on soulmates.

there's quite a bit of controversy around the word soulmate, and after lots of pondering, i think i can loosely {and slightly interchangeably, of course} categorize them into three groups, all with the common theme that a soulmate understands you on a soul level like nobody else does. there's the...

romantic soulmate: the life partner

kindred spirit soulmate: the soul sister/brother

best friend soulmate: the guardian angel

when it comes to romantic soulmates, i don't know if i believe in the cliché that there is really only one person in this universe made for us. i think with over seven billion people on the planet, the chances are that we are bound to have a couple of them.

but then i started reading the soulmate secret by arielle ford and the way in which she defines a soulmate got me right at my core. i realized that it doesn't matter if there is only one person for us, or multiple, it just matters that you find it. out came the mechanical pencil to underline the words and make notes in the margins. now this, i thought to myself, is something that's going to be read at my someday wedding.

if i close my eyes, i can see it now... a day in late summer. the sky is blue. the air is fresh, with a light breeze. the sun glistens its late afternoon rays. there's beautiful, tall trees and green grass, and lots of people staring. but, i'm gazing into my soulmate's eyes, and i hear these words...

in the movie shall we dance? starring richard gere and susan sarandon, there is a terrific scene where sarandon's character is describing why she loves being married to her soulmate. she says, "we need a witness to our lives. there are a billion people on the planet... i mean, what does one life really mean? but in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything - the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things - all of it, all the time, every day. you're saying, 'your life will not go unnoticed because i will notice it. your life will not go unwitnessed because i will be your witness.'"

it got me thinking about the cycle of life and funnily enough, my parents. they are still my witnesses, but someday i'm going to need to find one of my very own. because they can only fulfill this role for so long until i will need to experience a soulmate in my own way, and like my parents are doing for me, do the same for my children until they find theirs.

so, anyways, you guys. big epiphanies around these parts! thank you for listening. here's to finding our witnesses.

p.s. it's weddings galore in twenty fourteen. i have so many kindred spirit / best friend soulmates who've met their romantic soulmates, and i'm just so so beyond lucky to be a part of their special days.

*photo via cupcakes and cashmere {my absolute dream of a venue}. someday!

on being brave.

everywhere i turn these days i continue to witness my dearest friends braving it out. seriously, whether it's moving or breakups or separations or new jobs or quitting jobs or death or injuries or new beginnings, i'm blown away how each and every one digs deep to channel their tallest selves to stand up to any tribulation. it's truly inspiring. i can't help but think of this saying...

you are only as good as the company you keep.

true that! let's keep the brave ones, shall we?

i've never pinned myself for being all that brave. small acts of bravery, yes, but big huge leaps, not exactly my forté.

but lately, i'm surprising myself {maybe it's all of this brave company or maybe i'm just a late bloomer}.

i think the best kind of bravery is the kind that sneaks up on you when you least expect it, allowing you to prove yourself wrong. the kind that makes you stop in your tracks and say to yourself, wow! i never knew i was capable.

life can be scary. sometimes we are not completely sure of ourselves {who am i kidding, most of the time we are not completely sure of ourselves!}, but we must roll up our sleeves, trust, and be daring. because usually when we listen to that voice coming from somewhere deep inside of us that says, i can do it, it's right.

*photo credit: lbo photos. an afternoon at treasure island staring back at our city by the bay.

this too shall pass.

apologies, loves, for the verbose post that is to follow. oh, wordy.

to be honest, an injury is the last thing i expected. it's been a total of three weeks and what a wild and emotional roller coaster it's been. i learned a few things along the way {and still am since i'm just one big work in progress} and i thought i'd share them with you.

i learned that it's okay to give in to every emotion you might be feeling and acknowledge it with the energy you have left. for me, it was the fear that this injury was never going to get better. the fear that i couldn't walk or run again. the overwhelming anxiety that i wouldn't get to go on a trip of a lifetime. could i live like this? i thought to myself. when my answer was no i hit panic mode. see, dearests, when the pain is much bigger than us we just have to surrender to it and take care of ourselves in that moment as best we can.

i learned it's okay to be sad, frustrated, upset, and even uncontrollably sob into someones arms because you are so hurt and don't believe it's ever going to go away. you feel defeated. let that person reassure you that it will get better. i promise,  sweet darling, it will.

