Searching for inspiration...

While trying to come up with an idea for my latest blog post (and having a serious case of writer's block at the same time!) I realized that my search for inspiration could pull double-duty. I started jotting down things that inspire me and here is some of what got me motivated to start writing:

• The Hubs - This one is pretty obvious, he supports me in everything that I do and truly is my best friend. I have a habit of over-thinking things and more times than I can count, he has reminded me that sometimes by focusing on a few small things, the bigger picture becomes clearer.

• Family and Friends - Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be surrounded by so many interesting and caring people. Each of them has a unique perspective on life and when I sit back and think about it, any one of them could give me enough inspiration to write for days!

This list might not be very long, but it covers the things that are most important to me and it was all that I needed to get motivated! So who or what inspires you?

love,

Emma

New Blogging Buddy

As I'm getting my feet wet in this whole blogging thing, I've managed to make some great connections with fellow bloggers that come from many different walks of life. Rachel from My Wholesome Home is one such blogger and I thought it would be nice to share her story.

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Hey! My name is Rachel. I blog over at My Wholesome Home  (http://www.mywholesomehome.com) where I document my journey to a healthier body, mind, and spirit for my home and family. I also write about my daily life and being a military family.

The key to healthier body living for me came in January. My hubby and I watched Hungry for Change (http://www.hungryforchange.tv/), a documentary that talks about what is in the food we eat. We almost immediately switched to all organic foods. It's a bit spendier, but worth the flavor and health benefits. I post recipes every week and I'm loving trying old favorites with organic ingredients.

I am just beginning to like cooking, so using organic ingredients helps. The flavor makes each meal so much better! I find that I don't have to use as much milk, butter, salt, or pepper for seasonings because the food itself is so tasty.

My hubby is currently deployed, so, I'm taking the opportunity to try lots of new recipes and perfect them without his judgmental “eeeeew” and then refusing to try it again. (Which has definitely happened!) 

So that's me in a nutshell. Trying to live healthier and blogging about it. 

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I really enjoy reading Rachel's blog and encourage you to check it out as well!

love,

Emma

Dreaming of Summer

The lack of sunshine and warm weather over the last few weeks has me desperately hoping that summer will arrive soon. To help pass the time until the season of cookouts and cocktails is finally here, I’ve been looking for some fun new recipes to try and came across these great ideas:

Chicken Burger Sliders

Wild Arugula-Quinoa Salad With Cherries

Electric Lemonade

Peach, Rhubarb & Ginger Crisp

Maybe if I whip a few of these up this weekend, Mother Nature will take notice and send some nicer weather my way :)

love,
Emma

Memorial Day 2013

I was gone over the long weekend without internet access.... so here is my post one day late...

To all of our past, present and future service members... Thank You.

Thank you for:

• your courage
• your dedication
• your selflessness
• your strength
• your family's sacrifice
• your patriotism
• your bravery
• your persistance

and for all of the people who don't thank you on a regular basis. 

love,

Emma 

A little perspective

Life's been busy and I've not been doing the best at keeping up with blogging on a regular basis. I promise to work on it.

Sometimes I find that we get so caught up with the busy-ness of life that we forget to take time to look around and appreciate all the things that really matter to us. I came across this video that has gone viral over the past week or so, and it brought tears to my eyes (numerous times) as I watched the life of this wonderful boy and the beautiful way in which he views life, embraces it, and gives himself to others in so many ways.

If you haven't had a chance to watch the video about the life, and death, of Zach Sobiech, I highly suggest you grab a box of tissues, curl up next to the one you love, and get ready to see the life of someone who, even in the face of his own impending departure from this world, lived life to the fullest and passed profound life lessons on to everyone he knew.

Zach says "Life is really just beautiful moments, one right after another," and he ends the video with "I want to be remembered as a kid who went down fighting, and didn't really lose."

Life... is about perspective. It's about the ability to recognize and appreciate the things in life that really matter. The things that motivate you to keep going, and the people in your life that love and support you.

Life is just a moment in time. We don't know when our time is up, and in just the 17 short years Zach had on this earth he was able to leave behind lessons that will touch those around him -- and around the world -- for the rest of their lives.

