I’ve found some links to posts that made me laugh, cry, think or at least raise an eyebrow. Please click the links and check out the posts. You may find something that rocks your world too.

Leave me some feedback in the form of comments below on what you liked, what you hated and what you’d like to see more of. I’m here to help you find the best of what is online.

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My Best Of…

I’ve been enjoying lots of green smoothies the last few months and Joy the Baker’s Good Morning Greens are about to be added to the morning mix.

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Summer break is on the horizon! Here are Ten Free Kid Activities in Sacramento.

Bowling, museums and movies – hello, free air conditioning!

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Looking for a signature summer cocktail? Tracy from Shutterbean is on to something with the Bombay Fizz Cocktail.

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Can I do Curvy Yoga if I’m not…..curvy? Anna’s latest video sums it up perfectly.

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Have you decided what you are going to do once Google Reader bites the dust?

Sarah at Whoorl wrote an excellent post on How to Use Feedly.

Tsh from Simple Mom also covers how to stay up to date with your favorite blogs.

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And last, but not least, Five Tactics for Cheap, Healthy Eating from The Simple Dollar.

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That is the In Case You Missed It Edition, folks.

Remember to click the links and leave some comments. This is a conversation, you know.

In Case You Missed Edition Archives -click it to see them all.

Image Source: We Sharpen Anything But Your Wits- Archival … by ljpphoto on Etsy

tasting ::   green smoothies, blueberry iced tea, pancakes, homemade stir fry, vegan apple sage sausage and duck fat fries at the low brau, ruffles potato chips, fresh blueberries with vanilla soy yogurt.

hearing ::  myself talk and talk and talk and talk. for THREE hours. i miss teaching people who are upright!

smelling ::  nervous sweat. i gave a big presentation on mother’s day and it was hot. oh my goodness, stinky mama! {is that tmi?}

seeing ::   new teachers come to life right before my eyes….so many opportunities for communities to grow and for people to find their right teacher and teachers to find their right students. also: lots of under eye circles.

feeling ::  exhausted and exhilarated simultaneously. emdr broke open a pandora’s box of emotions from the past and my brain has decided the only opportunity for processing is in my sleep. ugh – can you say crazy dreams? AND so excited to be working on projects so close to my heart. while these aren’t keeping me up at night, they are certainly getting me up before the roosters (and my kid).

wishing/hoping ::  how’s about we all hope for some peaceful sleep for the restorative yoga teacher always getting on everyone to rest? k, thanks!

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: via pinterest}

This time of year is busy, busy, busy. Report cards, field trips, high stakes state testing wrap up, finals, marathon grading sessions, end-of-the-year celebration planning and all those hormonal students with spring fever… it is enough to make anyone want to schedule a mental health holiday.

The end of the school year always reminds me of a championship baseball game that has just gone into extra innings. Everything feels completely necessary and like every second counts.

My friend and author, Rosie Molinary used to think, “Maybe something mildly bad will happen, like a really bad flu or a minor car accident, so that I can take a little bit of time off.”

Sound like something you might say to yourself? Me too.

Let’s face it, even if you don’t work in a school, spring is an extra busy time. Even nature is going a million miles a minute: the birds, the bees, the pollen and the trees.

Stress city!

So rather than trying to keep going and going and going until you completely burn out, why not schedule yourself a break?

Start with an hour for yourself in the next couple of weeks: a restorative yoga class, a nap,  a massage, a manicure or pedicure, a run outside without any distraction.

Then why not schedule a half day? A hike at a nearby river or lake, a picnic by a stream, a good book under a tree, a yoga workshop with your favorite teacher, an afternoon taking pictures of signs of spring, writing in your journal in a café.

Then try a whole day and schedule absolutely nothing and see how the day unfolds. Maybe try a pajama day and see how you feel.

The idea behind these breaks is to give yourself a bit of space and breathing room. You may find you are happier and even more productive than you would have been without the break.

Does the idea of scheduling a break freak you out or are you already grabbing your planner?  Please share in the comments.

Post inspired by Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance by Rosie Molinary. Specifically Day 306: Take a Personal Health Day and Day 57 Schedule Breaks.

Image Source: Serenity Retreat – Early Fall by FreeWine on Flickr (cc)

Who they are:

Marie Forelo will help you create a business and life you love. She’s part business strategist, part marketing maven and part spiritual ass-kicker with a side of hip-hop swagger (her words).

She’ll most likely make you laugh really hard too.

Basically, she is a rock star.

Why I love Marie Forleo and what I learn from it:

.Marie sends out a newsletter every Tuesday and I’m happy to get it. And read it. And then watch the enclosed video (sometimes more than once) and sometimes I’m inspired enough to leave a comment on her post.

What does she talk about that a school/yoga teacher finds so inspiring? Pretty much everything:

How to Overcome Fear and Self-Doubt

How to Get More Done in Less Time

What to Do When Life Hands You A Sh*t Sandwich (hint, it’s not sit around and complain about it).

When to Close A Business: How to Know If It Is Time to Move On - good relationship advice.

Marie’s book Make Every Man Want You: How to Be So Irresistable You’ll Barely Keep from Dating Yourself! is not really about dating or finding a dude. It’s about getting your sh*t together so you can have your best life.

Ed note: I effing HATE the title of this book and almost didn’t read it because of the title, but I am so interested in what Marie has to say I sucked it up and read it anyway. She’s good….

Posts I find inspiring:

How to Be Fascinating (I’m a Trendsetter and you?)

How to Balance Being a Great Mom and Growing Your Business

I Made a Mistake: What to Do When You’ve Said Something Stupid

How to Deal with Jealousy and Being Intimidated By Someone Else’s Success

Feeling Like a Fraud? Stop Self Sabotage with this Unexpected Technique

Want more, more, more? I know I do. Check out Marie’s amazing archives for Advice for Sticky Situations, Be Your Best Self, Focus and Be Productive, How to Develop Killer Content, How to Conquer Your Fear and Limiting Beliefs and more.

If you haven’t already, go check out Marie Forleo and then tell me what you think.

What blogs do you love?

tasting ::   dairy free chocolate chip bars, greek salad with sheep feta, creamy vegan pasta, green smoothies, vegan pizza on cornmeal crust, polenta with spicy italian sausage and puttanesca sauce, blueberry iced tea and cinnamon date manna bread.

hearing ::  so many good ideas coming together on a future project i can hardly wait to tell you about.

smelling ::  sugar cookies baking. ruby got a visit from v3 this week and they made cookies.

seeing ::   lots of bloody noses. we’re thinking the heat/no humidity is the cause.

feeling ::  wildly optimistic about my future teaching opportunities, understood by my people and excited we got our minnesota plane tickets. also a bit delicate.

wishing/hoping ::  for lots of focus on what is important and a little less intensity/emotional fallout from my new round of emdr.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: via pinterest}

If you are reading this, you may be panicking about how to show your kid’s teacher how much you love them.

May I say a gift is truly not necessary? Seriously. I have never thought less of someone or their family based on any gifts that were or weren’t given.

If you are absolutely certain you’d like to show some appreciation with a gift, I offer a guide.These are some things and experiences I have either gotten from families over the years or would love to get some day.

Last Minute Teacher Appreciation Gift Guide

A thank you card/letter either from the student or the parent. No store-bought card necessary! If you want to go this route, please be as specific as possible and include the ways the teacher has affected your student’s life. Seriously. If your kid’s teacher has made a positive impact on your student or your family in any way, they would most likely want to hear about it.

I have every letter like this I have ever gotten and I plan to keep them forever.

A magazine subscription for the classroom. Kids love reading magazines and I love having current issues in my library, but they are expensive. Depending on the grade level of the class will decide what is appropriate.

In third grade, I loved Time for Kids, National Geographic for Kids, New Moon Girls.

Office supplies. Dry erase markers, sharpies in all the colors, washable markers, a pencil sharpener that actually works, pencils (!!!!!), boxes and boxes and boxes of tissue, wipes to clean the desks. {My dorky teacher heart is all pitter patter about the thought of this!}

A book for the classroom library. Have your child pick out their favorite book from the year and donate a copy to the classroom library. Extra points for a dedication or a tiny book review to entice others to read it.

A magazine subscription for the teacher to read over the summer. Knowing I love music, one of my students gave me a year of Rolling Stone. Loved it! Maybe not your jam, but a year of Real Simple or Yoga Journal might be up your alley.

