My Yoga Journey

Hey there! So, I was bored the other day and started looking through all of my photos, when I came across my collection of Yoga pictures! Man did it make me miss Yoga like CRAZY!!! And it made me want to make a post of some of my favorite yoga pics! 

MY YOGA JOURNEY:

I started practicing yoga on my own in March 2013 when I was inspired by a few ladies that I found on Instagram, 

laurasykora and nayitavp  through them and many other Instagram yogis, I started teaching myself by finding new poses to learn through the Yoga Instagram community and online, and participating in challenges that many wonderful Yogis put on monthly. It was my favorite new hobby of choice, it helped me grow and learn about myself in so many ways, helped me make new friends,  and not to mention I truly feel like it transformed my body! I would definitely recommend trying Yoga to anyone out there who is wanting to start a new hobby, find out more about themselves, or find a fun new way of working out! To me one of the best things about Yoga is that your practice is 100% your own, you don't have to be perfect you just have to try. 

Since I got pregnant in July last year I haven't been able to practice much yoga at all -- due to the fact that I could barely leave the couch if it wasn't to throw up, for close to 5 months straight! And now that i'm finally feeling better (or having better days at least) and all the holidays and moving stresses are over, I'm finding my pregnant belly gets in the way of much of what I can practice! So for now I've taken to walking/slow jogging on a treadmill a few times a week and doing what stretches and sequences I can manage with my foreign pregnant body!

I miss Yoga SO MUCH and can't wait to start it up again once my little guy is born! 

*stay tuned: more to come about why I love Yoga in my next post!*

Here are a few of some of my favorite poses or pictures I took while practicing Yoga...

Scorpion Pose or Vrischikasana in Central Park ^

Side Crow or Parsva Bakasana (Central Park) ^

Crow Pose or Bakasana (Central Park) ^

*This picture picture has a good story behind it, you cant really tell but this was up on about a 5 ft. ledge that was maybe the width of my hand, AND it was raining that day so the ledge was super slippery! While trying to get into this pose there were probably 10-12 tourists watching me, i'm sure just waiting for me to fall on my face! But I didn't! And even though I only held it for maybe 3 seconds before getting out of it I was proud I did it...and glad my face wasn't smashed :) 

Side Crow extended variation (Parsva Bakasana) ^

King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) ^

Fallen Angel Pose (Devaduuta Panna Asana) ^

  

Backbend 

 Wheel Pose (Dhanurasana) ^

Flying Lizard Pose (Uttana Prasithasana) ^

 Firefly pose (Tittibhasana) ^

Dancers Pose (Natarajasana) ^

*Bonus* When you can rope your hubby into doing some Acro Yoga with you! Something fun for you to do together and a real bonding experience! :)

.xoxo.

.namaste.

                                                                           

Dr Kelso "nothing in this world worth having comes easy"

This show is awesome. And it may or may not make me cry sometimes...haha But this particular episode I watched today and with whats going on in my life lately I felt like I could relate to this a lot....By now with this situation it doesn't really matter anymore so its become a lesson learned a little too late, and something to work on for later...

Nothing in this world worth having comes easy, and I think thats the way God intended it to be.

Nothing is perfect. Especially relationships, but the ones that really matter are worth fighting for. I learned that the hard way and I really do believe that relationships aren't perfect, you have to do a lot of giving, and forgiving but in the end its worth it, if you're willing to work for it.

and on a lighter note, this is one of my all time favorites, cause I can relate to it so much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTSNVh-ah-4

I do that very same thing at least six times a day.

:]

One of the greatest challenge is to overcome the feeling that we are unimportant. That we are not special and unique. Do you think for a moment that Heavenly Father would sent one of his children to this Earth by accident without the possibilities of a significant work to perform?....My dear friends you are a royal generation. You were preserved to come to earth in this time for a special purpose. Not just a few of you. All of you. There are things for you to do that no one else can do as well as you. If you do not prepare to do them they will not be done. your mission is unique and distinctive for you."
-H. Burk Peterson

Continue in Patience

You Gotta' be!

Songs always have a way of bringing back memories that you haven't thought of forever, or even remember all that well, but the minute you hear the song its like your right back in that moment. Sometimes that really sucks. Like a love song that makes you remember all of the good, and positively none of the bad things about a past relationship. Or another song that you listened to so many times during a particular phase in your life, like for example, I can't listen to Fall out Boy or Cartel or the Academy is or any other of our gangster hip hop music, without being taken back to Jr. year of High School driving around Bakersfield with Reagan. Or Lollipop by Lil Wayne without remembering my first summer out of the house living with Reagan in Provo. Or Just got started lovin you, which always reminds me of my first boyfriend and hanging out with him every night!

