Naughty Yoga Girl

Mama needs her groove back ...

7/10/2017

I’ve been in a funk lately. Just kinda … lost my way.

My son graduated from high school and it hit me hard ... I'm not ready to officially say good-bye to his childhood yet. Just a little longer, please.

Sad, depressed.

Plus, also, I got a new job teaching at an elementary school last year and if you don’t know, let me clue you in on a little secret … there’s a room called a “Teacher’s Lounge” that is constantly stocked with crap. Goooood crap.

“Somebody’s pregnant … there are 60 pink-frosted cupcakes in the lounge. Enjoy!”

“One of our sixty-five teachers has a birthday today … there’s a sheet cake in the lounge. Enjoy!”

“We had a rough week of testing … there are 5 boxes of cream-filled, chocolate-frosted donuts in the lounge. Enjoy!”

Not to mention the carry-ins every Friday, the class holiday parties, and my students’ birthday treats.

I got my sugar fix on this past school year, y’all, and let me tell you … it shows. My clothes are tiiiight. Like, unzip-my-pants-halfway-and-cover-with-an-untucked-shirt tight ... and I've been beating myself up about it every chance I get.

My body’s tired, lazy. My mind’s stressed and overwhelmed. My spirit’s … well … meh.

Time for a reset.

I’m taking the next four weeks left of my summer vacation (holy hell ... is that all I have left?!) and using it to work on me. Recommitting to some self-love and self-care. Recommitting to taking care of my body, mind, and soul. Recommitting to living every day focused, grounded, and connected.

Mama needs her groove back.

Here's my plan ...

I’m going to nourish my body with good-for-me foods. I’m not cutting out ALL the good crap … just a lot of it. Sweets are my thaaang, and life’s too short not to indulge, but I’m cutting down. Way down.

Goal: One treat a day … not an hour. Also, one free meal a week (hello, pizza).

I’m going to get back on my mat. Oh, yoga … how I’ve missed you. Bending my body in half, arm balances so good they leave bruises the next day, and flows that take every once of concentration? I’m coming back for you, my love.

Goal: Practice yoga five days a week.

I’m going to dust off the running skirts I have stashed in the back of my closet. I had to quit running a few years ago after hurting my knee, but it’s time to rekindle that flame. I’ve lost the stamina I built up from my five-mile-a-day runs back then, but I guess you’ve gotta start somewhere … and I’ll be starting, quite humbly, running in one-minute increments with my 5K Pro app.

Goal: Faithfully do the 5K Pro app program now to build myself back up to running 3.1 miles, and then run a 5K three days a week after that (on the streets or on the treadmill).

I’m going to actually crack open the self-help books I love to buy, but never read. I’ve got shelves and shelves of them ... everything from how to align my chakras, to how to become debt free, to how to speak to dead people. Time to enlighten myself, and learn how to be a better me.

Goal: Read one self-help book a month. But, more than that, I also really want to try and take whatever information I like from each book and work on incorporating it into my life. I mean, if I'm going to take the time to read it, I might as well use it.

I'm kissing my caffeine addiction goodbye ... once and for all. Ugh. I have gone back-and-forth with my Diet Coke addiction for the last ten years ... I've tried breaking up, going cold turkey several times, but the longest I have been able to go without a can was three days - and then my head hurt so badly, I cried just blinking my eyes. But, I'm going to do it this time ... with baby steps.

Goal: One Diet Coke a day. For now. Once the caffeine withdrawal symptoms settle down from that, then I'll cut out that one Diet Coke a day and be totally pop-free. P/S Caffeine addiction's a bitch, y'all.

I'm not going anywhere without my water bottle. I've read the articles, I knooow the facts ... drinking water can help clear your skin, remove toxins from your body, boost your brain power, yada yada. But you have to actually drink it to reap the benefits. That's where my brand new 30-oz pink Yeti (thanks, Mama!) comes in ... I'm filling that bad boy up and taking it with me everywhere I go to get my ounces in.

