Energy, 12.14.21

I really have no idea where to start this post. I've had this blog for almost ten years (Jan. 2, 2022 will be ten years, exactly). Now, I think it's time to call it done. SO much has happened to me over the past ten years and I've written about most of it. But, a very inspiring Reiki attunement has led me to believe that all of the work over the past years- the Reiki sessions, the Reiki training, the yoga teacher training, the workshops, the therapy, the retreats (and I don't even think that covers it all!) have helped give me so many tools to understand myself, understand other people and understand how to be in this world in relationship with other people- that I'm not feeling the need to write. I'm feeling the need to be with people- meeting new people, reconnecting with familiar people and spending more time with MY people. Of course, I will still write short posts on Instagram, or any platform that will help me share my joy of all things art and yoga, because that is who I am and where my energy will be for the rest of my time here in this body, on this earth. To say that I am thankful or grateful for all of the people who helped me get to this point of truly knowing myself, would not be saying enough. But, I know, to them, passing their teachings along to other people would be the highest compliment and highest form of gratitude. So, that's what I shall do! 

I'll close this last post with some of my best lessons from some of my best teachers:

Everything is a part of me and I am a part of everything. I have always been a part of everything and everything will always be a part of me. 

Everything I need is inside of me. I will never be without answers. All I need is to be still and listen to the part of me that is ME- not the person that has been influenced by the world around me. 

Everything is energy. Every thing. Every person. Every animal. Every plant. Every inanimate object. Every emotion. I can choose what surrounds me and I can choose the energy I offer to the world around me. 

Everything happens for me, not to me. (Thank you, Colbey, for reminding me of this one.) It is up to me to use every situation, even negative ones, as a learning experience. 

And, finally, 

Accepting the way things are, rather than the way I want them to be, sets me FREE. 

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. 

Thank you for being here! So long~ Juli

P.S. This space will still be available for announcements and class sign ups, but the look will soon be changing. 

Reflect and Simplify, 9.22.21

Mindful September, Day 21 and 22. Intentions: REFLECT and SIMPLIFY. Even though mindfulness is all about being “in the moment”, reflecting on moments of the past can bring clarity to any situation. The challenge: Always be willing to take stock of what is working in your life and what isn’t and be willing to make a change. This could apply to so many areas of your life- family, job, hobbies, etc. 

Last fall, I was looking for natural products to offer as a part of my yoga classes and to act as a supplement to my yoga business. I chose to go with Simply Earth essential oils. Everything about it seemed like the right fit. But, I thought having a large variety of oils would be the way to go, so I would have something on hand for everyone. Well, I’ve never done well with lots of choices, and I know that about myself, so I’m not sure why I assumed it would be a good thing for anyone else.  I, personally, thrive on simplicity. No negativity towards Simply Earth products, but their focus is really on creating your own products with essential oils. Having a large variety on hand was necessary to do this. But… I’m not really interested in making my own products, I just want to offer high quality, natural products- products that I’ve used and loved myself- that are already made. So… as I reflected on this, I also had an ah-ha moment about those products that I use. And, I’m not kidding, the same morning I had that ah-ha moment, I got a text from Sara Maune of Jordan Essentials inquiring about becoming a consultant. Sara knows how I’m impressed I am with the products, because, after about three years, I keep ordering! So, you know me- I immediately felt the timing was a sign and quickly agreed. Making Jordan Essentials available via my yoga studio will be a perfect fit. I will be carrying the products I love and use myself in the studio and, of course, any other products not on hand can be ordered via my Jordan Essential’s website.

I will begin showcasing some of my favorite products on a regular basis, so I’m hoping these recommendations will be useful and helpful to you! Stay tuned! 

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. 🤗 Juli

Slow Down, 9.7.21

Mindful September, Day 7. Intention: SLOW DOWN. The challenge: wash your dishes by hand a few days this week, when you aren’t in a hurry. Take the time to really focus on cleaning each individual item and carefully rinsing it. Notice the warm water, the aroma of the dish soap, the bubbles as they rise up and over each dish. If you are lucky enough to have a window above your kitchen sink, try to notice something new outside. 

