Living Adventurously

Living adventurously...

I love this statement but what does it mean? What comes up for you when reading these words? On the surface it could mean doing new things such as sky diving, scuba diving, bungee jumping, traveling or eating exotic foods. I say YES to all of that however I think living adventurously is more than what meets the surface.

Living adventurously is loving freely without expecting it in return, it's feeling fear and stepping through it, it's taking action and being willing to fail or look silly, it's speaking your truth, it's being accountable along the way and trying new things. Essentially living adventurously is being in the game instead of watching from the stands.



 Some may say this is easier said than done. I agree. It's exactly that extra effort to live life fully that differentiates the players from the observers. It takes a willingness to go in the unknown. It's easier to play it safe however is it worth the toll it takes on the consciousness if you have regret? As far as we know this is the only life we get. Do you want to play it safe and regret the things you didn't do or didn't say when you meet the end? Or, do you play full out meeting the end knowing that you did your very best through taking risks emotionally and physically? The truth is nothing is promised whether we take the safe route or not.

A lot of times the struggle comes down to logic vs intuition or head vs heart if you will. We may feel a tug to take a leap of faith. Maybe, starting a new business or selling our belongings to see the world or even simply saying "I love you". Then logic starts to speak inside our heads with "what if's" and lists of responsibilities. We can easily start to feel trapped thinking a lot and creating stories that are not relative to reality. We are capable of doing anything we put our mind too. Unfortunately a good portion of the time it takes a life changing event to get us into action whether it's a death or even new life. We look for an excuse to take a leap instead of trusting we can make it work.

Can you imagine the feeling of accomplishment of pure joy knowing that YOU did it?! Knowing that you took a chance on yourself and whether you succeed or fail is irrelevant because you owned it! That feeling is so much more powerful than saying, "__________ happened so I had to _________."

Today I encourage you take a look in the mirror and ask yourself are you living your life fully? Are you fulfilling your dreams? Are you making your mark in the world that way you always hoped to? If so great!! Continue to share it with the world and if not what are you going to do from here? Will you play it safe or take a leap?

Even if it's small shifts in living your life more adventurously its one step further than you were.

You'd be surprised out how acknowledging someone or saying I love you can shift your world to a more beautiful place.

What can you do to live your life adventurously today?

Integrity

Integrity... What does that mean to you?

I would say that most people would agree that someone with integrity is someone you can rely on their word.

Although, integrity can hold different meaning for each person. What may seem right to one person may feel wrong to another. That's when listening to your inner wisdom comes in handy.

I like to think of myself as someone who strives for complete integrity. Of course I fail sometimes, forgiveness of oneself is the key here. But what if you said you would do something and realize half way through that what you are doing is bad for your well being or doesn't meet your level of standards of integrity? Do you keep doing it because you said you would? Do you try and fix it?Or, do you quit all together?

These can be very confronting questions especially when you are conscious of the ripple effect you have when making choices.

Here are some questions an article in Yoga Journal (Wisdom by Sally Kempton) says to ask yourself when in this little pickle? I found them to be quite valuable...

1. What do the great wisdom teachers say?
2. What would a good person do?
3. What would give me the most joy in this situation?
4. How will this serve my highest desires and motivations?
5. What will align me with my true self?

I recently came face to face with a challenge within my own integrity. I had made a commitment with a colleague of mine and about one month of completion I realized it no longer served my highest self. I had complications with this commitment from the beginning but choose to continue any way simply because "I said I would" but by doing this I went against my highest self. At this point I knew my decision to quit would affect more than just my colleague. However, I still choose to walk away. Unfortunately it caused some conflict but I had to honor myself.

 Looking back I can see how I could have handled the situation more gracefully but ultimately I made my choice based on question #4 & #5 above. When handling matters of integrity it can be quite tricky but I feel that handling oneself with care and love in these matters is the most important. As we all know we are our own worst critic. We will all fail at some point regarding integrity and we cannot worry about what others will think or say about it. It comes down to how we handle ourselves during these difficult decisions while being 100% accountable for our actions.

What are some challenges you have faced inside the subject of your own integrity? How did you handle it? How have you grow from it?

Namaste

Dream It Real!