A gift card for office supplies. So appreciate any help we can get with buying supplies for our classrooms without digging into our own pockets.

A gift card for Powell’s or Amazon. We can buy something good to read over the summer. Maybe even a book to help improve our teaching practice!

A BPA free water bottle. Teachers are notorious for not taking care of ourselves, so why not gently encourage a healthy water habit with an awesome new water bottle?

A gift card to their favorite self-care team: yoga studio, massage therapist, hair stylist.

I hope you found this guide helpful. Please let me know if there is anything I missed.

Image source: The Man Of Yesterday by JD Hancock on Flickr (cc)

So I’m a yoga mama and these are things and experiences that I would love for my family to share with me this Mother’s Day. Maybe something here strikes your fancy too and you can share this list with your family.

A home-cooked brunch with her best friends. We’ve started a Mother’s Day tradition which involves my husband making waffles with all the fixins for me and one of my best girls and our families at home instead of fighting Mom’s Day crowds. We round out the meal with fresh berries, juice and coffee/tea and have the luxury of no waiting and actually delicious food when we want it. {Don’t forget to clean the kitchen after!}

The gift of time…. at the studio. Why not treat your favorite yoga mama to a private session, a restorative yoga party with her friends, a new class card or a workshop with her favorite teacher?

{Be sure to include taking the kids to the park certificates with the studio time.}

The gift of books…and time to read them. Amazon or Powell’s gift card and if you need a list of good reads check out the link.

The gift of time….in nature. Why not plan a picnic and a half day get away to a quiet slice of nature for some family bonding time? Just remember this is about treating mama to a day, so please pack the sunscreen, cold drinks and a way to corral the little ones.

We love spending time out in the UC Davis Arboretum, out by the South Yuba River and by the water in the East Bay.

The gift of quiet….at home. My restorative home practice helps me keep up with my ridiculously active two-year old. I highly recommend these props to aid the relaxation.

The bible. I carry this book with me all the time. Helps with sequencing, props, pose ideas.

The bolster. A key prop for super relaxation. I love mine so much I sleep with it. I get no props for my love note about these props, so feel free to take my word they rock the relaxation.

The eye pillow. Love the weight, the sweet lavender smell and the peach skin feeling. I’ve recently starting using 3 during my practice {one for the eyes and one for each hand} – delicious.

The sandbag. What can I say?  I love the feeling of grounding that comes from the weighted props.

What would you like to receive this Mother’s Day?

Image source: heart en route by rosmary on Flickr (cc)

tasting ::  green smoothies galore, fizzy lemonade (sometimes with vodka), pad se ew at chada thai, barbeque chicken, pasta with goat cheese and asparagus, breakfast special sandwich from orphan, thai noodle salad from cafe bernardo, and lots of yummy veggie dinner bites in the park {apparently i ate out a lot this week}.

hearing ::   the wind chimes going crazy. it has been ridiculously windy here. no bueno. giant piles of pollen pelting you from across the street was a little too commonplace this week.

smelling ::  dairy free chocolate chip bars baking.

seeing ::   dc friend, portland friend, local friends for lots of meals out.

feeling :: started the week absolutely exhausted and played sleep catch up and after a few days of serious napping felt like my usual rested self. hour for hour catch up was key.

wishing/hoping ::  time could slow down just a little bit. i’m completely shocked it’s already may.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: via pinterest}

Ten Things I Loved In April

Things I/We Did

1.      Pixie!  Good god, I love a dramatic before and after. Don’t you? My hair was getting so long and was constantly being pulled into a messy pony tail. Not exactly the look I was going for. Now I feel like I look like myself again. Weird, but true. If you are in need of a hair make over, my best girl Tari, is your gal. She is an artist.

2.     Showed up for a friend. Have you ever thought your presence might not matter? I’m here to tell you it does. The look on my heartbroken friend’s face when I showed up after her brother’s funeral made the long drive worth it. I couldn’t not go, you know? Being there for friends sometimes means actually being there.

3.     Spontaneous road/day trip to Lake Tahoe. Can you say beautiful? Oh my goodness, I was reminded how much pine trees and mountain air contribute to my happiness. Bonus being there with one of my besties who jumped right into the chase the toddler game.

4.     Dramatically improved the quality of my sleep. My ridiculously expensive night guard from the dentist got fixed this month and I started wearing it consistently and I have been experiencing the deepest, most restful sleep possibly of my entire life as a result. Honestly, I thought they were full of it, but this is the real deal. My jaw feels great when I wake up and I’m so much better rested. Who knew?

5.     Restorative yoga class, as in I took one. 75 delicious minutes of fully supported relaxation. Perfection.

Products and Services I Dug:

6.    Tari at Parlour By The Park. My girl, Tari, always works magic with my hair. She can do the same for you. If you’re looking to update your look or completely change it up (maybe even cut it all off!), Tari can make you look better than you thought possible. Give her a call. She’s works some serious magic.

7.    SwapAsana at It’s All Yoga. We swap clothes, shoes and accessories twice a year; once in April and again in October. I always score tons of cute stuff and other people tell me they love bringing my stuff home, so it’s a win/win. If you’re interested in coming to the next SwapAsana, be sure to follow It’s All Yoga on Facebook. And if you life outside of Sacramento, you can always host a swap of your own. It’s way less work than you’d think.

8.    Cozi.com. I missed an eyebrow appointment and we had a parent double booking this month. Clearly, it was time we started using a family calendar. Cozi came recommended from Hollee at Good Enough is the New Perfect and Asha from Parenthacks – so we decided to try it. This free app is pretty much changing our lives. No more missed appointments, double booked parents or forgotten shopping lists. 

In My Blog Reader

9.      Thug Kitchen. A perfect blend of easy vegan cuisine and filthy language. I wish I would have thought of this! If you have ever spoken to me in the reals (and are not a child), you have heard an f-bomb of seven fall from my lips. What can I say? I swear like a limited vocabulary sailor. Dairy free fo life!

10.     Ditch the Haters from Brittany and Tahn. So much wisdom and vulnerability to learn from here. So happy to hear not only did she turn down the date with the cute, mean guy, but told him why. Change your story, change your life indeed. 

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image Source:  Meadow, 05/1972. by The U.S. National Archives on Flickr

Do you often wonder how you are going to get through the rest of your workday? Or do you just get over yourself and order another coffee or pick up a sugar snack from the vending machine?

I have another way!  It’s free and easy and will leave you feeling pretty dang refreshed.

I used to do it at recess or lunch break when I was teaching and it totally helped me not grab for the extra caffeine and sugar which would ultimately leave me with an energy slump soon after.

If you ever get a chance to take a live class with me, at some point I will give you a daily yoga challenge/prescription that will change your life should you choose to accept it.

15 minutes of Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall.

After taking a full 90 minute restorative class with me recently, Jeanne took that challenge back to her office.

I asked Jeanne about her office yoga experiment and here’s what she have to say about it.

How many people participate?

JH:  3-8 people, depending on the day/time. We meet at 10 am and 3 pm each day.

How long do you practice?

JH:  We started with 5 minutes, now we are doing 10 minutes.

What’s the instruction?

JH:  I show people how to get set up and they follow. I tell them to let it all go – notice if they are trying to hold themselves off of the floor. Remind them to breathe. There is often a lot of chatter, so I suggest that we do not talk. Sometimes this works, most times it does not.

What’s the tone of the time in legs up the wall?

JH:  The tone in our office is pretty relaxed – we are perpetually busy, but we try to have fun doing it. So at 10 am, everyone is jacked on coffee and getting their morning underway, so the 10 am time is very nice to break up the morning crack-heads. The afternoon is more of a refresher, to get through the remaining time in the day.

How are people feeling before, during and after the legs up the wall party?

JH:  As I mentioned, before our session, people are either cracked out (10 am) or in a Food coma/end of day lull (3 pm). But regardless, during the mood is SO relaxed and goofy.

Everyone begins by cracking jokes, laughing, sighing, and ultimately silence does come at the last few minutes.

After the session, everyone rolls onto their side in a fetal position for at least 10 seconds before they come up. I have told them to TAKE THEIR TIME coming up. Afterward everyone moves a bit slower and has a smile.

How has this changed the atmosphere in the office?

JH:  The atmosphere has always been fun, but I think it’s created a different bond between certain people. We recently consolidated operations and had 6 people move from an office in Salinas to our office in Loomis. Combining forces has been great so far, and we have invited some of the new additions, and one did join (a male)! I think people feel more easy going and less apprehensive with each other, when they have a work-related issue- we can “out” ourselves on a mistake or an area of lacking knowledge, without feeling inferior. It’s more playful and “chill”.