I haven’t had a dishwasher since June of 2019 and I don’t miss it. Since we were in the RV for four months, with very little warm water, the first time I used the sink in our house was like heaven. I’ll never forget how good it felt to wash my hands with warm, running water. I wasn’t sure how the no-dishwasher situation would go in the long run, but it didn’t take long for me to actually look forward to doing the dishes. Since I didn’t have a dishwasher, we splurged on a nice, porcelain sink. I bought the best rubber gloves I could find (the kind lined with cotton are the best!). I make my own cotton dishcloths that are just the right size, in colors that I like. (Hint: tomorrow’s challenge involves the dishcloths!) Finally, I shopped for just the right dish drainer and scrub brushes.  

It sounds a little silly, right?! I never thought I would ever like doing the dishes. But, I realized what I hated about doing the dishes before was loading and unloading the dishwasher!  Now, I’m not saying that giving up the dishwasher is for everyone. But, I think if you give it a try when you can slow down and take in all of the steps, you at least won’t hate it 😉 Let me know how it goes! #mindfulseptemberwitholiveandash

Feel, 9.5.21

Day 5, Mindful September Challenge. Intention: FEEL The challenge: Turn the music WAY up. The next time you're driving alone, put on your favorite music and turn it up so you can feel the vibration. This is why the intention is 'feel', not listen. Most of the time, for me, music isn't really about the lyrics, it's the way the song makes me feel- emotionally and physically. I can only relate it to the power of chanting or what I've heard about sound bath healing sessions (which is definitely on my bucket list). There is a LOT of research out there about the positive effects of sound and vibration on the brain, but here is one article that I thought explained it really well.

What music would you choose to turn way up, while you’re driving? I think those choices are very telling about a personality, don't you think? My choices are very specific to the car, as I enjoy other types of music for other activities.

Here is a little snippet from my car playlist:

Get Together by The Youngbloods

Home by Philip Phillips 

From Eden by Hozier 

I Was Born to Love You by Ray LaMontagne 

I Guess I Just Feel Like by John Mayer 

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd 

As I'm Leaving by David Gray 

Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan 

Dancing on My Own by Calum Scott 

American Woman by Lenny Kravitz or The Guess Who 

Roll Me Away by Bob Seger

Again, just a snippet, but now I'm ready to go for a drive! I'd love to hear your driving playlist!

Have a great Sunday! Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. - Juli

Order, 9.4.21

Mindful September, Day 4. Intention: ORDER. The challenge: Try making your bed every day, for a week. If you already make your bed every day, try to do it with more awareness and gratitude. Here is an example from my own history of bed-making:

When I was a kid, I shared a room with my sister. We couldn't be more opposites, as far as our personalities, so my side of the room was always a mess, complete with an unmade bed, and my sister's side was very tidy, with her bed perfectly made, and stuffed animals perfectly lined up against the wall. I never made my bed unless my mom and dad insisted on it.

When I had my own house and family, the beds were still never made- unless we were having company! My thought: why make the beds in the morning if you are just going to unmake them at the end of the day? Right?! 

When I married M in 2004, one of the first things that surprised me about him was the fact that he makes the bed every morning. To him, it's almost a sacred time of his day, when he thinks of his grandma, who taught him how important it is to start his day with this one small act of orderliness.

Now, almost 17 years later, I really can't describe how much I appreciate having the bed made every day. It is one area of our home that I know, for sure, every day, will be in order. Even the most chaotic day seems a little more manageable when I turn the corner into our bedroom and see a perfectly made bed.

It doesn't happen very often, but on the few days when M doesn't have time to make the bed, I have the privilege of doing it myself. (Notice, now, at age 55, making the bed is a privilege 🙂) The entire time I'm making it, I think of his grandma (whom I never met) and feel so much gratitude for her. Someone I never met taught me the value of order and helped raise this person who has made my life so much better- steady and orderly.

This is the room we call our study, but this convertible sofa serves as a bed for my son and his girl when they come to visit and for M when he can't sleep. So it is part of our bed-making ritual,too 😉

ee what happens, just from making the bed?! Try it yourself and let me know how it goes ☺️

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. - Juli

Notice and Listen, 9.2.21

The intention for day one of the Mindful September Challenge was NOTICE.. I began with this intention because being mindful is really just about remembering to stop and "notice"; tapping into your senses and noticing what you see, what you feel, what you hear, what you smell, what you taste. Choose a certain time of day (I like to get up a little earlier than usual) to stop and notice your surroundings and remind yourself what you are grateful for. 