Dreaming it real. What does that mean? Can we really just dream something up and make it a reality? When we are young we are told we can be and do anything we want. We are encouraged to dream. Then the older we get the more discouraging others can be. Telling us to play it safe and some us listen.

A couple of years ago I was living in LA struggling to survive and dreaming up a dream. I used to look out my window of my Hollywood studio at the the ads for the Pantages theater. (the theater where all the off Broadway shows travel through). I would stare at those posters and think to myself. That's what I want...

"I want to perform on Broadway. I want to marry the love of my life. I want to have a family and live in a beautiful area near the beach. I want to be financially stable and travel the world. I want to live my dreams on the stage while maintaining a beautifully balanced life with my family."

Nothing in my life showed signs of this happening. I was working a job I didn't care for. A slave to my high rent and struggling as an artist.

Then one day I took a look around my apartment and though it was beautiful. It was a lie. I was surrounded by zen art and Buddhas along with  colorful worldly decorations. They were all things I aspired to be but was not. The truth was I was sad and lonely and lost. I chose right then and there to let go of everything I had. I sold all of my belongings and got a temporary home for my kitties until I figured out what to do and asked my friends if I could stay on their couches. I instinctively knew I had to let go of everything. Most people in my life were quite worried and although I was scared I pushed through. Two weeks before my lease on my apartment was up and I was selling the remaining of my belongings I received a call from a woman of whom was referred to me by a friend of mine to sing in her cabaret show. IN RUSSIA! We hit it off right away and 2 weeks later I was in Russia performing in a cabaret on a 3 day gig.

When they booked the air fare they asked me where I wanted to fly to when the gig was over. Some of the other band members were going to travel around Europe before going home. I said I've always wanted to go to Italy. They asked if I wanted to fly to Rome. I didn't wait to answer and blurted out "YES!" So there I was in Russia awaiting my new life's adventure in Italy. I took the little money I had and arrived in Rome.

There, I learned from other back packers how to backpack. I traveled up and down the west coast of Italy. I started in Rome  then headed to Florence then to Naples, Almafi Coast and Pompei. Then out the blue I got a calling within my gut to go back to Florence. I could feel something was there waiting for me. I booked a hostile for 4 days. Nothing happened so I booked a flight from Pisa for a few days later to Amsterdam where I would indefinitely teach yoga in Holland with some friends of mine. The night before I left I went out to a college bar with a group of friends I met at my hostile. It was at this bar I met the love of my life standing in line for a beer. (My husband!) We hit it off really well and went out the next night and then the next and then the next. The day before I was supposed to get on the plane to Amsterdam he and his friends asked me to stay. Needless to say, I did.

We fell madly in love. I had no intention of coming back to America at this point and started looking for Yoga teaching jobs in Florence. Just when I'm thinking "how am I gonna do this?" I get an email from a theater in SC on the beach saying they were referred by a friend of mine (same amazing friend that got me to Russia ) and that they would like for me to join the company singing full time in a show! I was confused what to do because I didn't want to be separated from my love but he encouraged me to go. He had faith we would work it out. Several months later I found myself  working in the theater, living on the beach, married to the love of my life, getting the kitties back and teaching yoga! And I get to travel to Italy every year!

(our 1 year anniversary :)

How's that for dreaming it real?!

I share this story with you to encourage you to dream and encourage you to listen to your intuition. Life is one big dream... Be creative and have fun!

I'm stilling dreaming and I still don't know how it's all going to fall into place but I do have faith that it will :)

Namaste

What's a Pelican Got To Do With You?

One of my favorite things to do is to get up early and walk on the beach. There is something so calming about the new days energy. It's as if any question I may have in life I find clarity in that space. The smell of the fresh sea air, the sound of birds and the waves crashing on the shore and feel of sand between my toes all contribute to the connection of my intuition.

As I was taking my walk on the beach I found such joy watching the group of pelicans that were on their morning hunt. They were so majestic as they swooped through the air together grazing just above the water each taking turns flying high into the air and diving into the water head first for fish.

How beautifully they worked together to hunt. As I investigated further into the pelican on Google I found that they not only hunt together to herd the fish for catching but they also share all the catchings with one another and males and females take turns keeping eggs warm.

The Pelican reminds us that we work best when we work together and to surround ourselves with the support of others that encourage you.

