DiZclaimer: This post is long & navel-gazing. Consider this yer warning to grab a snack & settle in or CLICK AWAY! CLICK AWAY! You decide.

On May the 6th at 915 I made a decision and I over-shared.

I wasnt yet a right angle—but I felt it coming on.

I also felt overwhelmed with brain-stuff (work, end of school year activities, planning for summer worktime & playtime) and *struggled* to turn my mind off at night.

As much as I longed to ignore it–my heart was telling me I needed yoga.

Not a yoga DVD.

Not a few downward dogs on my own.

I knew in my core (literal & figurative) I needed a yoga class in a structured, guided setting.

I kind of hate the classes.  They tend to stress me out.  My workout time is at the asscrack of dawn quite early & classes feel like an intrusion on my work-day.

My hamstrings and low-back **insisted** I needed this intrusion.

I announced.  I committed.  I was skeptical I’d follow through.

I hoped I would. I knew I needed it.  I still was uncertain.

Enter New Balance’s Anue yoga line.

It was right around this time they reached out and offered to send me a selection of apparel.  And, quite frankly, had it not been right.at.that.time, Id probably have passed.

Im in the place of striving for LESS STUFF not more.

Im paring down and passing along opportunities to others who might be a better fit.

Intellectually I  knew what I wore to yoga class wasnt  really important.  ANYTHING I owned would do.

I said yes to the items below quickfastandinahurry. 

Im a misfit.  Im not very zen. Im a weights-woman.  I possess the balance of a drunken frat boy. 

Whether it was entirely unnecessary or not I WANTED to have the proper external trappings for yoga given the fact I knew during a daytime class Id have the internal, decidedly NOT zen monkey-mind going.

I received the treats (so so so grateful for them).

I mentally committed to a yoga class that afternoon.

I out-loud announced my plan to the only other awake person in the domicile: The Tornado.

She looked at me quizzically (in her inimitable six year old way) & immediately informed me there was no need for a class.  She would teach me yoga.

Right then. In her pajamas. At 5 in the morning.

The pictures below were all orchestrated by her. 

The yoga sequence below made me realize, yet again, how frequently the best cure for my frazzle & the stress and the MIND OF A MONKEY comes simply from making the conscious choice to stop and be present.

Box O'New Balance TREATS.

"Do this!!"

"Mama why you so STILL?!"

"NOW THIS!!"

"0ooh I like!"

"Annnd open!"

"Feels nice!"

"And now relax. Do this."

OM.

(I realize this post is already too long.  More than you’d ever want to know about my return to yoga is coming soon.)

My question for you today is a simple one:

Have you ever felt the need for “proper apparel” for a fitness endeavor?  Did it feel to you—as it did to me–-a sort of ‘fake it till you make it’ at least I’ll appear ZEN look “right” sort of thing?

Or are you one who struts into every fitness situation knowing you own it &  proper apparel be damned?

These are the items pictured above: Dipped dress in blue. Soaring shell in purple.  Crop pant.  I wholly, completely and utterly loved all of them.  I covet them in their other colors now, too.  Comfy, quality breathable fabrics, amazing cut/style.  Questions on fit, sizing etc? HIT ME UP BELOW.

FTC the Anue clothing was free. The opinions & yoga-craziness are all my own.

Together. Finally.

Mama drink green smoothie. Tornado drink green smoothie.

The longer I’m a parent the more clearly I see the correlation between how I am living and how my family is thriving.

Or not thriving.

The longer the moniker MAMA is attached to me the more clear the meaning behind the (tweaked) quote: if mama aint healthy aint nobody healthy becomes.

Im a misfit.  Im non-traditional. I was raised on Free To Be You And Me.  Im happily living in a feminist, egalitarian relationship with Ren Man.

I still believe the core of our family’s healthy living comes from me.

I dont know if this is because Im the mother. 

I dont know if this is because Im the one who is fortunate enough to work from home. 

I  do know the bulk of the responsibility to keep our tripod healthy & thriving falls on my shoulders.

And, while exercise is one facet of our threesome’s healthy living focus, it’s merely a piece in the six part puzzle which helps keep us a happy, healthy, strong family unit.