The intention for day two is LISTEN. Here is your challenge: If you normally listen to the radio, playlist or podcast in the car, try turning them off and driving in silence. If you normally have music or the TV on in your home, try being there in silence. You are probably thinking that this is actually the opposite of listening, but it isn't at all. When you turn off the usual "sounds", you begin to notice other, usually less distracting sounds- birds chirping, cows mooing, the hum of cars driving by, the sounds of your home (the washer or dryer, the air conditioner, water running, etc.). Notice them and check in with yourself. Does the difference in the amount of sound make you uncomfortable? Or does it bring about a sense of calm? 

Share your experiences in the comments or on the Instagram post! #mindfulseptemberwitholiveandash

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. ~ Juli

Happy New Year! , 8.19.21

 One of the best things about being a teacher is the chance to have two "new beginnings" each year- the actual start of the calendar year and the start of a new school year. I think the latter is my favorite. Two days ago was day one, of year seventeen, as a public high school art teacher. It's amazing that it has been so long because it seems like it took a long time to even get started in this field.   Now, I'm nearing retirement, which is what makes this year, and the next few, so special.

My current workspace for the 2021-2022 school year. I loved being able to unpack my boxes, decorate, and hang my curtains. I'm trying to really enjoy this orderly area because it won't be like this for long!

My retirement will not not be the typical one, as our permanent yoga studio is about to become a reality. We have bids and are now scheduling jobs, so I'm hoping by the end of the year, we have a fully functional space, complete with its own entrance and restroom. It's small, but to me, that's a good thing because I think small, intimate gatherings are the best kind- the kind where you get to know new people and maybe become reacquainted with old friends. It will be a place to practice yoga, make some art or just gather together to visit with some wine and snacks. I've been dreaming about this for years and I'm so excited that it will be ready to share very soon!

 

I'm loving the temporary space, so I know I'll love the permanent one even more.

Current view of my home studio-  looking into one studio from the other. I LOVE that!

To celebrate this new beginning, starting in September, we will be going back to yoga basics- exploring basic postures, focusing on proper alignment and holding in stillness for longer periods of time in order to really experience what is happening within yourself  (mind, spirit) as well as the shapes you are making with your physical form (body).

Also, I will be offering daily challenges for the entire month of September. These will be mindful activities that have worked for me at some time or other in my life and I'm hoping that by passing them along, you'll be able to build your own mindfulness "toolbox". Just subscribe to the blog, and you will receive an e-mail when the posts are up. 

One more change! If you practice with me on Thursdays, at Present Moment Yoga in Washington, a new time starts in September- so the 6:30pm practice will begin at 5:30pm, starting on September 2nd.

I hope this is the fresh start of a new year for all of us! 

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. - Juli

(P.S. These books have been giving me renewed motivation and more reasons to dream big! I highly recommend them! Big shout-out to Stacy Hess of Inspired_Yogini_Stacy for recommending The Art of Gathering 🙂)

Wake Up, 8.11.21

 

After a busy couple of weeks, yesterday was a day that had to include some rest. It's not like me to plop down on the couch, mid-afternoon, and not move until early evening. But, yesterday, that is what I did.  After watching a movie, I let the credits roll through (because, in our house, it's considered disrespectful if you don't 😆). Before I had a minute to choose something else, Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary began playing. I'm not a Luke Bryan fan (although, I am now) so I wondered why that queued up. Out of pure laziness, I just let it play. This post was not meant to be a movie review/summary, but let me just give you a short one. 

This man, Luke Bryan, has been through more tragedy than anyone should have to endure. He is the youngest child of three and and ended up losing his brother, his sister, and his sister's husband by the time he was in his mid- thirties. Instead of being broken by the grief, he chose to live his life in a way that would make them proud- following his dream, staying close and connected to his family, and taking in his sister's three kids as his own. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend watching it. Truly inspiring. 

I think his story really hit home for me, though, because there were quite a few similarities between his family and ours. 1.) Three children in his family, spaced apart almost exactly like my kids, and with the girl being the oldest with two younger boys. 2.) He was raised in a small, country is town, just as my kids were. And 3.) The tragic and sudden death of a loved one. (Although, he had to endure this three times, which I can't even wrap my head around.)

Of course (because this is how I'm wired), I believe that I was meant to watch this show (actually, I think it's a docu-series), at this specific time, as I've been feeling especially emotional after a really great weekend in Chicago, with two of my kids. I've been reflecting on how grateful I am for them and how lucky we are to have each other. And, now, I'm reminded by Luke Bryan's story, how important it is for families to help each other through really difficult times and to be grateful for every single moment of knowing the people you love are healthy, happy and safe and able to be a part of your life.  Yeah, I know this is a celebrity story and other people go through similar situations, but for some reason this was a bit of a wake-up call for me. I'm hoping it does the same for whoever reads his. Because, obviously, time is not something you can get back.

