Another Sneak Peek, 8.5.18

Another sneak peek at our house:

Please excuse the crappy, iphone photos. I did my best on these first few photos to show the finished lower level (which isn't used much except for toys, but is pretty spacious- half bath, family room and bedroom). There are only a couple of windows on this side, which makes for a dark space. But... that makes it super cozy and great for slumber parties with my grandkids (they love sleeping down there!).

Yes, all of our beds are on the floor.  When you have a small dog with a previously torn ACL and small grandkids, you sometimes choose to just go with beds on the floor! (Headboards, footboards, frames, etc. are in storage and will be for sale soon, stay tuned!) 

Photos upstairs are a little better, since there is a lot of light. (But still, I'm no photographer and no decorator, obviously!) So, here are the three bedrooms, upstairs.

          

And the living room, which, as you can see, gets great light in the morning.

And the recently painted and stained deck.

Call us if you're interested in this cute little house on a hill (with a "seasonal" lake view across the street!). It will be listed this week!

~ Juli

Thank you progress, 8.4.2018

More Thank You notes going out today!

Since talking about it with my daughter the other night, I've been thinking about how odd it may seem to be randomly sending thank you notes to people who have inspired me.  But if you know me well, you know that saying what I think/feel with my voice is not an area of strength for me. (My yoga buddy and I believe it's because we are products of the 60's!) And so, I write. It is how I collect, gather and organize my thoughts about what I think, feel, believe, etc., into some sort of cohesive, coherent statement.

I occasionally sit in on a philosophy group on Wednesday afternoons, where we all share how the Yamas and Niyamas of yoga relate to our lives. It has become easier for me to share (with my voice) with this particular group of people, because we all share with each other. Wednesday night's meeting was particularly emotional for almost everyone there. I realized, at the end of the session, that everyone there had somehow stated, within their story, how grateful they were to have that safe space to freely share.

Writing is that for me- a safe space, where I can freely share. And so, I write. Thank you notes, letters, blog posts, Instagram posts, etc. I have been criticized for sharing too much, but I have also been thanked for sharing so much. And that is the point, to me. I don't share unless I'm at a place with the particular story where I think it will be helpful or useful to someone else. So, not only does it provide comfort to me, I am hoping, the whole time I'm writing, that it may be a comfort to someone else.

One lesson that I have learned over the years, though- if you are emotional about something you've written, wait to press "publish" or "send" or before dropping it in the mailbox or in someone's lap. Definitely sleep on it. Or run it by a few people first. I have recently started to run my written word by my husband and/or kids before sending and I can honestly say, they have saved me from myself many times!

But, with thank you notes, I think I'm safe in not thinking it to death before sending. Because there is no way to misconstrue "Thank You" or "I love you". And if it is, it's not about me.

 So, I write!  And I will continue to write. Have a great weekend!

Be Still. Be Strong and Be Happy!   ~ Juli

We're moving on! (We hope.), 7.18.18

We're moving on! Well, we hope so, anyway! We will be listing our house again, hoping to downsize to something smaller with less maintenance. We are at a point in our lives where we have too many other interests outside of our house. We are probably unusual in that we don't care about having a yard- give us a nice front porch and we are perfectly happy. And since there are only two of us here, most of the time, we really only use four rooms. And even then, those rooms, in this house, are probably twice the size that we actually need. So, we are considering our options and putting our house on the market while we think. We have a few things to do in the next couple of weeks (new bathroom fixtures, planting bushes and some power washing), but our goal is to have it listed by the end of this month. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some pictures, just in case anyone out there knows someone looking for a home. This one holds lots of memories for us, but we really believe it's time to let another family make memories here.

LOVE our front porch.

Painted mural back splash.

Bedroom turned yoga room.

Converted garage studio

This happens every day- several times a day. 

*Gated community with community pool, lakes, clubhouse, playgrounds, campgrounds, basketball court and baseball field.

