Back from ballin' in Bali

Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow!

That's really what I want to say about the retreat in Bali. It was the 5th retreat I have run but the first one I ran on my very own from start to finish.

It was a very scary decision to make in committing to it on my own. What if I wouldn't get enough people? What if I couldn't handle it? What if they thought my curriculum was terrible? What if, what if, what if... All of those what if's were based in fear. I refused to listen and forged forward knowing deep in my heart of hearts, I could!

Thank you to all the incredible staff at SoulShine Bali! I cannot believe how amazing you all are and I can't wait to see you all again in 2015 (what? Hint hint, 2015 retreat).

Thank you to everybody who took that leap of faith... Many traveling transpacific for the first time to Bali! It's not an easy journey to make nor is it a comfortable one. I cannot even begin to explain to you just how much you all mean to me while you held the space and welcomed me so openly into your practice and into your lives while holding me up while I opened and exposed my vulnerability to you.

There was a tremendous amount of growth for me at that retreat. I learned so much about myself, about teaching, about leading, about following and about life.

You all gave me the strength to let go to move forward. None of us are impervious to life's curveballs and hang ups and it's always with the support of old and new friends that you learn to ride it out.

For the closing ceremony, I shared a very special and sacred part of myself (I will share more about this in a later post, it is something I am still terrified to write). A small token to remind us to always listen to your intuition and to run as fast as possible with your heart over the fence towards great joy and love.

If you believe you can, you're already halfway there. Don't stop now... The world waits for you with bated breath for all your greatness.

Ladies, it's time to stand together.

We are all being called to stand together and to lift each other up, ladies.

It is a secret delight when I stand before a group of women who have invited me into their yoga practice. Most recently, I taught a class for Ivivva Lululemon in Market Mall.  When I look around, I see how we're all different. We represent different age groups, hail from different ethnicites, our levels of formal education are varied, hold different jobs and so much more. But there we are, against all odds... we got to the same place at the same time to do the same thing. That's a pretty magical thing, if you ask me.  

It is a conscious effort I continually make and have to keep myself in check with over and over... I make mistakes of course and I mess up just like everybody else. What I am referring to is the judgement that one woman passes to another. I have to catch myself the most during the Calgary Stampede, where this wee city of mine turns into an insane 10 day cowboy Las Vegas with no holds barred. 

It's so easy to pass judgement at that very moment based on how much that woman is drinking, how she does her make-up, how she's styled her hair, the clothes she's chosen to wear, etc... Suddenly, it's me versus her and it can get very nasty. 

Whoa, whoa, whoa. 

Let's take a step back. 

If I am to look into her eyes, if I am to open my heart to hear hers... I will know this. 

She has been through the same struggles I have. Just like me, she has experienced great heartbreak. Like me, she's experienced deep sorrow. Like me, she's woken up some days, looked in a mirror and didn't feel beautiful. She's actually just like me. 

So, it is time... to stand together, to lift each other higher and to encourage and help each other to not only acheive our dreams but to succeed beyond them.  

Love harder.  

The joys

Talking about our problems is certainly a great addiction. When we talk about our problems with friends and family, we get this immediate response of attention but it feeds back into a loop of a story that never really resolves itself.

I'm not suggesting that you bottle up the things that you really need to talk about to reach out for help but I am suggesting that you start to find a balance of what you talk about with your friends and family.

The celebration of life, your mini and large successes, the things that made you smile or laugh that day or even the thoughts that reminded you of great memories you have with special people.

What I think goes hand in hand with talking about your joys is gratitude.

SoulPancake did this great piece on the science of happiness... One of the greatest contributing factors of happiness is how much gratitude you show.

Just watch the video... And maybe go ahead and start breaking the habit!!!