I almost can’t believe it’s September.  Wow…Fall is upon us (even though it’s still pretty warm outside – thankfully!) and there are so many amazing things happening in my life right now. I feel blessed to be living the life I always wanted to live.  I am honored to be teaching at a studio where everyone (teachers and students) are understanding, love movement and are just down right FUN!  I am exploring my yoga practice and yoga teaching in oh-so may ways.  For a while I had a fairly strict Iyengar based practice and it served my scoliosis so well, but in the past few weeks I’ve embraced some experimentation and integrated some slow, mindful – alignment based – vinyasa (flowing movement) and it has been a fun exploration.  It’s nice to be open to what arises when I am on the mat or when I am teaching a class – being open to the moment is really valuable.

Change of seasons is such a great time to reflect and renew.  Last week I was really resonating with my word of the year (CHOICE) and revisiting earlier, pre-move goals and now I am exploring my goals for the fall both in things I want to do with my family life & career to daily things I’d like to integrate into my life.  There are oh-so many goals that I have that I re-set for myself every time I think about goal setting (a huge part of keeping my bliss!)

Falling into goals for fall 2010 (and into the New Year!!!)

• Daily time on the yoga mat.  My goal for the fall is to invite exploration into my practice more and more.  I want to invite a sense of continued in -the-moment asana practice.  I want to really listen to my inner teacher and find what feels good for my body!
• Cooking..cooking…and more cooking!!!  I am having a blast having more time & space in my life to prepare more food!  Ahhh – it’s fabulous that I live in the heart of fresh organic produce.  Yesterday, I went to the grocery store and the part of me that is so rush go-go-go had a moment of “Katherine…step it up and get out of here” and then I stopped and took a deep breathe and remembered…the only commitment I had for the day was to grocery shop and teach in the evening.  I had plenty of time.  I think that we have plenty of time even if we have lots going on – it’s all about enjoying the moment we are in, but that’s a whole other (upcoming) post!
• Make a yoga/pilates/movement video sequence to post on the blog this September.  (one step at a time, but I’d like to post at least 4-5 before the end of the year.  I am trying to be realistic with myself!)
• Continue weekly Tuesday guest post at The Joy of Yoga – check it out!
• Go through all my old teacher training manuals from yoga and Pilates…make notes..have thoughts…re-explore.  (SO important for a movement teacher)
• Make list 101 things I want to do in this lifetime.  (hopefully cross some things off the list!)
• Stick to research.  Read one chapter + make notes for Anatomy Trains once per week.
• Blog at least 2 times a week.  I wish I could do more, but I want my goals to be realistic and manageable!
• Meet with artist friend for a project I have in mind…mmmmm…..
• Reconnect with friend and begin developing e-course project.
• Once a week Artist Date for visual journaling.  Post pics on the blog.
• Put ALL family and friend birthdays on my google calendar (with mom’s help – of course!!!)
• Call my lovely, wonderful grandparents Bootsie & E-O (yes, that’s what they are called) once a week minimum!
• maybe…just maybe be a Teacher’s Assistant for the Pilates Mat training at the studio where I am working…still waiting on the details on this one and hoping this works out!!!
• Become a fashionista!  Due to my occupation, I’ve always dressed in workout gear most of the day.  I can’t afford to buy any new clothes at the moment, but I want to explore how to use the clothes I already have in a more fashion forward way.  I want to be inspired by what I wear everyday!  (Pics to come – hopefully!…)
• Take more photos of my life.  An ever present goal.  I am not always thinking about it, but intend to do more image capturing.
• Bring the Morning Pages back into my life.  They made such a difference as I made the decision to quit my job, makde the decision to move…well, pretty much in all my recent BIG decision making.  It’s time to bring them back Maybe not every morning, but write in my journal every day.  Keep the energy flowing and ideas moving forward!

Well, there they are.  Fall goals.  I am printing this post and hanging it in my creativity box (photos forthcoming) for a reminder.  I also am using google calendar more than ever and using the tasks list more and more – it seems I have some things to add to the list.  While I love to use goal setting, I also know that I would never feel bad about myself if something didn’t happen – for whatever reason.  I think it’s really easy to beat ourselves up over setting a goal and not sticking to it as strictly as we intended to…that being said, I take my goals seriously and will keep you all posted on how they go.  Do you have any special fall goals for 2010?  I’d love to hear if you resonate with any of mine.  It’s always fun to have partner in accomplishing! Cheers to you all!