What do you think, friends? Would you try yoga at work?

tasting ::  peanut butter pancakes, green smoothies,tuna on triskets,artichokes, strawberry coconut ice cream, falafel pie, chickpea and zucchini saute with couscous, honey wheat pretzels with applesauce.

hearing ::   dooooooooooooo yooooooooooga! mama, do yoga.

smelling ::  mountain air and pine trees on a spontaneous day trip to lake tahoe.

seeing ::   portland friends and local friends. so many people i love.

feeling :: tired. so much excitement is leaving this mama a little too wired to sleep well.

wishing/hoping ::  hoping the madness of gun violence stops in my best girl’s neighborhood in oakland. enough already.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: via pinterest}

How to Rock Elementary School Open House

This post could also have been titled “How I Used to Dread This Annual Event, But Since I Figured Out The Secret, I’m Good”.

Also: Why Didn’t Anyone Clue Me In?

So my first few (seven to be exact) Open Houses didn’t go that great. I was a nervous wreck! Something always felt like it was about to go wrong and sometimes it actually did.

There was the year a parent decided to name call (rhymes with itch – I wish I was kidding), the teacher shopping (aka the job interview), and my personal favorite – the impromptu teacher conference. And finally, the year I came home to find my cat had died.

No wonder why I dreaded Open House!

So I did what any reasonable professional would do and asked my smarty pants co-workers about their experience with Open House and  in asking, I got the secret to a successful elementary school Open House.

The Open House SECRET: Give EVERYONE in the family a job to do.

IDEA #1 – The In Class Scavenger Hunt

Materials You’ll Need:

Student work posted and on their desks

A student check list

Pencils/markers/stamps – something to mark their found treasures.

One your scavenger hunt ask students to find specific items in the classroom and explain them to their families.

IDEA #2 Math Minutes station (aka students success center)

Materials You’ll Need:

100 fact worksheets – I used addition, subtraction, multiplication and division 100 problem fact timed tests I found by Googling math fact worksheets.

A cup full of sharpened pencils.

A bunch of 5 minute timers.

Clipboards or empty desks where people can work.

Students challenge their families to finish the all facts tests in five minutes.

Side note: This was by far my students’ favorite station because they loved watching their siblings and parents struggle to finish something they excelled doing.

IDEA #3 A Reading Fluency Station

A stack of fluency reading sheets (ours were provided by our district, but we could use Read Naturally or counted text from readers or science texts)

Timers

Pencils

Students read a passage as quickly (and fluently) as possible in one minute marking where they stop. Repeat two more times on same passage and note how much farther they read with each repeated read.

Students love to show what they know and their improvement, even in 3 minutes.

IDEA #4 Build 3D Shapes Station

Materials You’ll Need:

Geometric Shapes Nets (I used the set provided in the teacher materials of our district math program. I just made extra copies).

Colored pencils, markers, crayons.

Multiple pairs of scissors.

Clear tape.

Everyone chooses a shape net, colors, cuts out and precisely folds their net on the lines. They use the tape to hold their shape together.

I found that families talked a lot about how parents hadn’t seen this kind of geometry until high school. My students were incredulous they were doing “high school” work and parents were impressed with their students’ work.

IDEA #5 Display all the digital photos from the year as a slide show

This one relies on all the photos from the year being in one place – hopefully your computer or camera, so if not this year start planning for next.

I take a lot of photos during the year and love being able to show them off during this event.

Some years I was able to project them onto my big screen and other years the slideshow was a single computer monitor in the back of the room. It didn’t matter how big the presentation, my students (and their families) beamed with pride seeing themselves hard at work all year long.

I hope these ideas help you get creative during your next elementary school Open House.

What are your Open House success secrets?

Please leave comments to share with others what you do to make yours a successful school community event.

Image source

tasting ::     mint iced tea, so many potato chips (i may need an intervention), pasta with faux meat sauce, cornmeal crust veggie pizza with vegan cheese.

hearing ::   huuuuuuuuug. kiiiiiiiisssssssss. someone was feeling particularly affectionate this week.

smelling ::  the tiniest bit of spring rain.

seeing ::   the week fly by in a fuzz. it went so fast and i don’t feel like i have much to show for it. i am officially blaming the wind.

feeling :: refreshed after taking a restorative yoga class with a friend. people, this stuff will heal what ails you. if you haven’t already tried it, go now.

wishing/hoping ::  wishing for peace and non violence in the world and my social media feeds. hoping people can process world events in a way that is helpful to themselves and others.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source:http://fourlittleindians.tumblr.com/post/25721051108/talulah-mine-please-do-not-change-delete-the via pinterest

In class each week I try to share some nugget of wisdom I’ve picked up along the way. Recently most of what I’m sharing comes from my friend, Rosie’s book, Beautiful You.

Day 23: Realize That You Are What You Pay Attention To

She writes -

Consider this very simple truth. What we pay attention to, what we put our energy into, is a statement about what is important to us. It is a reflection of who we are.

She goes on to challenge the reader to examine and reflect where their attention and energy is spent and to make adjustments if they don’t like what they find.

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I’ve been limiting my intake of things that I don’t find helpful or kind (no more Law and Order SVU marathons for me) and I’ve found I’ve felt more at ease as a result.

Here are a few things I have found quite helpful lately.

• Megan Francis’ The Kitchen Hour podcast. Specifically the episode with Math For Grownups author Laura Laing. In this podcast they talk about how to help your kids with math homework, online resources and how to deal with that pesky “new math”. I was completely riveted and wish I had known about this website and book earlier.

• Joy the Baker podcast. Good lord, where do I start?  My child sings the theme song. Let’s just say these ladies have made their presence known (and loved) in our household. Can not say enough how much I crack up in every episode. I’ll bet you’ll want to be their best friends too.

• Body Positive Yoga’s videos have brightened this curvy girl’s day. Amber is super funny and she knows her modifications for the three B’s: booty, belly and boobs. Such a great resource!

•  How to Be Fascinating – Marie Forleo’s interview with Sally Hogshead. I was lucky enough to get a free deal because I subscribe to Marie’s weekly emails (and I will say I actually look forward to getting them each week because they are so good.) Turns out I’m a trendsetter – I see the future and would like you all to come with me. Sounds exactly right! In a world full of power yoga, I’m asking people to lay down and be quiet.

• What Can I Do When My Toddler Won’t Stop Running Away From Me? Dude. I asked this exact question to the universe and BAM! Answer right in my Google Reader the exact.same.day. Whaaaat? I know.

• Brene Brown (one of my all time favorites) is sharing her favorite books. This is ridiculously exciting for a book nerd like me.

• My friend Rosie is a genius (this post is inspired by something in one of her books!) and she has figured out the secret to life: unscheduled days. I know. Brilliant!

What are you putting your energy and attention these days?

Do you feel like you don’t have the time to do self-care because you don’t have an hour plus a day to devote to it?

I definitely have a long history of not doing things because I couldn’t do them perfectly or the way I thought they “should” be done. I figured the small things didn’t really matter, but boy I was wrong.

The first time I really noticed how small things added up was when I was taking a self-guided classroom management course. As a life long procrastinating perfectionist with an already over booked schedule, I was anxious about finding the time to actually get all the work done.

My plan was to work for 20 minutes every day on it. Just 20 minutes. My promise to myself was that I would stop working as soon as the timer went off even if I had’t finished anything. I just needed to start something.

Well, two weeks later of daily 20 minute bursts of actual work (it’s really hard to procrastinate when you only have 20 minutes) and I was finished with the class and feeling quite accomplished.

With that success under my belt, I started looking for other areas in my life where I could put 20 minutes of attention.

Kitchen duty that used to completely overwhelm me? – Done.

Mounds of laundry? – Done.

Yoga home practice? – Done.

If you are looking for ways to help take care of yourself, why not start with small ways that don’t take much time?

10 Self-Care Ideas That Take 10 Minutes or Less

1.  Sip a cup of tea in silence.

2.  Go to bed 10 minutes earlier and get a bit more shut eye.

3.  Read a book for pleasure.

4.  A single restorative yoga pose.

5.  Schedule a massage, a much needed doctor appointment or a visit with your insurance agent to review your life insurance policy (ok, maybe that one is for me).

