Joy Discovered - Inspring Women To Own Our Strength And Live Full Lives Of Joy

I no longer update this blog.

All my time and love goes into my new blog www.JoyDiscovered.com, born in July 2017. Please check it out!

I am now a Life Balance & Success Coach and help high achieving/high potential women achieve balance and success in their relationships, family, career and well-being.

My writing and coaching programs use transformation methodology and mindfulness to inspire lasting change.

Thanks for stopping by, and see you at www.JoyDiscovered.com!

The Choice Is Yours

We all have choice, free will (wonderfully!). And each action and thought we carry out every day, is done by choice. I didn't always understand this. I thought that the circumstances of my life were what led to the actions I took each day, from the friends I hung out with to the job I went to. I resented my job; I didn't believe true friendships were possible for me in a new town; but luckily, I experienced a shift.

If you've followed my blog you know that several years ago I left my corporate career to teach yoga. Teaching yoga was a wonderful experience, and I could write a book about all I learned during that two-year journey, but one thing I learned is that that lifestyle wasn't for me. In the end I chose to go back to my corporate job (same company, same job!), and what a difference going to work each day is for me now.

I used to think that I was stuck in that job because it was the only one available for me when I relocated to Naples from NYC. I used to think it was too stressful and that I didn't like the work. But the two year hiatus taught me that I actually did enjoy the work and that other jobs were available, yet I chose this one because it allowed me to use my strengths and supported what I finally realized was important to me.

On Monday I went back to work after almost two full weeks of Christmas holiday vacation. And I was excited to do so! I choose that job and am happy with my choice. (If I ever become unhappy with it, I will change.) You see, we don't have control over the circumstances of our lives that we are dealt,  but we always have a choice how we respond to them and the feelings and thoughts we tie to them.

Some may think, "Well I have children. I have no choice - I must do this job to support them." But, you do have a choice. You could choose a different job. You could choose not to work. You could choose to give your children up for adoption or live a different lifestyle. Change your thinking. Are you going to live your life in anger and bitterness? Or joy and gratitude? The choice is yours.

Let's Quit Our Jobs And Travel The World... I know someone who did!

This morning I write about my friend Steph, who I've known since we were roommates in college. Back then, she was a business student. She had 8am classes each morning (I never registered for ones that started before 10am), and would stay at the library all day studying until dinnertime, or even later. She had a savings account while most of us were racking up credit card debt. Needless to say, she was the logical, practical one.

A driven girl, she built a successful career in New York City. Always wanting more for herself, we had rich conversations about career paths, starting her own business, getting an MBA, family, and the best city to live in. One day she announced to our college roommates during a girls weekend at my house in Naples, "I'm quitting my job and traveling the world for six months." I think there are permanent divots on our pool deck where our jaws hit the floor.

Now, Steph's story is not mine to tell (she embarks on her adventure within the month!). But I wanted to share the beginnings of it because it inspires me. Steph told us that when she was hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with her sister last year, she realized one thing that's important to her is traveling and the experiences that come from it. She knew this was her time, and she needed to follow her heart.

I recently had to make a hard, life impacting decision. I was on the proverbial fence and could have gone either way. But when I dug deep to examine what is truly most important to me in my life right now, and understood how the decision would impact those things, I finally got to a place of clarity. I knew what I had to do, and it felt great to have the confidence in myself for making the right decision.

So here's to you Steph for figuring out what's important to you, and taking a bold step to bring more of that into your life. Cheers!

What's most important to you, and what one thing can you start doing today to give space to that which is important to you? Let me know in the comments section below!

Commitment & Vulnerability

I have made many commitments in my life recently. And what I've learned about commitment and goals is that I am more likely to complete them if I write them down, share them with others, and ask someone to hold me accountable. So here goes with step one:

1. I commit to challenging myself in different areas of my life to continue growing as a human being. 
2. I commit to writing. 
3. I commit to going to more live concerts. 
4. I commit to spending less time on my smart phone so I can spend more time reading books and about yoga and writing. 
5. I commit to being vulnerable. 

I haven't posted a blog in almost two years. Life got busy with the birth of my son Maverick who is now 14 months old. But I have been writing. The truth is, I've been keeping my writing to myself. I made up excuses like I'm not sure of the direction I want my blog to go in any more, or I need to rebrand myself and come up with a catchier theme, even purchase a new web site. However, when I dig deeper and get honest with myself, a lot of what's holding me back is that I have fear around what others will think of what I write. I'm concerned that if it's not perfect, in a pretty package, and with a clear, though-out direction, I shouldn't be putting it out there.  

I have learned that when I am vulnerable and share of myself authentically, I make real, deeper friendships, am more relatable, and inspire others. So it's time I drop the excuses and commit to being vulnerable again. Vulnerability aids me in making a life worth living. 

Self-Inflicted Suffering.... Um, No Thanks. I Want Acceptance & Play!

I had the realization this morning as I was meditating that I have brought a lot of the discomfort, pain, stress, and no-fun feelings in my life on myself. I have been beating myself up!

Take my yoga teaching for example. Many students have commented lately that my teaching is radically different than when I started a little over two years ago (and thanks goodness because I have invested a lot of time and money in trainings, feedback, learning, and practice teaching!) But I think one of the main reasons my teaching feels different is because I am no longer judging myself, being critical, and concerned for what others think of me. Rather, I am putting myself out there, being me, and not worrying about if everyone likes me or not. I have turned the focus off of ME and onto MY STUDENTS and what they need. Of course, this is a practice and I am not perfect at it, but I will not beat myself up when I realize I am slipping. Instead I will acknowledge, learn, and move on.