I'll leave you with a few photos of my weekend and my kids, and one of Luke Bryan's  songs that he wrote for his brother and sister. 

(Now, I suggest you go watch the show and bring Kleenex!)

 

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. - Juli

Voice, 7.22.21

Using my voice, feeling truly heard by the people around me, and feeling like what I had to say was in any way important or significant, has always been an area of insecurity for me. It may stem from my youngest-in-the-family status ( my brother and sister would regularly pay me a quarter to "shut up" in the car!). For most of my life, I thought I was just supposed to let people interrupt me or talk over me because that's what I had always done. Really, I think lots of things contributed to it. At this point, though, the cause isn't important. The important thing, in my case, is realizing that it ultimately led to some deeply held, and deeply rooted, anger and that this anger needed to be dealt with. I needed to learn to use my voice in a positive and constructive way.

Much to my surprise, one thing that helped is starting this blog.  It was 2012, I had no idea what I was doing, but I read that I needed to have a blog to sell my art. It started pretty clumsily, but then, suddenly, and surprisingly, words began to take up more space than the art. Words just began to spill out of me. Suddenly, I felt like I had a voice and it was being heard. It was such an outlet for me. I finally felt free to express myself. But, then, the criticism came - mainly from people who had known me all of my life. They were confused because what I wrote didn't sound like "me". They didn't get it and I knew that, so I let it go. (Or so, I thought.) From then on, I noticed that I started second guessing myself because there was now a "fear of criticism" filter. But, still, I wrote.

Then, my life entered an all-time-high, crisis mode. Lots of drama that I won't go into here, but it was a perfect storm of every ugly thing any group of people could say or do to each other. The result? Let me put it this way: it was like 10 of the most important people in my life got on a bus and drove off of a cliff. That is, honestly, the only way to accurately describe how it felt.

Talk about trauma. I will never be the same because of it. At first, I believed that nothing could ever be good again. BUT, the pain led to some really good things in my life- deep shadow work and self-inquiry, a new-found understanding of forgiveness and compassion, and a steadiness that I've never had before. I'm so grateful for all of that, but the one thing that is still lacking is my ability and desire to write. In that area, I still feel like an empty shell of my former self. I've been afraid of revealing too much of myself and my words being taken the wrong way or misinterpreted. Most of the time, it's a struggle to string even a few interesting words together.

Enter this book, Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott . Just the fact that words are, again, spilling out of me as I write this, is kind of a big deal. I haven't finished the book yet, and this is not a book review post, but since I am already benefiting from it's insight (and I REALLY want to be an Anne Lamott in my next life!), I am going to highly recommend it.😉

I also need to give a shout-out to my former student, Micah Larsen. Micah writes a lot about the importance of being vulnerable, open and honest in your work. Without having read and heard that many times from her over the last few years, I probably would not have felt comfortable writing this.

Selfishly, this post is another therapeutic one for me. If you've made it this far, thank you for sticking it out! But, in all honesty, I share because reading what other people share has helped me so much- whether it's referring to a how-to post, catching an inspiring quote on Instagram or just relating to a raw, but real, personal story. In the end, it's really all about using our voices in any way- writing, speaking, creating, etc.- to connect with each other and to help each other feel less alone in this world. 

Have a great weekend 🤗

Be still. Be Strong. Be Happy.

Juli

Altar Spaces, 7.10.21

 I'm pretty much obsessed with the new altar area I set up on the wall next to my bed. We moved the bed closer to the wall, which meant that one night table had to go. To replace it, I found these two narrow wall shelves at a local resale shop and decided to use them more as an altar rather than something to store my junk. (For that, I'm using a small basket, hanging closer to the floor.) My goal, before the new school year starts, is to turn our bedroom into a restful, peaceful place, so, hopefully, I'll start going to bed earlier. We'll see how that goes!

If you're wondering what makes an altar any different than any arrangement of items on any table or shelf- it's all about intention. When you are very intentional about the items you place on your surface and how you show up and respond to it, an ordinary table scape becomes a sacred space.