6.  Slather lotion on your hands and feet and let it soak in before you move.

7.  Snuggle with your sweetheart.

8.  Cook a warm breakfast or make a green smoothie to go.

9.  Take yourself on a walk.

10. Make an appointment to talk to a therapist if you are really struggling.

How do you manage your self-care?

Image source via pinterest.

tasting ::     green smoothies, vegetable soup with orzo, strawberries, a rare chipolte treat and water with cucumber {it was 86 degrees this week}.

hearing ::   gram parsons pandora statio – lots of merle haggard, waylon jennings, emmylou harris and wilco.

smelling ::  coconut lotion. the weather says it’s too hot for spicy chai.

seeing ::   my friend’s heartbreak. too many dudes are dying around here. so sad.

feeling :: like i need to hold all my people close. consider yourself warned: i am a hugging fool right now.

wishing/hoping ::  to gather my tribe and hold them tight.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: http://www.fitfabcities.com/2012/04/23/motivation-monday-16/)

Despite a decade of experience in the classroom, I still consider myself a new teacher in a lot of ways. First and foremost, I am a lifelong learner who tries to keep life interesting and relevant in the classroom. I don’t want to keep doing the same old things in the same old way just because that’s the way I’ve always done it.

I try to start each year with what worked from the previous year and change-up what didn’t work as well. Everything is up for grabs. I review policies, processes, procedures and lesson plans. I’m always on the search for ways to make my life at school and home more efficient and productive.

Of course I ask the teachers I know in real life about their classrooms and my on site teacher friends are a great resource for ideas especially when helping my tougher behavior kids. They are a living history of the previous year and they have experience with each family. Asking previous teachers for ideas has been beyond helpful.

But what about learning about new things that no one else in your area is doing? Like student blogging or integrating technology into the classroom? What about ideas for lessons you’ve never done before? Where do you go to find ideas?

A few years ago I joined Twitter and started dropping in on Wednesday evenings New Teacher chat and started following teachers from around the country. What I’ve discovered is that generous, smart, efficient, teacher leaders live all over the country and willingly share their ideas (for free!) online through their blogs, podcasts and tweets. I feel like I’ve discovered a hidden treasure!

Not only do I get new ideas from these resources, I’ve been able to share my ideas and lo and behold, the more ideas I share, the more ideas come to me. Creativity and generosity begets creativity and generosity!

So, where do you get your brilliant teachery ideas? How do you keep your teaching fresh and creative? Who is in your professional learning community? What new resources can you share here?

Image source

Just for a day, what would it be like to really listen?

Instead of thinking of the next witty response or check mate argument ender, why not just quietly listen to what others are saying.

What could we learn – from others? From ourselves? From the silence?

This post was inspired by Day 339 in Beautiful You: A Daily Resource for Radical Self-Acceptance by Rosie Molinary.

Do you struggle with listening and silence (or is that just me)? What have you learned from being quiet?

Image source:Quiet Please by bixentro on Flickr (cc)

It’s so nice not to have to wear my hair in a ponytail because it’s over 68 degrees. Tari at Parlour by the Park is the transformation queen. If you find yourself itching for a change, make an appointment with her. She cut off 4 pounds (!!!!) of hair and not one tear was shed.

Here’s my new do! I love it.

Other news:

My friend Sarah over at Yes and Yes reminded me I’ve been meaning to tell you about how to see all the Teacher Goes Back to School news and whatnots in your Facebook feed since they always changing what we see (or not see as the case may be).

If you’re following Teacher Goes Back to School on Facebook but haven’t been getting these all-important-yoga/hair/cute photos of my kid updates – you can fix that by:
1. Going to the Teacher Goes Back to School Facebook page
2. Hovering your mouse over the ‘liked’ button
3. Checking ‘get notifications’

Still other news:

This month’s Sunday Snooze is happening just a bit later this month due to a workshop.

If you are planning to come to class, please note we’re starting at 4:15 and going until 5:45 this month only.

So, what’s new with you?

Filed under: A Yoga Manifesto Tagged: pixie haircut, pixie magic, tari parlour by the park ]]> http://teachergoesbacktoschool.org/2013/04/06/i-cut-off-all-my-hair-and-other-news/feed/ 10 Teacher Goes Back to School pixie what http://teachergoesbacktoschool.org/2013/04/06/saturday-senses-144/ http://teachergoesbacktoschool.org/2013/04/06/saturday-senses-144/#comments Sat, 06 Apr 2013 12:30:52 +0000 Teacher Goes Back to School http://teachergoesbacktoschool.org/?p=9182 Continue reading →]]> A way to capture the spirit of each week…

tasting ::     green smoothies, brown rice pasta with creamy vegan garlic sauce, roasted broccoli and brussels sprouts with pancetta.

hearing ::   another person i know from school passed away. so, so, sad. 

smelling ::  post rain fresh air.

seeing ::   how yoga is helping me be a calmer, more present, happier parent. {currently reading buddhism for mothers}

feeling :: much lighter. i cut off all my hair.

wishing/hoping ::  for peace for all the families who have recently lost their men.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: http://www.lizlamoreux.com/be-present-be-here/reframing-rest.html

Classroom teachers are freaking amazing, multi-talented people. And these teachers are truly inspirational. They not only spend their days in the classroom, they also spend time on a yoga mat.

Find out who and what inspires them:

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Jenna Francisco of This is My Happiness:

People who are kind, simple, and interested in the betterment of all humans.  People, especially quirky or creative ones, who are 100% comfortable being themselves.  Societies that value slowness, simplicity, and equality.

I’m inspired to be in the moment every day, whether it’s just relaxing, spending time with my sons, or even going to work.  I’m inspired by history and art, and I won’t lie—I love to travel and want to live overseas, (both very outside-of-the-moment!), so I’m inspired to see as much of this world as I can in my short life.

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Amy Estes (formerly of Just a Titch) and now Coffee and Sunshine

I think working in a profession where I’m forced to be creative is good for inspiration—teenagers see the world so differently than I do, and also, kids are brutally honest about how they’re feeling, which definitely inspires thoughts. Otherwise, I find inspiration in a good book, a song that makes me want to dance or cry, conversations with my closest friends, a long drive on a sunny day, in cooking or baking, during a long bath or shower and the things that I write off-line, in my paper journal.

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Jed Brewer of Lather Records

I’m drawn to people that are smart, creative, and weird.  Occasionally, I need some boring down time to recover from everything, but I like watching, hearing, and talking to people that let it all hang out.  People that risk embarrassment or being misunderstood to do something that’s a little different.  Not the Jackass people, but creative or even political people.

Over the years I’ve interviewed some of my favorite yoga teachers.

Here are the highlights:

You’ve said yoga will “ruin” your life as you know it… What did you mean by that? And how has it ruined yours?

It’s completely ruined mine! I think you’re never off the hook. Once you know about the philosophy and “the path,” you know when you’re off it.  

Recently I went to a party and some friends were talking about another person who was not there. The talk was not kind (*not* ahimsa) and probably not entirely true (*not* satya).  

I didn’t get up and leave the conversation and it’s really heavy on me this morning. My body told me to get up—I felt a little nauseas (another way you’re *ruined*—you’re more aware of your physical and emotional feelings). I even had dreams about it last night.  

But I didn’t say anything or excuse myself, and I can’t change it, and there’s no sense in berating myself (back to ahimsa). So I take this experience and set the intention to do it differently next time.

For more with Michelle Marlahan proprietress of It’s All Yoga (Sacramento) – my primary teacher - excerpt from Part 2.

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Madeleine Lohman describing her first yoga class.…

It was a beginner’s class, but an accelerated one intended for folks who were already “in shape.” I don’t know what led me to believe that described me. I’ll never forget the teacher kneeling beside me trying to encourage me to roll back into plough pose. All my efforts produced almost no movement, only grunting.

I do remember that I did my first handstand in that class. I actually cried out: “Jeezus!!!”

The teacher didn’t find it funny.

+++++

Speaking of laughing and yoga….here’s how Anna Guest-Jelley describes her yoga classes.

I like to describe my classes as a choose-your-own-adventure book.  Remember those? I give lots of different options during class.  I always talk with my students before class to check in and see what’s going on with them so I have an idea of what modifications to offer.  The classes themselves are usually quiet with some bursts of laughter.

+++++

Who or what inspires you? Who are your favorite yoga teachers?

Interested in learning more about our Featured Teachers? Here’s the full archive.