What are the other five pieces? Thanks for asking!*

• We focus on quality.  In order for our family-unit to be happy and healthy we need to consume quality.   This refers to food, but also much more than that.  I work to create quality conversations in our home.  We treat each other how we want to be treated.  We adult-types strive to model polite and courteous interaction.  Quality consumption extends to popular culture.  I’m both aware and careful what kinds of pop culture are consumed in our home.  The notion of we are what we eat refers, in my opinion, to more than food.  Choose quality.

• We don’t multi-task.  When the Tornado was tiny I noticed how singularly focused she was.  When she played with blocks —she played with blocks!  She never simultaneously smooshed clay, assembled a puzzle *and* block-played.  Be the Tornado. Slow down.  Be present. Mono-task.

• We find joy in the small stuff.   I love the quote: Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.  I strive to live each day with this quote in mind.  I also work (unsuccessfully many days) to focus on joy.  Joyful laughter lowers stress, boosts the immune system and can help protect us from heart disease.  Yes it can be easier said than done, but I know when I focus on all the small gifts in my life (the feeling of the Tornado’s hand in mine. a text from a friend just to say hello) I really do lead a far less hectic, frazzled life.

• I’ve shed the guilt.  As a parent not only is it important to take care of ourselves—we owe it to our family to do so.  I put myself first.  I’ve made the conscious decision to meet my needs and then shift my focus to others.  Initially it helped me to remind myself I was, in fact, teaching the Tornado it’s ok to have needs, meet them and *then* do unto others.   I still find I articulate to her precisely what Im doing (Mama needs to take care of herself and have a snack. After that I can play with you.) and I dont know I’ll ever shed the guilt *enough* to get beyond that.  And that’s ok.

• We come together…when it works for us.  Research shows family dinners make for healthier, happier children who are less prone to destructive behavior.  Family dinners, when there are children with a vast array of after-school activities, have been shown to be crazy makers for many moms (MizFit note: this is my study with zero science behind it.)  Given our quirky lifestyle we tend toward family breakfasts not dinners. The important piece is coming together as a family unit.  Take the time to find what works for you.  Gather when fits your lifestyle.

• We play.  The family who plays together is a family who stays healthy together.  This play will change as your family changes. For us this takes the form of morning bus stop play.  Your family may be more into soccer games, tennis matches or family fun runs. Whatever form your play takes this physical activity and joy helps to cement the family-unit** and keep you happy & healthy.

(insert awkward joke here about the fact this is the edited, shorter version of my post & you can thank me in the comments. I passionate.  I verbose. I edit I edit.)

As I sat here & reflected on the past six years I noted how the ways we stay healthy have shifted as the Tornado has gotten older & we’ve all grow busier.

I still believe, however, if Mama aint healthy aint nobody healthy.

Which makes me long to ask:

Be it as a mother or as a son/daughter: has my mangled quote been true in your life experience?

Do you, too, believe if Mama aint healthy–aint nobody healthy?

*I write this post NOT as an expert—which Im fairly certain no one mistook me for—but as a mom who needs to talk THOUGH what she’s doing in an attempt to figure OUT what she’s doing.  We’ve talked recently on Facebook how it’s a day to day thing around here. What works fantastically one day with regards to healthy living can fail miserably the next…

**As per this post I have a very broad definition of the word mother & family.  This post isnt just for moms or traditional family units.

Important decisions to be made. 

Work to be completed.

Schedules to be juggled. 

Priorities to be identified.

Priorities to be *lived* & not lip-serviced.

All that.

Not to mention our commitment to being healthy.

Thankfully, the more I ponder our healthy living, the more I realize a return to simplicity is what works best.

Clean basic foods.

Foods my Grandmothers would have recognized.

Im over at Attune Foods chatting about precisely that.

Join me?

I wish my grandmothers could…

This post is sponsored by Attune Foods.  I am an Attune Foods brand ambassador.  My passion for grandmotherly-eating & gluten-free living is all my own.

Thanks for letting me take over the MizFitturf today.

My name is Talia and I blog at Bite Size Wellness…the homeland to healthy living in a cinch. I wanted to chat about an ignored topic: your food relationship.

If you were going to post a status update stating what your relationship with food is, what would you say?

Going through a divorce? On great terms? Single and looking to mingle (in the vegetable aisle, of course!)?

Maybe you are thinking that I’m crazy and having a relationship with food is, um, weird.

Food isn’t even alive, how can we have a relationship with it? Well, most of us actually have a pretty serious relationship with our food—and it’s an intimate one at that.

If you think about it, the time spent with your food is much more than just cooking and eating.