I've had an altar in every home I've lived in for several years now. The altars  I set up serve as a reminder to come back to myself, take a deep breath and become present in that moment and be grateful for what I have, who I am, what I am able to do,etc. If you'd like to set one up in your home, you don't need anything specific- just a surface,a quiet corner and a few things that hold meaning for you. For me, balance is very important,too, but that is my own, personal preference, as I'm always thinking like an art teacher!

For the altar in my bedroom, I have a small lamp, a baby plant that I just brought back to life and one item from each of my kids on the shelves. On the walls around it, inspirational art work and one of my favorite photos of me and my husband.

 For the altar space in my yoga room, I usually try to incorporate the five elements: earth, fire,water, air and spirit. In the case below, candles for fire, the singing bowl and sage smudging wand for air, the plant for earth, a stone from the beach in Hawaii for water and a little Ganesh (remover of obstacles) statue for spirit.

But, the same space could look completely different by changing up the placement and bringing in a few different objects. It's fun to let it evolve, changing things up each time you clean the space

Do you have an altar in your home? I would love to see it! 

I'll leave you with a few more photos of my altars over the years. I hope it inspires you to create your own!😌

The temporary altar I set up in our RV.

In a corner of our current home.

Another small altar in our current home.

The altar in the yoga room of our previous home. (I miss this room!)

Have a great weekend!

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. - Juli

Mutation, 7-3-21

I’ve been reading and hearing a lot, lately, about the need to be open to change, re-adjust, re-do, etc., as many times as needed in order to land in the perfect place- whether that place is your home, yourself, your business or whatever else you might be creating, building or improving upon. Sometimes things must fall apart a little in order make space for new possibilities. Sometimes that process of mutation will  never really end, if your end goal is to create something of lasting value.  

This is good news for me! I’m definitely one who thrives on mixing things up, trying things out, changing my mind, and starting over. It’s all a process of transformation to finally land where I'm meant to be. 

Since I’ve been closer to getting this home studio up and running, I’m feeling like it’s time to re-brand and re-evaluate what I’d like to offer, how I’d like to offer it and when I’d like to offer it. The first step in this re-evaluation was setting up the temporary studio space as if it were permanent, as we wait patiently for construction to begin. The second thing my husband and I re-evaluated was my desire to have a mobile studio and shop for the art side of my business. That desire is still there, and will happen, but I had to be honest with myself about the time I currently have available. The answer is- not much! I also had to be honest with myself about my ability and desire to drive this huge vehicle myself. The answer is- it scares the hell out of me! I also had to admit that if I wanted it to move, my husband would have to do it. I’m not about to put anything else on his plate, so we made the decision to sell it and wait patiently for a smaller, easier to handle vehicle to serve as my mobile shop.

It makes me really sad to let this place go. I get really attached to my homes- even this one on wheels! It was truly an adventure living here for four months. Looking back on it, it’s hard for us to believe we actually did that!

Do you have a “re-evaluate” or “re-do” story? I’m  pretty sure, after this past year, a lot of you are in that boat with me, right?! I’d love to hear about your process and how it’s going for you!

If one of your end-goals is your own home on wheels, this is a good one! And if you know of a smaller living/working space on wheels, let me know 🤗.

Stay tuned for re-branding info. As usual, my wheels are turning! 

Have a great holiday weekend! 

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. - Juli 

P.S. if you would like to see the RV, we will have it open this weekend, during the Weekend of Blues at Blumenhof.🤗

Let's Talk Lists, 7.1.21

 So...  let's talk lists! A few weeks ago I spent time working through @within.thyself  Ten Day gratitude challenge, listing 10 things I am grateful for each day. It has really made me think about the importance of list making throughout my life. I have probably written about this before, but I'm sure it has taken on new meaning since then, so here I am! 

Handmade journals are the best! This one was handmade and gifted to me by Danielle Snider of Washington, MO.

I am a journaler. I would never really have considered myself a journaler, ( I don't journal on a regular basis and in no organized way, whatsoever) but the box full of notebooks filled with magazine clipping, thoughts, quotes and, yes, lists, proves otherwise.  I think my journals resemble my brain- unorganized, with so many ideas, presented in random order. Have you heard of "brain dumps'? They are basically just taking every random idea and letting them spill out of you and onto a page, in categories.  Well, my journals present themselves as a series of  brain dumps. A way to process and unload an overload of ideas and inspiration. 