Are you interested in being a Teacher Goes Back to School Featured Teacher? Contact me at TGBTS blog AT g mail dot com – subject line: Featured Teacher

Image: sudheer and son mayan riviera by lululemon athletica on Flickr (cc)

tasting ::     vegan pancakes with peanut butter and syrup, lentil soup, broccoli orzo risotto, moosewood chili, ranch bread, rice with kale, chicken and peanut sauce, strawberries as big as our heads, and handmade ginger cookies.

hearing ::   an encore of the eagles “best of my love” harmonized 6 ways, a symphony of frogs and lots of 2-year-old screams in the open air in the anderson valley. 

smelling ::  fresh, fog-filled valley air.

seeing ::   newts, banana slugs, turkey vultures, fog, grammy and granppy.

feeling :: all family-yummy-ed up.

wishing/hoping ::  april is as fun as march was.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

{image source: Downtime – 8×12 Relax print from photo relaxation … by FourTreesPhotography on Etsy}

Ten Things I Loved In March

Things I/We Did

1.      Hung out with Rock Stars. Specifically, paid to see Rhett Miller play at Yoshi’s in SF, only to find Chris Isaak in the audience. Chatted pleasantly with both like it was no big deal.

2.     Sang songs with Old People. Inspired by a repeated viewing of Lost in Translation, I   invited a bunch of friends to come sing karaoke with me for my birthday. At 3 in the afternoon. With my 2 year old. Good, good times were had by all.

3.     Pressed send on my first speaking proposal. Eek! And how exciting!

4.     15 Minute Mini Vacation – and I didn’t even have to leave my house.

Products and Services I Dug:

5.    Yoriginality workshop with Anna Guest-Jelly of Curvy Yoga and Alexandra Franzen. Holy helpful, Batman! If you teach yoga, you’ve got to take this workshop. 

6.    Solution Session with Sarah Von Bargen. So helpful, professional and kind.

7.    Blue Moon Cafe and Karaoke private rooms, good microphones, wide selection of sing along songs. Plus beer, french fries and chow fun! Also: karaoke happy hour prices in the afternoon.

On The Bookshelf 

8.      Minimalist Parenting by Asha Dornfest and Christine Koh. I reviewed it here. I already want to read it again.

9.     Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka - another one of those parenting books that would help every classroom teacher manage their classes better. A must read for parents and teachers. You also may find out a bit about yourself, I know I did.

10.    How to Love More by Caring Less by Martha Beck. I read this in an old issue of O Magazine and decided I wanted to share it with you. I’m still pondering. What do you think?

+++++

So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image Source:  Love is all around: 8×10 Fine Art … by MarianneLoMonaco on Etsy

Tip #1 Don’t over schedule yourself.

Allow for down time to just hang out and do nothing. I know it is tempting to try to catch up on some grading or planning or housework, but don’t forget to take time for yourself.

Need some do nothing inspiration?  Check out one of my favorite sites: Love Wasting Time: A Pause In A World of Bigger, Better, Faster, More.

Tip #2 Sleep a little more at night.

My own sleep is much more restful in the hours before midnight so I try to get as many of those as possible. That may be because I get up ridiculously early with my daughter, but whatever. I try to be in bed by nine and asleep by 10. I know, I’m an early bird! However you stock up on your own sleep, please do. The more the merrier when it comes to sleep!

For some interesting facts about sleep click here.

Tip #3 Nap during the day or practice some restorative yoga.

It has been said restorative yoga can feel more refreshing than taking a nap. I have to agree (except of course when I’m too tired and I just fall asleep).

Practice with me.

A little home retreat for 90 minutes.

At home mini vacation for 15 minutes.

Tip #4 Take time away from working/computer/screens and step into nature.

The NY Times explains the science behind what we already instinctively know: a break from technology is a good thing.

You don’t have to go far – the back yard, a local park or lake –  just take your shoes off, lay a blanket on the grass and look up at the sky.

Tip #5 Exercise.

Sometime this is the first thing to go when things at work get busy, so while on break take advantage of this extra time to take care of yourself. Exercise is nature’s anti-depressant.

Maybe you check out a class usually out of reach because you are at work. Now’s the time to try that morning Zumba, weight lifting or ballet class. Why not try some Pilates or kickboxing? Or just grab your shoes and a friend and head out for a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood. Instead of driving to your coffee date, dust off your bike and cruise on over.

Tip #6 Connect with friends or family.

It’s during school breaks that I get to go out to lunch. Oh how I miss this during the year. So if you are like me and love a leisurely midday meal with a friend or close family member, get it on the schedule now.

Do you have any tried and true ways to make sure you return to school after break feeling refreshed and ready to face the end of the school year? 

Please share in the comments and if you found these tips helpful, please share with your friends and family.

Image source: dandelion photography Fine art photography – botanical 8×8 … by mylittlepixels on Etsy

{image source: pinterest}

tasting ::     scrambled eggs with asparagus and avocado, green smoothies, frosted mini wheats, birthday dinner vegan sausages from lowbrau.

hearing ::   the phone ring with so many birthday wishes. my people rock.

smelling ::  earl grey tea in the afternoon.

seeing ::   my fave, brene brown, on oprah’s super soul sunday. if you missed part 1 – check it out here. part 2 is tomorrow.

feeling :: so much better than last week! naps are a mama’s best friend {mine and baby girl’s}.

wishing/hoping ::  we enjoyed every second of family time this spring break.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

I bought this for myself for my birthday and it is book number 39. Not too shabby.

Let me start with what I liked about the book:

• The title. Seriously, if the word minimalist is in the title I’ve probably already checked it out.
• The subtitle: Enjoy Modern Family Life MORE by doing LESS. – I love doing less and enjoying more. Like a lot.
• An entire chapter dedicated to self-care!
• The ideas in this book are completely doable.
• This book helped me feel less alone in the sense that I want to do less and enjoy parenting more. I still see so much what I call parenting Olympics around that it was refreshing to read a book with beliefs similar to mine.
• As part of the book launch, the authors held a 2 week Min Camp where each day we were asked to do an easy action from the book. It was such a great way to put the book into action. It’s free, it’s easy and it’s still going on.
• I love the idea of limiting extra curricular activities (both from a parent AND teacher perspective – down time is good for everyone).
• I love the idea of saying no to activities and physical stuff to make room for the remarkable.
• Kudos to the authors for emphasizing working with the teacher when dealing with their kids’ school and the idea of GOOD ENOUGH when it comes to school. I was basically fist pumping and shouting during that part.

A couple of things that weren’t my favorite:

• I wish the self-care chapter would have been first instead of last because I am such a huge advocate of self-care. I get that a lot of people haven’t been taking care of themselves and have to sort of be talked into doing something for themselves. But SO IMPORTANT!
• The writing in the education section got a bit circular. I’m thinking because it is so ridiculously personal for each family and everyone’s experience is so different. Still, the emphasis on taking the competition out, (ironically) wins.

The all important question – would I want to be friends with the author?

Good lord, YES! Asha and Christine use their own experiences and family stories to illustrate the topics in the book and I feel like we are kindred spirits.

Should you read Minimalist Parenting?

Absolutely. If you have kids and feel like your life is running you instead of you enjoying it, read this book now.

Have you read Minimalist Parenting? What did you think?

As many of you have noticed, I’m posting much more about restorative yoga here on the blog, mostly in an effort to explain what has helped improve my mental and physical health over the last few years. If it inspires you to take a restorative class or pick up a book or just take a break – hooray!

Some feedback I’ve gotten as a result has come in the form of questions, so today I offer you some answers to those you might be too embarrassed to ask.

Let’s start at the beginning.

What IS restorative yoga?

Restorative yoga classes are much different from regular classes. The biggest difference is that in restorative yoga we lie down with blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps, sandbags, over chairs and then we lie down some more.

In other words, probably the most difficult part of the class is making it there on time.

Once you’re there, we just lie down.

If you can easily get down on the floor and up again an hour or so later, we’re golden. We get comfy and let the props do the work.

Other people may have a more technical explanation, but I feel like lying down with the purpose of relaxing the body and brain is a good way to put it.

What if I fall asleep during class?

When was the last time you completely relaxed your body and didn’t fall asleep?

For most people,  it’s been a while. Plus most of us are pretty tired.

So, what happens if you fall asleep during class?

Nothing.

Well, you may get a little nap in.

I’m not going to call attention to you or make you feel like a horrible person or even think badly of you. I’m honestly going to think that you are tired.