Let's look at my full-time job as a conference producer too. I left the job a few years ago because I wanted to explore teaching yoga full time, and also because I was burnt out. I had put so much pressure on myself to perform. I felt that how my events did and how many goals I reached was a direct reflection of who I was as a human being. I barely asked for help or requested what I needed to make my work smoother, and I was constantly having dialogue with myself about not being good enough. Man, that's a lot of pressure! Yes, my job (which I have come back to recently and am enjoying) is stressful and demanding at times, but I am allowed to have fun and enjoy doing it, and it feels much lighter without the added pressures that I put on myself. I thought that work and play had to be separate, but why should they be? And when I find myself slipping into freak out and pressure mode, I acknowledge it while being kind to myself, laugh at it, and move on, one step at a time.

I am over making things so difficult and committed to adding more play into all areas of my life!

A Wise Woman's Life Lessons... And My Humble Comments :)

I saw this on Facebook yesterday and can't stop reading or thinking about this. I've definitely seen it before. There are so many nuggets in here - I'm highlighting some of my faves that strike deep into my heart right now in yellow, and have added my own thoughts next to them [[in parenthesis]].

I promise to live this way to the best of my ability!

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio:

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. [[I really am a control freak. So when trying to make decisions in my life, I want to see the final outcome; I want to know what to do right NOW. But the truth is, life isn't lived in 5-year, 5-month, or even 5-day bits. Life is lived one minute, one breath, one day at a time. Who knows if the next day will even come. So I am trying to live my life just one day at a time, in presence/awareness, and taking just the one step (no matter how big or small) that feels right to me. I have to trust (though its very hard sometimes) that God is leading me exactly where I am meant to go.]]

3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. [[To me this is all about judging. As much as I want to say I don't judge others, I do. We all do. I try to remember that everyone has different loves, passions, goals, and life lessons to experience. I try to look for the beauty in others as opposed to something I can judge them on. I find that when I accept and look for the beauty in myself (like in relation to acceptance of my body for example), I am better able to accept and see the beauty in others.]]

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.

16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways. [[We live in an abundant world. Holding on to things for fear of not having enough is something I struggled with when I was younger. But I find more peace in my home (and consequently in my heart and mind), when I only see things that are beautiful/make me happy or are being used. If it's not, I let it go and create space for bigger and better things to come into my life.]]

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. [[I read this years ago and did exactly this. We burn candles every night and choose to celebrate today!]]

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life. [[It's so easy for me to get caught up in the busyness of life. The end of the day comes and I am tired. It would be easy to ball up on the couch in front of the TV. And while that is necessary rejuvenation sometimes, I find that when I make myself get out of the house to see friends, start a craft project, or roll out my yoga mat, I always feel better and happier. I choose life.]]

28. Forgive

29. What other people think of you is none of your business. [[Someone else said, "People are going to talk about you anyway, so give them something to talk about!"]]

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. [[This is positive but kind of depressing too. One of my friends talked to me about the Buddhist religion and there take on this that nothing is permanent. Therefore we can't attach to anything, good or bad. The Buddhist and Hindu philosophy as I understand it is that attachment (to desires, circumstances, people or concepts) is the main obstacle to a serene and fulfilled life. When we can find calm and peace in any circumstance, and understand that it will change, our perspective on life will change.]]

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. [[Think about it, the best experiences of our lives are with other people and the best feelings revolve around loving them and being grateful for them!!]]

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. [[Albert Einstein says you can look at life in two ways: As if nothing is a miracle, or as if EVERYTHING is a miracle. Life itself is truly a miracle and I choose the latter!]]
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back. [[It's really hard to believe this sometimes, but the truth is we have no idea what the person rolling out their yoga mat next to our is going through. We can live life in "poor me" like the victim, or we can live life in gratitude for what we do have and the life lessons we are given.]]

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

We Never Know Where This Journey Will Take Us!

It's funny how things in life turn out. Through my practice I have learned that every day is different - every day my body feels tighter or looser, stronger or weak, I have lots of energy or just a little. But I get on my mat, flow, breathe and move with whatever is, making adjustments to make things right for me at that moment.

The same happens in my life, and as I adjusted to my reality, I find myself with another career change - back to my old job! I never would have imagined that my path would lead me here, but I have learned that I have to go with the flow, and create my life to be in line with what is important to me (and that what is important to me may change week to week, year to year!).

The journey of my last two years has been amazing and I am so grateful for the experience. I would do it again if I had the opportunity to live my life over. I took a big risk and quit my corporate job so I could focus on teaching yoga, a passion that was at the center of my heart and loudly calling my name at the time. With that time I was able to take many yoga trainings and teach many different types of yoga classes - definitely challenging myself and forcing me to learn A LOT quickly.

I worked my butt off for the first season teaching over 20 classes a week all over Naples. It was exciting to meet and impact so many different people who were looking to get in shape, de-stress, or calm down. But it was hard for me to be inspiring and truly show up 100% for so many classes. I got burnt out quickly.

And, because the universe always has a plan, a part-time job was offered to me at BV Yoga, the studio I love, practice, and teach at. So I accepted and did marketing and promotional work part time while teaching part time. It was fun to use that part of my brain again and have such a cool balance and variety of daily activities. BV is up to big things and my responsibilities and working time grew... enough to warrant working at BV full time (which also made more sense financially, plus I got some vacation days -- those little things I never realized were so important when I was working in the corporate world!).

My role at BV grew. I managed both Naples' and Miami's marketing and all our events, including BV's first ever Teacher Training Retreat in Tulum, Mexico. It was an amazing experience and I got to know BV's owner Kiersten and all the other incredible staff and teachers better. I was working 40 hours a week, teaching 7 times a week  and working loooooong weeks, but for the most part enjoying it.

Then I had a shift, I realized that I was working really hard and long hours, and while I was enjoying what I did and who I was working with, I couldn't make ends meet financially. Plus I realized that what was important to me was being able to get on a plane to see my family and friends whenever I wanted, to travel and see the world (I'm thinking Paris and Amsterdam next!) and to be able to live without worry about how I can pay for something if my car breaks down. Unfortunately a small business like a yoga studio couldn't offer me what I needed to live the life that was important to me.

