The greatest way to honor them is loving one another more. Love is the most powerful weapon and the only one that heals instead of wounds. #neverforget #love #chooselove #nomorehate #nineeleven #loveispowerful #loveoneanother #lovealways #loveeverydamnday #martinlutherking #wordstoliveby #peace #changetheworldwithlove

At my favorite little park, hardly anybody else here, cozied up with a good book, soft green grass beneath me, warm sunshine & cool breeze kissing my face, a rainbow of flowers all around me, great big ocean in front of me, sounds of barking seals & rolling waves & chirping birds filling my ears. What a surreal, perfectly beautiful sensory experience. Feeling alive, feeling present, feeling at peace, feeling lucky <3 #thankful

Missed him so I drew him. #newyorktocalifornia #draw #sketch #sometimesidraw #sortof #randomness #art #kf #handsome #missyou♡ (at Rochester, NY)

Happy Saturday!:) Have some catching up to do with #thirtydaysofgratitude so here goes! Day 5: So tremendously grateful for the gift of MUSIC. I incorporate music into just about everything I do every day of my life (whenever possible & acceptable:p). It has always been my favorite way of celebrating joyful times and one of my biggest sources of comfort & healing in times of struggle. It can transport us to another place or time or in an instant bring back a forgotten memory or the presence of a lost loved one. It can bring silliness & fun to an otherwise boring or daunting task (ie packing for a move, which I am currently in the midst of!). And a song can be a source of beautifully empowering and uplifting energy. The song in this post, 'Brave', is one of my newest favorites by the incredible/insanely talented Sara Bareilles. These days when I am feeling less than brave or when negative thoughts creep in, I can listen to this song & it's as if it flips a switch in me. And I am lifted up and reminded that I'm a whole lot stronger than I thought. I'm so very grateful for the power of music and the ability to hear and enjoy it each & every day.🎼🎶💕 PS- Hope you loved my super #geekedout musical montage; sometimes I just can't help myself!;) PPS- if you haven't checked out @sarabareilles' new album, 'The Blessed Unrest', do it!! The entire thing is quite simply amazeballs♡ #thirtydaysofgratitude #grateful #music #brave #strong #love #acceptance #sarabareilles @sarabareilles #musiclove #yoga #yogis #yogratitude #yogaeverydamnday #soulfitness #yogitude #littlesliceofyoga

A little behind again with #thirtydaysofgratitude; have some catching up to do so here goes! Day 5: So tremendously grateful for the gift of MUSIC. I incorporate music into just about everything I do every day of my life (whenever possible & acceptable:p). It has always been my favorite way of celebrating joyful times and one of my biggest sources of comfort & relief in times of struggle. It can transport us to another place or time or in an instant bring back a forgotten memory or the presence of a lost loved one. It can bring silliness & fun to an otherwise boring or daunting task (ie packing for a move, which I am currently in the midst of!). And a song can be a source of beautifully empowering and uplifting energy. The song in this post, 'Brave', is one of my newest favorites by the incredible/insanely talented Sara Bareilles. These days when I am feeling less than brave or when negative thoughts creep in, I can listen to this song & it's as if it flips a switch in me. And I am lifted up and reminded that I'm a whole lot stronger than I thought. So grateful for the power of music and the ability to hear and enjoy it each & every day.🎼🎶💕 PS- Hope you loved my #geekedout musical montage. Sometimes I just can't help myself🙊 PS- if you haven't checked out @sarabareilles' new album, do it!! The entire thing is quite simply amazeballs♡ #thirtydaysofgratitude #grateful #music #brave #sarabareilles @sarabareilles #musiclove #yoga #yogis #yogratitude #yogaeverydamnday #soulfitness #littlesliceofyoga

Today feeling grateful for many things, but mostly for a simple kind gesture & beautiful words of wisdom from a friend; "Stay present, do not project, have no expectations; just be." While it's not always easy, they are the most important words to remember and live by each & every day. This was a much needed reminder for me this week and one that means so much♡ #thirtydaysofgratitude #wordstoliveby #presence #justbe #yoga #yogis #yogratitude #healing #mindy #body #soul #life #practicedaily #grateful #friends #yogaeverydamnday #inversion #headstand #upsidedown #littlesliceofyoga

"Sun salutations can energize and warm you, even on the darkest, coldest winter day." -Carol Krucoff; Picking back up with #thirtydaysofgratitude (and my yoga practice) after many days skipped. Today I am feeling extra grateful for my yoga mat. On dark days when I am feeling lost, I can always go to my mat and begin to find myself again. Even if I can't get to a class-- wherever I am, it is there for me. Some days we have to fight to get ourselves to practice our yoga. And some days we lose the fight. But even when we have gone without practice for days or weeks, months, or even years-- the mat cannot judge; it simply holds us and heals us. Thank goodness for my yoga mat today♡ॐ #yoga #healing #strength #nojudgement #love #homepractice #grateful #health #fitness #mind #body #soul #yogaeverydamnday #yogratitude #yogis #littlesliceofyoga

