A few weeks ago I discussed living your life with heart through discovering and nurturing passions and this week I want to talk about living with heart by making the most of every day. It can be easy to get sucked into the monotony of day-to-day responsibilities and to go into “robot mode” where you’re going [...]
Life Balance
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Living Your Life with Heart + Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding
August 10, 2016 { 9 comments }When you think about heart health, do you consider taking care of your heart emotionally as well as physically? One of the things that I most frequently message to my yoga classes about is creating a life that 1) feels good on the inside and 2) you are excited to wake up and live (on [...]
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Om Shanti Peace
July 15, 2016 { 12 comments }I sat down to write my about my Friday favorites and I just couldn’t do it and feel good about it. I haven’t been able to get last night’s events in Nice off my mind all day today. I read the CNN coverage and it was horrific. I’m like, “Really? Again? How? Why?” Paris, San [...]
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17 Getting to Know Me Things
July 9, 2016 { 12 comments }Happy weekend! I am popping in with a lighthearted Saturday morning post. My friend Teri at A Foodie Stays Fit shared this little getting to know me quiz last week and I thought it would be a nice thing to share with you guys, especially for my newer readers. 1. What brings you the greatest joy? Visiting my [...]
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On Keeping An Open Heart
June 8, 2016 { 29 comments }I can’t even begin to count all of the ways my life has been blessed by having dogs. They bring me so much joy on a daily basis by greeting me when I walk in, making me smile with their antics, coming over for cuddles, comforting me when they know I’m upset, keeping me company while I [...]
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The Lie I Give Up
April 13, 2016 { 52 comments }One of the exercises that we do in our 200-hour teacher training program is called “The Lie I Give Up.” I think it’s safe to say that most of us walk around with lies that are just waiting to pop up anytime we are triggered or put in a vulnerable or difficult situation. Most of the [...]
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What You’ll Find on My iPhone
April 12, 2016 { 10 comments }My iPhone is home to nearly 6,000 photos. You’ll find tons of dog pics, screen shots of things I found funny or wanted to remember, food, yoga and more. I recently upgraded my iPhone and got the phone with the most amount of storage possible because I used to live my life constantly having to [...]
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Sunday Morning Coffee Chat
April 10, 2016 { 7 comments }A little over a month ago I shared a “coffee chat” post for the first time and many of you responded to the post (and in the survey) that you enjoyed the more personal feel of it. I’m going to do another one today and then see if it might become something I do monthly [...]
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On Being a Possibilitarian
March 27, 2016 { 12 comments }I regularly share readings, quotes and stories from my own life experiences in my yoga classes. As a student, I personally enjoy when a teacher adds this “little something extra” so it’s something I try to bring to my classes as well. It’s so interesting to me how many times a student has come up to [...]
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On Blooming
March 20, 2016 { 8 comments }Hello and happy Spring Equinox. After weeks of gorgeous, sunny, 70 degree weather, the Spring Equinox here in Charlotte was a cold, gray day but it felt totally appropriate to remind me what we’re saying goodbye to. I love how each season has a very specific feel to it. Summer is full of long days and [...]
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Sunday Morning Coffee Chat + Weekly Workouts
March 6, 2016 { 47 comments }Weekend mornings are my favorite. After many years of teaching early every Saturday and Sunday morning, it’s been such a treat to have them back after making some adjustments to my schedule about a year ago. Saturday mornings tend to be a little more productive. I love cleaning the house, hitting the farmers market and getting [...]
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Friday I’m In Love, The Girl Tribe Version
February 19, 2016 { 68 comments }TGIF! This week has been jam packed but in good ways. Work has been extra busy lately but that always seems to be the case when you’re gearing up for a vacation. Instead of letting it completely stress me out, I try to find gratitude for a) the opportunities and b) that I have built a career based on [...]
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Tuesday in the Life: 1.19.16
January 20, 2016 { 31 comments }I decided to document a day in the life yesterday and was surprised to find this morning in my TimeHop that I did a “Tuesday in the Life” exactly one year ago today! Guess it was meant to be. Here goes… 5:35 a.m. – alarm goes off and I am awakened from a super deep [...]