I journaled long and hard on what I enjoyed doing for work, what skills I have, and what makes me feel challenged. This process brought me to the "aha!" moment that what I enjoyed and was really good at was my old corporate job! I needed to step away from it for awhile, and of course follow my heart, to realize that it was something I wanted. I think at first I had, in a way, felt the "victim" of my job, like since I had moved to Naples there really wasn't a lot of job opportunities, so I had to stay with the one I had. But now I can say that I truly CHOOSE my job because I love it and want it, and that's a great feeling to have. I approached my old employer, and shortly I was back working for them again and excited for the new, but familiar, opportunity.

I also realized that the two years I immersed myself in teaching yoga and working in Naples allowed me to strengthen friendships, meet new people, and gain a sense of community within Naples. I finally (after 6 years!!!) felt like Naples was home. Now, even though I am working from home, I don't feel isolated and like the only thing I have is my job and yoga. Right now I have a good balance.

I cut down on the classes I teach so that I have time for my own practice and running and working out, but I still teach 3 - 4 times a week with my class at BV and the private couple I work with in their home. It's a great balance, and it's fun. I never would have imagined I'd be here two years ago, but here I am... going with the flow, responding to what's real and present in my, and following my heart. Cheers to you doing the same.

Be at Cause and In Action!

This is the message I posted to BV Yoga's Make 2013 Your Best Year EVER Facebook campaign:
 
Week 3: Be At Cause and In Action! … by Sara Mueller

WHOA!! We are almost 2 months through 2013, a year we all committed to making our best year ever. Although I declared my intention when joining this group, I realize there are two areas of my intention that I haven’t yet done anything to turn into reality: 1) making space for my own writing, and 2) my meditation practice.

This is a common occurrence in my life. I get caught up in the busyness of every day and all of a sudden days, weeks, months have passed and I have missed what is important to me. I find myself living as a result of my life rather than being at cause to make it the best ever.

So I choose to be “at cause” for my life and my yoga practice, and to take action!

***JOURNAL and SHARE (You can post in the comment section right underneath!):***

1) Where are you being at cause in your life and where are you living at effect?
2) What is holding you back from being in action and in creation of your best year ever? Now, give it up!

For me I need to give priority to my meditation practice and my writing. When my alarm goes off in the morning I will get up and meditate instead of sleeping an extra ten minutes. I give up the story that I need those extra ten minutes of sleep!! I commit to creative writing in my blog or journal for 30 minutes a week. I give up wasting time on Facebook/the Internet and the belief that to write I need a 3-hour chunk of time to do so.

***IN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE THIS WEEK:***

1) What is a pose that you have always wanted to do? This week, take one step each day towards learning that pose. You don’t have to learn the full pose this week – or even this year!! – but at least begin the steps that will take you where you want to go!

For me the pose is handstand. I will watch one YouTube video on how to build the foundation for handstand. And each day I will do 3 handstand hops in class or against a wall to make my body more familiar to this pose.

Go now, be at cause and in action!
xo
Sara Mueller

My Baptiste Certification Essay: Why I Teach Baptiste Yoga

A 3-5 page essay on Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga philosophy and why you have chosen to teach this style.

By Sara Mueller, November 2012

I found Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga when I moved to Naples, Florida, from New York City. I had told my husband that I would be ok with the move as long as I found a yoga studio that I liked. Little did I know that the yoga studio I found, Bala Vinyasa Yoga, a Baptiste Affiliate, would change my life completely.

I was first drawn to Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga because of the physical challenging workout. I loved that it kicked my butt, made me sweat like a pig, and complemented my running. After each class I felt great and that I had gotten a total body workout. But I also got so much more out of the practice than just the physical aspect.

I credit Baptiste yoga to keeping me sane. The first few years that I was practicing it I had a very stressful, demanding career. No matter how bad my day was, I could come to class, do something cool/fun/challenging/simple (whatever I needed that day), and always feel good at the end of class. When I say “feel good” I mean that I felt capable, worthy, and strong. It gave me strength to keep facing my job and life with confidence in my abilities and myself. I loved when I saw my practice improve, held that first crow pose, and started to understand the flow.

Through the practice of Baptiste yoga I started to develop a spiritual side of me as well. I was raised Catholic and pretty much forced to get confirmed Catholic, even though that religion didn’t make sense to me. As I became an adult I disregarded all thoughts of God and a higher power and went on living my life. But through Baptiste yoga, the messages my great teachers shared in class, even the “God is Real” song by Krishna Das that was sometimes played in savasana, I started to feel something come alive inside of me and started to feel a connection to God. The world started making sense.

Baptiste yoga taught me to live passionately. It made me realize that my life is gift, that each day is a gift, and that I should spend my precious days on this earth doing things I loved and following my heart. I started writing and reading more, things I loved as a child but did not devote a lot of time to in my adulthood. I started baking and crafting. I started telling my friends and family how much I loved them and what they mean to me.

The more I practiced Baptiste Yoga the more I loved it. I told my close friends that it was a dream of mine to become a yoga teacher, but never really thought it would happen. I really loved Bala Vinyasa Yoga studio and kept checking their web site to see if they would offer a teacher training. Finally, they did and I signed up!

The Bala Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training was taught with Baptiste Methodology. It was the most impactful experience of my life. It was also the most challenging and downright frightening experience of my life. I went into the Teacher Training not saying a word in the group sessions. Halfway through I shared to the entire group and talked so fast it was like someone had a gun to my head. Funny, because for my conference director job I got up in front of hundreds of Head Traders and CEOs of major capital markets firms and spoke calmly and clearly telling them what to do at the events I ran; but when it came to talking about matters of the heart and my personal life, I could barely get a sentence out – and if I did it was 90 miles an hour! I was coached into sharing more effectively and it has become one of my greatest strengths as a yoga teacher.