I bring this up during every class, especially with new people, because I know I’ve felt embarrassed when I’ve fallen asleep in class.  I am pretty sure if you are falling asleep, it means you are tired and it’s a good thing you are there taking a break.

What if I snore?

It happens. Waking yourself up with a snore is usually how you know you were really asleep and not just spacing out thinking about other stuff.  Again, this is a pretty good sign you are tired.

How do you know so much about this sleeping in yoga business?

It used to happen to me ALL.THE.TIME. Dude, sometimes I’d fall asleep in the 5 minute savasana at the end of a regular class. Apparently, I have a long history of being tired.

In fact, it still happens to me. Just the other day I was practicing some restorative poses (ok, one pose) at home and I *totally* fell asleep.

How do I know I really fell asleep and wasn’t just thinking about other stuff?

Because the church bells alarm woke me up. {#protip – set an alarm when you practice at home}

What if I toot ?

Same as snoring. It happens. And then we don’t worry about it because it doesn’t matter.

So we’re all lying around over bolsters and propped up with blankets and blocks and then what? What are we D-O-I-N-G?

The short answer is we are doing nothing other than taking a little break from the constant go go go.

The longer answer is making your body comfortable enough for muscles to be able to really let go and relax and rest. During class I try to keep my talking to a minimum so you have a chance to experience physical relaxation and quiet at the same time.

We don’t get to do that every much in our modern constantly connected world. It can sometimes feel like a mini vacation.

So, do you have anything you’d like to know about restorative yoga?

{image source: pinterest}

tasting ::     sautéed cabbage stirred into mashed potatoes, grilled chicken burrito as big as my head, grapefruit juice, green smoothies, peanut butter filled pretzels, hummus with celery + carrots, pita pizza.

hearing ::   the cry of parents who failed to plan for daylight saving time. did you hear the weeping too?  or did you plan better for the change at your house?

smelling ::  fresh air in the vic fazio wildlife area.

seeing ::   so many kinds of birds. i tell you what, if i can’t nap just take me out into nature and my batteries get recharged.

feeling :: so tired from the daylight saving time debacle and my own nights of tummy trouble. and so thankful my habit of rest has been keeping me afloat all week.

wishing/hoping ::  if i am being honest, i really just want to sleep through the night with no 2am craziness. {hold me}.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

National Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up – May 6-10th and to show my gratitude to my fellow educators, I’m offering a FREE restorative yoga class at It’s All Yoga.

Why?

Because I know how hard teachers work and I feel like they deserve a little mini vacation during the school year. I’d like to share a little rest and relaxation with my colleagues and friends. Plus I’d like them to indulge in a little self-care.

If you are a school teacher in the Sacramento area – you are invited!

This class is limited to 16 lucky teachers and will fill up. If you would like to reserve a place, please register online and click the workshops tab.

Want to learn more about restorative yoga? Try here.

Still have questions? Contact me – Tami – tgbtsblog AT gmail Dot com.

How will you celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week?

Friends, how about that Daylight Saving Time? I don’t know about you, but our house is full of what would seem to be hungover people. It is not pretty.

Yesterday was National Napping Day and I celebrated with a 15 minute mini vacation because I was simply too tired/wired to really nap and sometimes there just isn’t enough time or energy to do a whole yoga practice.

Are you in?

15 Minute Mini Vacation

You will need:

15 minutes alone

three pillows or rolled towels or bolster plus two blocks

this Tara Brach podcast and something to listen to it on

Do this:

Set yourself up in reclined cobbler’s pose – a pillow under spine/head, soles of feet together, knees splayed out resting on pillows or towels.

Here’s a picture:

Listen to the podcast.

Breathe.

Ta da! A 15 minute mini vacation.

I feel much better now. Don’t you?

If you’d like an entire restorative practice and are in Sacramento, come on by It’s All Yoga at 7:15 tonight.

Image 1: pinterest

Image 2: VanderbiltHealth.com

{image source: pinterest}

tasting :: vegan stoner’s falafel pie, corn chips from trader joes aka fritos, vegan girl scout cookies, sugar snap peas by the truck load, chada thai take out and beer.

hearing ::   rhett miller play live in sf with my best girl.

smelling ::  spring rain.

seeing ::  things come together and the universe totally supporting my plans. also my support team grow by the minute. and chris isaak hanging at the rhett miller show – rock stars collide!

feeling :: hopeful and excited about the possibilities. also super loved and supported.

wishing/hoping ::  i recovered from a night out faster – i night out past my bedtime and it is days before i recover. just in time for day light savings!

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

Do you practice restorative yoga?

Do you need a little proof that this practice is more than just lying around?

Restorative yoga alleviates depression in women suffering from breast cancer while increasing their well-being and outlook on life.

Restorative yoga resolves metabolic syndrome which increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (more information here). Those in the study had reduced blood pressure, a significant increase in energy levels, lower stress levels and an overall improvement in well-being.

Restorative yoga improves the quality of sleep.

Restorative yoga may even help people lose some belly fat.

Scientific evidence that restorative yoga decreases depression, blood pressure, stress, and belly fat while increases well-being, outlook of life, energy level and sleep.

Now let’s all lay down and relax a bit.

Do you have any questions about restorative yoga? Leave them in the comment section and I’ll be glad to find out the answer for you.

Image Credit: Manduka Equa Towel for Bikram yoga class by lululemon athletica on Flickr (cc)

When was the last time you relaxed?

I mean, really relaxed?

Like turn the phone off, shut the laptop and watched the leaves swaying in the breeze relaxed?

It’s probably been a while because most of us simply feel like we don’t have the time to relax.

Or the idea of relaxing brings up voices in your head that sound a lot like “relaxing is for vacation only!” or “that’s for lazy people!” or my favorite – “I’m too damn busy to relax!“.

Between back-to-back meetings, driving carpool, commuting to work, liking your brother-in-law barber’s vacation photos on Facebook, making dinner and watching the latest episode of the most talked about TV show, there isn’t much time for just lounging around. Most of us spend so much time going, going, going that we forget to stop and just be for a while.

And if we’re really honest, we really like being busy. Or at least feel trapped by being busy and we’re just not sure how to jump off the treadmill of modern life.

So rather than wring our hands lamenting about our collective state of busyness, my challenge is to schedule in some relaxation time this month.

Seriously.

Schedule some down time/relaxation for 20 minutes a day.

If you are suddenly very irritated with me and how I don’t understand how busy you are, then you may need to double your relaxation time this month.

There is an old Zen saying:

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day—unless you are too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Where will you find these 20 minutes for relaxation?

Mostly I find mine when I close my laptop and/or switch off whatever screen is captivating my attention. Turn off the Facebook, friends!

It also helps to write it in your schedule as an appointment to yourself. If is feels silly writing “relax” on your calendar, feel free to give it a code name.

Tips To Bring  More Relaxation Into Your Life:

• While on transit to and from work, put your phone in your bag and close your eyes for a few minutes to just breathe.
• If you drive to work, turn off the sounds. No music, no podcast, no nothing. Enjoy the silence for the entire drive.
• If you have an office you could close the door, silence the phone and massage your face for a few minutes.
• Sit by the river/lake/stream/pond/urban body of water and listen to the birds.
• Lay on the grass and watch the leaves flutter in the breeze.
• Make snow angels if you like that sort of thing.
• Meditate using a mantra. Here’s mine.

Of course, you could take a restorative yoga class. Or you could practice one restorative yoga pose at home before you go to sleep. Here’s one of my favorites.

What are other ways to relax? Do you schedule your relaxation? What are your feelings on relaxation?

Image Source: Just Relax 97/365 by SashaW on Flickr (cc)

{image source: pinterest}

tasting :: vegan pancakes smothered in peanut butter and syrup, steel cut oats cooked in soy milk with chia, chocolate chips and coconut flakes, vegan sausage on pretzel roll, duck fat french fries, white beer and chicken chow fun.

hearing ::   ruby string two and three word sentences together like she’s being doing it her whole life.

smelling ::  chai tea lotion – warm, sweet and spicy.

seeing ::  photo editing magic!

feeling :: like a genius.

wishing/hoping :: resolution please.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

Ten Things I Loved In February

Things I/We Did

1.      Day trips to the Bay Area. When seasonal allergies are killing you, why not just get the hell out of dodge? We visited with friends, ate dim sum, watched dogs playing at the dog park and generally avoided all the trees I am allergic to in Sacramento. Bliss.

