Notes from my mini-staycation

Hello Lovely Readers,

I hope you are doing well and enjoyed a day off today! I have been on a mini-staycation from my practice since last Thursday and have been soaking up lots of sun and relaxation!

I chaperoned a baseball game for my daughter's class, attended my darling niece's dance recital, helped my mom move, spent half a day in my pajamas doing nothing, finally cleaned off my desk, read 300+ pages of The Carrie Diaries, had blueberry pancakes for breakfast, discovered I love Seltzer water (never tried it before), held my 1 month-old nephew during his nap, went swimming, slept in, watched a parade, found fabulous black bean chipotle burgers, got sunburned twice despite sunscreen, saw Letters to Juliet, donned my new TranquiliT reversible sleeveless wrap dress, and took a long walk by the gorge. It has been so relaxing!

Now I've retreated to bed with my Planner Pad to look at the week ahead and I'm pining for more vacation! It feels like summer here already and I am dying to lounge around and read and nap and drink margaritas! I'm planning to move to a lighter schedule for July and August, working only Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and I am looking forward to much more relaxation!

Bloom into your Best Self: A Bouquet of Spring Offerings

Bonjour! Please consider joining moi for one of our many Spring Offerings at Tree of Life Yoga Studio. Our focus this Spring is Blooming into your Best Self. Read on for the scoop!

Note: the special rate of $80 for the Women's Wellness Retreat ends Monday March 1st so be sure to reserve your space today!


Introduction to Meditation, Thursday March 4th, 7pm – 8:30pm

Are you curious about meditation? Not quite sure how to get started? Dip your toes into this ancient practice by joining life coach Kim David and moi for a relaxing evening full of practical information and techniques.

Participants in this workshop will:

~ Discover the power of now

~ Learn simple techniques for staying present

~ Be presented with basic information on the brain science behind meditation and how the mind
works

~ Have the opportunity to practice mini-meditations in a peaceful, supportive environment

~ Leave with several meditation techniques to practice at home

Pre-registration is requested and space is limited
Investment: $20 if you pre-register, $25 at the door (space permitting)

Chakra 4 Workshop Tuesday, March 2nd, 6:30-8:30pm

The fourth chakra is located at the heart center and relates to our ability to love ourselves and others.

Participants in this workshop will:

~ practice yoga postures to activate the fourth chakra (located at the heart center)

~ enjoy a guided meditation to help you connect with your center of love and compassion

~ reconnect with your authentic self

~ cultivate unconditional love and acceptance of yourself

~ learn strategies to help you deepen your connection with your fourth chakra

Pre-registration is required. Investment is $20 and includes all materials.
You do not have to have attended the previous Chakra Workshops in order to participate in and fully enjoy this workshop!

Women’s Wellness Retreat, Saturday March 13th, 10am - 4pm

Join life coach Kim David and moi for a day focused on Blooming into your Best Self! Welcome in Spring and renew your mind, body, and spirit with vinyasa yoga, meditation, and self-care workshops.

Your $99 investment includes two vinyasa yoga sessions, meditation session, both workshops with Kim, lunch, and plenty of healthy snacks throughout the day! The discounted rate of $80 ends Monday March 1st. Be sure to call or email today to reserve your space at this special rate!

Meditation Circle with Reverend Ellen Bourn
Thursdays, March 18, 25, April 8, 15, 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Meditation has shown by medical science to reduce stress, hypertension, anxiety. The concepts of Dis-ease will be explored. The participants will have the opportunity to experience better coping strategies which have been shown by medical science to reduce hypertension, anxiety, and aid with weight management.

Meditation gives us the ability to remain empowered throughout our day. Meditation is a tool that offers us peace, relaxation and a deeper attunement with ones soul. Learn to focus on your inner-self, discover your divine power and transform your rough spots into Sacred spaces.

Are you not sure you are "Meditating properly"? Join us and find your answers.
This circle welcomes both those who have never experienced meditation and those with more experience.

Limited enrollment. Pre-registration is required. Commitment is required for the entire 4 week program.

$50.00 Energy Exchange.

Do Yoga. Do Good. Book Club, Tuesday March 30th, 6:30pm-8:30pm

I am so very excited to be combining two of my passions in order to raise awareness of and funds for issues dear to my heart. In February we raised $30 for V-day!

Our next book will be Marley & Me by John Grogan. Twenty percent of monies collected will be donated to the Niagara County SPCA.

$25 investment includes yoga class, book club discussion, & refreshments (20% of all monies collected will be donated to the Niagara County SPCA). Participants must provide their own copy of the book. Pre-registration is required.

To pre-register for any of our offerings, please contact me at 716-939-0892 or mscime710@roadrunner.com.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Mindy

Holiday Fun

Hello Readers! I hope you are all doing well!

I can't believe that December is almost half over! Time is flying by this month...

