Every year on my birthday, I choose one word to color the year to come.

This year, I chose COURAGE.

{last year was AUTHENTICITY}.

And, oh, baby, am I gonna need it.

Because this year, I’m going waaaaaayyyy bigger in how I do what I do {help people live more vibrant, authentic lives} + who I help {yoga teachers + practitioners} as a Yoga Educator, Empowerment Coach, + Writer. 

Why courage? Because although I’m comfortably in my zone with yoga + coaching, I’m pushing my own boundaries + coming up against my own fear as I commit to sharing more in my writing + teaching. {And I’m also third time life-switcher + a mommy. And reframing your entire life –even to live the life you were meant to live –takes COURAGE}.

My short n’ sweet story is that I love to synthesize + I’m programmed to introspect, reflect, dissect, + use that energy for transformation. My early years taught me a lot about how humans hurt one another  + how life gives us more than we can handle sometimes. I came to yoga + mindfulness early because of a tremendous amount of inner pain. And –like many– after realizing the benefits, I wanted to share it with others. 

Then came the reality check of trying to make it in the yoga world: first as a free agent teacher, then as a yoga studio owner + private yogini for hire trading precious time for dollars. And now as a yoga educator with my own school + curriculum. And the dirty little secret of the yoga business is that while on the mat, it’s all about ethics, truth, + authenticity, off the mat, it’s still a business: and things can get a little dirty.

But disillusionment with the business conundrum I found myself in didn’t stop me from using my creativity, curiosity, + enterprising skill set from building three yoga-based businesses: two of which are thriving today. 

And now, I’m putting all that knowledge to work in creating elegant teacher trainings that give yoga teachers healing tools + the valuable professional skills necessary to use them effectively. 

Because yoga is powerful stuff + sharing it is transformative work. And training yoga teachers to think like scientists in order to share the therapeutic light of yoga is my personal mission.

And one of the ways  we learn to think like yogi scientists is to analyze + integrate our own journey to vibrant health –wherever we are on that path: to truly live yoga, not just teach it. 

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE:

My daughter Veda. My perfect-for-me husband. John Lennon. Questions. Crystallizing visionary ideas into simple, sane action steps. Fabulous footwear. Shaking my coach-tastic pom-poms and watching you soar. Watching the anatomy light bulb click on for yoga teachers. Creating {anything, really}. Continuing Education {in the school of Life}. Teaching. Om-ing my way through Florida’s Bible Belt: in leopard print yoga pants, naturally. The fact that I’ll never have to live through high school, again.

This crazy, cart-wheeling journey of life.

 I CAN’T STAND:

Cognitive dissonance. Fad diets. J.O.B.s that don’t reflect my values. Marketing tactics that make me {or others} feel sleazy. Hardcore yoga essentialism {I love it all, baby}. Feeling out of sync with my real desires. Missing an opportunity to learn. Procrastination {well, actually…}.

I’VE STUDIED:

Classical Indian philosophy. Mindfulness. Conscious business design, mindful marketing, + cognitive neuroscience. Food + Nutrition Science coupled with Health Promotion. Neuroscience, functional foods, + bone health. Intuitive Eating. Religions, Gender Studies, & Ayurveda. Ashtanga Yoga, Alignment Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Prenatal Yoga, Kid’s Yoga {more hours of training than I can count. You can see my full yoga C.V. here}. Contemplative meditation. French. Calculus. Knitting.

I’VE SURVIVED:

Abuse. Depression. Disordered eating. More abuse. More depression. And I’ll leave it at that. If you want the nitty gritty, you can read my story.

I CREATE:

Kick-a** curriculum for my Yoga School. Video tutorials + continuing education for yoga teachers on everything from Ayurveda to Zen Buddhism to therapeutic yoga for my Virtual Yoga Studio. Amazing opportunities for conscious creatives to find abundance {I’ve got a list a mile long!}. Virtual self-care retreats for busy people who want to say bye-bye to fad diet bullsh*t and nourish themselves –bodymindspirit –holistically. Bite size mindfulness + eating courses that help you tune into your body + eat more intuitively. Yoga teacher trainings for yoga teachers who want to LIVE yoga –not just teach it. Audio yoga classes that invite you to tune into the subtle undercurrents of flow and deepen the inner experience of the practice. Guided meditations that help you access your ever-present natural state of pure awareness.

I PROMISE:

Never to force-feed you someone else’s answers, but to help you find {+ fall in love with} your own.

I’M STILL SEEKING:

How to squeeze every delicious drop from this one wild, spiraling, deeply precious life. How to be the perfect blend of Pema Chodron + SARK. How to be OK with just being myself.

And how be a supersonic mama, yogini, wife, + teacher, in tandem.

I’M REALLY GLAD:

You’re here.

Because you’ve got 100 years to live, love + leave a remarkable impact. And it’s not only essential, it’s your DUTY, to share your talents + your unique gifts with the world. But ya gotta tune in before you can radiate out. And sometimes you need a coach to give you that final nudge or a teacher to show you your own light. And someone to cheer you on as you step courageously into your vibrant life!

xo.

Wanna get in touch? I’d love that!

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