Market Fresh

One of my favorite things about spring is all of the fresh produce. Here are some great recipes for fresh takes on veggies and fruits this season, just click here: 10 Foods for Spring and enjoy!


Image and recipes via The Glitter Guide

Aim True

Hi everyone, I hope you all are having a wonderful day. The weather is perfect here in Arkansas today. Blue skies, the birds are singing and the sun is out. I am soaking up every minute of it. :)

Over the weekend I went to OKC for a workshop at Soul Yoga with Kathryn Budig. Have you all ever taken a workshop with her? She is awesome. If you haven't experienced her classes yet, they are available on Yogaglo. :)  The first day she sat us down and talked to us before the actual practice. If you have been to her then you probably know what I'm about to talk about...  her motto in life and in yoga is Aim True. She took us through a journey in her shoes, talking about things she's been through and her life in general. She made some really good points, that hit my so hard I felt like being there had to have been a God thing. She basically told me everything I needed to hear. Through this process of starting a business, putting down roots, everything that I've been doing the past 6 months, it's been a very big leap of faith. I've had to follow my heart every step of the way, not knowing how everything will really turn out. It can be exhausting. Some days I just feel like crying, and going back to Houston, but most days I feel like no matter what as soon as I walk into Maitri (the yoga studio), something happens. It's like magic, because all of my fears, doubts, worries go away and I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. I think when you find something you love, when you find something you want to share, you feel this great push and pull because there is so much risk. However, Kathryn pointed out, that often times when we find our path, we know we're going the right direction because we will be tested. We may not feel like it is the easiest thing in the world, and that's because we have to figure out how much we want it. There was a post I wrote a while back, about the worst class I ever taught, or what I thought was the worst class I've ever taught, I made a decision that day, right then and there to no matter what share this practice. It doesn't matter if I stumble over my words, as soon as I recognized that I could share this practice without having to be the perfect teacher, I gave myself permission to keep going. That was what this weekend was about for me, the strength to keep going and letting go of what others think and what others say. When you have something you want to share from the heart, it is always wonderful and this goes for in your jobs, relationships, everything...
Give yourself permission to be true to you no matter what; to live your life from your core with no regrets. I have given up and given in on too many things in my life. As soon as we start aiming true, loving ourselves, and knowing that we're worth it, that's when we keep going and that's when we are a true success.... when we honor ourselves above all else and have the courage to be who we are and share it with others.

So today, this week, this month, this year... keep going. Share yourself. Aim true and stay true to you because you're worth it. 

Always leaving. Never staying.

Hi everyone! Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. I just wanted to take some time, since I actually have some, to write a little. Earlier today I went for a run, and got to thinking about the idea of "the grass is always greener." Since I've graduated from college, I've spent a lot of time, moving around to different places, figuring out what fits, what doesn't. When I moved to Houston two years ago I had no idea what to expect, but I loved it. I loved the people, and the city itself, but I missed my family. I often missed out on parties, family Sundays, hanging out... when my lease came up in October it was the hardest decision to move here to Arkansas. Part of me was saying stay, part of me was saying go. It was easier to stay, I wanted to stay, but there was another part of me that wanted to put some roots down somewhere, and since I didn't have family in Houston, I didn't necessarily want to sink into Houston. I think I was afraid to, so with that I took the leap and moved to Arkansas. It has been, I believe the hardest transition I have ever been through anywhere. On top of moving, as some of you know, I opened a yoga studio. I knew if I moved to Arkansas I would have to bring a big part of myself that was nourished in Houston with me and that was the yoga. I think I've always felt like moving to Arkansas would be a loss in identity, like if I moved back to where I came from then people believe you to be a certain way, you have memories of what was and what will never be again, and although parts of it might feel familiar it is all very foreign, because things are different. Things change. I feel so blessed to be able to share what I love every single day through the practice of yoga, and I love my house. Being able to have a house is incredible, but this whole 6 months or so of living here, I feel like I've been holding a very long, breathtaking yoga pose and all I want to do is run out of it. However, I say this in yoga all the time and believe it's the same for life, we have to go to the places where we resist the most without running, hiding, moving, leaving, but just sit and breathe, because that is where the healing is, that is where the release, the surrender, and the magic happens. It is always in the moment, no matter where we are, because where we are is exactly where we are meant to be, learning what we're meant to learn. It is much easier to leave... than it is to stay, at least for me. I know I have carried around with me some pain that I experienced not only in high school, but after school, that took place in Arkansas. What my yoga practice has become is facing it, instead of running from it. Everyday, I wake up and breathe through it, because something brought me here that was bigger than me. So sometimes, I think we just have to trust life and trust where we are, because life is always teaching us something and it's constantly reminding us who we are, and bringing us back to ourselves. We just can't resist it, no matter how much we want to step out, leave or run, the sooner we face our self, in a place where we experience resistance, the sooner we let go, and become free. Then we can go where ever we wish to go, and enjoy exactly where we are knowing that the grass isn't always greener. :)

Just thought I would share those thoughts...
Happy weekend. Enjoy. 

