Tag: mediatation

Categories
Fitness

Giving Yoga A Try

Hello everyone and happy Wednesday!

This week has been my first normal week after a week of traveling for work. I, for one, am happy to have some structure back in my life. Although it is nice to change things up every once in a while, I am someone who thrives on routine. 

Now that we are back to regularly scheduled programming, I wanted to share something that I have been trying lately. One of my new year’s resolutions was to try to incorporate yoga more in my life. I have tried it a few times in the past, but really wanted to make more of an effort to learn and adopt the practice. I think it would be a great new form of exercise and would be helpful when it comes to mindfulness and calming my mind. 

My goal was to do yoga at least once a week, whether it was through an in-person class, virtual class or through YouTube. It’s been a few months into the new year and I am proud to say I have practiced yoga at least once a week since the beginning of 2025.

I have done a mix of virtual classes and in-person classes through a local yoga studio. The yoga studio had a special going on where you could purchase five classes to try over the course of six months. I have been trying to go at least once a month and try different classes. I tried a basic class after work one night which was the perfect way to calm my mind after a hectic day at work. The basic class was very slow moving and focused on breathing and clearing your mind with some stretching. It was an hour-long class and I can’t tell you the last time I was so calm and relaxed. My mind, which is typically going in one hundred different directions, was so still. It felt so good to take an hour with no distractions and just focus on me.  The second class I tried was called flow and it was a bit more intense and faster and lasted an hour. This one focused on more stretching and different yoga positions and moves. I felt like I got more of a workout during this class as opposed to clearing my mind and focusing on me.

Besides the in-person classes, I have also been doing some virtual yoga classes. I have been taking them through Zen with Jen. She teaches both in person and online yoga classes.  I have done some of her virtual yoga classes which are typically a half hour. I can do them at my house, with my mat after a long day and it brings me peace and relaxation.

She also has a podcast where she offers mindful tips, yoga practices and advice. I have really enjoyed her evening classes. They aren’t too long, they offer a mix of breathing, meditation, and yoga stretching. She creates such a soothing atmosphere even being hundreds of miles away. Her weekly podcast offers a relaxing few minutes that I love to carve out at the start of my days and weeks.

As someone who is always on the go, I have found so many health benefits to trying yoga and slowing down. It has led me to focus on being present and not doing ten different things, it allows me to clear my mind, and has been a great technique to help me relax.

Practicing mindfulness and meditation has also been helpful when it comes to lowering my stress levels and taking a few deep breaths to put things in perspective.

I have really been pleased with my yoga journey so far and I can’t wait to continue it. If you are someone who has tried yoga, what are your thoughts on it? What advice do you have. I would love to be on this journey with you. I hope you have a soothing day and I will see you back here for another Friday Favorites this coming Friday!

Categories
Fabulous living

Things That Make Me Feel Like Me

Hi everyone! A VERY happy March to you! The countdown to spring is on, as we are only weeks away from the start of the new season, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it quite yet. We had a stretch of temperatures in the 40’s which was an instant mood booster, but then snow returned. There is hope and promise in the air. Is it bad that I’m eager for the rain that Spring brings just because that means a break in snow? I hope not! I have been soaking up time with friends over the past few weeks which has been so fun and much needed for the soul too.

Pastries and coffee with friends is always a good mood booster in the middle of the week.

The new season means a fresh start and today’s post goes nicely with that as I’m sharing the things I do every day that make me feel like me. I am currently on the road for a work trip and even though it is exciting to be traveling, it can also come with stress. Whenever, I am gone, whether it’s for work or pleasure, there’s a few things I try to incorporate every day in my life that makes me feel like me.

If I go without one of these for a day, will the world keep turning? Absolutely! But these are little rituals I like to incorporate every day to make me feel like the best version of myself.

