What a Wonderful World

Be careful going in search of adventure... it is ridiculously easy to find.
- William Least

Holy moly. So much to say. This year, my appropriately named "year of the chi", is going SO well. I can't even explain.

Open up to goodness, and it finds a way in. I promise.

Yoga Teacher Training starts on Friday! It feels like just yesterday I was deciding whether or not to do it for real. And massage school starts Monday! I KNOW it's all going to be fantastic. How could it not after the start to the year I've had?

Two biggest things in my life that I couldn't possibly go on without blogging about - I'm in love, and my family and I just got back from a jaw droppingly beautiful vacation to Florida.

I'm thinking about doing a larger post about the trip, including pictures, and my spiritual revelations, but this post is more of a catch-up, so I will resist for the time being.

I just want to say to everyone that life really does have a way of working itself out. I had a really, really rough 2012 and instead of going into this year freaking out, I made a decision to instead move forward. And honestly, it's been a wonderful year. I have complete faith in the journey ahead of me.

Side note, I promise to be better about updating. It's my job to spread the chi, so I'm gonna do it more! Love you all. Peace & Light.

Welcome to the New Year

2013 is going to be beautiful.

Before I close all the 2012 books, I'd like to say thank you thank you thank you to everyone who participated in 25 Days of Kind-Chi. It felt so good to be a part of it, and I love you all. We touched a lot of people. I heard so many feel good stories, but I know there are a ton more that I haven't heard of. Knowing there's a little more happy in the world is so comforting, and it's thanks to all of you.

Now, it's time to go into full gear!
I quit my job right before the holiday season, and decided that this year is about forwarding this movement. Going to give my entire self into this concept of Spreading The Chi and see where it takes me.

A huge part of that is going to be the Mindfulness event. I'm looking at April/May time slot wise. Which means it's time to start feeling people out for participation. If you know anyone who may be interested in being a part of it, or if you're interested yourself, please please email me!! I would absolutely LOVE to hear any and every suggestion. And I'm looking for all kinds of people. Musicians, speakers, wellness practitioners... Hit me with ideas, and we'll brainstorm.

Also just putting this out there - I'm going to need a substantial speaker system that can work outdoor and that can plug into an iPod. Any ideas?

I love you guys for reading this. Worry not, my friends, because this thing is going to take off like wildfire this year. It's the year of the chi.

25 Days of Kind - Chi

I'm so so excited to share this experience with all of you!

The other day, completely on a whim, I created an event off of Spreading The Chi's facebook page called:

The concept is that every day between now and December 25th, you go out of your way to do something nice completely for someone else. And then you share with the other kind-chi-ers. So it's all about people making the decision to give back in 25 (or more) little ways this holiday season.

AND WE GOT FIFTY PEOPLE!

It's a dream come true! There's so much goodness being added to this holiday season. People paying for a stranger's lunch or pulling a bike out of a stream for a little kid. People taking a breath and deciding to be a little bit nicer when it's most difficult. I'm so grateful for everyone participating and for the love that's spreading around. You are all making this world a better place.

If you haven't joined, please check it out! Open to everyone on this beautiful planet. :) Facebook, Spreading The Chi, 25 Days of Kind Chi.

Oh, and thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

Re-Creation

- A little housekeeping. Spreading The Chi's facebook page is doing a 25 days of kind-chi group, and you should join. It's becoming pretty fun. Okay. Back to the post. -

I'm about to hit you with a super cliche statement that is about as lame as it is true.

Life. Starts. Now.

The past does not exist past it's ability to effect how you view the present moment. That is entirely in your control, though more often than not it takes time and practice and patience.
But the point is, your life is and only ever will be right now.

So what are you doing?
What aren't you doing?

I recently made a pretty major change, and in the fresh start I saw so so many beautiful opportunities it was overwhelming. And I realized that if I keep doing the same blah-de-blah living I've been doing, I'm going to find myself craving a fresh start all over again! So what's the solution?

This morning I went to church and I listened to a sermon about using the holidays as a time to check in. To "take inventory" with your self, with God, and with others. Which immediately brought me to the three Kai Chi Do connections, self source and others. Now, I don't know what words work for you, and I don't claim to know what's best for everyone, but I can tell you this. When I allowed myself time to sit down and check in with my whole being, top to bottom, inside out, I realized what I needed more of and I realized what I needed to phase out.

But let's backstep for a second. Before you find yourself re evaluating, take a moment to be completely honest with yourself. What is holding you back right now? What is in the pit of your stomach? That thing you just wish you could make go away and your life would be perfect?

Why is this negative for you? Is it not a good situation? Or is it not being handled as it should?

Now comes the hard part.

Fix it.

Whatever it is, however scary, fix it. Cut the part of your life out, or change the way you do something drastically, or eliminate a way of thinking that you've ignored for so long. Free yourself, because no one is going to do it for you.

And then, suddenly, you have the big open space in front of you. You're looking at a blank and beautiful page.

So my strategy is to make two lists.

