Star Wars theme Yoga

Monday was one of our favorite days around here. Star Wars day. Me and my little yogi decided to do star wars themed yoga class. 

Tech Neck Stretch

This new normal, parents working from home and kids doing school from home has been and is challenging to say the least. I am so thankful that this is the year we chose to homeschool. The past 7 weeks have not changed for us academically, but socially for sure. I keep telling my friends " This is not what homeschool is. We don't stay home all day every day. We see friends and go on really cool field trips. " 

My daughter and I have been doing yoga on a weekly basis on Facebook Live. It has been so much fun. It has been sunshine on our cloudy days for sure. Today my teenager and I decided to do some yoga for "Tech Neck". 

I hope this short five-minute video can bring some relief to your neck and shoulders.

mid day yoga

This isolation, all that is going on in the world is so scary. I long for the days of adventure and seeing, hugging friends. 

I began to think about how I could help, or what I could do to help people. The thing I can do is yoga. 

Today I had the honor of teaching a live yoga class in my own home. I thought I would post it, in case you are in need of some stress relief stretching. 

Letter to yourself

 I did something I have never done before , I wrote myself a letter.  A Dear Karen letter.  It felt silly at first but then I really got into it. 

 I am a goal setter ,  a list writer , a post
it note queen, and now a reminder on my phone. If it doesn't get written down, it will get forgotten.  I blame it on mom brain and ADD. So naturally at the beginning of January I love to set new goals for myself. But this year it was different. 2019 was a hard , but good year. It was a year of challenges , of new , of loss.  As I stared at my empty journal page , I began to feel discouraged. I suddenly felt uninspired for new goals, I felt defeated. 

Then I had heard from scrolling on good ole Instragram of writing a letter to your self. It made me think. My word for this year is mindfulness . I want to live more intentional this year, less distracted , more present. Rather than throwing in the towel on myself and not write goals, I decided to give myself some self care. 

 Dear Karen,

You made it, 2019 was a good year , it was a hard year. ..

My pencil began to flow and suddenly I felt a release. I threw in a curse word ( whoops) here and there , but I also found some great bible verses. I wrote all the hard stuff, I listed all the great stuff. I encouraged myself as I turn 40( gulp ) this year. Rather than bullet points of goals ,  I wrote out dreams for this year. I wrote out what didn't work and what does work. It felt really good. Ha the planner in me started to get mad at myself for waiting till mid January to do it.. but then I said , at least I am doing it. It's still January, its still the beginning of 2020. 

After I wrote this , I sat in hero's pose on the ground. Its where you come to the ground, knees together , separating at the feet and sitting on the ground . Or you can sit on top of your feet. This pose is a pose of peace. I began to just breathe. And on each exhale, I let all of the failures of 2019 go. 

I encourage you to do the same. Grab that pencil and Dear Karen yourself. Cheers to 2020!

Word of the year

2020.. feels crazy to actually type that. It hard to believe it is actually here. 

 I am person who loves a fresh start, a time to hit reset. 2020 is not only a new year , but a new decade.  I wanted my word for this new year, this begining of a new decade to be a good one. With lots of reflection from 2019 , my  word is mindfulness.

Mindfullness: the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.

This year we took on homeschooling. I had so many nerves going into this new adventure for my family. I stopped teaching group fitness classes at the gym so that I could be home more . I thought that since we would be home everyday I could re brand my business, teach private yoga classes, teach homeschool yoga classes, build my lifestyle photographing business and have all the amazing homeschool adventures. Are you laughing yet? What can I say it is the enegram 7 in me. Oh the whole FOMO thing became real to me , real fast . As the school year unfolded and I tried to do it all, I soon realized I was sinking. I spent so many days filled with guilt and disapointment that we hadn't made our fall garden or I only had one yoga class on the books. Then the holidays hit and I just wanted to stay in my pajamas and watch movies all day and not leave my house ( that would be the enegram 9 in me). When the holidays were over and I was sitting looking at my Christmas tree that was nearly dead. I reflected on what went wrong and the word mindfullness came to mind.