Music is so amazing! This particular song takes me right back to being 7 years old and going to Rio Bravo with my best friend Mika and our moms. I guess its pretty sentimental to me cause it's one of my first real memories I have of music. And it takes me back to such a simple times in my life where I didn't have anything to worry about but whether or not me and Mika were going to get in a fight that day or not, and if we did get in a fight how I could keep her from biting me! I wish I could go back and talk to 7 year old me. And tell her to stay young and naive and innocent as long as possible. Stay away from boys and listen to everything my mom tells me. And tell her not to be afraid of the pool vacuum or monsters roaming the streets, to practice the piano more, and beg mom to let me take gymnastics. Graduate early, it's the best thing you will ever do. Finish BC asap and buy a cooler freaking car, with AC! Don't quit soccer, play volleyball as much as possible, be nicer to Jenna, NEVER get a perm and stay away from any guy named...well quite a few names. haha. anyway this is a good song. It makes me feel like a little girl again and honestly gives me a reason to try and conquer trials in my life, if for no other reason than that I know 7 year old me would want me to.


Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers they may cause your tears
Go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be counted don't be 'shamed to cry

You gotta be, you gotta be bad
You gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know love will save the day

Herald what your mother said
Read the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you
Others take a different view
My, oh, my
he-eh-y

You gotta be bad
You gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know love will save the day

Time asks no questions it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning can't stop it if you tried to
The best part is danger staring you in the face


Remember, listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try to keep your head up to the sky
Lovers they may cause your tears
Go ahead release your fears
My, oh, my
He-ey-y

You gotta be bad
You gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know love will save the day

Impossibly Balanced

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing."

Nothing is impossible, before I die, I'm going to:

1. Climb to the top of a mountain

2. Go skydiving

3. Travel the world

4. Become famous

5. Be rich enough to have an Audi and a Jeep Wrangler....and a huge truck.

6. Also be rich enough to have a Diet coke fountain machine in my house.

7. Become a Dietician, or a nurse.

8. Have some kids.

9. Fall in love with a man worth loving.

10. Be happy.

BALANCE: when the sum of the forces exerted is equal to zero.

Balance = happiness

18 STEPS TO BALANCED LIVING:

1. Slow down! 2. Emotions: Keep them in check. 3. Choice is yours. 4. Do not hang onto negativity: just let go. 5. Write down your goals and plan. 6. Learn to enjoy silence. 7. Discover something beautiful each and everyday on which to meditate. 8. Simplify life; offload cumbersome baggage. 9. Develop a balanced sense of humor. 10. Develop a discerning manner. 11. Do not pretend; you only fool yourself. 12. Celebrate life; no matter what the circumstances. 13. Accept you cannot control everything. 14. Only you can make you happy; and then share this with others. 15. Don't be selfish. 16. Anger serves no master; you degrade yourself in anger. 17. Find time to be alone every day. 18. Learn the art of having a quiet sense of humor.

"Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life.

It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to
serve others by using them." Thomas Kinkade

"Live a balanced life - learn some and think some

and draw and paint and sing and dance and play

and work every day some." Robert Fulghum

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

This little girl, aside from being quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen, is such an inspiration! I want to be more like her!


There are many people in my life who I strive to be more like;

My incredible Mother with her patience and amazing ability to raise six kids, love us all unconditionally and still keep her sanity.

My sweet Daddy, who works so hard to give us everything we needed, is a spiritual giant and has the best sense of humor ever! I know if I am fortunate enough to find a man even half as incredible as my Father, I will have done just fine!

My brothers and sisters, also some of the best examples I have to look up to in my life. And many more!

I'm so lucky!!!! I am constantly trying to improve myself and looking to others to see what traits I want to incorporate into myself, and what ones I would.. well much rather do without! Recently I have decided I want to become a whole lot more positive! As the title of my blog insinuates, I often have the tendency to be fairly cynical and sarcastic, which I know will always have a place in my personality, but I want to start striving to be more and more optimistic. :) When I was younger I knew I could do anything and I had complete and utter faith in myself. I didn't doubt who I was at all and I knew that I was a loved Daughter of God. As I have gotten older life experiences have torn down that way of thinking in more ways then one, I'm working on building it up again :) I've been so blessed! I'm going to start now to enjoy every day I have, not just endure it!

I'll keep you updated ;)
This reminds me of my mom, she is constantly telling me I need to learn to make myself happy and not wait for things or people to do it for me!

"I can do anything good! Yeah yeah yeah, I can do anything good! Better, better than anyone!"

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

There is one thing I find myself wishing on a near constant basis (lately especially!) : That I could control my thoughts. Out of all the trials I have had, my own mind is what usually serves to make me the most miserable, by bringing those things I wish I never had to think about again, to the front of my mind and not letting go. Sometimes only for a few minutes, sometimes for weeks on end. Occasionally I find myself wishing I could just give in to these thoughts and be completely depressed, wallow in a Meaghan pity-party for awhile eat some ice cream and just cry ... unfortunately I have been blessed with an extraordinary conscience that always serves to remind me of all the other people in the world and the struggles and pains so many are dealing with far beyond my own.
And then I think of my Savior and the pain and suffering he so willingly endured for all of us, and I am so grateful for his sacrifice and the endless love he has for us. I know that life is painful and even though sometimes I wish it all could just end, I know that everything I go through, every trial and struggle has a purpose and God will not throw anything at me that I can't handle!



"There are more with you than those you can see opposed to you. Some who are with you will be invisible to your mortal eyes. The Lord will bear you up and will at times do it by calling others to stand with you."

"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you, my peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:18,27