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A Second Chance at My Evening Routine
January 8, 2016 { 11 comments }http://ads.blogherads.com/75/7551/campaigns/22/2278/2278235/x90.jsAfter early morning wake up calls to be at the gym or the yoga studio and long days where I commonly teach into the evening hours, unwinding when I get home is something I really look forward to. One of my goals in the new year is to revamp my evening routine to make it [...]
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Christmas for Two
December 28, 2015 { 15 comments }For the last month or so I have been back and forth with my family about Christmas. I looked at flights to Florida and then my mom and grandmother talked briefly about flying up to Charlotte. Before we knew it, flight prices had quickly risen and were out of the budget. My dad and I [...]
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Holiday Highs and Lows + Weekly Workouts
December 20, 2015 { 17 comments }Hi! I don’t know about you guys but I’m feeling the holiday hustle in full force. The ratio of “what I hope to achieve and do” versus “what actually happens” is pretty comical right now but I’m just taking it one day at a time. I thought for today’s weekly workouts post that I would [...]
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An Ending
December 10, 2015 { 23 comments }Our lives are full of beginnings and endings…life, careers, relationships, creative endeavors, homes, routines, cities, the list goes on. Whether they are happy, sad or bittersweet, beginnings and endings and the transitions that come with them are an inevitable part of being human. I have recently been navigating my way through an ending behind the [...]
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Thanksgiving in Edisto Beach
November 27, 2015 { 9 comments }Happy Black Friday! We are heading back from a wonderful 48 hours in Edisto Beach where we spent Thanksgiving with my fiance’s family. Edisto Beach is a small, charming coastal town just south of Charleston and Kiawah. I have visited many South Carolina beaches but this was my first time in Edisto. We drove down [...]
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Life & Loving Lately
November 18, 2015 { 16 comments }I hope you guys are having a wonderful week so far. I so appreciate the kind and encouraging words about the release of my yoga book. It’s a little surreal to hold it in my hands 18 months after its inception. I need to write a post about the book writing process from start to [...]
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Love & Strength
November 15, 2015 { 18 comments }My friend Marci sent me a text on Friday night and said, “OMG. Terrorist attack in France.” I immediately opened the browser on my phone and checked CNN. I was sickened to read the news of what was going on in Paris. It’s so crazy to think that while you’re standing in the middle of [...]
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Finding my Creative Confidence
November 12, 2015 { 22 comments }Throughout my childhood and my early adult life, I didn’t think I was creative. Anything having to do with widely accepted forms of creativity like art, dance and music felt foreign to me. I have never been artistic and things like drawing, painting and sewing never came easy and honestly didn’t really interest me. One [...]
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Life Lately: The Week from My iPhone
October 22, 2015 { 10 comments }Hey there! I hope it’s been a great week. I have a video shoot about to commence at my house for a new project I’m working on with Fitter Faster but I wanted to pop in for a quick “life lately” post courtesy of the iPhone! Speaking of my house…we are getting all settled in [...]
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Have Courage and Be Kind
October 13, 2015 { 15 comments }Hi everyone! I hope you had great day. I have a post that will hopefully bring a little sunshine to your week. First, a quick housekeeping update. Many of you have requested an email option for receiving daily posts. It’s a functionality I used to offer but haven’t in years…until now! I have been working [...]
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Life Lately + The Microwave Conundrum
October 7, 2015 { 47 comments }A big thanks for all of your sweet birthday wishes for Zoey. And I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one making cakes and throwing parties. ;) She’s recovering tonight from yesterday’s celebrations and today’s excitement of having the AT&T guy here for 3 hours setting up cable and internet. He kept telling me [...]
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Zoey’s First Birthday + Embracing “There’s NEVER a Right Time!”
October 6, 2015 { 41 comments }In the midst of the move I took a break to celebrate a sweet puppy that has brought so much joy to my life. Today is Zoey’s first birthday. I think one of the things that holds us back in life is thinking “it’s not the right time.” What I’ve learned is that the right [...]
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Rising Strong with Brene Brown (Giveaway) + Life Updates
September 30, 2015 { 137 comments }Good morning beautiful people! How is it the last day of September already!? I can’t wait to put a pumpkin and mums on my front porch… But it’s going to be a NEW front porch! We are moving this weekend. I went from moving every year for like 8 years to being in one place [...]