Rather than trying to do it all, have it all, be it all.. why not just be aware of what is going on right now in front of me and not wish it was different. Enjoying the good moments and when they pass, let them pass and move on. And when it gets tough , work through it , knowing it wont be forever . 

I want to slow down and have JOMO, thats right. Joy of missing out. In the morning when I wake up, I get up , I dont let myself look at my phone until I have had quiet time reading or praying , journaling. It has been a simple change that I used to be pretty good at , but this year I let it slip . I have noitced starting my day looking at socials, checking my email , starts me off with FOMO and man alive , it wastes so much presious quiet time. 

I want to be mindful and enjoy the food I eat , not zoning out and scrolling because pre alegrbra is hard to explain. 

I want to be fully present when I am talking with people and really take in what they are saying. 

I want to take a deep breath in nature and enjoy it.

And I want to laugh at myself and let go of all the things , and be present.

As you read this I hope it encourages you , let the JOMO in.. Or whatever it is your body needs this year. I encourage you to take time and listen to your body, reflect , and listen to what it needs.

May you have a blessed and healthy 2020.

These photos are from our recent trip to Sedona Arizona. It was my family's first time , so beautiful!! Great hiking and great food!

Our newest adventure

Last week we started school at home. Yes, home school. So many emotions leading up to this day. Am I doing myt children a disservice by keeping them home? Are they going to get behind on where they would be if they were  in their old school?  I had  so many doubts and fears that I was not capable of homeschooling 4th and 7th grade. 

But life is beautiful in its timing. In this new adventure as a homeschooler , I am not alone. I have a handful of friends that are doing this as well. I leaned into them and still am. And I remembered my why, to spend more time as a family. To have new adventures , to learn together untul my son starts highschool.

First day of school, was exciting. I for one was very excited not to have to make packed lunches and get us into the car on time. They were also excited not to have to put on a uniform and only have tp walk down the hall to their classroom.As they came into the room I had some things on theri desks. I thought it would be fun to give them a paper on " All of their teachers favorite things" 

We had to make a few changes with curriculum , but nothing too bad. The first week went pretty smooth. A learning curve for sure, but we did ok.

Week two some of the jitters were subsiding  and we took advantage of the nice weather in the morning. I bought them each a blank journal. Inside I wrote a note about how the this journal is a place for creativity. First prompt, write or draw your goals and dreams for  this year.

I decided to do it as well.

Someone is sure loving this home school life. All her favorite people are home more!

I love how my daughters goals are mountain biking and going hiking with her bestie. I teased her that no where in her journal did she put anything academic . "What about your times tables and all the books you can't wait to read?"

I read this quote and it became my new favorite.

She was powerful, not because she wasn't scared but because she went on so strongly , despite the fear.

 -Aticus

Win the Day

Today while reading my book  Made for this  by Jennie Allen, I read  a saying that a  coach taught  his players " Win the Day".  Chip Kelly is the Oregon Ducks football coach and he told his team to win the day. He said " Don't dream of winning super bowls or even Saturdays game on Monday morning . Win practice that day , in that moment. Win that day, whatever it holds." 

I am about to enter a new chapter in my life. I am going to be homeschooling my kids. I am excited and nervous for this new adventure. I began to plan all these things I wanted to accomplish this summer. And then summer happened, staying up late, eating not so grand, hardly exercising , not reading and so on. A few days ago I woke up and felt defeated . The usual self doubt began to creep in. It is so easy to let the negative thoughts seep in. 

But I remembered what a dear friend of mine told me, " you have the tools Karen, use them"

Those tools are yoga. 

A pose that is not the easiest for me  is Camel,  or Ustrasana.  This pose works when you are warm because it is a back bend.

Camel pose can relieve tension in your neck , back and shoulders , while opening up thru the heart center or your chest. This pose helps flexibility in the spine and the mind as well. It is the pose for Acceptance. As I was warming up , with each exhale , I let go of the things I wasn't doing or the person I wasn't being. Then when I was in camel  , I said " I accept myself the way I was created" 

It breaks my heart to hear when women are so hard on themselves. I too am so hard on myself when life gets stressful or new changes come. I hope this encourages you today. Take a deep breathe, let it go. Sometimes we have to not worry and get overwhelmed about the future , but focus on today. Win today.