We talk about it, think about it, turn to it in good times and bad, in social situations, we use it as gifts, write about it (amen to fellow foodie bloggers!), turn to it when we are bored, when we want a reward, for comfort, for health.

Plus, the billion-dollar food industry is sure to have food be at our top of mind just in case you weren’t already wrapped up in it enough!  The list goes on and on.

This intimate and timeless relationship with the plethora of eats out there has caused us to forget that at the root of it all, food is fuel.

Short story for such a relationship saga, don’t you think?

Food shouldn’t fill a hole of sadness or be your go-to in times of celebration.

The goal of food is to stimulate and energize you. While we may not have the time or the resources to always eat a homemade, fresh and balanced meal, there are still ways to reconnect with the once-and-forever love of your life so you can proudly post that food is not thy enemy.

Here are 7 ways to correct your tangled mess of a foodie relationship and get on to living an uncomplicated life with your eats:

• Listen to your Body: Really get in touch with your feelings of hunger and fullness. This is always a work in progress for me because I have become a creature of habit. Noon means lunch whether my belly is grumbling or not. While the taste bud delights often interfere with these feelings, make note of when you feel truly satisfied and when food zaps the energy right out of you.
• Learn more about Food: A healthy relationship with food stems from more than calories and fat. When I first started on my weight loss/healthy living venture I only cared about Points (aka WW ruled my world). However, over time I discovered that other nutrients really impact the way I feel beyond counting calories. Make friends with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals that will help you assess what your body needs.
• Bring out the Journal: In order to make new habits, you have to focus on becoming aware of your current relationship status. Writing things down is the best way to acknowledge the times when food fuels you or fails you.
• Slow it Down: I know that many of us have a sprint mentality, but leave that for the actual racetrack. Eating is one of those times when slowing down will help you stay happily full and not stuffed to the brim—a relationship saver that offers waistline relief. Score! Leaving some cookies on the plate because you recognize your full meter is a major accomplishment and proves that you and food are making stride together.
• Plan Ahead: If you have a meeting with food on a whim, you may be a little more loosey-goosy with your mingling. Planning ahead helps you balance your intake and avoid poor choices (better known as the planned break-up with food the next day). Don’t let the chaos of everyday life ruin your food relationship. A few minutes of thinking can help youstay on track even when life gets crazy.
• Stop Obsessing: There was a time during my Weight Watchers’ life when I thought food and I were homies. Turns out, I got a little too involved in my food relationship that I became a flat out control freak. I remember when I had a minor heart attack because my mom put a dollop of olive oil in a pot of boiling pasta so the noodles wouldn’t stick together and I thought the world was over because I had to count that as Points for the day. Who wants to live like that? Although your relationship with food is ongoing and constant, you need to have a general understanding that food will be a part of your life but not rule your life.
• Stay Positive: I know that unlike other addictions or “bad habits” where you can give them up cold turkey, food will always be a part of your day-to-day because you have to eat to live. Like any relationships that you just can’t shake, you will encounter a few bumps from time to time, but changing your mindset will morph your food relationship from one of constant turmoil to one of bliss. Remeber healthy eating is a journey not a one-and-done transport. Be patient and don’t give up! You and food will be on the same team in no time.

You don’t need to become a farmer that has conversations with apples and only eats organic to have a healthy food relationship.

Just thinking about food as nature’s fuel will get you on track to nourishing your mind and body in a new way that will have you screaming joyous phrases about micronutrients instead of running for the hills with a backpack of carrots.

Let’s remind ourselves of the simplest thing: food you are my fuel….the rest of the “junk” is just unwholesome chatter.

Question of the day: What’s your current relationship status with food?

Hope you’ll stop by Bite Size Wellness to chat in bite size portions with me all day long! Or please say hi on Facebook or Twitter.
Talia Tugman lives in New York City with her nearly new husband. In an effort to be in touch with living a healthy lifestyle in a new city, Talia is sharing enlightened wellness living information with others served in bite size portions at Bite Size Wellness.

I rarely visit the site yet when I saw a tweet containing the link/teaser below it caught my attention.

What three words would your kid(s) use to describe you?

For two reasons.

First, it reminded me how long it had been since I asked someone to define my MizFit brand for me.

Im a believer in the importance of defining one’s brand and in remaining consistent in all facets of brand messaging.

The best way (in my opinion) to learn if you’re conveying the “brand-message” you think you are is ask someone to explain your blog-brand to you.

