yucky, we can wish and pray for all sorts of things. We cry, beg and plead asking what we’ve done to deserve this. Consider this, dear readers, maybe it’s not about changing the situation. What if there is something bigger at play?

“This pose is the hardest one you’ll face all evening,” I told them. “As gravity takes hold of your hips, the stretch will intensify. Notice your thoughts in this very moment,” I encouraged. Those thoughts in this intense moment say more about you than you even realize. 

The other day, a creative spark flew through my mind so quickly I almost didn’t catch it. Then, later that morning, it came back again. And then again, until I finally decided this spark was worth investigating.

In January 2017, I climbed Mount Batur, a volcano in Bali. That climb was a pivotal moment on my journey as I learned that sometimes you struggle in life, but the reward is great for those willing to put in the work. Almost a year later, I chose to end my 2017 the same way it started – climbing Mt. Batur.

I’d just leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes when it happened. The sheer terror of it all lasted a mere 30 seconds or so (maybe longer…?). However, time passed so slowly it felt like minutes.

On Tuesday, I marked another item off my bucket list – Greece. For years I’ve longed to travel to this country full of history and culture – the first modern Olympic games, Greek gods and goddesses, mythology, ancient ruins, beautiful white houses with pretty blue-domed roofs and blue doors…  wait, where are those white houses?

Early last fall, I was pretty grumpy about life. It seemed as though everything that could go wrong did. So, at the suggestion of a friend, I started a gratitude journal. Rather than focusing on what was wrong in my life, I began looking for what was right. Each night before bed, I wrote down three things for which I was grateful.