Through this teacher training I evaluated all the relationships in my life and found that I had some major repairing to do. I needed to drop my need to be right and take responsibility for how I was contributing to the quality of the relationship. I had a conversation with both of my brothers, my dad, and my mom on things that had needed to be addressed for years and on my commitment to our relationship moving forward. Because of these conversations and a shift in my perspective about the relationships, I now actually HAVE a relationship (a great one, actually!) with my brothers and a much more open, honest, and loving relationship with my parents.

During the 6-month Bala Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training, I also did the 40 Days to Personal Revolution program. The biggest tool I took away from that program was a meditation practice. I had been trying to meditate for many years, but it never stuck. With the consistent daily practice required of the program and the slow build up from 5 to 30 minutes of meditating both day and night, meditation became a habit of mine. My practice to this day sometimes goes in and out, but generally I sit for about ten minutes each morning and night before bed.  The days I meditate, challenges are simpler to work through, the clouds look whiter and the sky bluer, and I have a calm contentment within me at all times. My meditation connects me to my inner self, my intuition. I make decisions easier and follow my heart.

After the BV Yoga Teacher Training I started teaching yoga!! It was (and still sometimes is) the hardest, but most rewarding thing I did. I knew I was hooked and wanted to get my Baptiste Certification because I wanted to share with as many people as possible the practice that was changing my life in so many positive ways. In one year I went to Foundations in Action, Level 1, Level 2, and Art of Assisting. I even assisted a Foundations in Action at BV Yoga’s brand new Miami studio! Each of these programs shed more light on who I am (and who I am not), where I am not showing up fully in my life, and how I can be in more authentic FUN self-expression.

And because I found the BV Yoga 200-Hour Teacher Training the most impactful program of my life, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it in the future. I want to facilitate or lead teacher trainings like it. When I approached BV about this, the director and owner told me that to move into a place to be part of the Teacher Training teaching team, I had to get Baptiste Certified. It was just another reason to make this commitment!

I have chosen to teach Baptiste yoga because the methodology makes sense to me. I embrace the themes of Baptiste methodology in my teaching, practice, and life. Number 1: “Be a YES,” is how I have lived most of my life. I say yes to new experiences and challenges, and accept the gifts from the universe that come my way. It also makes me realize when and where I am being a “no” person. When I first moved to Naples I was a “no.” I did not put myself out there to meet people and make friends. I became a workaholic so I had work as an excuse to stay the way I was. When I tapped into Baptiste yoga I realized I was being this way. Even my facial expression and lack of eye contact with others in public was like I had a big, fat NO tattooed across my face. I started saying “yes” more in my yoga practice (to flip dog-to-wheel, tripod headstand, bigger backbends/heart openers), and thus starting being a “yes” more in my life. I did not let my excuses lead me; instead, I let my heart lead me to do things I loved, make friends, and be a more open person.

Number 2: “You are ready now” has also had a huge impact in my life. When I saw that BV was finally offering a teacher training, I knew I was ready now. When it came time to practice teach (like an audition) to be a teacher at BV, I didn’t wait until my teaching was perfect. Instead I did the practice teach right when the opportunity arose, and found myself teaching right after that! But most importantly, perhaps, is that I know I am ready now to be happy. Happiness doesn’t come once the weekend arrives, once vacation is here, once my house if fixed up, or once all the bills are paid. Happiness can be found in each and every moment – even in the midst of crises, stress, and pain. I believe we all deserve to live peaceful, fulfilled lives. We don’t have to wait until the time is right – because the time is always right to be happy and live fully, it’s right NOW.

Number 3: “Give up what you must…” Whoa. This is a big one for me. I find myself living this theme each and every day in all aspects of my life. When I get into my head while teaching and start thinking “I am not good enough,” or “I am not wanted,” I recognize it, drop it, and move on. When I make a mistake at work, I own it, learn from it, and move on (instead of dwelling on it and letting it keep me down). When I find myself acting childish with my husband or in other relationships, I acknowledge it, then drop it. Through yoga I have gained a sense of awareness, and by living this methodology I can continue to drop things that arise that do not serve me any more.

Another major reason I teach Baptiste Yoga is because of people and connection. I don’t find connection in a lot of other yoga classes I take that aren’t Baptiste. Through Baptiste yoga programs, trainings, and workshops I have gotten to know so many amazing people. I have seen these people become clearer and brighter and it inspires me. I am so grateful to lead programs like 40 Days to Personal Revolution and apprentice BV Yoga’s 200-Hour Teacher Training. I truly see the beauty in each and every person that I get to know a little bit – without these programs I would probably never get deeper than a surface-level talk-about-the-weather conversation with them. Even teaching my regular classes week upon week I get to see my students improve, try things on, drop baggage, and open up. It reminds me why I love yoga and why I love to teach it.

Through connection with others we build community. Community was something that was always lacking in my life. My family moved around a lot when I was in grade school. After graduating from high school I lived in 5 different cities before settling down in Naples. Finally, through yoga, the BV Yoga community and the Baptiste Yoga community, I feel community all around me – even when I travel to another city and visit the closest Baptiste Affiliate studio. It is amazing how we are all connected in so many ways. And through this connection we can build each other up, step into our greatness, and experience miracles on our planet.

40 Days Week 1: Presence

I am leading our studio's 40 Days to Personal Revolution program. This past Monday was our first meeting and the beginning of the 40 Days. I will share the letters I send to the 40 Days participants here. This is not so much my writing, but my recapping of Baron Baptiste's writing in his book 40 Days to Personal Revolution, which is the guide for this program.

Hello 40 Days Revolutionaries!

