Unbreakable Me

Things do not always go as planned. I trained, practiced, worked hard, and made it through form, applications, and even weapons in my karate promotion to receive my brown belt....All I needed was to break two simple boards, something I had done many times before. My step up side kick was strong...I had never failed to break with a kick. But I was nervous. I had been struggling with my palm heel strike, unable to break the board with any hand strike since I returned from vacation nearly a month ago. 

(This is a photo of my daughter's first board break.)

My final test before receiving my brown belt....I did two practice kicks and two practice strikes off to the side of the board. They were strong. I stepped up to my board to kick first, since I was confident I would easily smash through the board with my kick. My plan was to harness that energy into my palm heel strike and smash the second board. I kicked once, hitting with the wrong part of my foot. (What just happened? I've never done that.) Frazzled, I set myself up again, and kicked a second time, striking with the heel but my frazzled energy must have messed up the force, because it still didn't break. (How could this be? I've ALWAYS been able to break with this kick.) So much for harnessing the energy, I walked over to my other board, refusing to allow both boards to defeat me. I guess I was upset enough with that other board that I took it out on this one, because I smashed it with my first strike. One last chance on the kick...I set myself up again, and kicked. I actually heard it crack....but it did not break. I bowed to my board holders and my teachers, still uncertain of what had just happened and how I was feeling. I was not going to rank advance. My daughter received her brown belt just a few nights prior, and my husband was receiving his brown belt that night, but I was not. My fellow red belts were moving on, but I was not.....not yet anyway. 

I sat down next to my karate friends and knew that although I did not break both boards that night, I did conquer the board that had given me grief for so long, and I felt good about that. I also realized that I have been given two more months to work harder, practice more, and break more boards in order to finally get my brown belt. The extra work and effort will make that achievement even more meaningful. 

I know the feeling of not advancing, and now with every board break I will see that brown belt tied around my waist. With every board break, I will see the black belt that is waiting for me on the wall of my school, and know that this is just one step not only in my advancement as a karate student, but also as my advancement as a person. I have felt defeat, but I have not allowed it to defeat me. It is my hope that my children will better know how to handle disappointment in their own lives from watching how I handled my own disappointment, and I know I will be stronger because of this experience. 

Happy, Healthy, Beautiful Skin!

For quite a long time my skin care routine has pretty much been hand soap and sunscreen.  Honestly, I'm lucky to have good genes, so my skin handled that fairly well. However, even with genetics on my side, my combination skin was not balancing adequately with this soap and sunscreen routine. I had dry patches in some places and tiny little bumps on my forehead. 

After many years of this simple, yet inadequate skin care routine, about a month ago, I went out on a limb and decided to try something new. Many of you know that I am picky about not only what foods I eat, but also what products I use. I want a product that will not only give me great results, but that is also plant-based and not tested on animals, and I am happy to say that I have found a skin care collection* that fits all of these criteria. I wish I had before and after pictures to show you, but like I said before, I have genetics on my side, so in my case the changes that occurred from this change in skin care are less visible and more about how my skin feels. 

When I first decided to try this new skin care collection, I talked with a friend of mine who lives in a dry climate, and she talked about how much she loves this particular collection because it gives her skin the moisture it needs while living in the desert. I worried that it might give my skin too much moisture, since I live in an area with more summer humidity. However, I decided to give it a try anyway, and I'm so glad I did. 

This skin care comes with a cleanser, toner, hydrating serum, and moisturizer. This might sound like a lot to do, especially if your previous routine was only two steps, but honestly the whole routine takes only a couple of minutes. Also, in the past when I've tried other skin care products, I've had to use two or three pumps at a time, but with this product collection, when it says "one pump," it really means one pump. That is truly all that it is needed to get great results!