May days

Happy May, everyone! Guess what? It snowed last night here in Arkansas. Isn't that crazy? I couldn't believe it when I woke up this morning. I hope you all have been doing great. Since we spoke last, I have been to North Carolina for a friend's wedding, teaching yoga, having a guest teacher visit, teaching more yoga and today, I am taking a break. One thing I really miss all the time is writing. My fingers literally start to ache for the computer at times. I know, weird right? I think so too. But, it's always been a part of my life. I've realized that once you dive into something like starting a business, it can be challenging to find a balance. And I know I have mentioned this a lot, but I'm still working on it and realizing that taking time to do yoga myself, or run, get a massage... whatever it is... it isn't really a luxury, it is just a part of keeping me sane! Something that I definitely need to find time for, or I can't really teach yoga. I think sometimes when we do things for ourselves we might think of it as selfish or that we should be doing something else for someone or something else, but I've come to realize that it is just as important to take care of yourself. Anyway, I just wanted to share that and say hi. I will probably blog later today. I have time! :)

Sending you all lots of love. Have a great day! If you're in Arkansas, play in the snow? 

Hello my dears. Long time, no talk. I have been crazy busy the past two weeks, teaching seven days a week. I just about had a mental breakdown yesterday. Alas, this morning, I let myself sleep in a little and have been taking the day to take care of some things around the house. I actually find cleaning and cooking to be very grounding. I also planted some flowers. :)

Yesterday I was thinking a lot about perspective and contentment, in the midst of me feeling overwhelmed and everything else, the news came on about the Boston Marathon. I couldn't believe it. I felt absolutely speechless. I then immediately started to feel a heavy heart. This world seems to be shifting. There is a lot of fear and it seems to be growing rather than lessening. It's important to keep an open heart. No matter what. Otherwise, we just become stuck in our fears. It's easy to get stressed in life, it's really easy to lose sight of ourselves and our own contentment. But it's important to keep going. Keep believing and keep trying to make the world a better place. No act of kindness is too small.

So be kind. To yourself and to others.

Lots of love.

The space in between

Hello friends! I am writing my first post as a 27-year old. It feels a little odd being 27. It sounds older to me, but I don't feel older in any way. With birthdays often comes a little bit of reflection... I often think about what was, and what I hope will be. Lately, I have been feeling a little caught in between past and future. I feel myself thinking about all my friends, my best friends that I had when I was younger. I grew up with tons of guy friends, had a serious boyfriend in high school, and I have always remained pretty close with all of them, until the years have passed on. With relationships, and everything else, we have all slowly drifted and I am reminded that we are getting older. Things change even though on a day to day basis it feels like nothing changes. I have a habit of looking back. Wondering about things. Did I make the right decisions? But, when it comes down to it, we can't worry about those things. We make the decisions that are right at the time. Sometimes I wonder how I got here and then looking back I know exactly how I got here with every conscious decision that was made. I have always been one to go with my gut, to follow my heart as much as I can. I guess when it comes down to it that's all we can really do in life... follow our hearts and not really worry about the rest. I posted on Maitri's facebook page, that we will get there, when we are supposed to get there, not a moment sooner. The key is having patience with all things. Not comparing our journeys to others'. If I closed my eyes and couldn't compare my life to someone else's, I would say that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. It is only when I get wrapped up, in what I think life should look like or be, or what other people are doing, that I lose sight of the gift... that is now. Learning, growing, finding my way and not being afraid to let go.

The thing is things change. That is a constant. Our life is a moving, shifting, changing every day type of thing. It isn't stagnant. Sometimes we want to hold on for comfort, but we can't be afraid to let go and let our lives take us where it may. 

I love this Hopi Elders Prayer:

"There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and they will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water. See who is in there with you and celebrate."

I wish you all a wonderful day! Don't be afraid to lose sight of the shore. :)

I love Sundays.

Hello again! Yes, time has passed, almost a month! I can't believe I'm sitting here and it's March. Spring forward, flowers, transitions, new seasons... are all upon us. I hope you guys have all been well. My life has been pretty good. I went to a bachelorette party last weekend, which was a much needed little break. Finding balance between the yoga teacher self and the 26 (almost 27) year-old self can sometimes be a little challenging. On the weekends I find myself tired and needing sleep, while at the same time wanting to go out and see friends. I have more people come up to me that know me as the yoga teacher now, than people that know me simply as Sarah. I guess I feel that is both good and bad. Mainly good, hopefully. It's interesting to be in this place. This place between wanting to give myself completely to my career and also a place of wanting to have it all (which sometimes I wonder if it's an illusion). I think a lot of us girls now a days don't want to choose between one or the other. I know I don't. No one ever really tells you that your 20's are hard. It's a process of finding your place, your voice, starting to let go of what others want from you and doing things that work for you. I think that for awhile, I was focused on approval. Now I'm saying screw approval I can't take that on. All I want is for my life to feel good... A life that fits for me. I think that's what we all want to find... a life that feels good.

I started another blog, one for the yoga studio (Maitri Yoga), and although I thought about letting this one go, I've decided to keep it going... for the 26, almost 27 year old self, that would like it as a place to still bring my own thoughts, worries... a place where I can simply be Sarah. :)

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday.

image via pinterest