If you have a person you want to tell something to, tell them. If you have a place you want to visit, go. If you want a certain job, get it. And if you want to live life for all its worth and all you can while you're here, embrace it.



love,
Emma


picture credit: http://images.christianpost.com/full/60832/zach-sobiech.png

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yep, that's right folks! My birthday was last Sunday -- which means I am officially on the "back half" of my 20's......

But hey, 30 is the new 20..... so I'm feelin' pretty OK with this. I'm in a great place in my life and I have to say I am feeling like a pretty lucky girl to be 26, be married to my best friend, and creating our own little life together. Life is good!


love,
Emma

The RIGHT Kind of Yoga for YOU

I saw this great article on the Women's Health website and it really hit home to me. It's not a serious issue, just one that really resonated with me because I have totally been where the article is talking about -- sometimes I still feel like I am there.

The article discussed how there are so.many. kinds of yoga that it can seriously be overwhelming for a beginner to really know or understand which type is the best. The article does such a great job of explaining the different types -- in a brief and easy-to-get way, and also aligns that with what people are looking to get from their yoga experience.

Dynamic Flow & Power Yoga
This just sounds fun! These types of yoga are mostly concerned with moving quickly through the class and get slim (hellooooooo power yoga!). They tend to include lots of upbeat and modern music to keep you feeling energized and motivated to keep with the fast pace. This is also the type of yoga that people do when they start getting crazy creative with their poses and sequences of moves.

Yeeeeeah, this will definitely take me a while to make myself into a human pretezel! But let's face it, if you want great strength and slimming results to your body, this is definitely a way to go! Plus, it's a great way to get a heavy cardio workout in, without having to gear up for a killer kickboxing class. 

Bikram Yoga

Bikram is the type of yoga that will still give you a workout that will have you breathing hard and have your blood pumping fast, but it is a bit more traditional when it comes to the poses. Bikram actually same poses each time you practice it, however, this is done in super hot studio  -- with some studios going up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit! I like the warmth, but this one is a toughy for me, especially if I haven't hydrated well enough before class! Don't let the heat deter you -- just make sure you hydrate and are prepared for a class of this nature. Bring a towel with you, and always make sure to go at your own pace and take a rest if you need to! 

Vinyasa-based Yoga

If the heat is a bit too strong in Bikram, you can always try a vinyasa-based yoga instead. This type of yoga moves through various positions at different types of speed, but is also more instructor-based. In

these types of classes, instructors are  more likely to actively adjust your pose throughout the session than to just call out the different poses they want you to perform. This is a great type of class for beginners, as you will be able to understand the correct form for each pose, with a hands-on approach be your instructor.


Ashtanga/Mysore Yoga
This type of yoga will still give you the great benefits of getting toned and burning calories, but it is much more heavily based around being more "zen." This is a serious practice, with many people attending classes 5-6 days/week, in the early hours of the morning, in a completely silent room.
Instructors will have you go through simliar poses ("asanas") each day, but your main focus will be on your breath, your movement, and remaining disciplined. This type of yoga really focuses on building mental strength and serenity, and is a practice that will probably not be the best type for early beginners to jump right into.



So there you have it. The article in a nutshell. Although I don't consider myself to be an expert yogi by any means, it was still great to be able to read such a thorough, yet simple, description of different types of yoga. I remember when I first started and I didn't know the different between any of these types -- just that there were a lot of words I didn't recognize!  My personal preference is still the vinyasa-based yoga. I am at the point in my practice where I am not quite ready to leave my instructor giving me hands-on assistance, but I am slowly moving toward a bikram yoga hopefully in the semi-near future. I would like to get into power yoga within the next year, so I am shooting at that as a goal!

How about the rest of you? What type of yoga do you prefer??



Photo credits:
pic 1: http://www.atlyogascene.com/
pic 2: http://yogagirlsorlando.com/
pic 3: http://www.yoganonymous.com/
pic 4: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/
pic 5: http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Rise.Yoga.Studio.916-764-4388/picture/gallery


love,
Emma