Congratulations on taking the first step towards your own personal revolution and committing to this amazing program! It was wonderful to get to know each of you a little last night and I am so honored to share this journey with you! Here is a re-cap of our first meeting:

WEEK ONE: Presence (or Awakening!)

• Focus on waking up and becoming fully present in body, mind, and your life
• If at any point you realize you are disconnected, take a time out, come back and begin again
• We need to get quiet enough to see the underlying truth of our behaviors and self-defeating patterns to be set FREE!!

Law 1: Seek the Truth

• The highest form of repentance is self acceptance. Seek the truth so you can grow in a pure, more authentic way
• "The bad news is good news" ~ Baron Baptiste
• Have the courage to open up and come face to face with yourself - it hurts a little sometimes but this is what it means to have a personal revolution
• Self acceptance: "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, THEN I can change" ~ Carl Rogers
• What is standing in the way of you living the life you want to live?

Law 2: Be Willing to Come Apart

• Don't make things happen; ALLOW them to happen
• There is so much in life we can't control, but we are always fighting to be in control.
• Fighting has to do with getting. When we put out a get mentality we'll be got. But when we relax, we receive.
• When we control, pressure builds up and then eventually it bursts bringing us to our knees (into crisis)
• At this crossroads is where spiritual growth is: We can shut down and get resentful, OR we can break up, break with, and break through to new ground
• This can be humbling and painful - but it's where wisdom and growth come from

Week 1 Homework:

Yoga:
4 Studio practices
2 Home practices - 20 minutes - just get on your mat
1 Day active rest - spend time with the people you love doing the things you love to do!

Meditation:
5 minutes first thing in the morning. 5 minutes at night before you go to bed. Begin the habit of just sitting.

Make sure to set yourself up for success by creating a comfortable seat. Be still and quiet. Come back to your breath, body and hands… If notice you are into your thoughts, re-aim and begin again and again :)

Make sure to set a clock or alarm so that you can immerse yourself in the meditation instead of looking at a clock to determine how much time you have left. You may also want to create a special place for your meditation: set up an alter, light a candle, fill a corner of the room with things you cherish. This place will take on a special feel and help bring you into your meditation each time you return.

Cleansing Diet:
We are what we eat! Start to become aware of what you put into your mouth. Follow what intuitively feels right to you in your diet but be willing to try things on during this program. In small chunks you can add new foods and habits to your diet. Remember we have 40 days - change doesn't have to occur overnight!

• What are your hot and cold body patterns?
• Are you deficient (need to BUILD) or excessive (need to CLEANSE)?

The goal is to reach a state of equilibrium in your body so you have the energy to support living the life you want to live!

Reading:
Intro, Week One Presence through page 100, and Laws 1 and 2

Excavation Questions:
Week One pg. 100:
Journal your answers to all five questions. You may also want to journal on why you chose to do the 40 Days program and your commitment to the program (what we discussed last night).

I am available to support you throughout this program. Your fellow awakening revolutionaries are here for you too! Attached you will find the participant contact list.

I hope the first day of your journey has been great so far!

With love,
Sara

October Community Leader Letter

I haven't been very committed to this blog over the last 6 months or so. But I've been doing lots of journaling exercises and writing for other reasons (like my Baptiste Certification and programs I've run at the studio.) My intention is to place some of that writing here on my blog to share with you.

This month I am the community leader for BV Yoga Naples. Here is my letter to the community:

I now have bobbed hair in my natural brunette color so don't look much like that any more! :)

The Bad News is the Good News

I had a review of one of my yoga classes with Debi, our Director of Teacher Development, last week. Part of the review requires me to videotape my classes, pick a class that's on the better side, then watch it with Debi. Through this process, I give myself feedback and get to see how my teaching is landing in students bodies (and hearts). Debi gives me feedback as well.
I have been teaching yoga now for just over two years. I feel I have come a LONG way from where I began, and of course, there is always room to grow.  This new career path I have chosen is one that requires me to be open to feedback and to continually assess where I can open up more, let go more, and hold back less. It's not easy, but it adds to who I am as a whole (not just as a yoga teacher) to make me a better person all around.

In the past three years I have been through a 200-Hour Teacher Training Certification Program; Baptiste Level 1, Level 2, Foundations in Action, Journey Into Power Immersion, Art of Assisting, and even assisted a Foundations in Action; a week-long Off The Mat Into The World training with Seane Corn; and my own personal therapy with an Integrative Life Guide. So I was disappointed (to say the least) when while reviewing my class with Debi, many of the same issues (that I have dealt with in each of the aforementioned programs!) were still showing up in me and my teaching. Sighhhhhhhh....

I remember Baron Baptiste saying, "the bad news is the good news." Ok, so what good can come of this knowing that my same issues are still present.

First, let me explain some of what Debi helped me realize while reviewing my video. Part of the way I live my life (thus how I teach) is from experiences in my childhood that created a false "lie." (If you have done any teacher trainings with Baron Baptiste or BV Yoga, you know exactly what this "lie" is and what YOUR own lie is!) To keep this blog short, my lie is that I am alone and not wanted. And how this lie looks in my teaching (and my life - it shows up everywhere!) is that I hold back. I only let people in a little bit, because I believe, in some unconscious level perhaps, they don't want to get to know me more, or they will eventually leave so why get too close. The funny thing about my lie is that instead of being who I am to let others in, I be who I think they want me to be so that they do want me!

Are you following? So how this showed up in my teaching on the videotaped class is me teaching through a filter. Instead of being myself and saying what comes into my head, I filter it (what will they think of me if I say this or say it this way?) and edit it (let me say it this way so it sounds better, or so I sound like the person I think they want me to be). I try to keep myself in a pretty, clean package. But, as Debi helped me realize, that keeps people out and not connecting to me. Because in truth none of us are pretty packages, no matter how hard we try to make ourselves look that way. We all have baggage, ugly sides, and past experiences that we wouldn't choose to post on Facebook about. But that makes us relatable. We don't have to air our dirty laundry; but we don't have to always get everything right and be something perfect that we are not.

