I was never trying to be a yoga teacher.  I was the girl who came to class and didn’t want to make eye contact with herself in the mirror.  I was the awkward one who’s hands were closer to touching her knees than her toes.  I was the one who “had no upper body strength”& “had no balance”.

But I was also the one who kept coming back.  I threw all of my self-doubt out the door and decided I didn’t care.  I knew I felt good after practice and that’s the feeling I was chasing.  Not some far off dream of being able to do the splits, or crow, or anything else crazy.  It didn’t take long and people started noticing my improvements.  Then it got to the point that no one knew where I had started- they just said I was “good” at yoga.  What did that even mean?

I heard of a teacher training program coming up at the studio.  My boyfriend and I had just bought a house a month before and I knew it wasn’t “good timing” for me to join.  And who was I to be a yoga teacher anyway? But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  I never want to be the teacher who’s students believe that their inner power is coming from an outside person.  I want my students to believe in themselves and build a practice that is meaningful to them.  I knew I was coming from a good place, and I’d getting to know this “universe” and “energy” and “vibes” through yoga.. so I thought “why not try it”.

I didn’t sign up for the program that day.  I didn’t have the money for it.  Like I said, we just bought a house and every ounce of money I made went towards my dream of being a musician.  So, I made a deal with this new found “universe”.  If I could make enough money between now and the time my payment was due to cover the program, I would join.  That was EXTREMELY far-fetched at the time.  I barely had any gigs coming up and I knew for a fact the money was just not there.  But I said the words out loud.  I made that solid commitment to the universe, and something amazing manifested.

I’d let go of the idea of “trying” to make the money needed to get into my YTT program and just let the universe know that I was ready for it.  Within 24 hours I had a couple brand new gigs lined up from people who had heard about me randomly.  I was not trying for these things, but I had continuously “thrown darts at the dartboard” and once the universe knew my intention- something stuck.  Sure enough, within the time allotted up to the day before… I made the EXACT amount of money needed to enter the teaching program.  It was an incredible fit for me- combining my love of biomechanics & teaching that came from the horse world, my love for connecting with people & making playlists from the music world, and my love of choreography, energy, and spirituality from my childhood spent in between the dance studio & church.

I’ll leave you with this… do not think that you are not worthy of what the universe has to offer you.  It is vastly expansive and you should tell it what it is that you want.  Say it out loud, set yourself up for success, and let it work magic within your life.  The yoga practice is a great way to set intention for your life and learn how to breathe through tough moments and enjoy the continuous breath throughout the roller coaster of the time on your mat.  Take it from the girl who stumbled into a yoga class one time, it can change your whole life if you let it.

Namaste, Angela

“Without grace, we are just fighting”

I heard this quote while watching the movie “I Can Only Imagine” yesterday.  No matter how you sit on the topic of religion.. I would highly recommend going to see this movie.  It was incredibly inspiring and thought provoking.  The movie tells the story behind the song “I Can Only Imagine” which involved a man losing his dad after many years of suffering abuse within the family.  One of the main themes was forgiveness along with grace.  This quote, “without grace, we are just fighting” stayed with me long after I left the theatre.

These words stayed with me during meditation and made me reflect deeply on the relationships in my life.  We talk about in class “letting go of what no longer serves us” and I think this quote ties right in with grace as well.  If we want something to be just, then maybe it is worth the fight.  But if we are fighting knowing that we do not wish to forgive the person… then it is wasted time.  At that point it is better to let go of the situation or person and free ourselves of that burden.  Not all forgiveness ends in friendship, sometimes its just about keeping a healthy relationship with yourself.  We can’t keep punishing ourselves or another person by bringing up old wounds that will never heal, it is just best to leave them alone.

After the movie we went out to dinner at Outback and the waitress was wearing lotus flower earrings.  I cannot recall another time I’ve ever seen another person wearing lotus flower earrings… yet this powerful symbol walked right up to me as a reminder.  The lotus flower is a powerful symbol in yoga, reminding us that we too can grow out of the mud and bloom into something beautiful.  It also reminds us that muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.  Taking time today to let it be, give grace, and give forgiveness for myself as well as others.

Namaste, Angela

“It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.” -Chaos Theory

Do you ever consider just how much impact we have on the world?  Every thought impacts our words and our actions… soon creating a life and making a direct affect onto everyone and everything around us.  We hold so much power & free-will, yet at the same time have an overwhelming sense of being out of control. When we do even one good deed- it can truly impact the entire world.  And one poorly-intended act can do the same as well.

I’m a firm believer in karma and what you put out in the universe you’ll always get back.  Maybe you walk around with better energy when you’re at peace with yourself and attract good things.  Whatever it really is, it certainly can’t hurt to be the best version of yourself and accept blessings with a grateful heart.