Goal: I did a little research and found that I should be drinking about 90 ounces of water a day (more if you add in my exercise). That's filling up my Yeti three times a day.

I need to get my mind right, my spirit strong. I've been so hard on myself for the past few months about gaining weight, losing my passion for yoga, and not caring anymore about keeping my body healthy and fit. Time to flip that damn script and be wildly, obsessively, precisely grateful. It works.

Goal: I would love to commit to keeping a gratitude journal, but I think that might be something I'll have to work towards. For now, I'm committing to noticing things in my life that I'm grateful for and acknowledging them. When I first wake up in the morning, when I review my day right before closing my eyes at night, and all the moments in between.

I'm going to start giving my body the sleep it needs to heal, recharge, and restore itself. I'm guilty of staying up way too late on social media and watching my reality TV shows (ahem ... guilty pleasure). On top of that, it's taking my body longer and longer to wind down enough to fall asleep each night ... too many thoughts racing around. I'm probably only getting about five hours of sleep each night, and wake up every morning already exhausted.

Goal: I'm going to try for seven solid hours of sleep a night. And, instead of scrolling Instagram while lying in bed, I'll be reading a book with my phone's sound switched off.

What do you think? Doable? Did I forget something? Hit me in the comments if you've got some advice or tips on how you've dealt with shaking yourself out of a funk. I'll be checking in, writing about my progress once in a while to keep myself accountable.

XO

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My Fall Bucket List

9/22/2016

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Fall is my jam ... and with yesterday being the first official day of the season, I thought I'd make myself a Fall Bucket List of things I want to do between now and winter.

Last year I was down and out for the season (read about it here) so I missed everything about my favorite time of the year. This Autumn, I intend to make up for it. Here's what I've got ...

I'm totally making these Apple Pops from delish. I mean, come on! Super easy, super covered in chocolate, and super Autumn-y. #Score

Naughty Yoga Girl, Edward Scissorhands Halloween Costume

Wear a costume on Halloween. Ok, not THIS one, but how flippin' cool is this one? A sexy Edward Scissorhands? Brilliant. Anyway, I haven't worn a Halloween costume since I was in middle school which was ... well, a long time ago. My kids are too old (and too cool) to dress up now, so I wanna bring that fun back.

Get my Autumn reading on. If you know me at all, you already know I'm a huuuge book nerd ... and I really love reading seasonal books. I've been saving these to start once Fall got here and I'm excited to curl up in my sweats and crack one open. (I'll let you know when I start each one if you wanna read them with me. Stay up-to-date with my book list here and feel free to let me know if you have a favorite seasonal book that I should add to my list).

Naughty Yoga Girl, Instagram Yoga Challenges

Host a yoga challenge each month. Now that I'm working outside of the home again, I'm finding it really hard to find the time to get my yoga in. The only way I know for sure that I'll do it, is if I host a challenge on Instagram ... then I've got no choice. I've had a few people reach out asking me to join them in hosting some challenges in the next few months, so I just need to make sure I follow through and get them set up. I miss my mat.

Binge-watch The Office on Netflix. Both of my teenage kids have watched all nine seasons straight through at least three different times over the past few years, and I'm dying to see why they like it so much. Since Fall weather can be kinda iffy here in Indiana with rain and early snowstorms, I'm thinking that I'll be stuck inside quite a bit in the next few months and should have plenty of time to Netflix and chillax.

Naughty Yoga Girl, Autumn Walk in the Woods

Go on a hike in the woods. I'm an Indiana girl, and we know how to do Autumn color here ... maaaybe not as amazing as you guys out East, but we can hold our own. I try to get out and savor it as much as I can, so I want to be sure I schedule a day this year to take a hike in the woods to capture the beautiful trees.

Watch some classic scary movies. I used to loooove scary movies when I was younger. Jason, Chucky, Freddy, Michael ... I loved them all. Then I got older and moved out from under the safety of my parents' roof, and thought that Jason, Chucky, Freddy, and Michael were every bump in the night I heard while home alone. Can't do them anymore. But the classic monster movies? Those I can still watch ... it's just been a while. It's time to for a movie marathon.