Like I said, I was disappointed that this was coming up for me again. (If you follow my blog, you've probably read similar accounts in the past!) But Debi helped me realize that my lie is a part of me. It will always be there. And just like my past, I don't have to cover my lie up and act like it never happened. Instead I can embrace it. It's who I am. When I see my lie taking over, I can say, "No thank you. I've got this. Take a back seat." Awareness is powerful.

I am understanding that my lie will never go away, that I will constantly have work to do. But I can keep asking it to take the back seat, and keep challenging myself to move forward: to let others in, to allow myself to be messy, to drop my editing and filtering and just be authentically me. The bad news is the good news.

Commitments

I have found myself questioning my commitments lately. Where are my top commitments? To me? To my husband, my family, my career? My goals and dreams? My desire to live life to its fullest? My students? Chances of a lifetime?

An opportunity has come to me to potentially work and live in Singapore for a short time. But I would have to leave my current life, take a risk, and come back to something uncertain. Leaving means my yoga classes may not be here for me when I get back; my employer may question my loyalty and dedication to my job; my family asks, how can you leave your husband for that long?

Through my yoga journey I have learned to connect to a deeper wisdom inside myself. Meditation each day brings me back to this place of ease, simple-ness, and clarity. The more I have trusted this inner wisdom, my gut, or my heart – whatever you’d like to call it – the more guided I feel, and I believe that I am in the right place.

My gut is telling me that if I am offered the freelance gig in Singapore, I should take it. That I can remain true to my commitments and the important things in my life. But lately my head has been getting in the way. I am questioning myself. I feel bad about how I am inconveniencing others or will not able to be here for my husband, my dogs, my home, and my yoga students. I wonder if the people in my life question my commitment to them? I am worried about what they think.

But even as I write this blog the answers are becoming clearer to me. I know where my commitments are and I can stand for them. It doesn’t matter if other people question me as long as I am true to myself. I know that I don’t want to live a life of regrets, and I have to remain true to myself in order to live this way. I have to get out of my own head and other’s heads, and come back inside me. I need to stick with my meditation practice and be guided.

Faith. Trust. Everything happens for a reason. These have been recurring themes in the yoga classes I’ve taught lately – as well as the classes I have taken. Buddha said, “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.” I need to stay in a state of trust, knowing that things are working out perfectly, as they should, and trusting in myself that I have the answers and am being guided. It’s an ongoing practice, but one with many rewards. 

What You Give You Get: Filled With Love And Gratitude!

I assisted my first Baptiste program this weekend: Foundations In Action at the brand new, beautiful BV Coral Gables. I feel like I just completed another Teacher Training Bootcamp from the experience. Right now I feel inspired, empowered, and full of love!

I had a lot of anticipation for the weekend: long hours; working alongside senior Baptiste teachers, experienced assistants, and Baron; not knowing how the weekend would play out since it was my first time assisting a program, amongst other things. But at the beginning of our training I committed to being present and cleared away anticipation.

I was totally blown away by the experience. I felt completely supported and trusted by every single member of the assisting team - all 22 of us! With that support came space for me to try things on, gain confidence, serve the program, and mostly, have fun!

I got feedback and was coachable. One of the most powerful coachings I received was in regard to how I was being in general at the program, from my assisting to my personality when greeting the participants. "You have your Tadasana; you are very grounded and composed," one of the team leaders said to me. "But I want to see you more at risk and less composed. I want to see you in more expression."

Funny, because being in more authentic self-expression is something that I have been working on since completing Level 2 with Baron last month. I took in the coaching and let go of the "pretty package" I often subconsciously try to present myself as. I allowed myself to be weird which, my wonderful roommate informed me, made me funny and fun to be around! I shared my thoughts, challenges, insights, and love for the group instead of holding back and hiding. I witnessed a shift in myself, which also shifted our group as a whole to a stronger, more positive team.

There were ups and downs throughout the program, but one of the principles I kept coming back to that Baron teaches in the methodology of Baptiste Yoga is "give up what you must." When I felt I made a mistake while assisting someone's pose, did not speak direct, or found myself concerned for looking good, I gave it up right then and there. Sometimes I was giving things up every minute!! The "giving up what I must" allowed me to come back to being present and being of service to the entire FIA program.

During the final morning's meditation I felt an ease wash over me. All of a sudden I did not feel like I was trying to meditate; instead I actually was meditating. I did not feel like I had to act a certain way, be perfect, get it right, or wear a mask. I could just be me - in all the power, greatness, and weirdness that I am, truly and authentically. That ease stayed with me for the rest of the day. It was so easy to quit trying to be something I was not.

It was funny then as all of us on the assisting team were saying our goodbyes that so many people acknowledged me for having an ease-filled, calming presence throughout the program. Someone even said that when she saw me while assisting and noticed my easeful presence that it helped calm her and that was exactly what she needed at the moment.

I made so many friends and connections this past weekend. I learned what true team means. I got to see the beauty and power that is within each person that crossed my path. I am truly humbled and grateful for the entire experience and the transformation that Baptiste Power Yoga creates in so many people's lives, including my own.

A Fire Burning In Austin!!

I just returned from Level 2 Teacher Training: The Sannyasin’s Journey with Baron Baptiste in Austin, TX. I can’t even begin to describe the many insights and breakthroughs I experienced there, so will sum it up with two words:  WOW and FUN!!

Level 2 Yogis & Baron Baptiste in full expression!

Level 2 was about exploring who I am being in my communities and who I am for others. Through inquiry, acceptance, and the support of the amazing Baptiste community, I was able to see my blind spots (beliefs or habits I have that disempower me and others).