Its easy to get so caught up in working that we forget to consider the repercussions of our work.  I know for myself that I can get really down with my nose to the grindstone never looking at the bigger picture.  I forget to look at how far I’ve come but rather how far I have still to go on my journey.  But I also think that’s the cool thing about knowing that life is a journey.. we enjoy the steps along the way rather than being so worried about the destination.  No one will get out alive and unless we leave behind an amazing legacy, not many will even know we existed in another 100 years.  Taking control of our life by recognizing that this is our time can be so liberating.  When we’re in a period of feeling trapped in darkness, maybe that’s just our cocoon right before we emerge with beautiful new wings.  And that every small movement, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wing will effect the universe.  We are each so important, so loved, and so free to choose.  We are lucky.  We are alive.

Namaste, Angela

Well guys, its Valentine’s Day!  No matter how that makes you feel as far as being single or having a partner goes… I hope you take some time today to self-reflect.  Looking at our relationships and really taking note of how they impact our lives.  If that’s positively- take some time to say or do something special for that person-whether its a romantic relationship or not!!  Its also a great time to think about our relationship with ourselves- do something for yourself today that makes you feel empowered.  Maybe that’s taking a bubble bath with some amazing essential oils, taking a yoga class, making a plan to get some on-sale chocolate tomorrow…. whatever it is- do it for YOU.  If you’re feeling bitter towards the holiday, maybe refocus that energy on bringing positivity into your relationship with yourself.  We can’t pour from an empty cup and we can’t depend on others to get our fill either.  It all starts within us and whatever we take in will pour out to others and come back to us as well!

My favorite Valentine’s surprise wasn’t one that I received, but rather what I was able to pull off for one of my best friends.  My friend Kristen and I rode horses together for a long time and she always wanted one of her own.  She had her mom talked into leasing a horse (keeping the horse just for a little while) for a two-year contract, but she didn’t have a horse in mind or lined up, yet.  I snuck out with our riding instructor at the time over to Milan and tried the horse out to see if she’d like him.  He was HUGE which was a plus since she’s 6 feet tall herself.. and sweet- so I knew she would love him!

We arranged for Cutter (the horse) to come to the barn, her mom had the contract signed & ready.. and I went to grab a few little gifts for him to give to her for Valentine’s Day.  He had a fresh braid in his mane and was freshly bathed to make a good first impression.  I wrapped some ribbon around the stall he was in along with a “Happy Valentine’s Day” sign on the front with some flowers asking Kristen to be his Valentine.  I walked her up to the stall and it took her FOREVER to understand that it was meant for her!  She started freaking out and thanking me (about this time her mom walked in too).  Truly the best gift is giving someone else something special.  I will never forget that moment of giving my friend her first horse and making a very special Valentine’s surprise.

Namaste, Angela

Working on being 1% better every day… today I set my alarm for five minutes earlier.  I figured since I’m always five minutes late to everything I would start from the beginning of my day and give myself a little more time.  Spoiler alert: I still made it to work at the same time- scooting in a few minutes behind schedule as usual.  BUT before I left home I did get my dishes done, all of my stuff packed for the day (I usually forget at least one important item), let my car warm up so I wasn’t totally shivering while peering through one corner of my frozen windshield… and even left a note telling my boyfriend to have a good day.

Maybe it doesn’t seem like much, but I really feel like it started my day off on the right foot.  Its almost 10am and I haven’t yet missed those 5 extra minutes of sleeping, but I do feel more accomplished than most other mornings.  I think part of it is the intention as well.  I recognized that I don’t feel good about being late all the time so I took a small step towards changing that fact.  What is one thing in your life you could improve on by 1%?  What would give you that little taste of accomplishment towards a bigger goal?

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”

Namaste, Angela

We all have goals.  Some of them seem far-fetched and others might just take time.  I think we get into this mindset that one day you’re going to do something… whether it has to do with a fitness journey, a new job, or any other life change… we keep saying to ourselves “one day”.

The problem with “one day” is that it isn’t specified as Monday, Tuesday, July, the 1st of the month, 2018… there is no start time for “one day”.  Instead of seeing our goals as something a later version of ourself will care about more than the current version.. let’s set those goals into action.

Step 1: Write them down.  Think about what’s important to you and write it on paper.  Put it out into the universe that there is a change you want to make and you have identified what it is.  Make it specific, make it timely, make it important to who you want to become.

Step 2: Every day be 1% better.  When we fail, we give up.  Our lives change one choice at a time, so if our goals aren’t happening 1% at a time- we will fail.  Acknowledge what you’re getting right and put into action a way to change what you don’t like.  This has nothing to do with a time of year, or age in life, or anything else.. it has to do with valuing who you want to be more than the comfortable version of yourself.  Change is hard and it takes time.  The excitement of the possibility will wear off.  Make the goal meaningful to you and know what it is.  Be 1% better every day and with time and consistency… you WILL reach any goal you’re wanting to achieve.