Now that I am settling in to my Cali life, I am spending some time this week checking back in with my goals and aspirations.  The year is over half way complete (unbelievable!!) and I find it so settling to reflect upon where I was a year ago, what goals I had then, and where I am today.  I blogged at the beginning of the year about my word of the year: CHOICE.  At the time I was over extended in oh-so many ways and trying to figure out where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do.  Needless to say, I have made a lot of choices (including moving across the country) that I never thought I would have the guts to make….and the year is not even close to being over.  Some of the choices I thought I would make are far away from the choices I did make, but embracing and diving in to the power to make those choices is empowering.

I also set out 30 goals for the year 30.  I celebrated a good friends 31st birthday last night (complete with array of cupcakes + candles) and wanted to reflect on the goals I had for year 30, where I am, and how I may choose to change them!

1. meditate at least 10 minutes everyday – still working on everyday.  love when it happens!!! keeps me present.
2. get my body moving 30-60 minutes everyday – doing everyday.  yeah for walking the pup!
3. learn to jog with the beast on a leash – also a work in progress.  practice makes close to perfect!
4. take BMC course – DONE!  completed in Fluids Course in January 2010.
5. go to surf camp in costa rica – not in the cards for year 30 after such a big move….maybe learning to surf here in chilly California?!?!
6. find quality time with hubby everyday – savoring every single day
7. more and more home cooking – happening all the time.  loving all the local California freshness.  trying lots of new recipes!
8. run another 5k – um….maybe.  this one might get pushed back.  I am finding my Blissful Body walking with the pup and practicing yoga & pilates daily
9. have girlfriend soiree once per month - happened while still in NC.  Working on making new girlfriends here, but dedicated to skyping with my “sister” on the 4th or 5th of every month (our birthdays are the 4th & 5th of November!)
10. start planning to start a family – still talking + thinking, but not happening…yet.
11. honor time for me rather than over committing – YES YES YES. Embracing fully in California.
12. take (at least) one weekly yoga class – currently taking class almost everyday.  loving new studio where I am teaching.  Check it out – Tone Pilates Studio.
13. start writing the happy body book – musing on daily.  planning to reinstate the morning pages ritual this week for continual effort.
14. visit and call grandparents more often – doing at least once a week.  will call after blog post is done!
15. journal daily – reinstating tomorrow.  really.
16. have non scheduled time at home everyday – most of my “new” life is rather non scheduled and is pure bliss.
17. study mindfulness based stress reduction and read more jon kabat zinn – re-started Wherever You Go There You Are while on vacation last month.  continuing to read.
18. maintain weekly acupuncture session – my skin is doing SO well in this new climate that I haven’t needed to go to acupuncture.  As soon as I need care that is where I will go first.  It really changed my life.
19. have lunch or hike with a girlfriend(s) once per week – working on making some new girlfriends…in the mean time enjoying taking new teachers classes and spending time with the hubby
20. find a guest blogger opportunity – yippee.  Am posting weekly over the The Joy of Yoga. Check me out every Tuesday.
21. use planner pad to keep commitments and lists manageable – used until we left NC.  Am now exploring google calendar + google sync with my blackberry. Not sure how I feel about it yet.
22. eat more leafy greens – doing.  I am loving making green monsters with oodles of spinach.
23. get on the yoga mat everyday – doing every single day.
24. continue to cultivate mindfulness practices – always mindful to give it my best.
25. choreograph dance piece all by myself – Accomplished.  Created work called “Ice Cream Cones and Telephones” for Moving Women’s March show.
26. talk to jack on the phone everyday (unless he’s traveling) – Doing.
27. keep blogging on life, health, and creativity – Doing.  Setting intention to find more consistency with blogging. Maybe a schedule would help?!!?
28. take more photos of life – Not doing so well.  Need to recommit and not leave the camera at the house.
29. find place to offer weekly yoga class – Check me out Tuesdays at 12:10pm at Tone
30. write more snail mail (at least two per month) – Now that I live so far away am writing all the time.  I just send out 30 plus new address snail mail updates!

Now…to call those grandparents before it gets too late AND spend some much needed journaling time musing on my goals for September. We’re not there yet, but planning for a month of exciting growth!

One of my most memorable “a-ha” moments was during my 200 hour yoga teacher training (back in 2003) when any illness or discomfort in the body was written as “dis-ease.”  It really hit home for me that anything we struggle with internally or externally is due to the lack of ease surrounding the situation.  Wow.  I often think back on that moment because it truly challenged the way I was living my life at the time and has since become the reason I choose live my life with ease.  Not that it’s an easy task – it takes oh-so much mindfulness and effort.