Here are just a few of the things I have noticed about my skin since starting my new routine:

• The little bumps on my forehead are noticeably reduced (almost entirely gone).
• My skin glows, and not in an oily sort of way. It has just the right amount of moisture. I no longer have dry patches and oily patches. It is all evenly balanced. 
• It is great for skin in varying climates. Just as my friend in Utah said it helps her dry, desert skin, it worked great for mine in my bordering midwestern/southern state summer humidity. In fact, even on vacation, in the sweltering hot, humid Florida sun, my skin remained perfectly balanced....even with a layer of sunscreen on top. 
• This collection lasts about two months, so I'm not spending a fortune. In fact, when talking with others about how much they spend on similar skin care products every month, this is a bargain!

If you are looking for a balancing skin care routine, look no further. Contact me for more information about how you too can have healthy, glowing skin with natural, plant-based ingredients, and save 25% off the retail cost.

Be well. Be beautiful. Be you.

Shannon 

* New guidelines prohibit me from posting an image of this skin care collection or calling it by name in a public forum; however, if you contact me, I can share more information with you about this wonderful collection!

Living Without Limits

This week I was challenged once again by some of my yoga students. I love that we learn from each other, and last night was no exception. As we prepared to begin class, I noticed that on this particular day three of my students had obvious limitations. One student was wearing a fracture boot, another student had recently had minor surgery on her arm and had restrictions regarding weight-bearing exercise with her dominant arm, and another has been undergoing laser treatments on her foot. I took a moment to talk with each of these students before class began to determine whether I needed to change my class or whether simple modifications could be made to poses. They each opted for the modifications, and decided to (quite literally) go with the flow. Throughout the course of our class, I witnessed many three-point poses: downward facing dog, plank, upward facing dog, reverse plank, and reverse table top poses using only three of their limbs rather than four. Two students lifted one leg during the poses, while one student balanced on her non-dominant arm. 

This expression of yoga without limits reminded me of Matthew Sanford's Adaptive Yoga, yoga for people regardless of ability...regardless of mobility. In Adaptive Yoga, it is more about feeling the energy flowing through us and allowing that energy to move us in ways that perhaps we would otherwise not be able to move at all. It is a lesson we could all learn...to focus a little less on our bodies and focus more on what is within us.

And so it was with these wise and wonderful yogis last night who challenged me to refuse to accept limitations, and to push to challenge myself more....to try new poses and to prepare myself to be able to adapt. Guess it's time to practice my non-dominant balances. 

Be well.
Shannon

Out with the excuses, In with the love

Let's face it, most of us do not look like a cover model on Yoga Journal magazine, and our yoga flows aren't always as graceful as those on our favorite yoga DVDs. In fact, many times we look at some of those poses and think, "No way can I put my body into that position." In my years as a yoga teacher, I've lost track of the number of times someone has said, "I'm not flexible enough to do yoga." Many of these assumptions about yoga come from stereotypical images of a yoga teacher or student in a pretzeled out, advanced yoga pose. I often wonder how many people have never tried yoga out of fear of not being flexible, skinny, twisty, bendy, or whatever enough. 

I was never athletic growing up. In fact, gym was always my least favorite subject. I suffered a back injury just crossing my legs that ended up requiring surgery at the age of 16 years old. Despite being a yoga teacher, I am still not athletic. I have run (and I use that word loosely) one 5K ever, and don't plan on doing it again. Because of my back injury, I do have limitations, and I have learned out of necessity to listen to my body. 

Listening to the body is what I encourage everyone to do when they come to my yoga classes. I tell them that I will give instructions to guide them through poses safely, but that it is their responsibility to know their own bodies, because the reality is that we are all made differently and we all have different abilities. 

Earlier this year I took part in a daily yoga pose challenge. The challenge was to try a new yoga pose every day. The poses were pre-selected, so there were definitely some poses that my body simply would not do. When I first encountered such a pose, I actually skipped that day. However, after skipping one pose, I decided I would not allow myself to do that again. Rather than skipping an "impossible" pose, I would find a modification of the pose or do a different pose altogether.

Doing my own thing.