Main living area and kitchen (including cabinets) were re-painted in 2016; new countertops in 2016; new retaining wall last month; new, oil rubbed bronze doorknobs throughout; two new exterior doors in kitchen in 2015; new carpet throughout in 2015; hardwood floors in main living and hall areas and higher end vinyl in kitchen and baths installed in 2010; newer 50 gallon hot water heater; new bath fixtures coming soon; deck in process of being re-stained (photos coming soon).

Thanks for looking and please spread the word!!

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy.  ~  Juli

The Power of 'Thank You' and "I'm Sorry". 07.12.18

Two years ago, amid my personal chaos, a new school year began. I was anxious about it, as I wasn't sure how I would be able to stay focused on work, since many nights were sleepless and days were spend trying to devise a resolution to my chaos. But, after just a few days in, my perspective began to change when I received a thank you note from an administrator. Then a week or so later, I received another one, and then a thank you from a fellow teacher, then another one. Before Christmas that year, I had received five thank you notes at work. Since then, I've received many more to add to that list-  a very sweet and heartfelt thank you note from a relative, a thank you text from another relative, several thank you letters from students, thank you notes from my grandsons, texts of gratitude from my son and step-son and, at the end of last school year, an apology letter from a student who, in a moment of anger, disrespected me.  Now, I'm not sharing this with you in a bragging way.  I'm sharing it because sometimes sentiments like this are taken for granted, or shrugged off because they seem like just a common courtesy.  But, in my case, it seemed like magic.  They came at a time when my circle of trust had dwindled to a few people and I thought that I couldn't really count on heartfelt kindnesses from anyone other than those few people. I can't help but think that the people sending those notes must have sensed that I needed something positive in my life and they came through for me. And they will probably never understand how much their words meant to me and how much I will always treasure them.  Those simple notes made a huge difference in my perspective. And for me, it didn't matter if the words were written, typed in a Facebook message, sent later than what is considered an "appropriate time frame", texted, e-mailed or verbally communicated- it was the thought, the gesture itself, that counted. It is not my place to instill rules on how a person relays gratitude or regret. I was just grateful.

Now, though, more than ever, I am acutely aware when those simple, but very important words- "Thank you" and "I'm sorry"- are not communicated. It doesn't make me mad. It makes me sad. Because they have missed a golden opportunity to lift someone up, or, in other cases, make things right. And the person who deserves to hear those words, at the very least may feel slighted, and at the very worst, disregarded.

My daughter and step-daughter are both very good at sending thank you notes, even in cases where they aren't necessarily called for (as in -they may have already said thank you in person). I told my step-daughter at the beginning of the year how much I admired that about her and that she inspired one of my new year resolutions- to write more thank you notes. I've been pretty good about it, but now I'm going to step it up and turn this into a challenge for myself and for anyone reading this. In a world where we are bombarded with negativity, judgement and criticism, sending some love out into the world might just make a difference, to at least some of us, right? So, I'm going to start my "Thank you" notes and, if warranted, my apology notes. But, I'm going into it with absolutely no expectation. The recipient can take it any way they please. I'm not looking to receive any acknowledgement from them. My only goal is sending some positive energy into the world. So I'll start with my world and hope that it inspires you to do the same for the people in your world.

My notes will start with the easiest ones, to get the ball rolling. Some of the others may take a little longer, because, lets face it, some of them may be really hard to write. But you can always find at least one good thing in every person, no matter who they are. For just a few minutes, focus only on the positives. You may actually find that the negatives begin to fall away. 

So, if you get a thank you from me, but you haven't actually given me something, don't be surprised. It could just be that I am simply thankful for you and want you to know what I love about you. (I was tempted to title this post "Love Letters", but I thought some people might get the wrong idea!) If you don't get a note from me, you may just get a message on Facebook, or a text. Please don't be offended by that, as it's probably just the only way I know how to reach you. Maybe you'll get one right away. Maybe it will take awhile. But, if you have affected my life in a positive way, start checking your mailbox- virtual or otherwise.

Let the dreamers unite... by spreading some love around!

Who will be the lucky ones who get your ball rolling?


Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy.  ~  Juli

P.S. I'm keeping this blog for personal essays, like this one, and art related posts. For my thoughts on anything "yoga" related, begin watching for posts on my Olive and Ash Yoga blog space. Yes, I've resurrected the "Olive and Ash" name for my yoga business. I love it!

Beauty, 5.30.18

 One of the last lines in my last blog post (almost two months ago- yikes!) was about finding  tranquility, peace and order in myself through yoga. To continue on that theme, as I promised to do in the next few posts, I thought I would break it down into a few lessons that I've learned over the past year, as I've gone through the process of turning crisis and chaos into a gift.

Getting to this point has been a process, for sure. And, as I've said before, I still have my moments. But, still, even the process has been a gift. And the people I have chosen to surround myself with over the past year or so have helped me realize this to be the absolute truth. Meeting and learning from new people with an outlook on life that I can truly relate to has had such a positive impact on me. Many of these lessons began a few summers ago when I discovered podcasts and online workshops and retreats. But the lessons became more evident to me last summer, discovering the joy of community (real, LIVE people!) during my LuJong retreat. The lessons have become even more clear through the teachings of the instructors at Jane's House and from this book and this book (which were required reading for our training). So, onto the first lesson.

Lesson 1- Beauty.

No, I'm not talking about "looking good in your yoga pants", as Judy Ruby mentions in the Jane's House video link above, but really knowing yourself and looking inside of yourself in a way that enables you to interact with the the world around you in your most authentic way, spreading your beauty around as you go.  Beauty on the inside is so much more important than beauty on the outside,right? Obviously, I knew this before, but I think age and experience is really bringing it home for me, lately. I've seen the most beautiful people (on the outside) become "beasts" when the ugly, sad stuff that they carry on the inside presents itself to the world in a cruel and harmful way. And I've witnessed the most beauty in people who are not traditionally "beautiful" on the outside, but who are generous, loving and truly kind on the inside. My goal is definitely the latter. And I knew if I was ever going to reach this goal, I needed to look at myself critically and determine what changes I needed to make in myself, on the inside, in order to get there. And the first step, for me, was finding and being my authentic self- not the person I thought I should be and not the person other people thought I should be. My work over the past year or so has been stripping away all of the "shoulds", unlearning and shedding a lot negative "stuff", learning positive self-talk, etc.- really, just going back to who I really am. I had to rediscover the person I was born to be- not the person who is influenced by the opinions and expectations of other people and not the person who is fulfilling a role that someone else has molded for me.

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Everyone has a purpose. And that purpose is inextricably linked to their true and unique gifts. Finding and keeping those gifts is harder than it may seem, though. Responsibilities (supporting themselves, raising a family, etc.) and negative influences (competition or comparisons, the desire for more money, recognition, accolades,etc.) end up burying their true selves and their true gifts. So, to get back to the bottom of it, I think a good question (and one I have started asking my students on a regular basis), is this: "What was your favorite thing to do when you were five?" What did you do, when you were five, or any time, really, before you had any responsibilities or ego-centered thoughts, for hours and not even realize the passing of time? It's pretty fun to even think about it and I think the answer will get you closer to your authentic self.  And once you find it, you can share it with the world- in one way or another. If you're lucky, you can find a job where you can express your authentic self to the world every day (and get paid for it!). But, if not, you can express it in other ways- in the way you present your physical self to the world (check this out if you need guidance), in your hobbies or the way you spend your free time and, really, in any way you communicate with and interact with the world around you. Your authentic self is your gift to the world. Your beauty is revealed when you start sharing your gift- your true, authentic self- with the world. And as a bonus, there is so much freedom in knowing who you are- knowing exactly what is important to you and what is not, knowing exactly what you will allow in your life and what you will not,etc. When you know yourself, when you are steady in your beliefs, and when you know what your gifts are, there is no comparing yourself to others. There are no feelings of not being "good enough" or "as good as", because you know you have your own unique gifts and other people have theirs. When you are clear on who you are, then you can more clearly see the unique gifts in other people and be happy for them, not jealous of them. You can express yourself as the loving, generous, kind person you were meant to be, not someone who is full of doubt or fear of not measuring up or not being good enough.  You have no fear, because you will always have your true, authentic self inside of you and you know that THAT will always be enough.