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ABCs of Jen, Part 2
August 3, 2015 { 17 comments }I’m currently en route from NYC to CLT. It’s been a crazy morning of travel and we’ve already done subway, bus and cab as well as switched from LGA to JKF when our flight got cancelled. We’re now on a direct flight from JFK to CLT and we’ll end up getting in just 2 hours [...]
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Join Me for a Core Desire Yoga Retreat in Isle of Palms, SC
July 11, 2015 { 2 comments }Last spring I announced the launch of Core Desire Yoga, a new venture combining two things that I love the most…personal growth and yoga. Even better, I partnered with my friend and fellow yoga teacher Dorie Fusaro to create it. What is Core Desire Yoga? Core Desire Yoga offers weekend workshops and retreats that combine [...]
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7 Things I Love About Living in Charlotte
June 23, 2015 { 16 comments }I regularly receive emails with questions about living in Charlotte.I LOVE living in Charlotte so I’m super excited to show all of you how great this city is! I grew up in middle Georgia and attended college at the University of Georgia. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina and Birmingham, Alabama for a few years [...]
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Finding the Space to Fly
June 2, 2015 { 10 comments }I had a breakthrough with my yoga practice last week. They always seem to come just when I need them most…and always after I’ve let go of something that’s weighing on me. You might remember that around this time last year, I finally got into a pose that I had been working on for upwards [...]
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Please Help Pushpa Basnet and the Children of Nepal
April 26, 2015 { 5 comments }Good morning. As I’m sure you’ve heard on the news, the country of Nepal just experienced its worst earthquake in history. The death toll is over 2,300 and thousands more have been injured, displaced or lost their homes. (image: Time) As I wake up in my home in Charlotte with a cup of chai green [...]
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2015 Intentions Check-In + Life Lately in Food & Puppies
April 18, 2015 { 10 comments }Long time, no catch up. I hope your weekend is off to a great start. I started 2015 by sharing my intention to slow down. While I never slowed to a pace that felt just right, I did manage to refocus my priorities somewhat and get some things off my plate. I was feeling like [...]
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Introducing Core Desire Yoga
April 7, 2015 { 23 comments }Teaching yoga is my favorite thing in the whole world to do. While I love so many things about teaching, helping my students realize and believe in their own strength and start a journey of personal growth is high on the list. You see, what often begins as a physical practice that is a “good [...]
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Figuring Out Fitness & Nutrition: Embracing “You Do You”
March 18, 2015 { 98 comments }Hi everyone. Today I am going to talk about a topic that I feel passionate about. FITNESS AND NUTRITION ARE UNIQUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL…THERE IS NO ONE PERFECT WAY! I recently received the following email from a reader that both saddened me and motivated me to make this a public discussion. I am almost 18 and [...]
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Breaks, Being Present & What is Balance?
February 25, 2015 { 11 comments }Hi. I think this is the longest break I have taken from blogging in…years? And it felt…really good. I went into this trip thinking that I’d blog every day like I normally do but after the first day, I just decided not to. Instead I dedicated myself to my practice, my friends and being present. [...]
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The End of the Year of Book Writing + My Intentions for 2015
January 6, 2015 { 12 comments }Annnddd I’m back! I am so excited to share that I sent the final manuscript of my book to my editor yesterday at 5 p.m. 2014 can be summarized as “the year of book writing” for me. At the end of 2013, I was connected to an editor through a mutual friend. The editor was looking for [...]
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2014 Year in Review: Life, Work and Blogging
December 31, 2014 { 7 comments }The last day of 2014 is here and I feel equal parts ready and nostalgic to close the door on this year. If I had to choose one word to summarize this year for me it would be growth. I truly feel that I grew in unprecedented ways both personally and professionally. I feel stronger, more [...]
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12 Days of Christmas Survey
December 20, 2014 { 8 comments }I am all about the holiday spirit this year. I decorated my house the weekend after Thanksgiving and I’ve just been all lights, trees and celebration every since (although I am still not done with shopping…but that’s pretty standard for me. I don’t remember the last time I wasn’t out on Christmas Eve wrapping up my shopping). I [...]
