Yoga With Spirit

I love summer, don’t you? It’s the only season I sometimes wish would go on forever. When I crunched into a pile of leaves on the sidewalk on another gorgeous walk last week, I had to face the fact that – whether I like it or not – change is coming. In fact, it’s been coming all the while. But just because I’ve acknowledged that fall is coming, doesn’t mean I need to rush into it. Thankfully I can take this change as slowly as it is happening.

Click here to read my full essay.

It is Happening All the While | Yoga With Spirit Crunching into a pile of leaves on the sidewalk on a gorgeous summer morning was a reminder that - whether I like it or not - change is coming.

It’s easy to think that we have to be extraordinary or impressive in this world, isn’t it? Thankfully, a bald eagle reminded me that this is not the case at all. I watched her for a week and didn’t see her doing anything spectacular. No dive bombing from impossible heights. No flying with an enormous fish in her talons. I’d just observed her doing the little “normal” things that all mothers need do and the awe I felt seems meaningful. She helped me remember that the wonder and beauty of simply living your one, little life is plenty.

Click here to read my whole essay.

A Reason to Look Up | Yoga With Spirit Even when she was not doing extraordinary things like erupting from the water with a fish, “our” bald eagle is astonishing. What if the same is true of us?

It can be tempting to hide all the ways that you are a mess inside. You might even think you’re somehow protecting your friends by doing so - thinking, “Nobody wants to deal with all this!” But you’re not protecting them, you’re preventing them from really knowing you. Share your stories – the sad ones and the mad ones and the super funny ones. Knowing you (warts and all) is, in the end, all that your true friends want.

Click here to read my full essay.

Share Your Stories | Yoga With Spirit When you keep secret all the ways that you are a mess inside, you’re not protecting your friends. You’re preventing them from really knowing you.

A friend recently talked about expecting miracles. As I listened, I realized that I’ve gotten out of the habit of even hoping for miracles. Instead, I spend a lot of energy problem-solving problems that don’t yet exist to make sure I’ll be OK if things get messy. As much as I’d like to be brave enough to expect miracles, I don’t think I’m ready (yet). That said, because I can remember expecting miracles when I was much younger, I know it’s possible. In the meantime, I think taking a deep breath and asking myself, “What if everything works out?” could be a good starting point.

Click here to read my full essay, which I hope will help you recognize many miracles in your own life.

What If Everything Works Out? | Yoga With Spirit What if, instead of constructing another Plan B, you asked yourself, “What if everything works out?” Imagine the energy that would leave to pour into today.

If you’re a parent, you probably brought your child home a little overwhelmed by how much you had to teach them so that they would grow up to be a good person. I’ve been astonished again and again over the last 29 years to learn and relearn that I had it all wrong. My children are my teachers — and they’re teaching me the most important and challenging lessons of my life.

Click here to read my full essay. If you’ve had the same experience, I’d love to know what your children have taught you.

Tiny Tyrant, Unexpected Teacher | Yoga With Spirit Over the last 29 years I’ve had to learn and relearn that my children are my teachers — and that they’re teaching me the most important lessons of my life.

This summer, I have spent countless happy hours watering, feeding, pruning, and simply enjoying my garden. It’s not surprising at all to realize that I’ve been tending to more than my plants out there. I’ve also been taking gentle care of myself. If you have a second to leave a comment, I’d love to know what you do to take care of yourself. Oh - and don’t forget to click here to read my whole essay. 🌱 🍅 🌱

Tending More Than Tomatoes | Yoga With Spirit I spend hours watering, feeding, pruning, and simply enjoying my garden. It’s not surprising at all to realize that I’m tending to more than my plants out there

On vacation in Scotland, where the weather was moody, I learned how relaxing it is to go with the flow. Our trip gave me daily chances to experience the beauty of savoring what you get to do and not worrying at all about what you don’t. Happily, I’m finding that I’ve managed to bring a “wee bit” of this mindset home with me.

Click here to read my full essay.

https://yogawithspirit.com/you-get-what-you-get/

Did you know that delight is contagious? The delight we feel when we see someone being delighted can be even more delightful than our own delight. “Second hand” delight is free and easy. We don’t have that very human feeling of wishing it would never end. We just delight in it.

Click here to read about a moment of delight that I was lucky enough to “catch” while running errands.

Delight Every Day | Yoga With Spirit Did you know that delight is contagious? The delight we feel when we see someone being delighted can be even more delightful than our own delight. Pass it on!

It can be hard to know what to do for someone who is hurting. Mostly, the right answer is to look for ways to love them. What does compassion like this look like? There are as many answers to this question as there are friendships. Trust that you’ll know what to say or do because you love them.

Click here to read my full essay that includes one perfect example of compassion given to me by a dear friend.

You Are Not a Problem to Solve. | Yoga With Spirit It can be hard to know what to do for someone who is hurting. Mostly, the right answer is to look for ways to love them.

Can you remember your first real friend? I recently found a picture of mine and the memories that had been tucked away with that lost photo filled with me joy. Friendship is one of the greatest gifts of life. If our friendships bring us so much joy, just imagine how good it could be to become our own friend! Plus when we figure out how to befriend ourselves, we’re able to be an even better friend to our friends. It’s a win-win!

Click here to read my full essay. You can enjoy the song linked at the end as you read!

Do You Have a Friend in You? | Yoga With Spirit Friendship is one of the greatest gifts of life. If our friendships bring us so much joy, just imagine how good it could be to become our own friend!