inspiration

The theme for January is inspiration.  I thought this would be great to kick off the New Year.  Last year I worked really hard to get myself set up teaching as many hours a week as I could.  And the  hard work payed off.  I'm finally teaching a full (ish) schedule and not having to stress about it.  So for a couple of months now the question has been: "What's next?"

And I don't know.  I'm not sure if what I want is to keep growing my yoga practice and to start offering workshops and retreats, or if maybe it's time to start exploring other passions and see how they can fit in to my life and career.

Inspiration.  I have a Desire to Inspire.  But before I can go out into the world and inspire others, I need to find my own inspiration.

This month I have been working out of a book called Desire to Inspire.

It's a super fun, creative book filled with inspirational quotes and stories from a collaboration of artists and other creative souls.  At the end of each chapter there are exercises to help you to dig a little deeper.  Exercises to start to bring things to the surface.  What do you want to do?  What's holding you back?  How can you make a difference?  What makes you happy?  These are the types of questions that are to be answered through the exercises.

So far I've been having a ton of fun going through the book and am learning more about myself than I thought I would.

The book was kicked off with a battle cry and a letter.

It looked something like this:

Exercise ~ The Superhero in you

My Superhero Powers

Magic words: "move from your heart", "you are as strong as the wind", "you are enough"
Power move:  standing/sitting tall
Talisman:  meditation ring - gives me calm, creative courage
Theme song:  Between Two Lungs ~ Florence and the Machine

Exercise ~ Letter to your small self

You are free. You are free to choose—to choose the life that you want to live. You have the whole world before you and the unshakeable love and support of your family behind you. All you have to do is jump, and trust that the wind will carry you.

You’re young and smart and beautiful and live in a time and a place where anything is possible. Your path to freedom and happiness is yours for the taking.

It’s this spirit of freedom that makes you special; this sense of wonder that keeps you alive. Don’t cage yourself to suit others. Embrace who you are. Even if what you want and what you need seem scary a times.

Your free spirit will lead you to greatness if you just let it.

Believe in yourself. Don’t hold yourself back out of fear. Don’t let yourself be held back by others out of a sense of duty.

You’re light and loveable—let yourself soar.

Free yourself of judgment and expectations; of fear and worry. Let go and follow your heart. 

You are free. Never forget that. 

P.S. I love you.

~peace :)