Planning, Planners, Plans

I just have a few minutes before I have to jet over to The NACC for my 7pm Vinyasa class, but I thought I'd quickly post about what's been on my mind.

First, planning. In reviewing my summer goals, I realized Reclaiming my Body was still at the top of the list, right where it was for spring! I have kept up with the goal of going to a weekly yoga class, but I feel like I'm needing more. So I've decided I'm going to try planning my meals, which I haven't done before, and putting my physical activity for each day into my planner just like I would schedule a meeting at work.

Which brings me to planners. This year I bought a compact, simple planner to go along with my aspirations of simplifying my life. Now I'm feeling like I can't fit my schedule in it! And I discovered the Planner Pad, which basically allows you to combine your schedule with your to-do list. Love it! Want one! But I feel kind of guilty when I have a planner with 6 months left in it... so I'm undecided as of yet!

Plans, plans, plans! I worked most of the weekend so that I can make my goal end date at work, THIS Friday! I can't believe it! I am so excited to be moving on to my next endeavor! And I have been dreaming up grand summer plans all week. I'm dreaming of hanging out with my family, getting a bike, visiting my local farmer's market, reading for pleasure (I've already started), preparing healthy meals at home, painting my new office, taking tons of yoga, playing with my niece, laying in the sun, and more. I could go on, but I have to get to class!

Good Things

Nina over at The Whole Self sometimes writes a Good Things list, so I totally borrowed this idea from her!

I feel like I am having an ultra crappy week, so I need to remind myself of the Good Things!

Here goes! Good Things that have occurred this week in the midst of all the not-so-good stuff...

girls' night with the yayas

fields greens with mango, strawberries, almonds, and goat cheese

freshly made amaretto ice cream

i'm actually connected to the internet on my new laptop (it's been in the works since december, i am not kidding)

me sticking to my physical activity plans for the week (so far), including a super challenging yoga class (gasp) in the middle of the work day

two consecutive 80+ degree days

coming home to find my husband pulling weeds and being able to effortlessly cross that off my to-do list

Cheers to the Good Things!

Swampy Saturday

It feels like it has been raining forever! Yucky, yucky weather :-(

I started my morning teaching a yoga class by candlelight at The NACC. I felt called to focus on the knee joints. All of this damp weather has mine feeling creaky and in need of some major TLC!

I headed home afterwards for my staple breakfast of coffee and yogurt with granola and fruit. Yum! After a change of clothes, I hopped in the car and commuted to my UB office. I decided to come in and work for a few hours because I am concerned that I may not be able to get everything tied up here before my scheduled end date of July 3. It's only two weeks away!!!

So I'm just taking a quick break and then it is back to work!!! Last night the hubby and I spent some time at the new building taking stock of everything we need to do before we can open up in the Fall. I kept gushing about paint colors and he kept reminding me about water damaged drywall! We balance each other out so well :-)

Okay....back to work! Hope you are either spending this Saturday in a less swampy place or you are curled up under a blanket reading a novel or watching a movie or something equally lovely!

What a fabulous day!

I was already feeling especially splendid today, with my licensure test being over and all, and then I opened my email and found this lovely treat! The super sweet Melita gifted me with this one lovely blog award! I'm such a newbie blogger and I am so very flattered by this!

Here are six other things I am completely, obnoxiously happy about today:

1. I went to the library this morning to check out books to read for fun!!!! I got Expecting Adam by Martha Beck and The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. So excited for some leisurely reading!

2. After the library, I headed over to my daughter's chorus concert. The kids were awesome (and so cute, even though she hates when I say that) and they even sang "I'm holding out for a hero" from Footloose. Does anyone remember that song? I totally had that album when I was younger and I was about to sing along with them. Such a fun start to the day!

3. My amazon order came today. I sent for two work-related books that I am really looking forward to reading this summer: The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield and The Healing Path of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi.

4. The fact that books about yoga and Buddhist Psychology are actually considered work-related in my world!

5. My husband ate the leftover Chinese food for dinner and let me have the leftover Etouffee.

6. The de-cluttering e-course started on Monday, but I haven't had time to dive in yet so I'm making that a priority for tonight!

Here are some lovely blogs that I would like to pass this award onto:

Goddess Guidebook

I Need a Martini Mom

Boho Girl

Jen Lemen

The Whole Self

Penelope Dullaghan

I'm off to enjoy some reading before bed! Good night!

2009 so far...

Things are super busy right now, but mostly in a good way! I'm going through a period of extreme change that brings with it joy, fear, excitement, nerves, and more. I'm doing my best to ride the wave and stay centered (with varying degrees of success depending on the day)...

So amidst all these changes, I took a little break today to reflect on 2009 so far. I can't believe the year is almost half over!

Here is a sampling of things I've done so far...

• completed Pre-Natal Yoga Training
• attended weekly (challenging) yoga class
• started this blog
• took a drawing class
• created a painting
• ran 1st women's wellness circle
• completed the microenterprise program
• opened my 1st business bank account

And things I plan to do by the end of the year...

• close on property for wellness center (on Friday!)
• pass EPPP (hopefully on Tuesday!)
• try yoga dance class
• go to california with my husband to relive our honeymoon
• go back to spinning class
• take goddess leonie's de-cluttering e-course & clear some major clutter
• open a private practice
• take a family vacation to rhode island
• brainstorm new ways to volunteer in my community

What an eventful year so far! Okay, back to work!

Inspiration

Have you heard of this idea of picking a word for the year? Sort of like summing up your New Year's resolution in one word? I'm not sure where I came across this idea; I'm thinking it was probably from Kimberly or Kelly Rae...

Anyhow, my word for the year is inspiration. For me, inspiration means many things: waking everyday feeling excited about what lies ahead of me, delighting in everyday things, feeling the urge to create, and more!

This morning I woke up feeling very inspired! I had an amazing dream about wandering around and adoringly inspecting the soon-to-be home of Living Wellness of Niagara (pictured above). We are scheduled to close on the property next Friday - yay!!!! I feel so at home in this space, even though I've only been inside about five times. It just feels so right! I can't wait to get in there and start painting and picking out furniture and decorations :-)

After my few minutes of blissed out daydreaming, I headed to the gym and then came home to (of course) study. After two hours in front of the computer I was feeling anything but inspired... so I took an inspiration break. After journaling for a few minutes and taking a nice hot shower complete with Mango shower gel, I was feeling better!

Some of the other ways I've sought out inspiration this week are: an hour in Starbucks with a soy chai latte, my journal, and these two books, studying in Panera over a yummy veggie sandwich & salad, signing up for Goddess Leonie's new e-course, and an hour browsing in Barnes & Noble and buying myself this treat.

A few of my other sure fire ways to spark inspiration include:

• yoga


• a walk in the sunshine


• writing


• buying fresh flowers


• reviewing my long-term goals


• some time with a good magazine, really like this one


• getting a massage & facial


• painting, coloring, drawing


• meditation


• eating a fresh fruit salad


• reading


• getting a pedicure


• lighting a candle

Wishing you all a day filled with inspiration!