The three word concept works perfectly here.

Are the words you receive the antithesis of what you’d expected? Consider that information each time you post, guest-post, tweet, facebook, pinterest etc.

Are the words you receive close but not precisely the messaging you want to share? Same thing.

Is distilling your blog-brand to three words too hard for most people?  You many want to consider/challenge yourself to see if your brand is too general/addressing too many (broad) topics.  This is something only you can decide.

Second, I was intrigued by the opportunity to find out from others (friends, family, partners, children) if they saw me as I viewed myself.

I was curious if I posed the question to Ren Man & the Tornado what words they’d choose.

As with our No Excuses! exercise*, I knew this would force me to become vulnerable. 

What do I care (really.) if someone informs me my Miz-branding is out of whack?  It’s great information.  It’s helpful (I can tweak my messaging or perhaps learn what I thought I wanted to convey has changed).

It’s all, in a sense, at arms length.  Not super personal.

What do I care if the Tornado or Ren Man lets me know (after working to live my priorities) Im not the person I think I am? A lot. 

And, because the thought of asking them terrified me, I knew I had no choice but to do it.**

And, because I smuggled the Tornado to NYC last week for some out of Texas frolic-time, I was presented with the perfect opportunity to ask her.

Some might think asking a 6 year old for her 3 words would result in a shower of compliments.

I adore my child–but that’s not her. 

She’s told me my teeth are yellow (and asked if that will happen to her when she’s “old”).   Shes informed me when she thinks my outfits are mismatched.  Ive always let her know home is a safe place to fall & she can say what she thinks/feels. ***

I handed her three pieces of hotel-paper and asked her to write three words she thought of when she thought about me.

And I waited.

She presented me with the below (and thankfully read them to me, too).

I know this post is far too long (& this is the edited version), yet I wanted to share the exercise and ask you consider taking part.

Think about the blog-brand you’re striving to create and take the emotional-risk of finding out if you’re sending out the messages you think you are.

Think about the life you are striving to create, make yourself vulnerable & ask loved ones/find out if others see you as you view yourself.

It’s scary.  It’s amazing. It’s eyeopening. 

(and yeah. it’s something *someday* I’ll ask Ren Man to do for me. Im not that ballsy yet.  Ill keep you posted…)

*Im doing this exercise again. If youve never done it before—I suggest trying it!

**of course we’re now having the discussions about hurting people’s feelings etc. I know all of the comments above have been proffered 100% as information with no malice intended.  To her it’s all information.

Before I was a mom I assumed parents only stopped to think about what they wanted for their children on special days.

I presumed on birthdays or graduations parents might ponder what kind of life they hoped their child would lead.  Day-to-day, however, I erroneously assumed this concept was not in the forefront of parents’ minds.

Now that I’m a mom I realize the exact opposite is true.

Not a day goes by where I don’t play with my daughter and wonder how her life will unfold.  Not a 24 hour period passes where I don’t think, at least once, of all the many things I hope she will experience.

With Mother’s Day rapidly approaching (because really. we all know Im writing this saturday night) I’ve spent time thinking about what I wish for my daughter both this year and beyond.

And, as much as I like to think we’re completely quirky and unique around here, I’d bet many of you have the same hopes for the little people in your lives.**

I hope you never lose your sense of joy.  I smile at how you greet each morning exuding excitement over what lies ahead.  I adore how you enter new situations expecting the best and knowing it will come to you.  I love how the tiniest of experiences puts a smile on your face.  I wish you never let this go.

I hope you remain unapologetically yourself.  Each time I watch your inimitable kindergarten swagger I make a wish you never shed this confidence.  I hope you always possess the inner strength to be completely who you are.   I wish you to remember (and live): Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

I hope you always know you’re enough…in this very moment and in all the moments which are to come.  You will change and grow as you mature, but I wish you always to remember you are enough just by virtue of being you.

I hope you can find answers in the stillness.  I wish you to maintain your sense of curiosity about the world.  I wish you to travel and experience all you long to.  I want you to read and learn and meet new people and share ideas.  I wish you to remember, when all the external stuff falls away, everything you need is already within you.

What do you wish for the little people in your life on this Mother’s Day?

Have you ever stopped to ponder what your mother/mother figure wished for you?

(I know Sundays are where posts go to die—but I couldnt let today pass without forcing my words upon you sharing my thoughts.)