And THAT is beauty. Don't you think?

So, I'll leave you with the question:

What did you love to do when you were five years old?? Leave a comment. I would love to hear the answer!

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I don't think I have felt more like my authentic self (since I was 15 years old), as I do right now. The photo actually says it all: FREE.

Stay tuned for Lesson 2! I'll try not to take two months to get it to you :)

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy!   Juli

Opposition, 4.8.18

I'm having a hard time gathering my thoughts into anything cohesive (or even coherent!) lately, so I've been avoiding this space. I think of it often, though, as it is truly an outlet for me, but I've had my head wrapped around my yoga training during any spare time that I have outside of family and work. So, with that in mind, I thought I would update on the yoga journey over the next few posts.

First up: "Why teach yoga?"

That has been the question from a few people, lately. I guess they are thinking that I already have a full time job that, in itself, required a lot of training and education and requires a lot of my time and energy, so "why yoga?". Well, as many of you may know, anxiety runs rampant in my family and since about 1994, I've had my bouts with it. Medication has come and gone from my life until I met Dr. Basima Williams, who actually said, "Okay, enough of this" and handed me a new prescription. No, it wasn't for another medication, it very simply said, "YOGA". That was in 2009. Since then, I have never looked back and have had an almost daily yoga practice ever since. (I'm not suggesting that anyone go off of their medication. Please don't do that! I still take a small dose of anxiety medication at night to help me sleep because I know that I need to sleep. But yoga is what helps me when I'm awake.) Yoga has helped me cope with many trying times over the last several years and, more recently, is helping me through an incredibly painful and ongoing family crisis. Until my trip to Hawaii, last summer (which you can read about here), I practiced at home, by myself. Meeting that amazing group of people on the retreat made me realize that my home practice was lacking something- a community. Fast forward a few months. My husband and I were talking about the positive impact yoga has had on my life- my disposition, my mood, my outlook, my temper, my health, etc. (just to name a few!). Then the conversation drifted to my love of teaching. As I've mentioned here before, I think teaching, for me, is an extension of being a mother. Plus, I love to share what I love with other people so they will love it, too! So, after what turned into a rather lengthy discussion, the conversation ended with "Why don't you teach yoga?" That's all it took for the wheels to start spinning.  I could do it on the side for now and, hopefully, on a more regular basis when I retire. Sounds like a plan, right?

Fast forward a few more weeks. And now, there is Jane's House. Oh, my. This community is another one of my greatest blessings. I truly believe that the group of angels I met in Hawaii were meant to be in my life at just that time, to lead me to the community at Jane's House. They don't know each other (at least that I know of), but they seem like they are all part of the same family.  And it's really crazy to think about the divine timing of all of this.  In training, we talk a lot about opposition - pushing and pulling, working and resting, expanding and contracting, etc.  A perfect, personal example of this: just when I needed relief from the chaos and dysfunction of this family crisis,  I was being taught how to find  tranquility, peace and order in myself through yoga.

Yoga solitude, at home.

Yoga community, at Jane's House.

When your yoga notes and your Dove wrapper are giving you the same message. Another example of opposition: things falling apart before falling together. 

And now, with everything I've learned in the training (which focuses largely on the "internal dynamic" and self-inquiry), I know how to carry that feeling with me, throughout my day, every day, no matter where I am. Is it always easy? Absolutely not.  It is a tool that has to be used and put into place with effort and practice. But in the end, it is truly magical and, clearly, could not have happened at a better time. And I can't wait to share it with other people.

Wishing you tranquility, peace and order in your life. Thanks for reading!

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. And have a great week!

Juli

Reset, 2.25.18

Yesterday was a reset day for me. I didn't take even one step outside. I cleaned. I did some laundry. I rearranged our bedroom. I cleaned out some drawers, closets and tote bags. I cleaned my yoga room, then did some yoga. I did some reading. I did a little studying. I cooked an actual meal- you know, the kind that starts with fresh, whole food and ends with three courses. It was the best day and one that I needed, badly.