this too shall pass.  a mantra i learned never to forget.

i learned to attack from all angles. all hands on deck. sometimes you don't know where to start to get help so you go with your gut or a recommendation and you know what? that might not be the right thing for you. it's okay to try as many treatments and visit as many specialists as you need to. they are creating the recipe that will get you better. if one isn't working for you, stop. move onto the next.

personally, i've learned that acupuncture is helpful beyond ways than i thought possible. i am only two sessions in but i can see how it evokes paths to clear health and calming powers in our bodies.

find a good chiropractor. and find a good PT who calls you kid and who warns you that you might cry and wince in pain {i only shed a tear as i gripped to the table and succumbed to the releasing of the muscles}.

i learned that epsom salt baths are a must. sit in that tub. soak it in. clear out the impurities and the inflammation.

sit on lacrosse balls. do the stretches and exercises you're told to do. unfortunately i learned that sometimes turning to a prescription is the only thing that is going to cause immediate relief. if that's the case, i say do it. i also learned the ways of homeopathic medicine like arnica and trammel which should be taken in addition to something stronger.

i learned that i miss yoga and i miss running, but not as bad as i thought i would. funnily enough, there are more hours in the day now so maybe this break has been a blessing in disguise. it turned my rigid routine world right upside down, if you will. and i guess we all need that at some point in our lives. i know when i get back into exercise {which is a work in progress as even a small jog motion leads to discomfort} i'm going to be approaching it differently. listening to my body. what does it need? and not pushing myself beyond what i can handle out of guilt or for any unhealthy reasons. know your limits. you should be your own motivator of exercise, no one else. the body is a temple, treat it that way. everything in moderation, oh so true.

while i'm still recovering, i am so grateful to be better than i was three weeks ago.

and loves, if you ever need any help on injuries, please reach out to me i'd be more than happy to be the person you cry to. i'll tell you it's going to get better, i promise, sweet darling.

*photo credits found on my pinterest here, here, and here.

my story.

we all know my thing with telling our stories, and that each of us has our own one to share. well today, when one of my favorite teachers hosted a workshop about rewriting our own stories, my yoga and writing worlds pretty much collided.

i learned that the stories we've lived in all along... the ones of our past... don't necessarily have to be the ones we choose to live with in our present. dreams can become reality, and it is possible to let go of preconceived notions that do not serve us in order to step into new territory and embrace what is.

i left with a little more courage than i had when i walked through the door. and, doing yoga while blindfolded channeled a deep trust in myself that i didn't know existed... as if no matter what happens throughout life i can tap into my inner strength and find balance.

i also brought home two lovely drawings, which may remind you of this one. i love a good crayon session. in summary, my visualizations consist of breaking out of my comfort zone, being the free-spirit i know that i am, and floating on a river of joy that consistently flows through my open heart.

wherever you go, go with all your heart.

~confucius

as i'm in the thick of understanding what my next chapter is, this will be my mantra.

only love.

i've been out of touch, my loves. and, i attribute that mostly to not being in a normal routine. instead, there's been lots of movement and quality time and well... just summer. there's more than enough goodness to write about, with so little free time to write it.

it makes me think about the ebb and flow of life. the phases, the busy-ness, the downtime. they all balance each other out. we must take care of ourselves along the way.

as of late, i've learned that tea can sometimes be the best medicine. i've drank more hot tea in the past two weeks than i have in my whole life. and i feel comforted by the warmth. things are a-shiftin' and i feel so blessed to be riding this wave of self-discovery.

i'm overwhelmed with a sense of fullness - much like a warm cup of tea - which best describes this uncharted territory. one sip of this higher-level of understanding and i'm pleased to my core, my heart expanding to fit only love. there is only space for love.