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Why I Told My Yoga Class to Eat Pizza + Playlist
December 17, 2014 { 10 comments }I am feeling the holiday crazies something serious this year. When my editor told me my book deadline was January 5 and apologized for the holiday timeline, I didn’t think much of it. Now that I’m in the moment…I have to admit that I’m dying a little. I want to be shopping, baking cookies and [...]
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Four Things…Random Life, Food, Travel and Entertainment Survey
November 29, 2014 { 17 comments }Happy weekend! I am so distracted by this. These two are completely melting my heart. They have been absolutely inseparable. My friend, fellow blogger and fellow Georgia Bulldog Brittany from A Healthy Slice of Life tagged me to complete this “Four Things” survey that’s making its way around the blog world. Enjoy! :) Four names [...]
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Two Guided Meditations I Use to Fall Asleep at Night
November 19, 2014 { 20 comments }I am not the best sleeper. I sometimes have trouble falling asleep at night and I almost always wake up in the middle of the night sometime around 3 a.m. and have to coax myself back to sleep. What is it about the 3 a.m. hour that intensifies everything and makes you feel like you [...]
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Cultivating A Gratitude Practice
November 1, 2014 { 14 comments }Today is November 1…it’s 50 degrees in Charlotte, the leaves are rapidly falling from the trees, the time changes tonight bringing shorter days and Thanksgiving is just 25 days away. It always seems that the arrival of November and shorter days signals the start of the holiday season and grounding down for the cold months ahead. I [...]
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A Saturday Survey…”Taking Stock”
October 25, 2014 { 14 comments }I hope everyone is having a great Saturday! My Saturdays are generally my “feel like a normal human” days. I teach yoga in the mornings and then do all the farmers market, house cleaning, working out, pampering, relaxing, friend kind of stuff. My friend Terri shared a fun survey kind of post today so I thought [...]
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Let’s Get Some Sleep: Stopping Sleep Deprivation
October 22, 2014 { 26 comments }Right on the heels of my crazy “Monday in the life” post, I want to talk about something serious. Sleep. Often, my nights are late and my mornings are early. It’s fairly normal for me to go to sleep around 11:15-11:30 p.m. and get up at 4:55 a.m. That’s an average of a little over [...]
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Practicing Fearlessness & 7 Headstand Variations
October 7, 2014 { 12 comments }I was talking with a friend recently about how much power fear has over many of the decisions we make (or simply do not make…indecision is the worst). Often, we stay in situations for too long because we’re comfortable and/or afraid of change. Or we avoid pursuing a dream or passion because we fear change [...]
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October Already? Life Updates.
October 2, 2014 { 33 comments }Thursday already? This week has flown by! October already? This YEAR has flown by! Does anyone else feel like it’s gone in the blink of an eye? Just last night my grandmother reminded me that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just right around the corner. Ahhh! The only way that I know how to describe what [...]
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Sweet Sullie + How Much Do You Value Yourself?
September 19, 2014 { 10 comments }Happy Friday! Warning…this post is mostly going to consist of cute pictures of Sullie. Exhibit 1.In her favorite “please rub my belly…look how cute I am…you know you want to” pose. Exhibit 2. “I’m sorry I rolled in the mud. Please don’t give me a bath.” Exhibit 3. “Why do you torture me like this [...]
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Saying Yes + The Weekend
August 11, 2014 { 19 comments }My reading in my yoga class on Saturday was about the importance of relationships and connection. I have been putting this into practice in my own life. This has been the summer of yes. Despite my love for teaching and interacting with others for my work, I am introverted and more often than not I find a [...]
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Day in the Life Friday
August 8, 2014 { 2 comments }Hello and happy Friday! Here’s a little day in the life for you. 4:55 a.m. – alarm goes off. I didn’t get in bed until midnight the night before due to the baseball game and then work stuff when I got home so that alarm came early. 5:30 a.m. – train my first client. I [...]
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Recent Eats + Perfect Imperfection
August 3, 2014 { 23 comments }Good morning and happy Sunday. After days of rain I awoke to a beautiful, cool summer morning here in Charlotte. It’s amazing what a little sunshine can do for the soul. Today’s recent eats post is…all over the place. You’re going to see the last of my vacation eats + what I’ve had since I [...]