Last week I was feeling kind of grumpy. I felt like I did not have any time to devote to holiday fun. On the one hand I am so grateful to have lots of work to keep me busy, but at the same time I don't like when things feel out of balance (all work and no play...). So I decided to schedule in some holiday fun time just like an important business meeting!

So far this month I have taken my daughter and her friend to the Kissmas Bash concert, attended a holiday party at my neighbors house, gone to the spa with my sister for a massage and facial (absolutely heavenly), and caught up with friends from my old job over some yummy holiday punch. Tomorrow I am going to bake cookies with my gramma! And we are making snickerdoodles - my favorite!!! Other things I am looking forward to this month: driving or walking around the neighborhood with the family to admire holiday lights while savoring yummy hot beverages, having a glass of Bailey's in front of the Christmas tree, listening to the sweet sound of children singing at Meg's chorus concert, teaching extra yoga classes to raise money for The PASSAGE House in Niagara Falls, watching all of the little ones in my family open their presents on Christmas day, sleeping in during my self-imposed vacation this month, eating Snickerdoodles for breakfast, and watching holiday movies (really want to see Four Christmases). I also am pondering starting a Winter Solstice tradition. I'm not exactly sure what, but I am thinking something that involves clearing clutter... any suggestions?

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season! What are you most looking forward to during this special time of year?

Photo credit

Artist Date at Goat Island

Lately I have been feeling a bit stuck. Things are not happening as quickly or easily as I would like them to and I feel myself becoming irritated with this process. I've been getting caught up in the details and losing sight of my bigger vision, my intention for these businesses. It is easy to do when most of my days right now are filled with the bureaucracy of insurance companies, banks, public agencies, etc. I don't mean to knock these institutions. They are very important and necessary to what the hubby and I are trying to do here. Which is? Transform a more than 100-year old-in-some-places-literally-crumbling building into a sanctuary of peace and inspiration for our community. Anyways....I digress. The point is I have not been feeling so fabulous about the details of my daily life lately!

So, I decided to take myself on an Artist Date. An Artist Date is a solo excursion where one spends an hour simply doing whatever she desires. Sound fabulous? It most definitely is! I have been doing them for more than a year since I first worked through The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

Yesterday I chose to pack up my books, journal, and camera and head to Goat Island, a beautiful park here in Niagara Falls. I took along a soy chai latte to keep me warm. I haven't had one in a long time so it felt like a real treat! This Artist Date combined several of my favorite things. Physical movement: I didn't want to pay the $10 for parking so I parked on the city street and walked into the park. I also did quite a bit of hiking around while I was there. Nature: Goat Island is gorgeous and filled with trees and waterfalls and tons of natural eye candy. Reading: I brought along the three books we are using for the creativity circle with Kimberly Wilson: The Artist's Way, Hip Tranquil Chick, and the 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women. Writing: I spent some time resting beside a tree and writing in my journal.

I had a fabulous time and truly do feel refreshed after those hours spent alone walking, reading, writing, contemplating. In retrospect, I feel like I chose this location for my Artist Date because of all the fast-flowing water. It is in constant flux, always moving, the opposite of being stuck...

Renewal

Yesterday I attended an amazing yoga class complete with live cello music! It was absolutely delicious...

While guiding us through a wonderfully challenging vinyasa, the instructor was talking about renewal and how we have to "die a little" to be "reborn." This theme keeps coming to me lately, in various forms. First the yoga class. Then Brenda Stanton discussed it today in her weekly email. She talked about how you have to give up part of who you are today to fully become your true self and realize your dreams. Add in the fact that is Spring is slowly arriving here and I cannot help but consider what renewal means for me as I'm going through this very life-changing kind of time.

I think it is comforting to keep in mind that in order to grow or change we have to go through some discomfort/death/sacrifice. It makes me feel like the discomfort is meaningful. That it is a sign that I am on the right path. Right now I am in a place where I feel extremely grateful and excited that I am turning my dream of opening a Wellness Center into a reality. At the same time I feel completely overwhelmed almost every time I stop and consider exactly what it is I am doing. Quitting my job. Giving up my paycheck, health benefits, retirement fund. In a really scary economy where most people are just happy to have a job. Taking on responsibility for every single facet of running a business. I start to think, "Holy crap! I am crazy! Who do I think I am to try and pull this off?" {This is sometimes the point where I start crying.}

How long I engage in this train of thought varies from day to day, but eventually I always remind myself to stop and take a deep breath. I remind myself of my awesome family that is always there for me. I think of the other challenges I've overcome in my life. I remember that everything is just falling into place way too beautifully for this not to be exactly what I am supposed to be doing with my life right now.

So I'm working on embracing the discomfort. Thinking of it as natural and beautiful, a part of the whole changing/growing process. Trying to remember to breathe, to soften into the challenge, like I might during my 6th breath in Plank pose.