*i knew i pinned this weeks ago with a post in mind.

surprises.

i've been trying to write to you all week, but the 'ol brain is a bit foggy. which is quite unfortunate seeing as though i had a dear friend in town this past weekend and all we did was talk about life and hopes and dreams! complete perfection. so much to share.

i will muster up the brain power to share one sweet thing. amidst some deep soul sister chats, i realized that life can really surprise you. where you had once envisioned yourself being, you might not be. but the place you exist turns out to be just perfect instead. funny how that works out, don't you think?

i think life is best when it really surprises you. and more importantly, when you surprise yourself.

i have this rare and coveted feeling at the moment that i just get it. i'm not really sure what it is and i'm not exactly sure how long it will stay, but i hope it's here for good. or for a long while anyway. calm is the best way i can describe it. an inner knowing that the less we try to control, and the more we just let happen, the happier we'll be.

may we find peace in the future and know that everything we envision is moving toward us.

bon voyage for now. tales of upcoming adventures coming soon... 

*paint found here.

on god.

you know, i'm not as religious as i thought i once would be. i realize, that's kind of a peculiar sentence, but it's the truth.

yoga has become my religion. and, it's not because i don't believe in god or catholicism {heck, i still have that catholic guilt!}, it's just that i found something that made me feel more connected to the divine... the higher power... god... the universe... {whichever term you prefer} than sitting in church on sunday mornings. and that's not to ever ever discount those who do. my grandmother is the best catholic i know. she taught me to count the beads on a rosary, whispering the our fathers and the hail mary's before bed, she never holds back a "jesus, mary and joseph" when things get tense, and she's worn st. christopher - the patron saint of travel - pinned to the inside of her shirt every single day since her first communion. and guys, she's eighty nine! now, that's true faith.

anyhow, i believe god wants us to pick the way to connect to the higher power in the way that is the best for us as individuals. so every time i get on my mat i dedicate every ounce of energy to someone who needs it most. i offer up all of the goodness i cultivate and say a prayer. it's what comes easiest to me. i receive my own benefits as well... keeping the revelations for myself and sharing them... well, right here.

yoga has taught me that i can take pieces from all religions - whether it be buddhism, hinduism, christianity - gathering ideas and stories from each to create my own positive belief system. i think we must choose wisely, seeking out that which resonates best, and in turn, allows us to be our most giving and moral selves.

something dawned on me the other day during a much anticipated, new yoga class. she said, we have the same suffering. we have the same happiness. we are all one. the good... the bad... it's all god. 

then i had this thought that maybe that's where the word god came from. good... bad... god. combine the two to get one. if you think about it, god accepts both good and bad. the universe is made up of both good and bad. and, that's what makes us all one universal whole.

...and with that, i leave with none other than a namaste. thank you for stopping in to read what it's all happening has become... my own little medley of religion.

*did you notice the hummingbird found here? prayer beads found here.

doors.

i come up with my best blogging material while i am walking the streets of san francisco. the solution to any form of writer's block... walking shoes and an ipod. sometimes i think, if i could adventure every day, what thoughts would pour out into words...

undoubtedly it's when my head is the clearest. my thoughts are the richest. life makes sense, and everything is as it should be. walking is the cheapest therapy there ever was, and as silly as this sounds, i never want to take my own two healthy legs for granted. they sure do get me around town.

the other eve ago i took the chinatown route home, and as i walked uphill {of course} behind two elderly asian women walking hand-in-hand {yes i was moving slower than they were} each disappeared behind a door one block after the other. i started thinking about the lives behind those doors and that amos lee song came to mind. do you know the one? shout out loud.

 a thousand empty windows

and only half the lights are out

i wonder what these people's lives

what they might be all about

do they got a lover

and could they have a family

could it be their just as lonesome 

as you and me

 i wanna shout out

shout out loud

why don't you all just come on out

and we can tear it all down

it's about people living in different houses in between walls and behind closed doors. think how many different lives there are in one city. thousands... millions, even. then multiply that by every city in the world. billions of stories and worlds created behind these doors. and yet, while we are separated into our own living spaces, we unmistakably endure the same emotions and life experiences. we are isolated and unified all at once.

if only the walls could come down and we could shout out loud.

wow, that's hard to articulate. whether i got the point across or not, somehow it's beyond fascinating in my head. i decided being perfectly articulate is the true art of a good writer. but man, it's tough sometimes.

