What a week!

Last week in Seattle we had a snow and ice storm. It was epic! Everyone thinks Seattle people are wimps when it comes to snow but check this photo out from a snow storm a couple of years ago.

This is why when it snows in Seattle, I stay home! We have way too many hills to mess with trying to get around this city.

Which means I spent a week housebound. It was nice to be able to see my animals all day long but I was itching to get out by Friday. I did manage to get a couple of hot yoga classes in during the week. And I had prepared the house with fresh fruits and veggies before the storm came along. We had no junk food in the house which saved me a lot of stress. I also took the dog out for long off leash walks in the snow which helped me not go crazy from being house bound.

By Friday it was time to get out on the town and see some friends. I helped a friend film a segment for one of our local stations about his new art exhibit/ Putt putt golf installation. It was so much fun to see what he had helped create and the I am so happy the station is doing a local TV spot about this fun event. It happens once a year and is a great activity.

This evening provided me a chance to work on my New Years Resolution of confidence. I truly felt beautiful on Friday night, and I was given the chance to speak with many handsome men and feel amazing afterwards. It was a great evening. I took small steps to gaining back my confidence I had a younger lady.

One thing I almost forgot!
I just signed up for a year of unlimited Hot Yoga! I am so grateful to have this amazing job that has allowed me to pay for something like Hot Yoga. I have been going to classes 3 to 4 times a week and I feel amazing. With every class I feel myself lighter. I love how hot the room is and how much my body is responding to letting go of toxins and pent up emotional situations. I seem to be working through a lot of my past with each class. I have never had this experience before while exercising. It has been very therapeutic. Plus I love how my body is changing and getting stronger. I can feel where my spine issues have made me weak in my body and I want to take that strength back before it's too late.

So 30 days of hot yoga has been a huge life changing success!

Yoga all weekend

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday were Yoga days for me!
I did regular yoga on Sunday which was a nice break from the Hot Yoga and last night I was able to sneak in a 8pm yoga class. This morning I work up at 5:30am feeling awake and energized.

So far this experience has been great! Some times it is hard to know what I am laying down more than other people in the class. I feel like I want to announce to the whole class that I have a spine injury and thus I can not do the full 90 minutes. So it can be hard for me to relax during the class. But it is getting easier every time I venture into the building. What I feel most is overwhelming love for my body. This body has survived two major surgeries. It is surviving a dis-ease that is chipping away at my spine. It is surviving and thriving more than I thought it would. I want to protect this body of mine. Take care of it. Feed it only the best foods available. And generally just love the hell out of it because this body of mine is in so many ways a true miracle.

I did have something interesting happen the other day to my body. I don't normally eat candy anymore but some days at work things are happening so fast I like to grab a couple of pieces to keep me going. However, the other day I did this and I had a very similar thing happen to my body that happens when I eat wheat. My body started to hurt and my legs got swollen. It was very odd since I have never noticed this type of reaction before. After an hour or so it went away but it just makes me realize that my body is way more sensitive to what I put into it that I ever thought possible. I now realize that I just can't live like other people. I can't eat whatever I want or be as lazy as I want. I have the type of body that needs to move and eat only pure food. And for the first time in my life - I am glad about this. I am so in tune with my body that I know when something I eat is not right. What a beautiful thing.

30 days

Today is the first day of 30 days of Hot Yoga*.

*I will not be going everyday but aim to go 5 days a week.

I have been wanting to try Hot Yoga for a while. I did it a few years back with a friend and loved it. After my spine injury I needed to start exploring new ways of working out that would be gentle on the spine. And after setting my intentions for this year I realized that it was time for me to move forward with doing more active hobbies.

So I signed up and I am ready to go. I will forgo visiting with friends tonight in favor of trying Hot Yoga. Tomorrow morning I also have a date with my cousin to do Hot Yoga as well.

I am looking forward to blogging about the experience. I know for many people, Hot Yoga has helped to bring about very profound changes into their lives. I am looking forward to seeing what happens and what kind of issues come up for me. Since the new year I am being challenged to be different .... in a good way. My old way of thinking, being and living no longer sit well with me. My insecurity and self bashing no longer feels good. I am ready for a positive loving change and this in a first step in the right direction.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Theme for this year!

Every year I pick a theme that helps to shape my new year.
This year I thought about having my theme be courage but after thinking about this word I realized it was not right. I don't really need courage. I have had plenty of situations over the last few years to prove I have courage. I needed something else.

After spending New Years Eve with a very good friend of mine in a beautiful old Craftsman house, I realized that I wanted a new word for the new year. It then dawned on me. What I really wanted this year to be about was Confidence.

I want to increase my confidence level to help me create into reality that dream life I know I deserve. I want to increase my confidence level to one that reflects how amazing I truly am. I want to only do things this year that help me to build my confidence level and help me to stay truly present in my life. I want to be confident to be the best person I can be. I want to work on my confidence level so I can see myself for that beautiful, talented and amazing person I know I am. I want the confidence to share my joy and sorrows with my best friends and to be able to find the beauty in solitude as well.

So this year is about me returning to myself and being present in all my interactions. I am going to do more things that I love - paddle boarding - snowshoeing - traveling - meeting new people. I am going to continue to kick ass at my amazing job. I am going to organize my home and I am going to save money while also building my wardrobe. I am going to have it all and be beautiful while I do it!