One of the things I love about yoga is that it is not competitive. It is actually more contemplative. So what I was able to remind myself during the daily yoga pose challenge is that it really doesn't matter what we look like in our yoga pants or whether we are doing the poses like the DVD or the cover of the magazine. 

My soul-nourishing, belly laughable attempt
at a modified variation of a handstand.

What always matters is whether the posture feels good (and safe) in our bodies and in our very souls. 

It didn't feel good to my body or my soul to miss a day of yoga just because I was unable to complete the assigned pose, but when I challenged myself to choose a different pose or modify the pose, even if it looked silly, my yoga practice was doing what it is supposed to do to begin with....nourish my body, mind, and spirit. 

So next time one of those excuses creep into your mind telling you you're too (fill in the blank) or you're NOT (fill in the blank) enough, I want you to take a moment to breathe, and mentally say to yourself as you inhale and exhale:

(Exhale) "Out with the excuses."
(Inhale) "In with the Love."

Then remember that when you take the time to listen to your body and your spirit, you will create the space to make that situation or that practice or that whatever it is your very own, and you will find nourishment for your mind, body, and spirit.

Be well.
Shannon

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

My breakfasts are normally pretty predictable. I'm a morning smoothie person. However, when I was creating my menu and grocery list for this week, I was suddenly struck with this overwhelming craving for quinoa with berries, mango, walnuts, and shredded coconut. So this morning, I mixed things up, gave my blender a day off, and made this super delicious Quinoa Breakfast Bowl! 

Top photo: Before eating
Bottom photo: All mixed up and ready to eat

 

I love this breakfast because not only is it absolutely delicious, but it is also so simple, and jam packed full of nutrition! Calcium, anti-oxidants, tons of vitamins and minerals, proteins, carbohydrates for energy, and so much more! 

It would also be super-amazing on top of a bed of mixed greens, with a squeeze of lemon, and a little mint. (I will probably do this next time.) 

                                                QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL

(everything is pretty much "to taste")

• 1/2 c cooked quinoa (1/2 c dried quinoa + 1 c water, let boil, turn down to low, and cook covered for 15 mins. This will make more than 1/2 c, so save leftovers or share with a friend or loved one.)
• sliced strawberries
• handful of blueberries
• chopped mango
• chopped walnuts
• unsweetened shredded coconut (sprinkled on top)
• optional additions: mixed greens, lemon juice, mint leaves, sprinkle of cinnamon 

Be well.

Shannon

Cheap vs Frugal

We've all been there. Trying to save money, so we buy the less expensive item, only to have it break long before we had hoped, and in the long run, end up spending more by replacing it...sometimes multiple times. 

For my family, it's the blender. What we really want is a Vitamix. Who doesn't, right? But dishing out upwards of $400-600 for a blender/food processor seemed excessive to our family. So what did we do? We bought a smaller, much less expensive brand. What we discovered is that while it was good for some things we wanted to make, it wouldn't quite do the job with other food processing needs. So then we bought something else, a little more expensive, but still about half the price of a Vitamix. There are still times it doesn't work quite as well as we would like, but for the most part, it's been great....until the last couple of months (we've only had it about a year). Recently, we've had two mishaps with our blender: (1) The spout cap fell off and disappeared, so now when I need to blend, I have to put a piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap over the top spout and hold it there so the contents don't splatter everywhere, and (2) it has started to crack on the inside. So we tried to save money by going with the cheaper blender/food processor...twice. The reality is that in buying those two blenders, we've spent about the same amount as a Vitamix. Lesson learned. 

What I have learned from my blender (and from any number of other "cheap" purchases) is that while the less expensive item might save you money in the short term, we end up spending more in the long run. This is the difference between "cheap" and "frugal." Cheap will cost you less in the short term, but in the end, sometimes the "frugal" option is the Vitamix. 