I find it perplexing how often I make things harder than they really need to be.  When I feel myself getting frustrated, I now take a moment and a deep breathe and remember that I am not what is happening to me or around me.  I am peace.  I am calm and that is what needs to be presented through my actions.  BUT – doing that is way harder than allowing the tornado of drama ensue.  Asking myself “will this really matter a year from now?” is a good way to gain perspective when in a challenging situation. Taking regular moments throughout the day to reconnect with that inner truth, that ease that life can be the key to finding it during moments when ease is far from our reality.

Our move west and all the seeming chaos and stress surrounding it was a great time to implement this on a deeper level into my daily life.  There were certainly many bumps along the way, but reconnecting to the thought of ease really helped.  Another thing I really learned about myself was that I need time with myself (I usually don’t mind if the pup joins me).  The hubby and I spent A TON of time together the weeks prior to and during our journey and while I know that it connected us to each other and created a whole new realm of clear communication – I also know now to have a “play date” with just me whenever I can.  I walk the pup everyday (sometimes twice) and love that time to think and be and connect to truth.  I also love to simply sit and breath.  Or pull out my box o’ creativity and play.

My whole life I’ve been up and down with disease – mainly eczema which pretty much means I was uncomfortable in my skin.  Literally.  Here’s an old post about my skin if you’re curious.  What’s amazing is that the more I figure out about my needs and how to find ease, comfort, and peace in my life…guess what?!?!  You guessed it – the better my “dis-ease” feels.  I feel better than I have in years both inside and out.  What a glorious thing that is.  I AM more comfortable in my skin in oh-so many ways and I am ever so thankful for the journey.

How do you find more ease in your day?  Have you ever experienced healing through self discovery?  I’d love to hear.  Cheers.

I am beginning to find my way here in NoCal. I am pretty excited that I am beginning to feel connected in the community.  I am also excited about finding more connections in the blog world.  I still feel like such a newbie blogger and am really still trying to figure out what I want the blog to be and where I hope to go with it, but what I do know is that I strive to live a healthy, happy life. I am looking forward to connecting with some new folks with similar passions as mine through Healthy Living Blogs – check out the info below!

Healthy Living Blogs is a new resource for the health blogging community. Created by Lindsey of Sound Eats, HLB is a site designed to enhance the positive community of the healthy living blog world. Bloggers and readers can explore the site and find more blogs to love, bloggers in their area, and forums to deepen healthy discussion and support. If you’re interested in having your site listed on HLB, simply send the following information to healthylivingblogs@gmail.com and check the site out for yourself!

Sometimes it seems you just have to ask the universe and then..poof…magically what you need appears in your life.  I took a fantastic, light hearted wonderful yoga class this morning at Tone Fitness here in Santa Rosa.  I never thought I would say this, but I think I’m going to make it my regular thing Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:45am.  Yes….I said 6:45am.  After my many years waking up and being at work by 6am (as a Pilates teacher) I swore I would never again commit to something that early.  It’s interesting though to think about making a commitment that is one to myself and for my well being.  I suppose knowing that if the alarm goes off and I’m just not feeling it that day I do have the option to skip.  That makes a huge difference.

I’ve gotten a bit lazy about waking up since moving west.  It’s been difficult because 2 weeks after I arrived, I flew back east for my family’s vacation for a week.  I guess I’m sensitive to the time change because I am now finally getting back into the groove and feel great after rising early and starting the day with a great yoga class.

One of my favorite parts of this morning’s practice were the intentions set at the beginning of class. We moved through the chakras honoring them and embracing them with a powerful statement of intention.  I’ve been musing on that this morning and although I can’t recall the exact words used in class I’d like to share a few of my intentions of the day.

• I am perfect just the way I am.
• I can always make a choice.
• I give myself fully to each moment.
• There is always enough time.
• I am grounded.
• I am peace.

Do you have any intentions to set for your day today? Cheers and have a beautiful day.

• finally settling in to life in a new town & feeling our house is home
• taking the pup for walks around our new neighborhood
• skype
• trying out new recipe that the hubby loves (mediterranean potato salad)
• the song my new washer & dryer sings when it is done (no loud sound, but a 20 second song – I kid you not!)
• fresh coffee with coconut milk creamer
• beginning to blog more and explore new ideas for what that means
• having 2 interviews today about teaching class (one may be too far away though…)
• discovering new places to experience yoga in the area
• the slight drizzle of rain during my morning walk (haven’t seen rain since living on the east coast!)
• reminiscing about recent visit from brother (photos below)

Have a beautiful day.  Cheers!

I’d like to share a little more about me.  In the coming weeks, I plan to share posts about people who have inspired my choices and influenced my life and the experiences I’ve had that have shaped me to be the person that I am.  (and hopefully share some known and unknown pieces of me with you!)