**I’m a firm believer we have the ability and opportunity to mother in myriad capacities.   Role models, teachers, aunt, step-moms, babysitters etc. all “mother” and possess hopes & dreams for these loved ones, too.

A few weeks ago I bumped into a friend at the grocery.  She glowed. She radiated energy. She exuded happiness.  After I begged her to share She told me why.  I asked her to come here and share with you, too.

I’m 45 years old and my face has been broken out for over 9 months. 

I’d been to my dermatologist and have tried a myriad of topicals and antibiotics.  Nothing seemed to work.

I started wondering if my skin issues was hormone related so I decided to venture out of what I would call the main stream doctors and went to see a health and wellness doctor.

That decision took me on a journey I would have never imagined.

I was excited to have the blood work done and get on bioidentical hormones that are specific to what my body needs.  In addition to the hormone testing they offered an ALCAT test which tests for food sensitivities.

I thought, “why not?” since my insurance covered it.

 The results were eye opening. 

On the hormones I was low in vitamin D, low on testosterone levels, and low on T3.  I was prescribed vitamin D drops, testosterone cream, progesterone, and a low dosage of thyroid.

The ALCAT results threw me for a loop (MizFit note: There is more information on precisely what that test is here. It’s very interesting…to this misfit at least.)

I am highly sensitive to iceburg lettuce, oranges, cocoa/chocolate, and garlic.  The test results also listed foods in which I’m moderating and mildly sensitive.

It was all so overwhelming.

While I had all this information I didn’t know how to apply it.  So I decided to try a detox program my doctor had available through his office.  It changed my life.

The detox program was only 28 days and told me exactly what to eat for each meal as well as snacks.

It avoided dairy, breads, sugar, and alcohol.  I liked the fact the program includes meal replacement shakes for some meals.  That made it easy.

Also, I was buying produce and meat at the grocery story I had never tried or prepared before.  I always knew I needed to eat more fruits and vegetables, but I didn’t know how to realistically incorporate that into my daily routine.

The 28 day detox program told me exactly what to eat so I didn’t have to come up with a meal plan on my own.  That’s exactly what I needed to change my eating habits. 

I feel better than I have in a long time.

I have more energy.  I think more clearly.  I lost weight and inches around my middle area.  My libido is higher than it’s been in ages.  And the length of my period has cut in half.   My acne is getting better. It still isn’t where I want it to be.  But what was the impetus for going to the health and wellness doctor benefited me in so many ways I wasn’t expecting.

I have to admit after the diet I celebrated with an individual stuffed pizza and a few glasses of wine–but that was a treat.  It’s not my norm. 

Through the detox diet I have learned how to plan healthier meals and snacks for my family.

I feel good about what I put on my husband and 6-year-old daughter’s plate.

I can feel confident I’m giving them fuel for a healthy body and healthy mind.

It’s definitely an investment and takes commitment to change eating habits.  But it’s so worth it.

My mom used to tell me, “You are what you eat.”  She’s right. 

Oh misfit home-food. I heart ye.

There are truly no words to express how happy I am to be in NYC.

Im honored Fitness Magazine asked me to speak and I may or may not have smuggled a six year old here, too.

I adore my at home/work routine but GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY I was ready to git out of it for a few days…

Except for the food.

I love me my home-food and, since Im not one to give it all that much though on a daily basis, this is a fact which surprises me each time I go away.

Im an intuitive eater. 

I pretty much eat what my body demands and when it requests it (I know Im lucky to work from home this way).  This approach to (fingerquote) my diet (unFQ) works well for me.

Until I travel.

When I take a work trip Jetting off to exotic locales is really the only time I notices what my body craves tends *not* to be whats readily available.

Im a protein-gurl (reason #58 why Im such an Egg Beaters 100% egg whites fanatic). 

Carbohydrates of any variety (from lumpy-bumpy Irish oats to a bowl of fresh sliced fruit) even with a smattering of good fats dont satiate me.

My body cries out for protein.  Protein which, on the road and on the go, can be hard to locate.

What works for me (since a fridge dragged behind me all-filled-UP with EB WHITES didnt quite work out) is to bring along (or buy the moment I lay my misfit-eyes on it in a shop) protein laden snacks to add to my readily available carbohydrates.

I tend to tote:

• Turkey, beef or ostrich jerky.
• All varieties of nuts.
• Trail mix.
• Envelopes of no-drain tuna, salmon or chicken (and a plastic fork).