  • Quiet Time– I like to begin every day with some quiet time and that includes journaling, prayer time, working on a word search to keep my brain sharp, reading a few pages of a book, and Wordle to keep my streak alive. I like to take my time and ease into my day with this quiet time, sometimes, I take ten minutes for my quiet time, other days, I take forty-five minutes. It all depends on how much time I have. I love starting my day with some me-time.
No matter where I am, I always try to get my quiet time in
  • Movement- Whether it’s a lift at the gym, some yoga after work, a good run, or even just a walk. Getting some sort of movement is critical for me. Bonus points if I can get outdoors for one of these activities. I love being able to move my body and I don’t take it for granted. I feel energized after I get some sort of activity whether it be easy or hard. It’s a mood booster and stress reliever for me. 
Fresh air and some sort of movement brings me so much JOY!
  • Balanced Diet and Lots of Water– If I could only drink water for the rest of my life, I would be okay with that. I go through lots of tumblers every day with water. I drink it at the gym, I drink it hot with lemon in the morning and at night and all through the day at work. I love how refreshed and full water makes me feel. I also try really hard to eat a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables and proteins, plus something sweet too. I’ve never been much of a breakfast person, so lunch and dinner are my meals of the day. I love to see a colorful plate filled with fruits and veggies. I feel better physically and mentally after eating a filling meal, but don’t get me wrong, I do love to enjoy my sweet snacks throughout the day. 
We love a colorful plate!
  • Deep Breathing and Meditation– Life can get hectic which is why taking a few moments for mediation at the start and end of my day helps me stay focused and balanced. I have been using the app Insight Timer at the end of the day to help me unwind which has been a huge help too!
Insight Timer keeps me focused to mediate every day
  • Socializing– I’m your typical Introverted/Extrovert. As much as I love my quiet time in the morning and at night. I also love to spend time with my people. I call and text with my boyfriend every day and get to see my family every day, which is such a blessing. I love gathering around the table at the end of the day to talk about our days. Family is so important to me and I cherish my time with them. Plus, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my incredible friends. Although I may not see or talk to them every day, catching up with friends nourishes my soul. I have recently been reconnecting with old friends and it’s so nice to catch up on what everyone is up to in life. 
Happiest with my people!

These five things make me feel like me in the best possible way. I can obviously go without these for a day or two, but I feel like the best version of myself if I incorporate these into my daily life.

 As we look towards a new season, what are some non-negotiables for you? I would love to hear from you. Although, I’m on the road, I will be back for another Friday Favorites in just two days! See you then!

Thanks as always for stopping by and Happy March!

Categories
Let's Look

Let’s Look: Quiet and Prayer Time

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! This has been a BUSY week, I just wrapped up a big work project, so the fact that my weekend starts tomorrow is huge sigh of relief.

I got to witness my first Total Solar Eclipse which was an incredible experience.

Such a cool moment

It’s the second Wednesday of the month which means it’s time for another Let’s Look as I link up with with Shay and Erika.

In January, we talked about How We Clean Our Closets.

In February, the topic was Things We Do Every Day

In March, it was all about what’s in our Grocery Carts

This month, we are chatting all about our Quiet and Prayer time.

This is a personal topic for many, and I know everyone has their own faith life and practices. Today, I’m sharing what has worked best for me in my prayer life as an adult and how I have incorporated my relationship with God in my every day life as I have gotten older.

I have gone to church my entire life. I went to Catholic grade school, high school, and college, so I always felt like I had a good relationship with God. As an adult, I wanted to grow more in my faith life and that came in the form of making more time for prayer every day. 

Every morning, I begin my day with a daily prayer/reflection. I like to ease into my day with quiet time before the days gets busy.

I use the app Laudate, which contains daily readings, prayers and reflections. During special seasons in the Catholic church, like Advent and Lent, I spend more time in my prayer by reading other devotionals I get through my Church, they typically contain a reading and reflection and prayer.

 This was the one I was using for this Lenten season at the end of the day before bed.

After some prayer and intention time, I spend time journaling about my day, what happened, what was good or bad, what’s stressing me out and what’s bringing me joy. I really like to take the time for reflection before the day begins, plus it gets all my thoughts out on paper and out of my mind. This takes about ten to fifteen minutes depending on how much I need to unpack, haha! Once my quiet time in the morning is done, it’s off to start the day.

At the end of the day, I have been working to unwind and have a few minutes of quiet time before getting ready for bed. I started the year by reading Near in the Night, it’s a companion piece to Sure as the Sunrise by Emily Ley.

It’s 100 daily devotionals and reflections. I made my way through Sure as the Sunrise last year in the mornings and have been making my way through Near in the Night this year. I did take a brief pause for Lent, but now, I’m back into it. I like the different devotionals and prompts that Ley writes and I like the room for daily and weekly reflection that she provides. After a little bit of quiet time, it’s time for bed.

Everyone has the own relationship with their faith life, some may choose to go to Church every day, while others may only go once a week. Faith is such a personal choice, and everyone has to decide for themselves what works best for them. I have found that incorporating time in the morning and night to spend time on my faith life is what matters most to me, so I make it a priority every day. There is always room for more time with God, but at this stage in my life this is what works for me.

If you are struggling with a faith life, I hope this encourages you to explore what else is out there for you. 

See you back here on Friday for another edition of Friday Favorites!