2.      Reached out for help when I needed it. Friends rallied and my doctor kindly reminded me how much nasal spray allergy medicine is my friend.

3.     Brunched at home. Steel cut oats with all the fixins with some of my favorite local yoga ladies. Seriously, if you have a kid (or are otherwise busy most evenings) I highly recommend having friends over for breakfast. It is a great way to connect and share a meal at a non traditional meeting time so more people are available.

4.    Published my HIRE ME page. Hello, universe! And just like that, people contacted me to work with them on exciting projects. More on this to come later!

5.     Advocated for myself in a way that felt authentic and true. I can’t share on what yet, just know I made myself proud.

6.     Visited the quiet and remembered it is hard and scary. And worth it.

Products and Services I Dug:

7.     Schroeder’s Shoes Repair -You know when you get such great customer service it brings a smile to your lips and a tear to your eye? This is that place. I brought two pairs of Mary Janes in with strap issues and he fixed one pair while I was standing there (for free) and did an excellent job fixing the other for $5. Please keep this guy in business and bring all your shoes here to be repaired.

On The Bookshelf 

7.      Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. I reviewed it here.

8.     Beautiful You: A Daily Guide To Radical Self-Acceptance by Rosie Molinary. READ IT. So we can talk about it!

9.    The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman. – Oh my. Oprah and Gretchen Rubin both mentioned this title and I thought I’d give it a chance. Turned out to be a quick read and left me wanting all my friends and loved ones to read it so they could tell me their love language. I’m a Words of Affirmation with an Acts of Service chaser. Do you know your love language? Have you read this book? Did the “love tank” language make you giggle out loud every.single.time. you read it? Or was that just me?

Warning: at the very end, the author lets the reader in that he’s super Christian. Since this came as news to me, I thought I’d let the cat out of the bag in case this sort of thing also surprises you.

10.     I Want to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had by Tony Danza. Did you all know Tony Danza, from Taxi and Who’s the Boss? fame, taught high school for a year and had a reality show about it? If so, why didn’t you tell me? I read this book in about a day and a half. It was charming and quite frankly, he said a lot of things teachers like to hear.

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image Source:  LOVE mirror by Oxley Woods Photos on Flickr (cc)

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to talk to some Yoga Basics students about coming to my classes. Here’s what I told them.

Savasana: A Love Story

During the first year or so of going to yoga classes around town, I fell in love. That overwhelming feeling of I-just-can’t-get-enough kind of love. An obsession, really.

At the beginning, I didn’t know its name. I called it “that lying down part at the end”. My secret wish was that each class I took  would end with “that lying down part”.

I fell in love with Savasana.

What’s to love?

I loved that feeling of my body letting go of tension, releasing the urge to work,  and falling into relaxation and rest at the end of class. Even if we only were there for a few minutes, that was the part I liked the most. I felt its power of rest like nothing I’d ever experienced, except maybe for an actual nap.

After each class, my mind felt calmer, my body relaxed and for a brief time, I felt peaceful.

For a super Type-A, pitta-deranged, smart Alec with amazing perfectionist tendencies, peaceful was something I’d never felt before.

And I liked it.

So I kept going back, week after week, hoping that we would end with “that lying down part”.

It surprises me now – a decade plus past my first class – that not one time, in any class I took that first year, did any teacher mention that every class ends with “that lying down part”.

Imagine my delight when I finally asked someone and they explained that EVERY yoga class ends that way!

To this day I love Savasana.

In fact, I’ve dedicated my yoga teaching to the lying down part! We pretty much do that the whole time in my classes. And while, yes, it can be hard to do – it is worth it.

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Interested in starting a love affair with “that lying down part”?  Check out my class schedule and come rest with me.

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What yoga pose would you write a love story about?

Photo credit: Robert Bejil Photography on Flickr (cc)

{image source: pinterest}

tasting :: veggie stir fry, green smoothies and lots of pb+j.

hearing ::   no. no. no. and not feeling discouraged. {not from ruby, she says “stop” now instead}.

smelling ::  the east bay, the place where i grew up.

seeing ::  deer, turkeys, ducks and lots of river rocks.

feeling :: like i have the best support team in the universe.

wishing/hoping ::  to continue to feel at peace with my decisions.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

Let me start with what I liked about the book:

• I absolutely l.o.v.e cultural studies especially with similar cultures. {I am practically clapping my hands and hopping with glee – this is how excited I am.}
• The way the author describes French children as: sleeping through the night by three months, eating well-rounded multi-course meals, and their parents able to carry on adult conversations while the kids played independently reminded me of teachers who have a firm grasp on classroom management. {Hint: they don’t get the “easy” kids or work harder, they make it look easy, but they are managing those kids invisibly. – So exciting! And really, how do they do it?)
• The French words/phrases/concepts: The following are a small, yet powerful list of my favorites.
• The Pause: Making kids wait builds their waiting muscles thus avoiding immediate meltdowns.
• Betise: small act of naughtiness which is considered normal child behavior and parents don’t need to freak out about (Hello, me!)
• Cadre: A frame/framework – setting limits and having plenty of freedom within the frame. {sigh….I miss teaching}
•  Non – no, absolutely not.

A couple of things that weren’t my favorite:

• I wish the French pronunciation (as well as the English translation) would have been in the text. I loved knowing what the words meant without having to turn to the (well placed at the beginning) glossary, but I never looked at the pronunciation guide after my first read.
• I know some people will HATE this book because she writes in a way that implies the French are doing it right thus making everyone else wrong. Although for some reason, my usually defensive self, did not even take it that way. I just read it with a lot of curiosity agreeing with parts and observing other differences.
• The idea of kids going on week-long class trips sans parents as young as 3 or 4 years old gives me hives

The all important question – would I want to be friends with the author?

Yes! We could practice saying no convincingly to our little ones while wringing our hands over sending kids on vacations without us.

Should you read Bringing Up Bebe?

Yes. If you are interested in the lives of little people and if you like to travel or ever want to spend time in France.

You may also want to spend some time reading other reviews of this book. Holy moly, some people HATED it.

Have you read Bringing Up Bebe? What did you think?

Like, really hard.

Surprisingly hard.

When she asked why, the response she got may surprise you.

It was the quiet.

The quiet was the hard part.

The doing nothing while laying down with nothing to do was the hard part.

I was taken aback for a minute when she told me and then I remembered my first restorative yoga class.

Picture this: My body was supported in legs up the wall (just like the picture above), I was carefully covered with a soft, clean smelling blanket, my eye pillow rested over my eyes and then BAM!

No joke, within five minutes I truly believed I was going to have to live in the nervous hospital. I was clearly insane. The voices in my head got louder and louder the longer I stayed still.  I kept wondering when the men in the padded van were going to come wrap my clearly crazy self up in a straight jacket and take me out of there.

My mind wouldn’t quit.

The deep dark hidden secrets I successfully avoided by staying busy had finally caught up to me when my body got quiet.

Basically, my mind kicked my ass for an hour and a half while I laid there in the quiet waiting for the padded room dudes to come get me.

Needless to say,  It was quite a workout.

So I get it.

The quiet IS the hard part.

Sometimes I forget that laying down quietly with your body fully supported can be difficult.

I get it.

It clearly happens to us all.

I also get that sometimes we need to challenge ourselves to do hard things that are good for us.

Recently the New York Times published an article about how if you Relax! You’ll Be More Productive that has been widely across social media. I share it here with you because it perfectly illustrates my point about how lying down often, taking naps, taking vacations and breaks from your online world are hard, but totally worthwhile.

This gist of the article is exactly what I’ve said in my classes for years:

The less you do sometimes directly relates to how much more you can do other times.

So this, friends, is my invitation to you. Tuesday nights (and the first Sunday of each month) I teach how to live in the quiet. A nice supportive place to make friends with your inner critics.

Join me? It’s All Yoga in Sacramento, CA. Public and classes are available.

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Have you ever tried restorative yoga? Do you have a regular practice? What’s your experience?

{image source: pinterest}

tasting :: post chinese new year dim sum, sweet potato black bean stew, vegan chocolate muffins, vegan creamy garlicy pasta with sauteed broccoli, green smoothies and chada thai.

hearing ::   my sweet baby girl chatter away her papa in the mornings whilst i chill out. new world order, i love you.

smelling ::  spring! i can smell again thanks to my brand new nasal inhaler.

seeing ::  the possibilities of a new future {finally without taking the present personally – apparently my life’s work}.

feeling :: relief from my allergies + my emotions. also really supported.

wishing/hoping ::  to slow down a bit and enjoy the moment. all this planning, meeting and scheming is tiring.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

Who they are:

Anna Guest-Jelley is the mastermind behind Curvy Yoga – a training and inspiration portal for curvy yogis and their allies and teachers.

