As we approach 2017, I’m doing a year in review about my 2016 blog posts. If you didn’t catch them the first time, take time to read them now!
And I’d like to thank you for following me here over the last couple of years. I hope you’ve found it useful and/or inspiring in some small way, and I look forward to continuing to explore my own yoga and teaching and to reach out to you and yours.
My 2016 Blog Year in Review
6 Ways My Fitness Life Has Changed as I’ve Gotten Older
When I was in my 20s, I never thought there would be a day when I wouldn’t lifting heavily and spending two hours a day in the gym. Through the years, I’ve become more forgiving, more trusting of my own dedication to fitness, and more appreciative of the different types of “in shape” I’ve been through lifting, ballet, marathon training, and yoga.
How Your Body Type Affects Your Yoga Practice
I’m getting pretty passionate about this, as we’re exposed to more and more images of “perfect” yoga poses. Every body is put together a little bit differently, and these differences, not only in our weight and height, but also in the length of our bones, the size of our rib cages, the shape of our joints, and more will make an impact on how easily you can hold certain yoga poses, and in how those poses will look when we do them. And that’s okay, because there is no perfect pose. There’s only what shows up in your body, and that’s a wonderful thing, whatever it looks like.
Do You Need Workout Motivation…or Discipline?
Stop scouring the web for motivation to exercise. None of us are motivated all the time, but we go workout anyway…and it’s discipline, not motivation, that gets us there.
Vegetarianism and Me
This is one yogi’s (me) approach and experience with a vegetarian diet. It has evolved ever so slightly since I wrote this (I’m going on three months of 100% vegetarianism again), but I still believe that no one should shame anyone else’s dietary choices. We’re all doing the best we can with the knowledge and awareness we have. When we know better, we do better — and I don’t think “better” looks the same on everyone.
Finding Light in a Heavy World
Can we pretty much agree that 2016 was not anyone’s best year? I wrote this post after a particular bad week of tragedy upon tragedy. I strongly believe that my rage and sadness do nothing to solve these types of issues. All I can do is love more. All I can do is show up positively for the people I come across each day. So that’s the work I’ll do.
Thinking Less and Saying Yes: The Art of Spontaneity
This year, I bought tickets to Guatemala. Then we decided not to go. Then, with 20 minutes before I had to leave for the airport, I changed my mind and packed my bag after all. This led to a beautiful experience. Sometimes, weighing the options is the last thing you need to do.
Doing Yoga When You Need to Do Yoga
Sometimes, we find it hard to get on the mat when we need our yoga practice the most. There’s no simple solution to make yourself practice, but this is how I got myself on the mat when I found myself avoiding it.
On My Way to India
I wrote this the day before I left for my 500-hour yoga teacher training in India — a huge highlight of my yoga year.
If You’re a Yoga Teacher, Where are All the Handstand Selfies?
Every yoga pose is beautiful and beneficial, but if you get caught up in chasing one particular pose, you end up missing a lot of the richness yoga has to offer. This is why I don’t do a lot of handstands, even though they’re fun to work on.
Which Your Body Best post was your favorite this year? How do you consider your own year in review?