Most of the time, after a long period of  having no down-time (continually waking up early and going to bed late, driving, working, studying, running errands,etc.) piddling around the house is my go-to for a reset day, especially when the weather is cold, wet and gloomy. And today was a perfect, cold, wet, gloomy day. But even on bright, sunny days, like today, if I need this type of  reset, I'll close all of the blinds and curtains and pretend that it's a cold, gloomy day. Does anyone else do this? What do you do for a reset?

As I consider whether or not to close the blinds for 'Reset, Round 2', I took some pics of yesterday's accomplishments, because it won't stay this tidy for long, that's for sure. Also, when your house is filled with mostly hand-me-downs and second-hand purchases, taking a few pics when everything is clean and tidy reminds you that everything old can look new again, if you just give it a little attention.  Right?!

Our beloved 70's couch, spiffed up with a new, blue velvet seat cover. 

Perfect example of "making do with what you have".  My grandpa's coffee table- re-located from my yoga room to the living room to be seen in all of it's 1950's glory. (This is my study spot- hence all of the yoga, art and craft books.)

And, in contrast to the above pic- this is M.'s spot. Politics, art history and wine- his reading is a little heavier than mine.

From above, a zoom-in of a couple of my favorites-1985 vs. 2016.

Have a great Sunday and week ahead! 

Be Still. Be Strong. & Be Happy!   Juli

Find Your Tribe, 2.20.18

The following videos popped up on my facebook feed this week, which was kind of a coincidence, since I had written about the exact same thing in my journal the week before. I took this as a sign that it was time for a little blogging ;)

The first clip is very short.

The second one is a little longer, but may end up being the most well-spent 36 minutes of your day. If you don't have 36 minutes, though, the last 5 minutes is when it really gets to the point of just being yourself and being true to who you are or who you are becoming, even if that means taking the risk of standing alone, at least for a while.

M. and I have been talking a lot about how much your attitude and outlook can change and how much you can accomplish in your life when you surround yourself with people who believe in you, who encourage you, who want you to be better, who support you, who only want the best for you; people who, if you fail at something, have unwavering confidence in you that you will pick yourself up and move on. Please, if you don't have this in your life, go find these people!

If you're lucky, you don't have to search beyond your own family or circle of friends. Sometimes, though, you have to make it happen. And sometimes a lot of hard decisions and difficult changes have to be made to make it happen. You may just have to do this once in your life, but sometimes you have to keep making adjustments. Along the way, as you are moving through your life, finding your "tribe", there will, inevitably, be people who may not want you to succeed, or improve or be happy. They just want you to be who they want you to be; they just want you to be the same way you have always been; they just want you to be like them. But, they want this for them. Not for you. So, you have to be aware and make a conscious effort to move away from the people who are wrong for you, who aren't looking for the best in you and in themselves and seek out the ones who get you, who align with who you are and who are only and always there to encourage you to be your best. I remember having to do this for the first time when I was 14 years old. At age 14, I knew that where my friends were going, was not a place I wanted to go.  So, I made a change. And that change meant that I lost all of my old friends. It was rough. Looking back on that, I think it was a lesson that I needed to learn early on, to prepare me for similar moments that would happen later in my life. And, as a teacher, it gives me a perfect personal example of the quote, "Show me your friends and I'll show you your future", that I have repeated more times than I can remember over the past 13 years in my classroom.

So, go find your people, if you don't already have them. And have the courage to be yourself, even if that means being the "weirdo" and even if that means that you may be standing alone for a while. Your tribe will appear. Then, chances are, you will become one of the inspired, light bringers and magic makers for someone else ;)

I hope this puts a positive spin on your week! Have a great one!

As always... Be Still. Be Strong. & Be Happy.   Juli

P.S. My Valentine's Day card this year. Yes, I have found my fellow weirdo! (Who happens to also be my light bringer and world shifter.)