*vintage sf photo {route of my daily walks} found here. 

home.

i had one of those moments on this fine monday eve where i fully felt like myself. one hundred percent. hi me, i've been missing you. it was almost as if i came home. like, oh! it's so nice to see you again.

do you ever have moments like that? when other things kind of cloud your vision and consequently make you feel a bit out of step?

maybe it was the simplicity of the solo adventure. the familiarity of an old routine. even the heavy whole foods grocery bags making my fingers burn with numbness only added to the perfection of the moment. i thought about people i hadn't thought about in a while, revisited memories made, admired the high clouds, and contemplated my next turn on the route home. happy is what i think they call it.

things i'm leaving this day knowing...

daylight savings is a wonderful gift.

sometimes it's okay to have two kombuchas in one day. maybe it's even necessary.

an evening walk makes for great natural medicine.

a challenging sixty minute yoga class before bed just might lead to the best sleep you'll ever have. try it.

love yourself first and everything else falls into line {that one i owe credit to ms. lucille ball. i wear it as a daily reminder, and nights like tonight remind me of why i believe it to be true}.

*delights found here and here. funny how days and days after pinning a photo it can fit exactly how you want it to. oh, where oh where would we be without pinterest?

honey.

i'm in a transition phase, i said. it's all a transition phase, she responded.

that's when i realized, we're constantly in transit, aren't we? moving and changing and growing and passing from one state to the next.

often times i think of the yoga philosophy that nothing is permanent. that's so very true.

we must embrace each phase as it comes. with open arms and an open heart. accept it and adjust while channeling that fluidity and grace.

this sounds a lot like flowing through a vinyasa, which i now see as a symbol for moving through our ever-changing lives with ease.  sometimes anna calls it moving through honey.

our transitional life is our honey. now let's move through it in a nimble fashion, whatdoyasay?

meet me.

spirit.

i decided this week that a positive spirit is one of the most redeeming qualities a human being can have. i think i've known this all along, but lessons learned as of late have brought me to this new found conclusion.

and, that's why i'm thinking twice about your spirit. and mine.

this quote comes to mind. spotted on one of my quotable calendars from years ago.

it occurred to me mid yoga pose {of course} on saturday morning {my absolute favorite time of the week}. it was likely during high lunge, arms up, pinky fingers in, palms facing the back wall. something about this gesture really makes you want to reach for something more.

to dig a little deeper.

to offer it all away.

i think at that moment anna reminded me of the word spirit.  

don't just do it, do it with a positive spirit, she said.

because no one likes holding a pose that long. legs burning, heart pounding. but, in that moment if we make a conscious effort to change our attitudes and find our inner spirit, things just might calm down a little bit.

this applies to life, too {are you seeing the parallel?}. we will cross many-a-difficult situation in our lifetimes {just like a burning high lunge} and if we learn to consciously shift our minds to look on the bright side, to channel our deepest and sincerest good spirits, we'll get through it. life becomes a little bit sweeter.

rusty said something similar today. it was about embodying a beginner's spirit. it is wise to approach every new situation, every new relationship with an open heart, as a beginner because this ensures that we don't set ourselves up to fail. every relationship is new. we don't know what works for us and what doesn't work for us until we cross that bridge. figure it out as you go along... that's the beauty of beginnings. open hearts, my sweethearts, to let the potential for something really really good to enter our lives.

in essence, we control our outlooks on life. may we approach it with a positive spirit, always.

i will if you will. let's do it together. ready, go. namaste.

{found here and here}.

love journalist.

it was a series about couples and 'how they first got together' in the february edition of real simple magazine that truly inspired an epiphany i had this week. it happened mid-flight, somewhere over... i'd say... kansas. yes, that seems about right. i decided i wanted to write about love. and, by that i mean more so than i already do in this little space, but like for reals.

i want to write people's love stories. a love journalist, if you will.

it seems like the natural and obvious fit for me, yes? after all, my favorite question to ask people is so, how did you two meet? everybody has a story. and i want to tell yours. will you let me? oh, pretty please.

{i have the perfect guinea pig couple in mind who just might be celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary this year}. stay tuned!