First, make a list of things you want to bring into your life. Put everything on the table and re do your priorities. What do you miss? What is that thing you find yourself thinking about all the time? "I need to read more" or "I don't call my sister enough." Maybe its something you've never tried, or something you want to do more of. A habit you want to get into. It's important that this list stays positive. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by bringing it down already. This is your chance to lighten up.

The second list is a bit trickier. This is a list of things you want to "phase out". Now again, stay positive. Don't use "stop" or "don't" or "eliminate" words. Instead, make a kind and non judgmental list of things you don't feel are helping you in life anymore.

During my Kai Chi Do training I learned that the easiest and most comfortable way to remove negativity from your life is to squeeze it out with positivity. Make it so there's no more room for those things you don't want, instead of just trying to cut them out. When you replace them first, you don't get left with empty space that you need to fill.

The last step is simple, and also difficult. You've made your game plan. Now take a deep breath, and go for it. You've already laid out a straightforward map of what you do and don't want. And it won't change in one day. But slowly and confidently start molding your life into those lists. Because your worth it. Because life is today, and that piece of paper is going to get filled up whether it's with what you want or it isn't. Don't keep wasting days that don't line up with the truths you just wrote down. That's your heart. That's what you want, you said it yourself. And there is nothing stopping you.

I love you all. Godspeed.

Next Chapter

I asked for full force, and the world gave me an opportunity. I don't want to get too into it, because it's not all public knowledge yet, but I made a change that I probably should have made a while ago. And things are getting better.

It's time to focus completely on my career and my business. Change hasn't always been the easiest thing for me and sometimes I need a good kick in the butt to get going. So I got one. And it's difficult, but I'm thankful for the chance to change directions.

Full Force

I'm coming back, and strong. Full force. I have learned so, so, so much this year.

Its been nuts.

But I'm back. The good and the bad, all of the energy that I was opened up to in 2012 will charge me for a year of productivity in 2013.

Last night I watched Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World. It was really good, and really moving. It makes you think. I'm not going to tell you it's a romcom like I'm so super addicted to, or if its even a chill laid back movie to watch for fun. But it's worth the two hours it takes to watch it. Anyway, it made me wonder what I would change about my life. Which turned into what I will change about my life.

I'm going to craft more. This Christmas is a homemade, heartfelt kind of christmas, and it's going to introduce a year of handmade love to give and share.

I'm going to nourish the relationships I have. I have so many amazing friends and my family is my whole heart, but I often find myself too busy to be as connected as I'd like. I need to re organize my priorities. Find time every day for the people I love, even if it means not everything gets done.

Keep reading. There's so much to learn, and so many worlds to visit. I don't even want to loose my love for the written word, in both the creating and the intake.

I will become and certified yoga teacher. And I will learn from every class I teach.

More importantly, I will begin to benefit from yoga more often. There's SO MUCH out there to give myself through my practice, I just need to take the time.

I will make my Kai Chi Do class take off. It's time to go into business pushy mode, but in the chi sort of way. I'm determined, and my determination stems from a need share the beauty I get every morning when I wake up.

So, I'm making my new years resolutions early. I've got a lot to do, and I'm excited for every second of it.

Happy Holiday Season, everyone. Let's do this one right.

Retreat

Retreat - The act or process of withdrawing, especially from something hazardous, formidable, or unpleasant. The process of going backward or receding from a position or condition gained. To treat again. Going on a trip means taking time away from the ordinary every day concerns to relax and care for your soul.

A big message for me in the past few months has been to take care of your self, your soul, you wellbeing. There was a time when I was pretty in tune with the concept of looking out for yourself. I made some serious decisions and went out of my way to make sure I was doing the right thing for my emotional and spiritual health, which in turn helped me be physically healthy.

But things have been stirred up and flipped over in the past six months, and I'm realizing I've lost touch with myself. I need to spend more time in stillness, in contemplation, to find my footing again.

I need to retreat.

I think we forget how much work goes into that practice. Mindful living, person care, the ability to ground yourself - activities like these are just as time consuming and mentally active as any work you do. Relaxing is different for everyone, but I think there's a difference between sitting mindlessly doing nothing and sitting mindfully in your own presence. Our inner calm deserves as much work as our physical health, because the two go so very hand in hand.

The point of posting the definitions of retreat was to explore the idea that the word itself is vast, and the definition is vague. A lot of times when we think of a retreat it's a sunny beach, an expensive workshop, a physical change of scenery. And that's a beautiful and valid experience. But the truth is that option isn't always available. I'm not saying settle. If you need something, be it a vacation or a class or a weekend of quiet, do it. Find a way. But don't let the largeness of that type of retreat push you away from retreats all together.

Find a quiet place. Comfortable clothes. A candle, maybe, and a prayer or a chant or some quiet music. Find your peace. Get in touch without a time limit hanging over you head or a to do list. Allow those thoughts to float away, however long it takes. Listen to yourself and feel what you really need. Don't wait for a detailed trip to find your mental balance.

I hope you can all find some quiet in your day. And if you're feeling the need to take a more geographic retreat, I know of a few places along the east coast that can truly help you find yourself again. Email me lovies.