from illustration to reality: yoga with adriene

Now I KNOW  that I'm being a nerd, but I couldn't help but be so excited when I saw the latest video that Adriene put out.  She looks just like my illustration that she so lovingly shared with all of her followers (@adrienelouise)!  I smiled the entire practice... through the sweat and the pain!

I've started doing Adriene's Yoga for Weight Loss videos and they are kicking my ass.  But if I plan on wearing my new yellow bikini in a few weeks I have to keep on truckin'!

Namaste loves!

hangover yoga + a headstand

This morning was a struggle... to put it lightly.  Let's just say my alter ego was running a muck downtown last night.  Woof.

Today, at 3pm when I peeled myself from my bed, I thought it was appropriate to try out Adriene's Yoga for Hangovers.  Of course it was perfect and exactly what I needed.  I felt so good after that I tried out my first ever headstand.  Her Foundations of Yoga series is so great. When I've attempted headstands before I was doing it all wrong.  Putting actual pressure on my head, feeling frustrated, and not understanding why I couldn't get up into one.  She really dives in deep to the necessary steps to accomplish this position.  

When I first got to stage one of lifting off with my knees bent I was SO excited, so of course the second time I did it I filmed it.  I felt so good about it I extended my legs and held an actual headstand!  My form is definitely not great.  I need to work on getting that straight line from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes, but I was so proud of myself!  Especially on a day where I wanted to lay down and die for the most part.

So if you were out with me last night... or had a similar experience, I highly recommend Adriene's Yoga for Hangovers!  Namaste.

day 23: freedom + forgiveness

The painting above was originally a tattoo design for a little yogi friend of mine, Joanna.  Last summer when I was back home visiting I took one of her classes (which kicked my ass in the best way) and then after we spent the afternoon in the North End catching up on life, talking about my illustrations, her yoga, and what it was like for her moving out of NYC and back to Boston.  She has really built a beautiful life for herself in back home.   She teaches yoga and lives in one of the coolest neighborhoods in Boston.  I think she was the first person to help me see that you don't HAVE to stay in NY to find this "career fulfillment."  I know that seems a little obvious but when you're in it you feel it's the only option.  She definitely opened my eyes a bit.

If you are in the Boston area and want to take a class from my friend Joanna, she teaches at North End Yoga + South Boston Yoga.  Her classes are fantastic.  I sweat so much she needed to bring me a towel in the middle of teaching.  I really loved her class.  When I go to visit I'll have to make a pit stop in the city.  Her website is joannabenevides.com

So I think the wild flowers above are a nice little symbol of freedom for this practice. I really love this watercolor.. especially with the piles of snow outside, it's a reminder of spring.  As always, Adriene leads a relaxing and empowering practice in day 23.  I don't want it to end!  I have a feeling this yoga challenge will quickly become my new "series on Netflix that I just watch on repeat." BUT she does have other videos that I am very excited to dive into.  

Take care, be well, and happy Sunday!

day 22: heart to earth + full body awareness

Day 22 starts out with heart to earth pose which I think works back nicely to the concept of full body awareness.  To me it helps remind me to appreciate every little simple thing that is good.  Your heart, your health, and the perfect ground we stand on. 

Lately I've been missing my home and my family a lot. The photo above is a picture I took when my mom came to visit me in the fall.  We took a walk through Central Park and this was a moment we passed along the way.  

day 21: joyful home practice

Day 21! This practice was all about focusing on your breath, fine tuning and exploring your poses, and finding full-body awareness.  It  was very relaxing and of course... joyful! 

Happy Monday everyone.

day 19 + day 20: heart practice

Happy Valentine's Day!  

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays.  I love the pink, red, and white color combos and the cute cards and the hearts.  I love it all!  

All day I've watching rom-coms and painting while snow falls outside. It's the perfect Saturday afternoon.  Since it has been freeeezing on the east coast it's a great time to warm up with some at home yoga. Day 19 is all about the breath while day 20 focuses on opening up the heart.   

Stay warm friends!

day 18: balance

Day 18 was pretty cool.  There were some poses I've never done before that required a lot concentration, balance, and trust in your body.  When I felt myself stick the pose I was so excited and inspired.  I've been attempting to find some balance in my everyday life as well.  Getting to the office early and staying late, then continuing to work at home has been throwing me off a little bit.  So I'm trying to focus on centering myself, keeping my mind happy and clear when I can, and trying to figure out what my real happy actually is.   It's a process. 

day 16 + 17: ocean breath + a boost of happy

Mercury is in retrograde people.  Which means nothing is right in the world.  A bit dramatic... yes... but somewhat accurate. Mercury rules over communication so when it's in retrograde, up is down, left is right, I have zero balance, and my brain is like scrambled eggs.  These past few days have been.. not good, to keep it simple. Lots of anxiety and frustration.  I have to say that my time on my little mat is the only time when I can really let go of it all. 

I can't say that these videos have completely erased the bad energy but they have really calmed me down and helped me to find my breath when I feel a little panic-y.  

In day 16 Adriene talks about ocean sounds through your breath.  When you achieve it it is so relaxing.  The images that flooded my mind of course were the photos I took down by the water over Thanksgiving at my family's home in Boston.  Calm and blue.  Such a relaxing image.  I also held my side plank on both sides!  Super exciting.  I don't think I've ever done that.  Small victory for the day.

Day 17 really grounded me and calmed me this morning before I headed into work.  I went to bed early last night but woke up at midnight and mind was racing, stressing, and I couldn't fall back to sleep.  I was really glad that I managed to woke up early this morning to partake in day 17.   I feel a lot better... my mind clearer. 