My husband, who is super supportive and patient with me as I ramble through so many of my ideas and plans, recently made a statement that made me stop and think- "You have too many ideas and hobbies, you should probably find a way to narrow them down.". This man knows me well and he knows how important my "down" time is, so I took his comment seriously. With too many things on my plate, my anxiety sometimes gets the best of me. Even though I am very aware of this, sometimes it takes hearing it from someone else for me to do something about it.

We had that conversation in early spring and since then I have made some decisions in order to scale back and simplify my life. I spent two months away from social media and have been taking time to just reflect and begin to sort through and purge my large assortment of art and sewing supplies, yoga and meditation books and, really, anything that doesn't serve a purpose in my life right now. What has been the most telling, though, is looking back at my journals from almost twenty years ago and noticing common threads. When things are written down- in my case, in list form (or brain dump form!), it is easy to see what has stayed and what has gone and what needs to stay and what needs to go.

Do you have old journals? I challenge you to break them out and start making your connections. At the very least, you will be entertained! But, most likely, you will end up with some insightful and very useful information 😃.  ( Then you could start a new list!) If you are at any kind of crossroad in your life and unsure which direction to take, this information could become your roadmap. What a gift, right?!

Now, I'm off to make my new list! Have a great weekend!

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy.        Juli

Routines and Rituals, 6.16.21

Taking a morning routine to the next level, with thoughtfulness and intention, is a great way to re-connect with yourself and start your day off with a positive mindset.  Mindless routines- things you do on auto-pilot, day after day- may be efficient, but they do nothing to feed the soul.  For example, on a typical work day, when time is a factor,  my routine consists of waking up at 4:45am, having my breakfast and coffee, yoga and meditation time, and my very orderly "getting ready" routine (shower, hair, makeup, clothes,etc.). Except for the yoga and meditation, I barely even think about any of it since I've had the same routine for so long. But, on the weekends and certain days during the summer, I give myself the gift of turning that boring routine into a ritual. So, within all of the boring "getting ready" stuff, I include time having my coffee outside with my dog, lighting candles and incense before I do yoga, pulling an oracle or affirmation card before of after my meditation time and taking time to journal or read something inspirational. And, I do these things with great intention and awareness. For me, it creates a sense of clarity and calm, which is a perfect way to start any day, right? It's hard to accurately describe the difference it makes in my day. It is just something you have to experience for yourself. 

So, what part of your routine could you turn into the beginning of a ritual? It really is as easy as starting with one small thing. Then, as time goes by, you could add more thing, until you have a really meaningful and intentional ritual of your own. I would love to hear about it! 

I'll leave you with a little snippet of my morning routine turned morning ritual. 😊

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. And have a great weekend!   ~ Juli

Simple and Basic, 5.28.21

As I begin this post, the day marks two full months of no social media. During this time I have been thinking long and hard about the role of social media in my life. It seems silly to even admit that I had to think "long and hard" about it. But, over the last eleven years, it has certainly caused many misunderstandings, fed into spreading gossip, taken way too much of my time and generally annoyed me a lot of the time, so it deserves reflection. But, as a result of this reflection, I have to admit that it has also helped me in many ways. Through social media, I feel a sense of  connection to my community, my family, my friends and my co-workers. I am inspired by the beautiful words and images of so many people. And I am informed and enlightened- about yoga, about cooking, about art- and so many other things.

The last thing I left on social media was a manifesto, written a couple of years ago. For the past couple of weeks, I've been reflecting on that manifesto as I peeked in on a few accounts that I follow on Instagram. What inspires me? What annoys me? What makes me smile? What makes me anxious? So, what did I come up with? The decision to return to social media, albeit in a much more limited way. Stepping away for a while has given me a clear vision of how I want to show up on social media and how I will definitely not show up.  Stepping away has helped me realize that I can use it for the good things I have in mind for my business and use it in a more disciplined way. So, I won't be scrolling mindlessly for hours. My posts will be pretty basic (keeping up with all of the new features and formats is very overwhelming to me) and I won't be posting anything that doesn't fall into the GOOD THINGS category- connection, inspiration, knowledge and beauty.  I will definitely not return to Facebook and will continue to keep my focus on this space- sharing links to my blog posts, announcing classes and events and posting the occasional inspirational quote, thought or photo, via Instagram and Pinterest. 

