Judging..But why?

    There is a place in North Eastern Ohio called Nelson's Ledges Quarry Park.  For many years this place has been a family oriented camp ground with weekend festivals during the summer.  Yesterday the park announced that they were having a festival with a music genre that is not their "norm" and it caused a lot of controversy.  I was in total shock at first because the Quarry is a respected place and those who visit have respect for the park, but when the August EST. Festival was announced I immediately thought, our home away from home is never going to be the same.   I sat and read all of the comments being made on NLQP's facebook page about the situation, and went a long and put my two cents in.  I later deleted what I had said but it wasn't so much of a positive comment, I was judging people, something that I try not to do.  Brings me to the whole point of this post...Judging.  Why do people judge one another?  Is it to make themselves feel better for what they lack?  Why must we feel superior to the next?  I myself get caught judging others and afterwards I feel ashamed.  Ashamed that I even formulated a negative thought in my mind.  People are always judging me.  For the clothes I wear, the things I say, my beliefs.  For the fact that I am home and not working in my career field while pregnant as my husband cares for us both and our unborn baby.  People even judge what I have to say on my blog.  But why?  What is it to anyone else what makes me happy or what I do in my own life that has no effect on them?  Everyone is different.  We all find different ways to make ourselves happy and as long as it is not harming anything or anyone than so be it.  Next time you catch yourself ready to judge someone think about how you would feel if they were doing the same to you.



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Good Morning Yoga.

Surya Namaskara A.  Sun Salutation A.  Here is a diagram of the sequence if you would like to try it.  I practice ashtanga yoga so if you do not want to follow the breathes that go along with this diagram that is ok.  Do what your body tells you is comfortable.  You modify any pose if need be.

Yoga: Hip Opener Sequence

I am often asked by others to do yoga with them and although I am not an instructor, well not yet at least, I always try to help out.  Whenever I do an online sequence or video I am going to start posting them for others to use.

Today I found a quick hip opener on yoga journal because my hips felt a little tight.

It is only about 20 minutes long but felt great.  

Remember when doing yoga it is not about competing, you want to listen to your body and modify accordingly.  You may not always be able to perform the pose as the instructor does and if so that is ok.  Yoga is about learning your body and what it is capable of without injuring yourself.

Here is the link for today's sequence:  Yoga Journal Hip Opener

Pregnancy Update

Thought I would do a little pregnancy update today!!  I am 26 weeks and 2 days almost in my third trimester wahooo!!! I feel amazing!  I have been walking at the minimum of 2 miles a couple times a week and continue to do yoga.  I have also decided to add in a little bit of a leg and abdominal workout not to intense but a few of the exercises I did prior to pregnancy I am still able to do now.  I am all belly!!  Not to much weight gain any where else and I feel very blessed to be in the shape I am in which puts a smile on my face!  Total of 13 lbs gained since the beginning of my pregnancy with a consistent weight gain of a 2 lbs every 4 weeks!  Next week I start having my biweekly doctors visits!!  Everything is moving so quickly!!  I take my boards July 10th and Owen will be here not long after that! We am so excited to meet him!  He has the most AMAZING daddy!!  I can not wait to see Owen in his daddy's arms.  The nursery is coming together, we purchased his dresser this weekend and now are on a mission to find a glider.  I am being very picky about the glider I have a specific style I'd like and I have noticed it is not easy to find!!  Owen is extremely active!  Always moving around in my tummy, sometimes it feels like he is playing soccer in there or something haha.  My husband and I enjoy watching my belly take different shapes as his moves around and kicks.  A little less than three months and we get to meet our bundle of joy!!  I have never been so happy in my entire life!  So in love with him already!

Move on move on

When negativity arises, sometimes it is hard to get the thought of what ever it is out of your head.  Your heart is racing and there are so many things that you want to say or do at that moment, but instead you just have to breathe and clear your head.  It isnt as easy as it sounds, and requires lots of practice.  I have been working on clearing the negativity in any and every situation it occurs, but sometimes walking away to breathe isnt an option.  That is when it starts to get a little difficult, staying calm when the situation is becoming more negative as each second goes by and all you want to do is smile and move on.  I have been carrying my gratitude stone with me for situations like that so I can grab it and start running what I am grateful for through my head instead of what is going on around me.  Just keep smiling. I have to keep repeating it to myself.  I am everything and everything is me.   Everything happens for a reason.  Take a lesson out of each event you encounter.

Understanding.

I continue to enjoy every second, every minute, and every moment of my life, even if the moment isn't a happy one.  I started to read for the second time The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh.  It is commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra.  As I was falling asleep last night I kept thinking about something I read, "If you love, but you do not understand, it is not love, it is something else."  I want to be able to understand those I claim to love.  I want to feel what they feel, see what they see.  I am going to take the journey to understanding, so I can experience "real love" with those I love.

My Beautiful Boy

What a beautiful day this has been, and even though I only slept a couple if hours I really enjoyed working with my mother and Tracy.  Those two always have me laughing non-stop.  The weather is perfect not too hot or too cold, just right.  As I sit outside and listen to the birds chirp, I can not help but think about our little boy who will be here in no more than three months!  Even in a world of full of hate, if you look hard enough you can find the good in everything.  I want him to be able to look past that hate and see the beauty of life, to understand it.  To always have a smile on his face and enjoy each and everyday.  I want him to choose happiness and not let the attitudes of those around him ever put a damper on his beautiful soul.  He will love and be loved by all. 

Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile.

Today is a new day.

I have experienced anxiety for the first time in a long time yesterday and as I awoke this morning I told myself today is a new day.  The mantra of the day yesterday was: I will be free of complaints, but I let myself down.  From the time I awoke I started to complain about actions of those who surround me causing the Universe to send more things my way to complain about.  Today is a new day.  New internal lessons learned.  I am strong minded and in a very great place spiritually, I can not let the weak minded affect me as I did.  I have made it a promise to myself to let the actions of weak minded people challenge me and see how positive I can truly be.  I have a quote posted on my bedroom wall "I am to positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful, and too determined to be defeated."  All so true.  Today is a new day let the lessons of yesterdays past help me better today's future.  Let silence take over where silence is needed instead of harsh hateful unnecessary words.  I am grateful for the lessons I learn and for those who helped me learn them.  I am grateful for those who surround me whether they are positive people or negative, something positive can come out of everything.  Everything happens for a reason, you can always find the good if you just look deep enough.

I am grateful for the family I have, blood or not.
I am grateful for my husband and everything he does to protect and take care of me and our unborn child.
I am grateful for the challenges the Universe throws at me, they can only make me stronger.
I am grateful for the little birds with a nest by my front door, singing sweet songs, of melody's so pure and true, saying this is my message to you. haha Thanx Bob. :)

Everything little thing is going to be alright.

Mantra of the day:  My mind is stronger than those who are weak.  I have found internal peace.

Staying positive while the hormones run wild!!

     Pregnancy is full of surprises!!  One day you might feel amazing and the next not so great.  I have noticed that I have not been the most positive person I can be during my pregnancy and have let the hormones get the best of me.  I feel like I have to take a stand because it is my mind and I am in control, letting the hormones run things is no excuse.  I am normally not the type of person to let others energy effect mine, but lately that has been the case because I have lost control of my own thoughts.  The fact that I can not take my boards until July has also caused a wave of negative emotions through my body, but than I think events take place for a reason.  I would like to just begin my career as a therapist.  I have worked so hard to get to this point and now it's sort of a waiting game.  But in the meantime I get to feel my little bundle of joy, Owen, grow in my tummy!  I will be grateful for everything each day has to bring.