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STARTING NOW

self care, self compassion, yoga, body positive, coach, wellness, health, body image, stress, self criticism

One good thing

One good thing

At times it can feel like telling your story, protesting, donating, crying, yelling, making phone calls, educating, and earnest conversations don't make enough of a difference. Some days you feel worn down, heartbroken, and helpless. No matter how you're feeling right now, you are valuable and deserve care. Today, and especially on days when it feels like nothing is in your control, please do one good thing that reminds you that your well-being matters. One of these may be

Unglamorous self care: no face masks needed!

Unglamorous self care: no face masks needed!

Have you ever done a social media search for the term "self care?" The search results tend to be dominated by fancy bath products, essential oils, and beautifully photographed meals. To a passerby, it might look like self care is pretty luxurious. I'm not saying that face masks and $8 smoothies aren't good ways to nurture yourself. They can be pretty great even if the effects wear off in a couple of hours. However, the self care that has the biggest impact on our daily liv

Can positive thinking "cure" your negative emotions?

Can positive thinking "cure" your negative emotions?

There's a weird self improvement philosophy that takes positive thinking to the extreme by suggesting that we only experience negative feelings because our mindset is messed up. The idea is that if you can just look at the world through a positive lens, you can be done with negative feelings and transform your life for the better! That simplicity sounds tempting, right? Unfortunately, the positivity-or-bust approach can start to look less like stepping into a transformed li

"Compassion is a verb."

"Compassion is a verb."

I've been trying to write this for days. Although I want to write about why it's ok to risk imperfection in our actions against injustice rather than doing nothing, in all honesty I've been scrutinizing every single word to the point I've considered just sending you a list of links. I've softened the language. I've made it more direct. I've scrapped everything and started from scratch, then edited again. Bear with me as I now try to walk my talk. I may still put my foot in my

Join me for the Body Peace Retreat!

Join me for the Body Peace Retreat!

Do you wonder what it would be like to feel more comfortable and at home in your own skin? If judging yourself has gotten in the way of trying new things, practicing yoga, or enjoying other parts of life, join me for the Body Peace Retreat on Saturday, September 30! We’ll dedicate the day to trusting and embracing your body, just as you are, through yoga and self care. The retreat will include these guided practices: Beginner-friendly, body positive yoga. You’ll have th

Expressing anger is self care

Expressing anger is self care

Last month, my partner invited me to his work celebration of his recent publication. I joined Mark and his lab mates at an arcade on a Thursday night, with two goals in mind: celebrate Mark and find Whack-a-mole. If you’re unfamiliar with Whack-a-mole, it’s an old, mechanical, tabletop game. You insert your token and pick up a heavily padded mallet. Your job is then to whack colorful plastic “moles” on the head as they pop out of the table. It’s immensely satisfying. Ma

What's one word to describe your body?

What's one word to describe your body?

Quick: describe your body in one word! Don’t think too hard, just spit it out. Now that it’s out in the open, how do you feel about how you described your body? Does it feel like a celebration of what it can do? A criticism of how it looks? Neutral? I’ve asked this question on Facebook more than once, and the public comments are mostly positive words. But later, in private, I hear words of struggle and resignation. If that’s the case for you, know that you aren’t

Why body peace matters in an unpeaceful world

Why body peace matters in an unpeaceful world

Every day, the news is full of yet another layer of heartbreak. So many kind, loving hearts are grieving around the world. Because of this, I’ve been second-guessing whether to write what I’d planned. I worried it might be petty to talk about making peace with our bodies at a time when violence seems to be everywhere we turn, and our action feels urgent. Then I attended a webinar led by the powerful Sonya Renee Taylor, the founder of The Body Is Not An Apology, and I was

Are you showing up for yourself?

Are you showing up for yourself?

The first time I watched a video of myself teaching yoga, I had to take a time out. Even though I knew the lighting wasn’t quite right and I was wearing a boxy shirt that didn’t move properly and had sweat marks from the humidity and sunshine, the way I saw my body shook me. I’d taught yoga hundreds of times in this body, but I hardly recognized it on screen. After uttering a loong “oooooooof,” I excused myself from the video my friend and I were reviewing together, and sa

Compassion can make you brave

Compassion can make you brave

I love watching improv and have always wanted to try it. So, in an effort to expand my creative life and take on new adventures, I recently signed up for a beginners’ improv class. My first class was not a huge success. A few minutes in, my face started twitching from nervousness, and I stumbled over my words. Everytime it was my turn to speak, my mind, which can get jumpy in large groups of strangers and likes having plenty of time to process thoughts before words can

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