Naughty Yoga Girl, Today I am Grateful For

Be grateful every day - not just on Thanksgiving Day. I am a huge believer in the law of attraction and the practice of being grateful for what I have. The Secret is like my Bible. I used to be really good at counting my blessings every night ... but, now, I'm going to bed super late and falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. This is the perfect season to get back into the practice of being grateful each and every day.

Take part in the "If Girls Ran the World" fundraising event. Totally stoked about this one. Just like my yoga, my running has also fallen to the wayside lately ... but then my #SweatPink sisters let me in on this amazing even that will be happening starting October 1st and I think it's just what I need to motivate me to lace up my running shoes again. I'll write about it soon so you can join me. Get ready to dust off your running skirts.

Do you have a Fall Bucket List? Share with me or leave a link to it in the comments below.

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Naughty Yoga Girl, Five Things I'm Loving 4

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Five things I'm loving right now (#4) ...

9/18/2016

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A few of my faves right now ...

1) I know, right? How freaking fly is this purse?! I found it on Amazon (affiliate) and even though I took a gamble by buying it without actually seeing it in person, I absolutely love it! It's called the Trisha Utilitarian Hobo Slouchy Shoulder Bag by Laurel & Sunset ... and I got it for $39.95. #Score! It's about 11-inches in height (soooo love my hobo bags!), comes in black and brown, and is faux leather. It's also got four pockets on the outside, three pockets on the inside, and zips closed at the top. So in love. Find it here.

2) I started a new job this year where I teach in a 3rd grade classroom and I'm loving it. I used to teach kindergarten, but quit when I had my son eighteen years ago ... it just felt like it was time to get out of the house and back into the school system again. One of the things I'm loving? These "handmade with love" pictures I get from my students (my teenage kids stopped making things for me years ago and I didn't realize how much I miss them until I started getting them from my students). Here's an example of one I got last week from a little girl in my class ... it's a picture of me. And, even though I look like I'm wearing one of those packaged (ahem) adult Halloween costumes (come on ... you know the ones I'm talking about: "Slutty Little Red Riding Hood", "Slutty Witch", "Slutty Teacher") I'm still hanging it with pride on my fridge at home.

Naughty Yoga Girl, Prisma Photo Filter App

3) Even though I wrote a whole blog post on the Prisma App earlier this week (read it here if you missed it) I'm still adding it to this list because I love it just that much. If you haven't heard of it, Prisma is an app that transforms your photos into works of art using the styles of famous artists (Van Gogh, Picasso, Levitan), as well as world famous ornaments and patterns. It's totally addicting ... and free. Find it here.

Naughty Yoga Girl, Buddhism Day by Day, Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda

4) If you follow me on Instagram (@NaughtyYogaGirl) then you know that I'm not a religious person ... I live, instead, with the goal of trying to be the best person I can be while here on Earth. I take things that resonate with me from different religions and philosophers and make it mine. One religion that I seem to continue to borrow from is Buddhism ... I totally dig their philosophy of life in which compassion and respect for all people's worth lead to growth and joy. I found this book, Buddhism Day by Day, Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda, on Amazon (affiliate). I just got it yesterday and am totally obsessed with it. It's set up as a daily inspirational guide (for Buddhists AND non-Buddhists) filled with advice and wisdom for every day of the year. I see this as a book I'm going to set next to my bed and reach for when my alarm goes off every morning ... I can read the short motivational quote before even getting out of bed and start my day focused and with an open heart. Find the book here.

5) Ok, seriously. See the leggings I'm wearing that look like black leather pants? So freaking sexy, right? I'm obsessed with them! Jala Clothing sent them to me to wear during a yoga challenge I hosted on Instagram earlier this month because they were one of our generous sponsors. I fell instantly in love with them ... so comfortable! The best part? You can use the code "NAUGHTY25" to get 25% off anything on their site! Sweet, right? P/S The leggings I'm wearing are the Shine Leggings in black gloss.

Click here to see all of my "Five Things I've Loving Right Now" posts in one place.