When I was hardER of core & traveled more (pre-Tornado) Id also tend to tote:

• Protein powder.
• PB2
• A travel blender.
• Flax & Chia. (in baggies. lest you think I was truly hardcore and brought canisters.)

All the navel-gazing above into my very boring dietary-habits (see why I never do the “what I ate Wednesday posts”?) has only served to make me curious about you & your food-travel habits.

Do you, as I do, miss your FAVE foodstuffs when youre away from home for a long stretch?

Do you pack your carry-on with snacks as I do?

Got any better/other suggestions for 2013 when I travel again?

This post is sponsored by Egg Beaters 100% egg whites.  The fact I’ve admonished various & sundry NYC restaurants for not serving Egg Beaters as a menu option was all my own idea.

I had an immediate answer to Carla’s question: “I’m choosing to be kind to myself. To believe I AM stronger than I think I am. To be present, be open & not rush the process of change.”

My last statement was most important. The practice of patience during the process of change has been a challenge for me lately.

That particular span of days had been the epitome of new beginnings. The Thursday prior, I attended a networking event for event planning professionals, making my first formal appearance as a freelance event planner. The next day brought the first brainstorming meeting for an event I was hired to plan. That evening, I attended the very first session of my yoga teacher training. When I responded to Carla’s FB post that Sunday morning, I was on my lunch break during teacher training and was high as a kite. I was buzzing from the excitement of potential and the anxiousness of uncertainty.

For most of us, dealing with change is not easy. For some of us, it’s harder than others. Especially us yogis with an anxiety prone personality.

Change presents itself in a variety of speeds. Think about a difficult flow during a vinyasa yoga class: you move from pose to pose at the pace of your inhales and exhales. It takes a great deal of energy to get from downward facing dog to crescent warrior to warrior two to extended side angle to a reversed warrior to chaturanga. And then do it on the other side. You still with me? Good. 

When change happens quickly it’s exhilarating yet nerve wracking. Things are happening so fast. There’s no chance to process just what is happening around you and happening to you. It’s easy for me to feel out of control. And as a control freak, it’s hard to relax and just enjoy the ride.

But sometimes, that change means sitting in the stillness until change occurs again. To be able to move that flow, you have to learn the order of the poses. You do this by moving through them s-l-o-w-l-y. Holding them for several breaths, which usually feels like an eternity.

For example, you’re holding Warrior 2. Your thigh is screaming at you. Your back leg is shaking. You’re doing your best to hold you arms in alignment while keeping your shoulders down and back, tucking your tailbone and not sticking out your ribs. You still with me?  You’re fully aware of all the physical discomfort. That’s when the chatter of your mind starts to creep in: when are we going to move?! I can’t hold this anymore! You start creating a story that festers self-doubt which leads to you breaking the pose – when you actually had the strength both mentally and physically to hold it.

But yoga sutra 1.13 says“practice is the effort to secure steadiness”. What if we practiced being open to that moment of stillness? What if we recognized what physical and mental discomfort was happening? What do we learn about ourselves when we then let it all go and just worked toward “being” in the pose?

So what have we learned?

1) That flowing the poses is hard.

2) That holding the poses is just as hard.

3) Yogis are apparently suckers for discomfort. Don’t get me started on pigeon pose.

So why do we do it?

I do it because the practice of yoga off the mat is so much harder than my practice on it. But my practice on my mat makes those changes off it so much easier to handle.

When I’m buzzing about like a busy bee, my asana practice reminds me that I am strong enough to make it through a stressful day. When I’m left alone in those moments of stillness, those physical yoga poses remind me to recognize the emotions I’m feeling, but to then just let them fade away.

My anxious mind gets me stuck in building that story around those emotions. The story of self-doubt.The story of uncertainty. The story of the fear of making a mistake. But I’m learning to let go. To take a chance.To do something scary.To open myself up to the potential of a situation. I’m working towards gaining patience as things change around me: both during those non-stop hectic moments and in those moments of stillness. It takes time to cultivate that patience - a process that is practice in itself.

My teacher always ends her classes with the phrase “what you believe, you create”. If you believe in what both change and patience can bring, just imagine what you might experience in that process of your own practice.

The fantasticamazingandtrulyZEN Alicia blogs over at Poise in Parma.  Please to visit her and get inspired. I know I always am.