Today’s post is in honor of one of my favorite musician’s of all time: Jerry Garcia.  Yes, folks…I am a Deadhead.  Sadly, I was only 15 when he passed away (August 9, 1995) and had no idea how much his music would be present in my life.  It was around the same time in high school that I began to explore music and listen to the Grateful Dead.  When I went away to college, I got a job at Loose Lucy’s.  I worked there for 3 years and LOVED it.  Not only did we listen to the Dead, but they had a massive collection of tapes that we recorded of Dead shows.  All you had to do to get a copy of the tape was bring in a blank tape and we would record a copy for you.  Now a days, many of those shows can be downloaded, but back then it was the way to get your own copy.  I met so many amazing friend working there and honed my love of music.

I honestly think there is a Grateful Dead song for any and all moments of life.  That may sound crazy, but I really do.  I LOVE that there is a Grateful Dead channel on sattelite radio.  It is on all the time in my car – especially since we now live in the area where they originated.  It inspires me daily.

You can read more about Jerry Garcia here.

“There’s nothing left to do but smile smile smile….”  - He’s Gone Hunter/Garcia

I’m really having a blessed weekend.  I am so lucky that my brother and I are so close to each other.  I posted about him last year and you can check it here. Turns out he had a business trip to L.A. and flew up to Sonoma county for the weekend (and more business meetings in San Fran – check out his skateboard company and skateshop.) My pup was so stoked to see him.  He was wagging his tail and gave me this complete look of disbelief like “is this really happening?!?!”  So exciting.

I wanted to sneak away and give a little post on my fun weekend.  Now am going to savor this time with family, but first a few quotes to share.

Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet. ~Vietnamese Proverb

A sibling may be the keeper of one’s identity, the only person with the keys to one’s unfettered, more fundamental self.

~Marian Sandmaier

Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk.

~Susan Scarf Merrell

I am so excited about this movement (and now book!)  - Operation Beautiful – the brainchild of blogger Caitlin.  It is such a great way to be reminded that we are all beautiful and the definition of beauty does not come from what’s around us (media, etc.), but what’s inside all of us.  Being a modern dancer, I’ve used my body to express myself as an artist and yet I have (and still do on occasion) struggled with it asking my husband the rhetorical “do I look fat?” question, but as each day passes and with inspirational women abounding around me and online I ask the question less and less because I know that I am beautiful, worthy, and proud of who I am.  I am healthy and happy!

The body is a sacred garment.  It’s your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor.  - Martha Graham

This is a special topic for me because I am working on a project with a wonderful counselor Heidi all about encouraging women to reclaim their beauty.  My move to California has put a different spin on the project (it was originally to be offered as an 8 week series in my former town) and Caitlin’s book coming out is really re-inspiring my work on the beauty project.  I cannot wait to add it to my inspirational bookshelf!

In honor of the book, I wanted to share something Heidi shared with me as we were beginning our beauty exploration.  The Navajo have a ceremony called the Beautyway which an individual goes through in order to re-establish balance and beauty in their life.  To walk in beauty and find this balance is to find harmony with all things, people, animals, objects, feelings, plants, weather….pretty much everything in your life! It is about finding peace with all that is your life.  It is about accepting yourself.  I am so in love with the words below – I feel like reading them brings a mindful presence of the beauty in and around me.  Maybe you will feel the same.

The Navajo Beauty Way Ceremony (first 2 stanzas)

In beauty may I walk

All day long may I walk

Through the returning seasons may I walk

Beautifully I will possess again

Beautifully birds

Beautifully joyful birds

On the trail marked with pollen may I walk

With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk

With dew about my feet may I walk

With beauty may I walk

With beauty before me may I walk

With beauty behind me may I walk

With beauty above me may I walk

With beauty all around me may I walk

I am planning to go for a walk this afternoon and let it be a meditation in motion and repeat the last four lines as my walking mantra. Wishing you all many moments of walking in beauty.

• reading a book while lying in a hammock and then falling asleep and waking up with rope marks might be one of the greatest joys of SC living
• grammy’s “tiger butter” (don’t ask!) might be one of the best candies in the world
• paddle boating with mom is the best exercise for my body + mind
• my skin does not like heat/humidity combo (am recovering a bit at the moment…allergy prone skin does love California!)
• apples to apples with family might be one of the funniest games in the world
• i am oh-so blessed to have my grandparents in my life.
• my dad is just plain amazing.  hard worker no matter where he is!
• family is so important and I am grateful to be able to make them a high priority in my life.
• I realized that I missed being home (California) and the night before I left I knew I was ready to head west again.  I guess when I question whether or not it’s okay to be so far away from family it makes me wonder if moving was the right decision. Fortunately for me, my family is so supportive of our move/decision and that makes me more comfortable knowing home is where my husband and pup are!