Thirty Days of Gratitude

My tremendously awesome mom & dad during their visit to SoCal this past spring #throwbackthursday #tbt / #thirtydaysofgratitude 'Thirty Days of Gratitude' Journal-Day 2 (It was just before midnight in this time zone when I wrote this, so technically I didn't miss a day just yet!:p): I'm not sure there are words to accurately express how very thankful I am to have been brought into the world and raised, and constantly loved ridiculously insanely much by these two remarkable human beings. From the day they found out I was coming, to the day I was born and everyday thereafter, they have loved, supported and encouraged me completely and unconditionally in good times and bad. They were the first ones to teach me about love and kindness and about what is truly important in life. All my life, the love they show for one another, for my brother and me, and for all those around them has been my guiding light, my rock and my home, even when we're thousands of miles apart. They have always, without exception, been there to share in my joys and my biggest victories and to lift me up in times of great struggle and disappointment. I can never thank them enough for all they have done and continue to do for me. They will forever be my heroes. I love you & thank you both more than you'll ever know<3

Out of a great need to reorient my own focus away from what is missing and onto that which is present and good, I decided to start a 'Thirty Days of Gratitude' journal. Through sharing it on my Instagram and blog page, the intention is to hold myself accountable for remembering each and every day to practice presence and gratitude. In (hopefully) keeping this up for the next thirty days, my goal is to make this a more routine practice in my life and one that will continue beyond this short period of time. All are welcome and invited to join in & share if you feel inclined:) Tag your post with #thirtydaysofgratitude so that we might all support and motivate one another<3 Day 1: I am grateful for the privilege of living by the ocean on the beautiful Southern California coast for the past (almost) three years of my life. Shortly before my 28th birthday, after living most of my life in western NY and a year in Charlotte NC, I left behind most of my amazingly wonderful/truly awesome family & friends and everything that was familiar and comfortable to me-- a pretty great life actually-- to live in the sunshine and chase California dreams, to "find myself" amongst the palm trees and beach towns and overcrowded freeways of Orange County & L.A. Nearly three years later, after many beautiful adventures, new friends, new love, many profound life lessons, numerous triumphs and failures, very happy days and horribly homesick days, some of the best days of my life and some of the lowest and loneliest-- after all this, I've come to understand that it's not about "finding myself", but rather it's about finding a way to let go of the notion of seeking out happiness or looking for anything at all really; and instead just being here now, being truly present and being the best person we can for ourselves and those around us. It is much easier said than done and I am not sure if I'll ever fully get to that place. But this much I am sure of: In my short time here on the coast of California, I have learned and grown so much more than I ever could have imagined. And in my time here I have spent so many hours on the shore looking out over the Pacific Ocean in sheer and utter awe. I have taken in the unreal (yet very real) reds & golds, oranges & purples of countless breathtaking ocean sunsets. And each and every time I go to the water, I am transformed in a way. Even on my most challenging or disappointing days I can go to the water, and all my troubles, all my fears and doubts almost instantly become microscopic. And in that moment I feel connected to the world, and to the people I know to be on the other side of that ocean-- looking out over the same water just as I am-- each living and loving and struggling, each traveling their own journey through this crazy thing called life. And I feel as if I am a unique and integral part of that moment in time. In that moment I fit perfectly into my place in the universe. In that moment I am free and at peace. I am home. I am loved. I am safe. I am full of life. In that moment, I am so thankful. #thirtydaysofgratitude #gratitude #presence #thankful #yoga #yogis #yogaeverydamnday #yogainspace #dailysoul #california #ocean #littlesliceofyoga

Been in a bit of a creative/inspirational/yoga rut lately and haven't posted in awhile. Today in the little waiting area of a carwash, I noticed they had a small rack of greeting cards for sale. I thought it was an odd place to sell greeting cards but decided to take a look while I waited. Was so thankful to find this card with a much needed uplifting message and had to buy it to keep as a daily reminder. Wanted to share it with y'all too♡ #truth #wordstoliveby #wisdom #love #light #kindness #encouragement #inspiration #positive #strength #dailysoul #justbe #beyourbestself #yoga #yogis #yogaeverydamnday #littlesliceofyoga

"When you try your best but you don't succeed/ When you get what you want but not what you need/ When you feel so tired but you can't sleep/ Stuck in reverse..."

♡

Came across this great quote today and had to combine it with this photo I took while camping in Lake Tahoe last week. Don't you love stumbling upon something that seems to be just the reminder you need at that very moment?♡ॐ #truth #wisdom #wordstoliveby #life #onestepatatime #presence #peace #love #yoga #yogis #yogaeverydamnday #littlesliceofyoga #mountains #nature #laketahoe #poweful #gratitude