Joy for no reason. I am filled with a quiet joy for no reason save the fact that I am alive. The message I receive is clear – there’s no time to lose from loving, no place but here to offer kindness, no day but this to be my true unfettered self and pass the flame from heart to heart. This is the only moment that exists – so simple, so exquisite, and so real. – Danna Faulds
My year of struggle is coming to a close. In September, I will have a place to live and the divorce will hopefully be finalized at that time. I do not regret the time I have taken to heal, and although I still have some healing, I can reflect on what really happened. I look back on the journey that brought me to this moment, and I ask myself how I made it through all of it and still kept the doors open at my little studio.
I know I couldn’t have done it without my dear friend and studio manager, Karen. She was a non-judgmental ear that listened to hours of my struggles and gave support. She was the glue that kept things going while I, on the other hand, was using all of my energy to survive. Survival mode is an interesting way to live. I would never want to live that way any longer than I have to, and I am thankful that I can live life my own way now. I have been blessed with friends that could never be replaced and clients that continue to come even though my teaching over the last year hasn’t been my best.
God already knows what we’re made of, but perhaps He wants us to learn what we’re made of. I think we would all agree that we learn more from our tough times than from our easy times. – John Bytheway
Today, I feel like a brand new person, and I cannot recall the last time that I felt like this. I am excited about the future even though I do see a few speed bumps that will keep life interesting, they are nothing like the mountains that I have been climbing over the last few years. I have everything that is important to me: my dog, Rufus, who many know and love around Anoka; I have minimal baggage after being kicked out of my house; I have my friends and family who I couldn’t live without and my studio, instructors, and clients that have made it possible for me to be on my own.
We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. – Frederick Keonig
My goals for my private practice, my little studio in Anoka, and my life have always been to inspire and to be inspired, to grow as a person and as a practitioner, motivate students to live their lives, and to create community. A few weeks ago, I attended Alex’s yoga class with the intention to go out for coffee with the 9:00 a.m. yoga ladies. When I speak of inspiration, I get chills as I think about how lovely this group of ladies is. They are a true example of inspiration and community. Linda, Chris, Hooi Li and a few others walked to Avant Garden, our local coffee house in Anoka, for a cup of Joe and some quality time to share life.
This particular Saturday, I wanted to know what these ladies wanted to see at the studio. Their loyalty to Alex’s Saturday yoga class is what I wanted to see in every class and the community that has come from it. I wanted to know how the studio could continue to support them in their yoga practice and in their life. What would they like to see happen at the studio? The overall consensus was that the studio needed to host more evening classes and Ayurvedic workshops. I knew I could make that happen. Done. I was in the middle of making my fall schedule and needed a little help with final decisions. This table of beautiful, strong, and passionate women helped me decide. I felt their support and love for the studio in Anoka as we talked that day. They shared their journey and how they started yoga and how much they loved their yoga classes and the studio. I beamed with pride and thought to myself that this year had not gone to waste.
I honored all of you for your patience with schedule changes, and I am excited to share the fall line up!
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