I realize where in my life I am not being fully present with others, and how often it occurs. I notice times in my conversations when my head is filled with judgment, anticipation, or clouded by my previous experiences, instead of just being with who is speaking with me. I recognize when I give one person my full attention but disregard others.

Perhaps one of the most important blind spots I uncovered is that I was a hider. Way back in grade school my classmates made fun of me for being the teacher’s pet so I stopped raising my hand in class, even though I knew the answer or had something important to say. This hiding continued through my life as I kept covering up things I did not think people would like about me, and started responding to challenging situations with an ongoing mantra that “it doesn’t matter.” I believed that someone else would ask the question or stand up for someone and what is right. I did not want to ruffle any feathers.

I now understand how disempowering being a hider is to my communities and myself. When I fully express myself – whether that is giving honest feedback, making a difficult request, or singing my heart out in savasana – our community becomes stronger, connected, filled with vitality, and moves on to bigger and better things. Life also is so much more FUN in full authentic self-expression!!

I got a glimpse of what my life would be like if I held on to the same disempowering patterns that I uncovered at Level 2. I would be OK, but who wants to live an OK life? Not me, and I’m sure not you! Through my Level 2 participants I learned what greatness looks like, and that we all have it! A GREAT life is available for me if I choose to be seen, get real, and connect with others.

Right now I am present to the experience of vitality, possibility, contagious power and enthusiasm, and most importantly:  connection. I could not have found these things within myself if not for the full support and presence of my fellow Level 2 participants, Baron, and the Baptiste staff. I am so excited to keep sharing this bright fire we started in Austin with all of you and the rest of the world!

Tips for Dealing with Resistant And Less-Than-Eager Students

As my teaching career and interest in serving others through yoga has progressed, I've found myself teaching a different group of students. These teaching situations are unlike those at the yoga studios, clubs, and resorts I teach at where my students are eager and excited to be in class.

I've taught adults with drug and alcohol addiction where yoga is a part of the recovery program. I've taught 12 - 16 year old girls in a delinquency prevention program. I've taught football players preparing for the NFL draft. I've taught my husband - who I must admit has been dragged to class by me a couple times! Within these classes I am often met with resistance from the students: they don't want to be there, they think yoga is silly, they won't stop talking to their neighbor or show respect for me and the other students. They scowl at me and come out of the pose after trying it for one breath... It can be very frustrating to me and disruptive to the students who DO want to be there.

So how does a teacher deal? How can a teacher help each and every student find the benefits of yoga and embrace their practice. Here are a few tips that have helped me:

1. Don't take it personally. If a student is not into the practice, it does not mean you are a bad teacher. Stay out of your head and continue to teach with confidence. You don't need to get the person to like you. Instead, show a little tough love, which leads into my next tip...

2. Hold each student accountable. When you say "bend your front knee deeper" in Warrior II and the student doesn't budge, make eye contact, gesture or demonstrate the knee bend, and don't move your eye contact away from the student until he responds. If the eye contact doesn't work, walk right over to the student and guide his knee into place.

3. Speak to what is coming up. If students aren't taking the class seriously and are joking around, speak to the seriousness of taking care of their body. Speak to the choice that they made to be here. Yes, maybe Coach sent you, you signed up for this recovery program but did not know it included yoga, or even your wife dragged you here. But in all truth, you made the choice to be a part of the team, a part of the program, or to give in to your wife. So now you can embrace your choice, move forward, and be open to the possibilities your practice (the decision you made) can offer you. Or you can choose to fight it the whole way through, and never get this hour of your life back. Bring them into a Warrior II hold or Half Pigeon and speak to letting go of resistance and what is then possible in the pose - as well as in your life - once you experience that letting go.

4. Set ground rules or guidelines. If I am working with a new group, especially one that has never done yoga, I find it helps to set some ground rules at the very beginning, that should be reviewed each class. Just like kids need structure in the classroom, new yoga students need structure for their class. Here are the ground rules I often use:
   1) Everyone practices. Even if you have an injury, are tired, can't do tree pose - whatever the excuse might be - I ask all my students to practice. Yoga is accessible to anyone, and I will gladly offer modifications for injuries and circumstances. I explain that they don't need to make it "perfect" or get a pose "right." I just ask that they try. Often they will be surprised what they can do once they let their excuses be gone.
   2) Respect - for the teacher and for their fellow students. That means do not have side conversations. You can laugh, sigh, grunt, but do not be disruptive to your fellow students who are trying to enjoy themselves and get the most from their yoga experience. Respect me as a teacher by giving me your attention and following my ground rules/guidelines.
 
5. Connect - through your heart and your touch. Physical assists can start to break down the barrier between student and teacher. If your intention while assisting is to support and help, a student will feel that when you touch them. Don't go overboard or get creepy, but don't be afraid to get in their and help the student connect to her asana and her body. Also create a heart connection. Allow your students to see you for who you really are. Drop the yoga teacher script and be real. They will appreciate that and want to give you more of a real effort from themselves.

6. Keep it light. Yoga can be fun - even when working through tough poses and serious issues (like resistance). You need to step in with tough love at times, but balance that with a light-heartedness and playful approach. Remember to smile.... BIG!

I find that students with resistance start to warm to yoga the more they practice it. It's like during each session a layer is peeled away. Stay committed to your intention and you will make a difference in all your students' lives.

Gratitude, Space, And Following My Heart

One thing yoga has taught me is gratitude. When I am in a state of gratitude, I notice more magic and joy appearing in my life. Whether it's the sunshine on my face, the peaceful view from my backyard, or the look of love I get from my dog, I can't help but be thankful for these small miracles that are part of my everyday life.

Today, I am feeling overwhelmed in gratitude for where my life has brought me. What a different place I am in now than I was over a year ago. A year ago at this time I was starting the dreaded countdown to the end of the weekend in anticipation of Monday morning. I knee what my heart was calling me to do, but wasn't yet ready to dive fully in. Back then I felt like I was in the wrong place; but really, I was right where I was supposed to be, following all the steps that were already being planned for me leading me to where I am right now.