I was fortunate enough to meet Anna pretty quickly after my yoga teacher training and had the opportunity to interview her for our Featured Teacher Series. You can check out those interviews here and here.

Basically, she is a rock star.

Recently she guest posted here at TGBTS about How Restorative Yoga Healed My Body Image – which includes a free restorative section from her book Permission to Curve.

Anna organized the Curvy Yoga community to send photos to the Yoga Journal Model Contest and published all the photos on her site. If you look you may even find some familiar faces.

Some local Sacramento Curvy Yogis from It’s All Yoga and I talked with Anna about our Curvy Yogi photo shoot, radical insight and the subversiveness of acceptance and the interviews are here and here.

In other words, Anna has been a TGBTS ally since the start and she is not only a warm, generous person, but also an inspiration. I am so happy to have Anna in my corner.

Why I love Curvy Yoga and what I learn from it:

Anna writes thoughtful, thought-provoking posts and provides information I haven’t found anywhere else.  She inspires me to bring yoga to people who may believe they can not do it for whatever reason.

Posts I find inspiring:

Why Touching Your Toes Doesn’t Matter

Restorative Yoga (a simple practice for home)

25 Ways to Add Yoga to Your Life

13 Ways of Looking At A Yoga Pose

Weighty Words

Dear Yoga Journal

Curvy Yogis, Represent!

Yogi Imperfect

Are You Advanced In Your Practice?

Finding Your Teacher

Yoga From the Wounded Place

If you haven’t already, go check out Curvy Yoga and then tell me what you think.

What blogs do you love?

Do you have someone you trust to help you in times of transition? Someone you can call to help you sort through personal and/or professional issues?

According to Rosie Molinary in Beautiful You: A Daily Guide To Radical Self-Acceptance:

Every woman should have a person she goes to when she needs understanding, perspective, comfort or commiseration….sharing problems helps you put worries into perspective, offers you fresh solutions and can help halt the cycle of negative thoughts.”

So hand-to-the-forehead simple! I couldn’t agree more. My friends are smart, funny, ass-kicking and most importantly, think I am too.

So why haven’t I calling them more often?

My word for 2013 is connection.

One of the reasons I chose this word is because I’ve gotten out of the habit of reaching out to friends and co-workers when I need them because everyone is so busy, the false sense of connection through social media and if I’m being really honest,  I didn’t want to be any trouble. {Whaaat? I know. Probably deserves its own therapy session.}

Anyway, I am currently confronting a situation which has lead to much hand wringing and early morning wake-ups. I haven’t been getting very far on my own so I decided to rally my troops.

In a recent call with one of my Go-To Girls, I was able to not only run through various scenarios from worst-to-best case, I was able to write a timeline of action and quickly come up with a list of people I need to connect with in order to solve said issue. My Go-To Girl, not only helped me problem solve, but also reminded me what a fighter I’ve been in the past and how she had great confidence in me and my abilities.  I got off the phone feeling pretty damn great about the situation and myself.

Left to my own devices I’m pretty sure I’d still be wringing my hands and plotting revenge fantasies.

One of my best self-care practices is reaching out when I’m in need. I may have to get a tattoo of this one to remind me when I’m down.

Do you have a Go-To Girl? Are you someone’s Go-To Girl?

Image Source: We Heart It

{image source: pinterest}

tasting :: green smoothies, late afternoon early dinner at the low brau, pink lady apples and steel cut oats .

hearing ::   bess mama! sneeze!

smelling ::  not much. allergies are hitting me hard.

seeing ::  a cracked windshield, all of my insurance policies + my agent and a very snotty kid – feeling very grown up this week.

feeling :: exhausted. sick kid + allergies = tired mama.

wishing/hoping ::  the nasal spray allergy meds work as well as they did last year. i’m so glad my doctor reminded me about them this morning!

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

I am taking it easy today. Between massive seasonal allergies, a sick kiddo and the promise of rain, I’m calling in the self-care.

How are you taking care of you today?

Image Source: Pinterest

February is all about the love, obvs. But rather than focusing on other people’s love and such, I’m inviting you (and me) to be our own Valentines this month.

We can create some self-love by practicing extreme self-care this month. I’ll be posting some ideas during the month and I’ll keep you posted how I’m doing as well.

My first self-love/self-care challenge comes from Rosie Molinary‘s book, Beautiful You:

Day 223: Listen to Your Body and Respond

We spend a whole lot of time berating our bodies and not nearly enough time caring for them. It’s time to start focusing on being responsive to our body’s needs.

Challenge: Every hour stop and ask yourself “What am I feeling right now? What do I need?”

If you discover you need water, get some and drink. If you need to stretch your legs, take a short walk. If you need some connection, reach out to a friend. Whatever the need, take a few minutes to take care of it. Your body will thank you.

How are you planning to love yourself this month?

If you’d like to spend some time taking it easy and deeply relaxing in the company of others, come join me at It’s All Yoga on Tuesday nights at 7:15 for restorative yoga.

Image Source: Pinterest

{image source: self-portrait at the zoo with my best girl}

tasting :: green smoothies, burger/fries comfort/emotional/feelings food.

hearing ::   a dead phone and no Internet connection for two days. also see: yelling at comcast via cell phone.

smelling ::  the zoo on a warm spring -like day.

seeing ::  the first signs of spring: 68 degrees, shoes with no socks and turquoise pants.

feeling :: anxious about work stuff and rage at comcast. a week of strong feelings indeed.

wishing/hoping :: for this week to be much less stressful.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

Ten Things I Loved In January

Things I/We Did

1.      Introduced the girl to Sesame Street and the rest of the gang on Sprout. She was sick, it was cold. I got sick super anxious, it was cold. Mostly I liked how she walked around, played with toys and checked it once in a while. She liked the musical numbers best. Good for dancing.

2.      Watched the Inauguration and totally cried. Ruby danced with the Obamas, clapped with the audience and waved at the President and First Lady.  She totally cracked me up. She is so good at TV. 

3.     Brunched at home. New Year’s Day Crepe Party AND a Waffle Party. Once I decided brunches were easier and better than dinner parties with a toddler, we’ve been eating a lot more with friends. Take it from me, forget dinner and bust out your waffle iron.

4.    Connected. I left blog comments, made and received phone calls, sent texts, took walks, coordinated play dates, dined with out-of-town visitors, and we visited out-of-town friends.

On The Plate

5.     Baked Honey Oatmeal with Raspberries and Pistachios

6.     Minestrone soup

On The Bookshelf 

7.      The Hunger Games.  You guys! This was so good! Like for real. It kept me up past my bedtime several times and gave me a night of insomnia brought on by my excellent survival empathy skills.

8.      A Short Guide to A Good Life by Anna Quinlan – Truth in advertising. Very short and also a good life.

9.    Dads Are the Original Hipsters by Brad Getty. – I laughed. Hard. A lot. Not rocket science (like any of my picks are), but entertaining.

10.     Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. What can I say? I’m hooked. (PS – I am totally reading all the Hunger Games sequels next even though I heard they are in no way as good as the first. Thoughts you care to share?)

BONUS BOOKS!

11.     The $100 Start Up by Chris Guillebeau

12.     Vegan Diner: Classic Comfort Food For the Body and Soul by Julie Hasson.

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image source: Pinterest

Talk about shifting gears, this quote is helping me move from the poor-me-nothing-is-working-quite-right aka everyone is an idiot mindset I’ve been stuck in the last few days, to a much better place.

How do you cope when things aren’t going your way?

{image source: we heart it}

tasting :: minestrone soup, green smoothies, roasted sweet potatoes, too many crackers/cereal for dinner.

hearing ::  ”i yauv you, mama.” {how did we get so lucky with this girl?}

smelling ::  rain! while i have enjoyed the few truly warm spring days, boy that rain was a welcome change of pace.

seeing ::  health return quickly and the end of so many good books.

feeling :: excited to see lovely familiar faces today.

wishing/hoping :: my feet and hips stop being so sore and that the massage keeps doing its job.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’d seriously love to hear about your week. Now’s not the time to be shy.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!