Step 3: Keep up with your consistency and celebrate your results!  Whatever it is you’re working towards- it will happen if you keep chipping away at it.  Surround yourself with people who support you and will hold you accountable.  Give yourself grace and time… you can achieve anything. 🙂

Namaste, Angela

Summer of last year, I heard about this yoga teacher training that was going on at the studio.  I was all about it but the price really discouraged me- not because it wouldn’t be worth it.. but because we had just bought a house and the timing didn’t seem right.  But really, when would the timing ever be right?  There’s always something else to pay for.. something else to worry about… but I wasn’t going to let the doubts stop me this time.  I jumped in- fears and all- and started the Backwards Yoga teacher training program in October of 2017.  This is not your average weekend training… but 200 hours over the period of 6 months.  Its been many weekends spent with a small group of yogis that are just as passionate as I am for bringing yoga to the lives of others.

As a group I don’t know if we could have any more differences.  We all bring something unique to the table through our jobs, points in life, relationships, experiences, passions, diets, and reasons for entering the YTT program.  Yet we have taken the sometimes dry material of positioning the anatomy of a human.. and made it come to life through laughter, tears, and literally changing lives along the way.

Since being diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis, I’ve known yoga needed to be a big part of my life forever so I wasn’t full of pain from my lower back.  I’ve always had a passion for teaching people, so teaching yoga seemed like a natural part of that, although its a bit nerve-racking to hear your own voice for an hour at a time.  Being a part of such an amazing group of people who I know truly have my back has been life-changing.  Everyone in my teacher training program I didn’t know well to begin with- practiced yoga with but that was about it… and now I would consider them very dear friends.

There’s something about yoga that changes you outside of becoming more “flexible”.  You learn how to let go in other aspects of life too, becoming a more calm person no matter the situation.  I feel more in control even when things are out of my control now.. because I know I am in charge of my thoughts and how I feel.  Exploring the philosophies and knowing where yoga comes from has been fascinating.  Being able to explore different topics like pre-natal yoga, aerial yoga, Ashtanga yoga, sequencing for different ailments, modifications for different bodies, etc. has been amazing.  Being within this group I feel motivated to keep up with my practice, pay attention to what’s going on, and be on top of our classes/homework/etc.  Outside of learning to teach yoga, this has taught me more about myself than probably any other thing I’ve been through in life.

Although its been more intensive at times than earning my bachelor’s degree.. it has truly been so rewarding and FUN.  We’ve had so many cool people teach us their specialties in yoga, and we’ve built our own teacher palettes with what we enjoy learning about as well.  If any of you are considering doing the YTT program (I believe another one is coming up in the fall) PLEASE talk to me or anybody else from our group if you need any encouragement or have questions.  It has been beyond amazing and whether you intend to teach or not, its something you should really consider doing!

Namaste, Angela

So, I’ve been doing the whole teacher training thing since October.  Of course we’ve taken turns “teaching” to each other and I perform enough that I’m past the whole “my voice sounds weird” stage of public speaking and now I’m more concerned about the content falling out of my mouth.  Tuesday night I taught my first official class.. as in people paid good money to be here type class.  I was super nervous- at first I thought no one would come, then a whole bunch of people showed up, then I had five brand new yogis, then I felt like running out of the studio!  But for real.. it was amazing.

Most everything I had written on my notes I either forgot or didn’t apply to the people that were in the room.. I wasn’t going to throw them into half moon during their first class!  Plus my mom and dad came.. they were already “concerned” about the 105 degree room… let alone trying any pose that was too intimidating.  We all got through it together and much like when I’m taking a class- my favorite part was feeling the energy in the room become new again.

There were 12 of us in there including me and its amazing to think of all the life experiences that we shared and had unique to each one of us.  We all have different bodies, different needs, different pasts, and wanted to get something different out of class.  I think that will continue to be one of the most difficult parts of teaching- giving so many different people enough of what they need that they feel fulfillment from coming to my class.  By the end we were all sweating- but not dying- which is always a good balance to find.  We breathed together in child’s pose and it really felt like we were all one.  Sounds a bit far-fetched, but this is yoga after-all.

After handling that first class and hearing that everyone enjoyed it- I feel ready for anything.  I don’t think I’ll be afraid to ask “any requests?” like I need to keep my eyes glued to my notes.  I hope to keep expanding my knowledge so that when someone has something specific- like say a piriformis muscle that’s acting up… I feel confident on building a sequence to help them.  Even if that means figuring it out on the fly.  That being said, come try it out with me folks!  I’ll be teaching every Monday 6:30-7:30pm, Tuesdays 7:00-8:00pm, and rotating through some other times as well (like this Friday 5:30-6:15am).  I also need some teaching hours outside of the studio for my teacher training (8 more to be exact) so I’ll be accepting some small group sessions given to you in your home for FREE!  Feel free to talk to me at the studio or message me through Facebook if you’d be interested in having me teach an hour for you and friends all for free- we can work on anything you need!

Namaste, Angela