The same is true when we look at health care and essential oils. A lot of people look at the essential oils that I talk about all the time and say, "They're too expensive." When we look at the short term cost, they do seem "too expensive," because they cost more than that little 5ml bottle at the grocery store. However, when we look at the long term cost, what we find is that while we spend more upfront, we actually save more long term. 

Did you know???

• A 15ml bottle holds approximately 260 drops, and because with high quality oils (something else you're not guaranteed with the "cheap" oils), typically only one or two drops at a time is all that is needed.
• When your essential oils start running low, you can dilute them with fractionated coconut oil to extend the life of your oils without reducing the effectiveness of the oils.
• For many basic health concerns, a few drops of oil can solve the problem without a
  
  trip to the doctor. One drop of oil costs anywhere from approximately $.09 - $.90 as opposed to a $25 copay to the doctor + prescription costs. (There are definitely times when a trip to the doctor and a prescription is necessary, but there are also a lot of ailments we can take care of ourselves when we have access to the right tools.) 
• I prefer to get my essential oils through a wholesale enrollment (The oil company I use is only $35 - like a Costco membership), because it saves me 25% off the retail cost every time I shop, and there's no obligation to purchase a certain amount or even every month. (Also, if you bundle your oils by enrolling with a kit, the cost of the enrollment is included. And as with all bundles, the bigger bundle saves you even more!)
• Through the particular essential oil company that I use, If you decide to purchase a minimal amount monthly, you will receive a percentage of your purchase back to use toward FREE oils and wellness products. 

So as you can see, buying these "expensive" essential oils can actually save you money.

So the question is: Cheap or Frugal? 

When it comes to health, I'd rather be frugal than cheap. If you agree and are interested in learning more about how you can save on your health care costs through essential oils, please contact me to learn more.

Be well.

Shannon

Relaxation in the Midst of Distraction

Everyone looks forward to the end of yoga class. It is that time when you can rest your body, quiet your mind, and relax. Ideally, the room is silent, or perhaps there is soothing music playing or quiet sounds of nature in the background...birds, rain, the ocean, or a babbling brook. The reality is that this does not always happen. We don't always get our ideal, and so we have to learn how to relax in the midst of the chaos. 

As a yoga teacher, I have experienced guiding relaxation through the sound of what can only be described as a fleet of leaf blowers, through the thin walls of an adjoining business where someone was sharing the events of her life that sounded like an episode of Judge Judy, and while teaching an outdoor yoga class even experienced someone cursing at us and calling us crass names during relaxation. None of these are ideal scenarios for relaxation, and I have sometimes found myself getting frustrated that our time was being disrupted. However, it occurred to me that even in the midst of the chaos, those disruptions could not take away the positivity of the yoga practice that we were enjoying. The only way that positive energy can be disrupted is if I allow it to penetrate the space in my mind that has been filled with love and light during my yoga practice. 

What I have found myself doing now rather than getting frustrated whenever I am distracted or disrupted by my surroundings is this....Rather than allow that negativity into my circle of light, I send light and love out of my circle and into that place of distraction. I may bring more focus to my breath, and use it as a meditation and silent mantra of love and peace. 
I inhale peace. 
I exhale love.

So I encourage you the next time you find yourself in one of those situations of disruption when you are trying to meditate or when you are in the relaxation part of your yoga class, find your own mantra of healing and love, and in so doing you may find that you can have your peace and share it too. 

Be happy, healthy, and at peace.
Shannon

Setting health goals and sticking with them

How many of us have set goals for something only to get distracted and lose track of what we need to be doing to achieve that goal? I know I have. With so many distractions around us it can be challenging to stay focused on our goals....or maybe more specifically, it can be challenging to remain focused on the actions needed to achieve our goals. The goal setting is perhaps the easiest thing we have to do. It's easy to say, "I want to lose 10 lbs," but to actually get up at 5:30AM to exercise is another thing all together. 