Enjoy + be well.

day 15: half moon

How fitting. Day 15, halfway through and it's all about the half moons!

I took some time to reflect on why I started this challenge.  I wanted clear my mind, reunite with my happy, and to feel good both inside and out.  My mind, like everyone I know, gets completely filled with unnecessary stress and negative perspectives of current situations.  I wanted a moment where I could dust all of that away.  A moment where none of that exterior shit that takes up far too much energy matters. When I step onto my 10+ year old bright blue mat I take time for me, and I breathe away all of it. 

Day 15 and I already feel changes. My body feels slimmer, stronger, and I stand up straighter.  And I smile more!  The theme of the half moon got me so excited. It's the moon I was born under and the halfway point of my first challenge of the new year.  The half moon pose was a challenge since it is all about balance... another thing I'm striving for in the new year.  Even though I fell out of the pose oh so gracefully, it reminded me that every day is different with new challenges.  Points like that in the challenge teach me to appreciate all stages of any process.  Even if you unattractively fall flat on your face.

interior inspirations: stick pose

Today we had a snow day in New York so I got to wake up and start my day with the lovely Adriene.  I really do love waking up early and doing my yoga before going to work, but lately I can't seem to get in bed early enough to not wake up late and be in a complete rush in the morning! Today was definitely a healthy balance of work and yoga.   Everyday should be like that.

Day 12 and lucky day 13 were all about realigning the spine and building endurance.  We sat in stick pose for a second so of course my brain went right to my new stick decor!  Sounds weird.. but it looks great!  I've got branches on the brain!  I love when my yoga practice can relate back to my art and design work.  Keeps me inspired.   

inspiring sundays

Today I found some inspiration on Franklin Street in Greenpoint.  Sadah and I had the most adorable brunch and then walked around.  We hit up People of 2morrow, Home of the Brave, a few other cute home decor shops.  The store designs were all just as beautiful as the product.  Makes me excited for the day that I have a whole house to design instead of just one room. 

I also got closer to finishing my frame wall.  Very excited about that.  I think I need maybe three more and my collection will be complete!

So the shopping therapy was taken care and now we take care of the mind and body...

Lately I've been doing two videos a night.  That's just how I function... I'm in my zone and I want to keep going.  Day 10 was nice and is why I love these videos so much.  They are challenging but they also allow you to relax and not feel like you have to have this crazy difficult work out everyday.  It's nice.  I also just think she's hysterical.  

I hope some of you have tried these videos or at the very least they have inspired you to get out and move around in your own way.  One of my best friends, who was also a yoga instructor, would always encourage me to just simply move around a little.  It doesn't take much to release stress and make your body feel good.   

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

day 8 for the mind + day 9 for the body

Today I was SO tired so the yogi pushups in Day 9 were a little bit of a struggle.  That and the fact that I really need to work on my upper body strength.  Also.. I lost my crow again.  Yesterday and today have not been the most inspiring days but I'm moving forward with positive thoughts and appreciation for my efforts.   Also my clothes don't feel as tight as they have been lately, so that is definitely a plus!  Enjoy Day 8 + 9.  I'm going to paint some jungle leaves and go to bed! 

day 7 was a challenge

Tonight was day 7 of 30 days of yoga and I was not on my game.  Even though it is very common in yoga to not feel your best ALL the time, and that you should be happy where you are.. I still felt very defeated.  Thank God my love Tere came over and we totally owned the dinner and wine game.  Homemade tabbouleh and lemon garlic chicken.  We rocked it.  Yum!

day 5 + 6 + i found my crow

And by crow I mean my crow pose in yoga and not my original raven painting.  Trying to be a little witty here combining my yoga practice with my painting practice. And yes that's my Treasure Troll top knot and belly button.  Anyways, I am SO excited because, like I said, I found my crow again and I held it for a whole 10 seconds!  It's the small victories on this feel good inside and out new years resolution challenge.  Tonight I completed days 5 and 6 of the 30 days of yoga and I feel great!  I will of course leave the videos for you to follow along as well.  But first!  I want to share my very special surprise from today... it felt a little like Christmas..

My dear friend Kat finished my wall tapestry!  This is her first woven tapestry and I absolutely love it.  I have big plans for this guy.  One of which is that he will hang from a branch from my home town on the wall next to my bed.  When he is finally complete I will of course show him off! For now he's just hanging out on some antlers.  So excited!!

I hope you are getting inspired either through these little yoga videos or through learning about new and beautiful ways to make your home feel cozy!  Part of feeling good in the mind and body is feeling good in your space!  Maybe that will be my mantra.  Keep my mind, body and space clean and feeling good.

With that being said, I'm going to light some sage and cook a little dinner!

Namaste. (prayer hands emoji)

a happy mind: day 1

The theme of this past month, as I headed into the new year, was a happy mind.  A happy mind for me means finding time for myself to clear my head of all the stresses of my everyday.  It helps me and allows me to be more productive, more creative, and most importantly a pleasant person.  Yoga gets me there every time.

Since I can't afford to take classes at a yoga studio right now I have been doing yoga in my own little studio apartment!  Tonight I came across Yoga With Adriene and her 30 Days of Yoga.  I figured I would try it out and I wanted to share what I'm currently practicing with you! She is adorable and I love her teaching style, but what really caught my eye was the quality of her videos and the background decor.  It's nothing crazy or fabulous, it's just relatable, simple, clean, and aesthetically pleasing (which is hard to find in "homemade" yoga videos).  As a creative person I appreciate that. 

If you would like to join me on my 30 Days of Yoga journey please do! I do have to warn you though, my 30 days may be scattered (I take days off here and there).  

My new years resolution is to feel good all over and so why not start at the top!  A happy mind is a healthy mind.