How can the lesson of the Pelican inspire your life?

No Complaints

As I posted last week when I'm not practicing on my mat I'm practicing off my mat with intention. You'd be surprised at how just setting one intention for the day will shift your perception.

Ahimsa (non violence) is a recurring practice for me. Earlier this week I saw this post on Facebook...

I choose to take it on. It just so happens to align perfectly with ahimsa.

Here's what I noticed... I noticed complaining even about the pettiest things like the weather being hot was a natural way to connect with others. I really had to start thinking about what I was going to say. Then I started to notice the more I thought about what I was going to say the more intention was behind it. I'd ask myself, is what I'm going to say beneficial and why do I want to say something? This innate awareness was shifting my being. If I wasn't going to complain about anything what was I going to say? I noticed all that was left was something positive to share. I also started to determine if a declaration like "its hot",  was speaking the truth or if I was complaining. I really had to take notice of the context behind my words. If I was unsure I didn't say it. Because of my intention to not complain I was hyper aware at how much those around me complain. Why do we do this so often? To connect. We all want to feel a part of the whole and that includes those around us. We all need to be loved and want to feel accepted. We may not always agree on things but by complaining we can connect that we all suffer. We can feel heard and also reach out to someone to be of help or be helped. It was incredible how one intention shifted so much perception.

I found compassion and humor in this way of connectedness and yet I didn't participate. I observed and remained in control of my words and actions all from "not complaining". It felt good. I felt free from the restrictiveness of complaints. I started to embrace "what is". Then... I found Santosha (contentment). I could physically feel my vibration of energy shift into the positive like magic.

I don't think there is anything wrong with venting every now and then but I feel having awareness of it is important to our emotional well being. 

Have I complained since then??

Sure, but my awareness has not left me. By making a commitment day by day we grow and we connect one step at a time. Awakening one moment at a time and when we fall we get up and start again.

Will you try this on for 24 hours and see how it affects you? :)

Yoga without a Pose

A lot of people originally are intrigued with yoga due to it's physical aspects. They may want to become more flexible or toned or maybe their Dr. recommend it as a sort of physical therapy. All in which are great ways to start yoga. But today I'd like to intrigue you with the more spiritual side; as Yoga is the connection between mind body and spirit. Each one affects the other.

Think about it... when you feel physically well you likely feel happier. When you feel happy your spirit lifts. You have a natural glow to you that shines on others. Now think about when you feel lethargic or upset and how quite the opposite happens within you and those around you. You are a constant vibration and you have the control not the other way around. Yoga is a practice to hone these skills on the mat and in your life. 

Today I'd like to talk about a couple other yoga practices we can take into our daily lives without the practice of asana (the physical practice).

The Yamas and Niyamas

Yama in Sanskrit mean restraint. Niyama means observances. These are considered to be the "do's" and "don'ts" in order to live a spiritual life.

The 5 Yamas
Ahimsa (restraint from doing harm/non-violence)
Satya (truthfulness)
Asteya (restraint from stealing)
Brahmacharya (avoidance of sexual exploitation)
Aparigraha (non-possessiveness or greed)

The 5 Niyamas
Shaucha (purity)
Santosha (contentment)
Tapas (spiritual austerities)
Swadhyaya (self and scriptural study)
Ishwarapranidhana (surrender or the devotion to God)

I know this can be a lot to take in at once so what I like to do is pick one or two a day and use them as a daily intention. Practicing one day at a time.

Ahimsa (restraint from doing harm/non violence) has been a daily practice for me recently. How do I take this on you wonder?

A few ways I take this on...

 Compassion with myself - when I get upset or when I recognize my own lack of integrity. Sometimes it's easier to handle someone else with compassion than it is ourselves. So this is a great practice using the intention of Ahimsa. ( I also find the more I practice this with myself the better I am with others)

Honoring the body and other beings -  having mindfulness with food I eat and products I buy. I read the labels of my products to look for "not tested on animals" as well as what is in the product as to not hurt myself or my family. My husband eats meat so I try to buy meat locally and/or meat that doesn't use antibiotics or hormones and are fed the proper diet. Remember what we put into our body is also a practice of Ahimsa. (non harm to ourselves). 