*always.

labyrinth.

so i got a assigned a little project.

i love a good challenge, don't you?

you need to go to grace cathedral. walk the labyrinth. mediate. what comes up for you?

i learned that the labyrinth can be used to quiet the mind, find balance, encourage meditation and insight, and  even be used for celebration. it's a non-denominational and cross-cultural tool for well-being.

seems about right  to me. in light of celebrating twenty six years around the sun and true to libra form - finding balance, oh yes please! - this exercise was right up my alley.

there are three stages of the walk. as you walk toward the center you are releasing and letting go of the details of your life to shed distractions. once the center is reached this is the time of receiving what is there for you to receive. and finally, returning on the path in which you entered where the healing forces at work in the world are felt.

each time you walk the labyrinth you become more empowered to find and do the work for which you feel your soul is reaching.

i love this.

it was a peaceful and sunny fall weekend afternoon. things were still. and, quite calm. everything is as it should be was the feeling in the air.

i have the potential to be so happy. i have the potential to be so happy. i have the potential to be so happy.

that's all that came to me. over and over.

expand.

i sure have talked you ear off this week, haven't i?

i mean, look at all of these - nothing but - words words words.

one more thing {for now, that is}.


i find that when i am constantly asking myself the question: does this serve me? i can release what i do not need.

is this working for me? if not, let it go. thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, relationships. it applies to all. and, i believe it really can be that simple.

this week in an early morning yoga class, cara was spot on...

maybe there's something in your life that's really annoying you right now.

locate it.
pin point it.
hone in on it.

breathe there.
breathe right into it.
expand the space around this problem.

let the breathe allow you to make this issue a teaspoon among a vast ocean. an ocean of breathe.

i love this metaphor.




i sure hope you do some breathing and expanding and letting go this weekend, my dears.

release what does not serve you.

sometimes i find this the most grounding thought in all the world. i have the power to choose what works, and what doesn't. and, inevitably own my life. because that's what we're all trying to do anyways.

*pure goodness found here and here.

soul.

have you stopped in to visit ms. souled yet? if not, you're in for a real treat.

she is the sweetest. a self-proclaimed barefoot dreamer. i envy her hippie-chic ways. more so, i envy her true gift with words. they always leave you wanting more.

when i first discovered her treasure of a blog {most likely while i was a little lost and wandering in blogland}, i knew it was love at first sight.

...soul just might be my most favorite word in the english language.




i had a mini revelation about this very special word. soul reminds me of the word soil.

and, if you think about it, without soil, a tree is unable to grow.

{stick with me here}.

within the nourishing soil, the roots of a tree deeply reside. without these roots, the tree is not able to ground itself into the earth and stand tall.

do you know one of the ways i know a good soul when i see one?

that person has roots grounded deep within the soil and stands tall and proud.

epiphany! feels so good to make this connection.

*i broke down and confessed a thing or two to ms. souled. thank you for letting me borrow your pins. how am i ever to repay you?

on branding.

someone once told me, it's important for each of us to first and foremost truly define our own personal brand.

it all starts with defining who we are {and, of course, not being afraid of whatever that may be}.

who am i?

i love this concept. my personal brand. we all have one.

i think it's half the fun of growing up! defining ourselves. do you agree?




i got to thinking...

i've created my professional career around brand advertising. i strategize how aol can help brands truly define themselves via the wonderful avenues of our ad platform.

why can't i treat myself like i treat my retail brands? like i do in my work life, i can creatively strategize on the different ways to express who i am. what can help me continue to evolve and share my message with the world.

loving this parallel.

i think you should try it for yourself. oh please do, you.

whether it be your outfit, your jewels, your hairstyle. let's see your brand.

start here and persevere.

*something about the wrist is oh-so-sexy & oh-so-expressive*

wherever you are, let it be enough.

mini epiphany to share with you on this sunday eve.

mid forward folding half split - man i wish i knew the sanskrit term for that one - the wise anna says:

"wherever you are, let it be enough."

this hit home for me. especially as i sat there fidgeting.

this, my friends, is the key to happiness in my opinion. at times i feel as if we are constantly trying to be and get more. if we could just enjoy what is i think we'd be a lot happier.

to allow each and every experience to be good enough in that moment because we trust that the universe will take care of us if we keep following our true selves and listening to our own voice.


i wonder if yoga teachers - anna specifically - know the impact they have on people like me.

i had this thought today. i think it's interesting how much i daydream about her class. the music, the heart openers, the people, the sweat, the wise words, the experience itself. it's powerful. her existence has changed my life so much.

i like this concept. and, it makes me hope that my existence inspires someone else in this same way.