As someone who works for myself, it is easy for me to get easily distracted with housework, yard work, snuggly children (and snacky children and grouchy children and....), and if I'm totally honest, with social media. One of the things I've done to help keep me on track is to get a mentor, someone who will help hold me accountable to the actions I need to do each week in order to achieve my business goals. Every week I have questions I have to ask myself that guide me to determine what actions I need to take for that given week. 

Distractions are not limited to my business, though. I'm a mom, so my mornings are full of taking care of everyone else's needs, and once I get them out the door to school and work, then I start thinking about all the errands I need to run and all the other things I need to do. This leaves little time to remember the health commitments I've made to myself. So I started thinking about that this week....How can I apply the same concepts that I use in my business goals to achieve my health goals? So I want to share what I've come up with.... 

1. THE BIG WHY
The first thing I do when I think about my goals is to ask myself WHY? Why is it that I want to set a goal for whatever it is that I'm looking at. In this case, let's say it's health...So why do I want to lose 10 lbs (or 30 or 100...fill in whatever number you want). Your "why" is everything. It is what inspires you, and when you start to slack off or get discouraged, it is what will motivate you to keep going. 

2. BITE SIZE GOALS
Next, rather than focusing on the big picture, I like to break my larger goals down into smaller, achievable pieces. This makes it less overwhelming and also allows me to celebrate more successes along the way.

What are your health goals for:

• 30 days from now...
• 60 days from now...
• 90 days from now...
• 6 months from now...
• 1 year from now...

3. IDENTIFYING KEY ACTIONS
Identify key actions you need to do in order to achieve your goal. For example, if you are wanting to lose weight, then you may want to look at food, exercise, and any other tools you may find useful (meditation, writing, calling a friend/sponsor, etc). When creating a plan for your week, you might ask yourself questions such as this:

• How many minutes per day will I exercise?
• How many days per week will I exercise?
• What is my meal plan for the week? (How many proteins, vegetables, fruits, carbs, and fats will I consume each day? How many ounces of water will I consume each day? Are there trigger foods I will eliminate from my diet? Break it down into meals and snacks for Sunday - Saturday.)
• Who will I contact when I something triggers my desire to eat unhealthy food or when I'm feeling like slacking off on the exercise?
• How many minutes will I meditate each day? (If that's your thing.)
• What will I read or watch or take part in this week that will inspire me to stay focused on my health goals? (There are a lot of great books, health documentaries, and even webinars that can help keep you inspired. Just remember that you have to do more than read or watch other people's stories of health transformations. You have to actually get up off the couch and get moving too.)

There may be other questions, and maybe some of these don't apply to you. This is just an example of being specific about the actions needed to achieve your health goals. 

4. SET A WEEKLY GOAL
I already mentioned the bite size goals, and those are great, but you also want to set an even smaller goal for each and every week to get you to that 30 day goal...and then that 60 day goal...etc. So set a weekly goal. Choose something easy to measure. 
Some examples might be:

• How many pounds do I want to lose this week? (Set realistic expectations so you're not disappointed. Remember that 1-2 lbs per week is ideal for keeping the weight off long term.)
• How many inches do I want to lose (or gain) this week? (You might start off by measuring different areas of your body that you hope to reduce as you become healthier. Remember that you may not see a big difference in the first couple of weeks.)
• Increase running speed by ___ seconds (Maybe you're a runner and you are training for a race. You might want to increase your speed, so you can beat your personal record....Or maybe you might want to increase your speed so you can beat someone else's record.)

Remember, through all of this that you want your goals to be just big enough to challenge you (don't be too easy on yourself). At the end of the week, look back at your goals and your actions, and evaluate how you did. This is when you have to be honest with yourself. What did you do well? What could you have done better? Was anything too easy? Was anything too hard? 

Making a commitment to your health is important, so treat it that way. Be true to your word. Be true to yourself. When you say you are going to do something, do it, and you will see results.






Please share your "why," your health goals, and the actions you are taking to stay committed to achieving those goals. I love to hear what everyone is doing!

Be well.
Shannon