With so much gratitude for where I am right now, I look back - also with gratitude - to where I have been. I realize that each part of my path was special. Each part taught me something different. And each part lead me to right here. The key, I think, was being present enough in my life - and inside myself - to listen to the wisdom within me, to follow my heart. I have found that the more I follow my heart, the more loudly my heart speaks to me. I don't have anxiety anymore over decisions I have to make. If I am not sure in which direction to move forward, I give the question some space (meaning I let it go and stop fretting, analyzing, and thinking about it), make sure I hit my meditation cushion morning and night, and allow the answer to come to me. It always does, and I can feel in my body that I am making the right decision, following the right path. It really is as simple as that.

Back To Business

Why hellooooo blog! I have missed you. Life has kept me busy over the past two months as I have been wrapping up a freelance project for the previous industry I worked in, conference production. I committed to the project back in August thinking it would be a good way to ease into my full time yoga and writing career. And it was, but I am glad that it's almost compete. "Where your focus goes, energy flows," says Baron Baptiste. And I am ready for my energy to flow - even more! - into my yoga teaching and writing.

That is actually a huge lesson I have learned this fall. What you intend for yourself, you create. What you can envision in your mind is possible in your life. Where you focus your thoughts, energy, and time, you get results. That could be a job, relationship, yoga pose (hello first time crows or headstand!), anything - even negative things like bad habits or anxious thoughts. Yoga shows me more and more that the life I am living is a gift. Each breath I breathe is a gift. Each day I get to wake up, is a true miracle! So why should I spend my gift of life doing things that drag me down, deplete my energy, and don't serve the world? I believe when you find your passion, you have to follow it. I am so glad I found the courage to do so.

Every day when I wake up I thank God for my life. For the fact that I get to spend my day doing what I love and getting paid for it. That I live in a beautiful city with lots of sunshine and sunsets that can bring tears of joy to my eyes. That everything works itself out. Yes, faith is a true blessing if you can let go and trust that you are being taken care of by the universe. I know life will not always be pumpkin pie (yum!) but what an amazing ride this is. Hop on and ENJOY!!!!

Simplicity, Eliminate Clutter, Be Real To Find Your Style

Writing is very yogic. I am reading William Zinsser's "On Writing Well" (that I'm pretty sure I read in college but want a refresher), and many of his principals of writing are similar to principals of teaching yoga.

One of Zinsser's first principals is simplicity. He says that writers need to be clearheaded and say what they want to say the simplest way. As a yoga teacher, I need to be clearheaded when I teach class. In fact, one of the most important parts of teaching yoga for me is taking a few moments before class starts to get grounded or present, so I can teach class from a clear space. To be simple in writing and in teaching yoga, we need to be clear about what our objective is. If the reader or student is confused and finds it hard to follow the writing or class, they often won't come back for more.

Another key principal Zinsser discusses is eliminating clutter from writing, which ties into simplicity. Do we really need to say, "a personal friend"? Can't we just say "a friend"? I also love his example that we don't need to say, "At the present time we are experiencing precipitation." We can simply say, "It is raining." If I give my students every single alignment cue for a pose, will they get the pose any better? They are probably more likely to tune me out completely. Where can I eliminate unnecessary words to allow students to have space for their practice and presence, instead of my voice constantly in their head? If I have a class of experienced yogis, instead of saying, "step your right foot forward into warrier one pose," can't I just say, "right foot, warrier one"?

Zinsser goes on to talk about style. Many writers are afraid that once they simplify what they are saying and eliminate clutter, it results in no unique writing style. But Zinsser argues differently. He says this is real and raw, and that is the kind of writer readers want to keep reading. I am constantly working on be "real" in my classes. You'd think being real shouldn't be so hard, but throughout life, humans are told how to behave, what to say, what others think. How often are we really "real" instead of acting how we think others want us to act?

I love these three ideas for both writing and teaching yoga: simplicity, eliminate clutter, be real to find your style. In fact, they are great principals for living your life!

Our Thoughts Are Powerful; Align Them With The Life You Want

Our words are very powerful. I notice that since I have been trying to live a life more in line with things I love, I have a lot of thoughts in my head like:

• I want to bake more and be creative in the kitchen.
• I wish I were a morning person.
• I really want to spend more time being artistic and creative - more writing, crafts, art perhaps.

If you look closely at my words, you'll notice that I am making true exactly what I am saying. Because my thoughts are so powerful, I find myself still wanting to bake more, wishing I were a morning person, and wanting to be more artistic. 

Two of my favorite writers, Neale Donald Walsch and Wayne Dyer, discuss this idea of the power of our words. They have similar ideas that if we want to change something about our life, we have to change our thinking. Therefore, my statements above should become:

• I'm baking more.
• I am a morning person.
• I spend more time being artistic and creative. 

If I don't change my thoughts, I will stay in a state of wanting and wishing, creating exactly what I am saying in my head. But that's not what I want out of my short life here on this earth!!

So I changed my thinking, and I am starting small. Every time I think I should really bake more, I look up a recipe and decide to make something! What has held me back in this area is that I am an all or nothing person. I am either an awesome baker who bakes all the time, or not a baker at all. But that is not how life has to be. I can bake once a week or once a month, and if that makes me happy, then awesome!!

I get these ideas in my head that change has to be drastic and shocking, that I have to rearrange my life to do something new or be a certain new way. But change can happen at each moment. Change is small, and in fact, even things that appear to be BIG changes happened from the succession of many small changes. 

Would it make me happy to bake and write today? YES! Does it have to be perfect? No! All that matters is that I do what makes my heart sing, and then the singing gets louder and louder and louder...

Happy baking!