This space, which seems pretty "back to basics", (you know, kind of like a handwritten letter compared to a typed one) is still the best place to tell my story. In my 55 years, I've had a few challenges thrown my way (and a few that I’ve thrown in my own way!). As the years progress, I learn even more lessons and feel better about where I am, how I got here and where I am headed. I also consider myself a lifelong student and, as I've stated here before, I truly believe that my purpose, for the rest of my time here on this earth, is sharing what I know (and admitting things that I don't know!), sharing lessons I've learned, and sharing what works for me and my life. My goal here is also pretty basic. If I can do it, I want to help you do it. If it works for me, I want it to work for you. If it is something that has helped me, I want it to help you.  If it makes me happy, I want it to make you happy, too. You get the idea, right?! And, what's even better- I'm not fancy. Things that work for me and make me happy are, you guessed it, pretty simple and basic.  I'm pretty sure simple and basic might work for you, too. 😊 

I'll leave you with a few photos of simple, basic moments of gratitude, noticed only in moments of stillness and mindfulness, in our humble little home, on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. 

Gratitude for the texture and tiny bit of curl my hair has now that most of it (under the color) is gray/white.

Gratitude for deciding to go ahead and use the fancy plates (brought back from Viet Nam by my Uncle Ted) for everyday meals, rather than store them in the basement. Do the fancy plates match anything else in my home? No. Do I love that? Yes. 

Gratitude for Carly, my son's girlfriend, who brought me a wine glass from their recent trip to Epcot, reminding me that I will, eventually, make it to France, even though my school trip to Europe was postponed, AGAIN. 

Gratitude for the way the afternoon sun lights up this room.

And gratitude for finding so much pleasure in small things- like the way this candle (from introvert.home) makes the house smell SO good, but at the same time, you barely notice that it's there. 

So, I'm back, social media. We will see how this love/hate relationship goes this time around.😊

Until next time, 

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. And have a great, long weekend! ~ Juli

Lately, At Home (and in the studio!), 5.13.21

 Lately, at home: 

*I've finished moving my art studio out of the RV (change of plans with that, see this post for the scoop) and into one side of the yoga studio. This is now the exact arrangement for the art and yoga studio that I envisioned the first time we saw this house, with it's completely open, unfinished basement. The only additions now will be a permanent wall in place of the curtains, a bathroom, and a walkout entrance between the two windows. It feels good to have a more permanent solution , albeit still kind of temporary, to use as a studio where people can actually gather together for class. I even have a few regulars, already, which I am so happy about!

Set up and ready for yoga class. 

Open the curtain and we are ready for art class.

 

Really happy with the vibe of this space. I can't wait to teach and make some art here.

 

Books, supplies and projects, organized in wooden crates.

*Fasting is still happening. What I have found that works best for me is fasting during the week, starting at 5:00am and ending between 5:00pm and 7:00pm. I have much more energy during the day at work and use my fruit infused water to stave off any hunger pangs (and it is much easier to get enough water in every day, which is a bonus).  I allow one day of the weekend for eating normally and the other day, I try to eat only fruit for breakfast and lunch. My advice is not trying to stick to a rigid schedule, but trying different things and going with what works for your body and your lifestyle. As far as what I eat, I have to cook and/or prepare most of my own food anyway, due to my sensitivity to MSG (which is hidden in a LOT of packaged or pre-prepared foods) so what I eat is usually pretty much healthy, whole foods (except for the occasional bread pudding or pie for breakfast :0). 

The fruit I use to infuse my water every day. I fill ice cube trays with a few pieces in each section, then fill with water and freeze. Perfect. 

It has taken almost this entire month to get into a routine with what works for me. At this point- digestion is a LOT better. Giving my body and digestive system time to rest and taking in more water every day has been so good for me. The pain in my hands is still there. It may be a little better, but I'm not sure. I think cutting out more sugar (hello, bread pudding and pie!) will help with that, so as I move forward, that will be a goal. Hot flashes have been a little better -still happening but a little less frequently and less intense. Mental clarity is definitely better, but I really think that is from my social media hiatus. Energy level is always up when I'm fasting, which is probably the thing I love most about it, but also, it's the most surprising. Weight is exactly the same-138- which is fine for me. 

*Holidays- Holidays took a big turn for our family a few years ago, but are just recently, slowly getting back to what they used to be- minus quite a few people. I'm hoping that it continues in a positive direction and that, eventually, everyone can be together again. Healing takes time, right? It has definitely taught me a lot about being patient, which has always been one of my deepest weaknesses. 

On that note, I will leave you with this:

Be Still. Be Strong. Be Happy. ~ Juli