Why Smile Yogini?

Why "Smile Yogini"?

Well, I'm a girl so yogini fits... I like being a girl and that's a reason to smile.

There is lots of reasons to smile! Like getting complemented on my smile.. makes me want to smile even more- wouldn't you?

"Hey, gorgeous!!! Great smile ya got there!" wink

 I like that when I smile I always get a smile in return... It may sound conceited or vain for me to admit that my smile is often my highest compliment lately but I'll admit it! I smile big and it's attractive. I'm not surprised that this happens now. It has truly been a practice. I smile with intention to relax my jaw and my forehead. I smile with intention to trust when I don't know. I smile just because it feels better!

People are their most attractive when they smile! So yeah, I'ma gonna do whatevah I can to attract more positively into my universe.

That's why 'Smile Yogini'... so smile, yogis and yoginis! 

Beauty in Love

To fall in love or rise in love? Loving is not a responsibility or obligation. To hold something or someone in your loving attention is an opportunity to discover who you really are. Loving is who I naturally am. It's a beautiful feeling, discovering who you are by loving another; knowing that what love is being reflected allows you to better love and appreciate yourself, wholeheartedly. Allowing one special soul these moments to experience that blissful attention and to share explosions of discovery of the beauty of each other. I'm learning that loving is the greatest form of beauty.
Knowing that external beauty can fade but the beauty that comes from within can always shine bright with love. Beauty in love is forgiving, patient, kind, honest, true, easy, understanding, imperfect, creative, strong, admiring, passionate, eager, loving, tender, happy, natural, grateful, relaxed...

Be Confident

I'm leaving my full-time position as the Lead Scan Coordinator at Sprout's Farmers Market to be the Yoga Teacher I've been training to be. I've spent many joyous hours in my practice on and off of the mat as a yogini... I wanted to blog about the courage and bravery everyone sees in me for making this move but really I'm starting to realize that what I'm really afraid of is: not being who I love to be, in my own way and in my own time and at my own pace. [Breath] I love Sprout's. It is MY FAVORITE grocery store! After finding true love for myself (maybe a blog for another time ;), I met my true love there! I have so much appreciation for the people I work with, they are my friends and family! I have so much appreciation for what I've learned and continue to realize in hindsight. I have so much appreciation for what I've been able to obtain in my time there; like becoming a homeowner and the many investments I've made toward my dream to play my part in this world of health, happiness and healing on a full spectrum.

Anaïs Nin: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom”

I've known for sometime now that I would be "stepping down" from a really great job. I feel as if I'm stepping into a slingshot again. The first time I experienced financial struggle as an adult, I was frightened. I see it now as if I was being pulled back into darkness, I imagine a cartoon of myself with little arms and legs flailing about in terror, scared of what might be when I let go as the sling shot me out... but now I know how exciting it is to fly and I know I can land on my own two feet! My training and practice has brought me the confidence I need to succeed and my excitement and passion are what propel me to move.

Olivia's journal entry from January, 2016
I love the woman I am. I'm passionate about mind, body and spiritual health. I'm eager to always keep questioning, keep realizing and keep expanding. I love that with every interaction I have, I'm learning more about myself and improving that most valuable relationship. I'm quickly learning and applying the inspiration that comes to me. I notice more and more wonderful qualities in the people around me. I notice I question more, stretch more, smile more and reveal more about myself through these experiences. I notice I'm enjoying myself more. Enjoying myself I trust in balance, life and clarity. Enjoying myself I let go of fear, death and the unknown. I enjoy believing I am being reborn in every second. With each conscious breath, I have the power to choose a positive beginning.

Be Uncomfortable and Relax

My first post for 'Smile Yogini'! I love this title I chose! I'm so blessed to live with Yoga and because I do, I have every reason to smile! Along with that smile, through my practice, I find more reasons to connect with my breath and in turn connect with the breath of the world around me...

I'd like to say thank you for reading (even if you decide to stop reading here!-Thank you for visiting!)
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Having just graduated from my 200hr. Yoga Teacher Training with Desert Yoga Therapy, my final is still fresh in my mind. We had to teach a 40 min class with certain requirements- our peers and past graduates either participating or observing. Now, even though I might be considered "a ham" to those closest to me, I've found that when observers are finally ready to judge, I'll run away. Here is an example, I love to sing but when time came to perform my mid-term for a Broadway voice class at the local community collage, I dropped the class. TWICE! It is so uncomfortable to be judged by others! Right?! Well, over the course of these past 7 months or so, the most profound thing I might have learned about the practice of Yoga is that you must breathe into what is uncomfortable.
 "Your breath is what gets you through."
With nourishing oxygen is how we can grow, expand and stretch-not only in our bodies but in our minds.
I wasn't going to run away this time. I found the calm, the confidence, and the knowing that what I needed was inside of me. Only I could be responsible for allowing it to flow out. My work was to not stress over how it would go; my job was to relax.
I was elated to have stayed. I enjoy Yoga so much more than running!
I got a big hug from Jayne, and she said, "You didn't run away!" She knew my Broadway story.

Thank you for staying and reading this blog post! You're time is precious! Namaste