Bye Bye DTCC

For the past 2 1/2 years I have been in school non-stop. Summer semesters, spring breaks, internships, you name it. I have spent every waking minute of my life at Delaware Technical Community College working on becoming an Entrepreneur,  and before that a personal trainer. So with the ammount of time I spent there, I decided that it would be the perfect place to hold classes. Last Jan is when I started my YTT and it was suggested that I start teaching small groups so that I could get the hang of it, so I did. I started a volunteer program at my school where twice a week I would come early and hold a yoga class. Every Tuesday and Thursday for 4 semester now I have holding morning yoga classes from 7:45-8:30. 
I am so grateful to those students and faculty who have been there with me a incentives the brining of my yoga journey. Who put up with the terrible akostics of the racket ball courts where we practice. To those who took a chance with me and tried some of my other classes, even if the studios were way out of the way for you. Over this stretch of time I have taken many a photos of you all and your progress, and so I am compiling all of the pictures I still have so that I can share these wonderful memories you all have given me. That I will hold and cherish as I continue this journey. 

Lets get Class Started!!!

The Time that Step aerobics left out their steps from the night before and I was really debating weather or not to try to turn our class into step-yoga...

Walking in on Thursdays and seeing this meant today is going to be a good day.

When I set out on a mission to get everyone to try acro... starting with Connor

Spinal Twists are always great!

The times we had a really full classes, with new people...

And the times we had not so many.

Im serious Spinal twists are the best!

Savasana is my fave!!!

Drews first time doing Acro!!!

Hamstring Strength Building

This years Power Yoga Flyer

This years Restorative Yoga Flyer

The time we turned class into Meditation time

Tim and I used to practice Acro Yoga a lot!

Core Work

That time everyone got really mad at Utkatasana 

The time I got hot computer guy aka Peter parker aka his real name is Craig guys... to do some acro with me!!!

I am finally graduating and these classes will unfortunately be coming to an end as of Thursday, April 21. I will miss you all!

Yoga: Child's Pose Balasana

Thoughts for 4/11/16

Wow, we are almost ½ way through April. I seriously feel as though I have done nothing this entire month. The only things I can honestly remember doing this month are being really tired and thus taking a lot of naps. This bums me out though. It makes me feel like I am not doing my job right or that I am not cut out for what I do, so I decided to take a more serious look at what I have accomplished this month so that I can get a better idea as to how productive I have been so far.

1 Prepared and finalized 2016 first Quarter taxes

2 Finished my business plan or when I up and move everything to Media

3 Finished every project, assignment, and homework for every class up till graduation day (so all I have left is exams)

4 Programmed two 4 week workshops, and 1 workshop by myself, and I have one more in the works

5 Programmed an additional 2 workshops with friends, and have 2 more in the works

6 Branched my company out to a new product line and am now offering retail

7 Started my summer deals for personal training

8 I didn’t die

I always add the didn’t die, because with my anxiety, no matter how much I shut down those fears and know that my stress isn’t going to kill me, I’m always happy to say that I didn’t die as an accomplishment.  I was hoping to come up with a list of 10 accomplishments, and if I add the house parties, and mommy duties to that list I would have 10.

As someone who constantly looks at the situation with “what is the worst outcome possible” it is nice to look back sometimes and see that the worst did not happen, and that everything is still ok.

Forever Easter Eggs

Personally I like to keep mementos of holiday crafts from one year to the next and Easter eggs are the same. For years  I have spent teaching my friends about how to create ester eggs that wont spoil or go bad and that you can essentially keep forever, and now I would like to pass this on to everyone else I know. 

Things you will need:

-Something sharp (if you have a needle this is ideal) if you so not a small and sharp knife will do the trick.

- raw eggs (because I do these every year, I try to only make 2-3 that will last forever otherwise my house would become over run with eggs, but remember they are super fragile so if you are clumsy, make a few more)

Optional: markers, paints, dye, stickers, rubber bands, crayons,

Step 1: Holding the egg as it comes in the crate, create 1 large hole at one end of the egg and a slightly smaller hole at the other end

Step 2: Blow into the smaller hole pushing the yoke and white out of the larger hole (if this becomes difficult, try enlarging the bigger hole, or sticking the needle in further to break up the yoke) and into a bowl.

Step 3: Rinse your eggs under some water or try blowing water through them as well. Then let them dry.

Step 4: Paint!!! We use all the same techniques as we do with other eggs, like rubber bands, stickers, crayons, dye, markers, and paints. Be creative with these guys, they will last you a lifetime.

Here are some eggs we used crayons to write a message on or draw lines

Here is one we used rubber bands on (be careful with the rubber bands not to wrap them too tightly, because these eggs will break more easily than hard boiled ones)

Here are some we markered on.

Yoga: Dos and Don'ts of Downward Facing dog aka Adho Mukha Shvanasana

Teachers vs Students

I have a close friend and teacher who once told me this story:

I was at an Ashram in India once for 8 months where I was still young. We had to attend a certain amount of lectures each day, and every day they would be different. The school would bring in many teachers to give the lectures and this is how the students and teachers there would learn. One day I went to a lecture, and immediately could tell that the lecture would be horrible. The teacher giving the lecture was stumbling over facts, slouching, mumbling, and flat out lying. Students who had attended enough required lectures were leaving. What I noticed next was that all of the people leaving were newer students. Many of the people who I knew as my teachers, and mentors stayed. I decided to stay. At the end of the lecture I went up to one of the teachers who had stayed and asked them why. Why would you stay when the lecture was so horrible? The teacher replied

“It is custom here that even the young are seen as teacher because everyone can teach you something, no matter how old or young. What was it about this speech that was so horrible?”

My friend replied the teacher was slouching and mumbling, and didn’t say anything I didn’t already know.

“Well instead of noticing these things and critiquing take these things and learn. Now you know how not to give a lecture. Learn from this experience and apply it to your life when you give a lecture.”

I had a sponsor once with 25 years clean who loved hanging out with ‘newcomers’ (people who had 30 days or less sobriety). He told me once: Never tune out a newcomer. You will always hear from people with time, but you may not always get the chance to hear for a ‘newcomer’, and they have much to say. Newcomers have taught me just as much as old-timers. They just teach me different things. A newcomer is a stronger reminder to me not to relapse than any old-timer could ever be.

Take time to listen. No matter who it is. You can learn from everyone.

Legs Up The Wall