Respect for the planet -  making the effort to recycle even when our community doesn't have a system by separating our trash and taking it to the recycle center once a week. (non harm to the planet)

Granted I'm not perfect that's why this is a practice. Doing what we can little by little creates awareness and compassion.

As far as the Niyamas go I have been practicing Santosha (contentment)

As a human being our need for more seems endless. I know for myself I have realized several of my dreams and am currently living in exactly what I created. It's beautiful and wonderful but the desire for wanting more can create suffering. By practicing gratitude and contentment with what is relieves that desire and allows me to be present with the gift of now. Of course I fail at this sometimes but having the mindfulness of this intention brings be back to the present which brings me back Santosha (contentment)

I encourage you to pick one or two and practice this yoga in your daily lives and see how it shifts your perception and your heart along with those around you.

Come together and share what you will take on and the results it has.



Namaste

The Balancing Game

Recently I went from loads of time to limited time after committing myself to multiple projects. (I'm happy to say all of which are on my goal board) but having my plate very full has reminded me how precious time is.

Sure, a lot of us make commitments because we care but we also have the tenancy to say yes to others out of fear of looking bad and wanting to look good. However saying yes all the time to make others happy can be a huge burden on your time and what you are truly committed to. I bring this up subject up  as I recognize the "people pleaser" within myself along with many women in my life and understand how difficult it can be to say no.

I find most women want to help and please others all the time. I know I do. It's our nature after all, but it's important we embrace our inner queen. We must recognize our realm and what we are committed to and stand firm. The more we do this with love and grace the more balanced our world will become. This also means honoring yourself. Honor your health, creativity and solitude along with the many other things that are important in your life. Remember to breathe and enjoy it all. If you can't do that it's time to check in.

Having a full plate is beautiful but spreading oneself too thin can be stressful not only on you but others.

When checking in ask yourself these questions...

Be honest. 

Is everything I'm doing aligned with my highest intention?  
Am I able to fully give my attention to that which I'm doing?
At the end of the day do I feel full or empty?
Do the people I surround myself with lift me up or bring me down?

Committment Vs Attachment

Things that make you go OM... Is made to inspire, share from the heart and connect. At least that is the intention of this blog.

Today I wanted to talk a little about a distinction called Commitment Vs Attachment.

When you want something badly enough these two can look the same. In both cases actions are taken for an outcome. However, the quality is different. When you are committed nothing can get in your way or discourage you because you are willing to bend in order to make it happen and you know it is only a matter of time. When you are attached it is very easy to become discouraged and upset as you are attached to the outcome happening a specific way or no way at all.

Example: I bring up this blog in the beginning of the post because I realized where I was once committed to the inspiration of others and sharing from the heart I  instead became attached to the amount of readers I had each week as if I needed the validation to stay committed. When I realized that no matter how much I shared from my heart I only got a few readers (if at all). I began to analyze what I was doing wrong. I started to compare myself to other writers and knock myself down. My mentality spiraled out of control like Alice down the rabbit whole until I was ready to throw in the towel. So I didn't post on my typical day (Monday). However this didn't sit right with me. Why? Because of what I'm committed to. I'm committed that sharing is caring. So, I took a second look. I could now see I became attached vs committed as suffering was involved. So let me try again...

Things that make you go OM is designed to inspire, share from the heart and connect whether that is 1 person or a million. Coming back to my intention and letting go of my attachment allows a new found freedom, creativity and love.

Commitment Vs Attachment is an important distinction that is helpful in recognizing where we are in the things we say we are committed to. Is there suffering involved? If so, what are you attached to? Do you need it to happen a specific way? Are you being prideful? If you let go of the attachment does commitment resurface? Or was it never there to begin with? Whether your treading through deep or shallow waters see where you can let go and recreate what you are committed to. Become inspired again.

Namaste

Spring Forth

Spring is here! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and life is being reborn. It's a powerful time to manifest the birth of "new" in ones life. The birth of love, beauty and creation.

A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to teach yoga again. I have been substituting for kids yoga classes here and there but wanted to take it a step further and start teaching in a studio again. I knew instinctively if I wanted to teach I needed to practice and cultivate that energy.

