L-O-V-E

                                                      

You can't help but notice all the red and pink, hearts and love this month. Some people can't get enough of the red heart candy boxes at the drug store and others can't wait until the day has passed. Valentine's Day means something different to everyone, based of course on whether you are presently feeling loved by someone, what significance that day holds for you (is it a happy day or a sad day) and of course if you have the ability to give your heart to someone else. Without getting into the personal significance of what Valentine's Day means to me, it has gotten me thinking about love….Love for my hubby, love for my kids, love for my mom, love for my family, love for my friends. Love takes on so many forms, means so many things and is expressed in so many ways. Sometimes giving or receiving love is easy and sometimes its really hard. Sometimes the person you love most in the world is the one person you are giving the hardest time. Sometimes love sneaks up on you, catches you off guard and surprises you in the greatest of ways. But none of this is possible unless you have an open heart…a heart that is vulnerable, a heart that is willing to take chances, a heart that will most likely feel broken one day. I couldn't help myself and explored Pinterest for some love quotes that I hope will leave you thinking, feeling, wondering and most importantly loving.

this one's for my kids!

This post is dedicated to GST…I love you.

  

Let Your Soul Shine

In my last post I mentioned how I was going to add something new into my heath & wellness world….and I did it! For the first time in years I ventured out of my yoga comfort zone and tried something new…and I liked it! I took a class at Soul Cycle, an indoor cycling studio where mind and body come together to create a full body workout. Stepping into the space I felt totally out of my element. 100% nervous. Could I really do this? Is it gonna be too hard? What if i hate it? With the encouragement of two amazing friends (who convinced me to give it a try) I was able to just surrender, let go and let it all play out as it should. I learned the logistics of the bike, met my super friendly instructor and latched into my bike. As the class started I decided I'm riding for me, nobody else, and I was in control of how easy or challenging this experience would be. After 45 minutes of amazing music, inspirational coaching by the instructor and a physical experience that was new in my world, I felt great! Not only did I do something new and good for my body/physical health, but mentally I felt like a huge success. And at the end of the day, what more could you ask for? I challenged myself, was mentally inspired and burned some calories all at once.

The other thing I couldn't help but think about is "balance." It's a word that is popping up everywhere for me lately…after all, it's the key to true happiness don't you think? If you can achieve that perfect "balance" (and it's different for everyone) than life can feel pretty seamless. By committing to riding at Soul Cycle once a week I feel like I am creating a balance in my physical and mental health while also still continuing to develop and nurture my yoga practice.

On another note, I can't help but mention how aesthetically pleasing the actual space of the studio is….totally amazing! It goes back to the whole idea of how just being in a beautiful space can make someone feel inspired, creative, productive or successful. You walk into Soul Cycle and are wow'd by how clean and inspiring the space feels. Designed in black and white with pops of bright yellow (their signature color…which I am so digging right now), you just feel energized. I totally love the vibe and am thinking about how I can incorporate more yellow in my house. :) Waiting on the next room to need an update!