I started my practice on my porch with the sun warming my skin. It felt amazing to be back in my body and in touch with my spirit. I then offered a friend of mine classes to cultivate the energy even further. Within two weeks I received a call to substitute at my favorite studio in the area.

I took that opportunity in a flash and knew that this would be my chance to really show up in what I have been creating. The class went beautifully and I was asked to start teaching regularly. The power of manifestation is truly magic.

Although I'm no stranger to this phenomenon it truly blows my mind each time. I feel very blessed to create my visions into reality so quickly.

Energy follows attention :) 

This spring is bringing forth the birth of peaceful path in yoga for me and I look forward to new and bright beginnings.

What will this spring bring forth for you??

Namaste

Age With Grace

Last week I'm proud to say I celebrated my 31st birthday. Someone asked me "So does 31 feel any different?"
I replied with a simple yes and a smile as it would take too long to to explain.

 A lot of people also would jokingly say "what are you 25?" as if I would rather be 25? I know it's all in good fun but I couldn't help but notice how the art of aging seems to be tabu especially for women. Many women do not like to divulge how old they are to others but I'm not one of them. I'm proud to be 31 and I'll be proud to be 51 or 61 when that time comes.

Last year I greeted my 30's fully aware of the new journey of woman hood I was about to embark. This year that still stands true as I now embrace it even fuller.

A couple weeks before my birthday my cousin/best friend came to visit me with a dear friend of ours. The last time we were all together was ten years ago at the ripe young age of 21 where they visited me in Las Vegas. We took spontaneous adventures to California, wore scandalously clad outfits, drank too much and danced our asses off. This trip was much different. Although I was sick and had to be on vocal rest I don't think much else would have changed. We watched movies in matching fleece PJ's, cooked at home and drank tea. We also indulged in smutty magazines and took quizzes. (Interestingly enough we found ourselves mostly appalled at the articles and advertisements within it's pages. More on that another time) We couldn't help but laugh at the way things have changed in 10 years time but also how much we were  still the same.

I find such beauty in aging and hold each birthday close to my heart. Each year brings more wisdom, memories and adventures. Last year I greeted my 30's with a new environment, new job, new friends and most of all my wonderful husband. I knew then my 30's would teach me how to be a new kind of woman. This year being with my husband and all my amazing friends and cast mates was truly a blessing as we celebrated my 31 years of life with a masquerade ball. 

 My 20's were amazing! Although I had many dark moments I grew strong from them and I'm appreciative to have lived so wildly. In my 20's I couldn't see myself being a wife or a mother. So being a wife and wanting to be a mother really blows my mind. It's very exciting. I know I repeat myself on that subject often. Maybe it's because it was so far out of my realm at one point it's hard to believe. I'm very grateful.

Needless to say there are shifts in mind and body as I gracefully age and it truly is beautiful. My husband likes to compare me to a fine wine. That I won't argue.

For my sisters out there reading this... Embrace your age. Embrace your inner and outer beauty. Embrace each moment as we grow wise. Love your body. Love your sisters. Love where you are right now. Laugh often and share your wisdom. Never dumb yourself down or discredit yourself. Accept compliments with grace and when someone asks how old you are... tell the truth with bold confidence because you are beautiful.

1st First Friday Friend Day! Dominique Wnuk

Starting today is the 1st  First Friday Friend Day where every first Friday of the month I will feature a guest writer to share what makes them go "OM". I originally got this idea because I am surrounded by such fantastic, powerful and positive women that inspire me daily and as sisters we need to stick together and share with one another. 

This week I am honored to share Dominique Wnuk with you all. She is my cousin, my best friend since diapers and a soul mate. She's an artist, photographer, wife, a go getter and just plain fabulous. I could go on and on but I'm gonna let her take the reigns.

Bright Pink 

By Dominique Wnuk

 Before I get started, I want to invite you all to join me in wishing my favorite motivator, influencer, Namaste-er, singer, songwriter, dancer, sister, cousin, BFF a very happy birthday! Here is to the best year ever! Love you.

“Anyone can hide. Facing up to things, working through them, that's what makes you strong.”

― Sarah Dessen

On her blog, Angela shares with us many empowering tips. Ideas to set goals, shift consciousness and live abundantly – all as a means to come from a place of "yes."

When she asked me to share some thoughts with you about living intentionally my mind raced on topics. I can make a killer to-do list, health-ify all kinds of recipes, reverse engineer goals like a pro, teach you techniques to take an award-winning photo, point you to work out routines and pin the most stunning wedding you can imagine on Pinterest (even though I'm already married). I'm always happy to share knowledge and gravitate towards learning new things from those around me.  I'd love to write about any of those things (and hope Angela has me back to do so).

Let's start here though. The aforementioned to-do list. I want to tell you about a task that was lingering on my to-do list that I recently crossed off. It was a unique accomplishment; A monkey on my back that brought with it fear. That bad energy has four letters – BRCA, a hereditary gene mutation that can predispose carriers to breast and ovarian cancer. Women with harmful mutations in either BRCA1 or BRCA2 have risk of breast cancer that is about five times the normal risk, and a risk of ovarian cancer that is about ten to thirty times normal (source). Having family members with the confirmed mutation, I could be a carrier. Onto my to-do list went "get tested for the BRCA mutation."

(source)

And there it sat. A commitment I was hiding from. I never made the appointment, telling myself if I had it I might believe myself into being sick or that it cost too much to get tested.  But then another cousin of mine reached out to share her experience with the testing, the information she was provided by her genetic counselors and about how positive her whole experience was, I couldn't hide from this any longer.

Here was a test that would identify my risk proactively, before it ever became life-threatening. Arming myself with knowledge, my risk and lifestyle changes is not something I should fear, in fact, it is smart and empowering. It will keep me around for my family. Once I shifted my consciousness around that blessing it became an opportunity. Being tested for the BRCA1 gene is an opportunity that was not afforded to women in generations before me.

And with that, I called my friends in the genetics department at a nearby hospital and scheduled an appointment. Here's a list of the risk for those who should consider the testing.

• A personal history of breast cancer at age 50 or younger
• A personal or family history of male breast cancer
• A personal or family history of bilateral breast cancer (cancer in both breasts)
• A personal history of ovarian cancer
• A parent, sibling, child, grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or first cousin diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45 or younger
• A mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, granddaughter, aunt, niece or first cousin diagnosed with ovarian cancer
• A family history of both breast and ovarian cancers on the same side of the family (either mother's or father's side of the family)

I wanted to share this with you all as a means to encourage other strong, smart and beautiful women to consider their risk factors, do their research and get this test if you're at risk. To get started researching your family history here is a great list of questions to ask. 

Let's address the elephant in the room – the cost. If you're afraid of the costs here are a couple of tips. First, ask your genetic counselor for the insurance code, then call and check with your insurance carrier what the costs are before the appointment. My plan covered most of the testing due to my risk level and that I knew which strain my family member had been confirmed to have. And, the genetic testing center even provided paperwork saying that they would alert me of any cost exceeding $375 out of pocket before proceeding with reviewing the test. If you need assistance there is an amazing charity that Christina Applegate started called Right Action for Women where you can apply to obtain funding: http://rightactionforwomen.org/. Here's another great list of resources: http://www.brightpink.org/i-am-high-risk/financial-resources/  There are resources available to help you take control.

The visit itself entails a consultation with a genetics counselor who reviews your risk, discusses lifestyle changes and what steps could be taken for my breast and ovarian health of carriers and explains the screening.  The screen is a blood test or a saliva test. My results took 3-4 weeks to come in.

My results came back negative – there is no mutation present. And I am so, so grateful. However, there are still lifestyle changes I am enacting because my risk is still higher given my family history. Those measures include upping my exercise routine, changing my diet to include more fruits and vegetables (here is a great grocery shopping list), reducing chemical usage in my home, and getting a mammogram and MRI this year to get a baseline. Here are some more amazing tips: http://www.breastcancerfund.org/assets/pdfs/tips-fact-sheets/1-sheet-tip-cards.pdf

This may be a bit different than Angela's typical posts. I understand cancer can be a difficult and scary topic. But what I'm talking about is the bright side, because I truly believe there is one; the opportunity to take action. Spend the time doing the research, talking to other women and encouraging other women to take actions themselves. We have to support each other on and this is an amazing place to start.

Resources:

Bright Pink

Right Action for Women