grounded.

When I was little, running around barefoot was normal. My feet would get filthy, and I’d have to rinse them off every time I got home from playing in the neighborhood.

I remember this because it’s not so normal to be barefoot when you grow up. But when you are, do you really think about the earth beneath you? Do you really take in the ground you’re walking on?

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Okay, I’m not barefoot here but it’s a cool picture

I ask this because I have been thinking about being really grounded. Connecting with nature, but also feeling my being rooted in the earth. I have such a vivid memory of walking barefoot in Sydney. I forget who said it, but as my trip was coming to an end they said something along the lines of really embracing each moment, and feeling the ground beneath me. I can always go back to my morning routine: walking barefoot to the beach across the street, feeling the sand as I headed towards the cool ocean, and walking along the brick path to get coffee after. I know in that moment I truly felt the earth that I was walking on.

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Okay, back to the present…

Now that I live in [another] beautiful and natural paradise, I have wanted to get more connected. So I found out that there is such thing as “Grounding” or “Earthing.” Clearly this concept has been around for a while so I apologize for being late in the game… but if you’re with me and didn’t realize that Grounding is an actual practice then read further!

Grounding is the concept of standing barefoot on the ground outside. It is known to balance us out as negative ions from the earth’s surface enter into our body and discharge the free radicals we pick up from our daily routine. Basically, it’s like plugging into the source, where the earth’s magic comes in and wipe away ions containing disease, aging and inflammation.

In Baptiste yoga, we emphasize grounding down to lift up. Feeling all four corners of your feet on the mat, connecting into the energy of the earth, it’s powerful to focus on that in your practice. Another concept of grounding that is powerful when mindful.

Just writing this post makes me want to go run around barefoot… how about you?

 

 

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the high priestess

Woah.. did the universe flex its muscles this week. Or, for the past month or so for that matter…

I have been patiently pulling from The Wild Unknown tarot card deck for about a year now. I purchased the cards and booklet when I was in Australia three (ugh, yes, three) years ago. I played with them here and there, but really started diving deep this past year. Sometimes I would pull some scary cards and not want to believe it. I mean, pulling the death card isn’t the most comforting card…but I sometimes took it too literally or even applied it to the wrong thing, which I then focused my energy on and stressed over too much.

So I have had a pattern of pulling the high priestess card, almost always the third card. I believe the cards represent past, present and future. So with this being a future card, what could it possibly mean for me?

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Upon reading the card’s message, and some more online, it is simply the truth that is for me. From what I understand, the card is asking me to sit with myself, even in the dark places that I hide from, and learn to trust the inner voice. Just looking at this strong, ever so sure tiger tells me to be strong with myself and trust my inner knowing.

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That being said, some doors have been shut. I was too afraid to let go of some things, not listening to the voice within. I was also making myself miserable by choosing to be emotionally invested. So the Universe pulled some strings, whether I wanted it that way or not.

This may sound vague, only because I am still processing, but I will share more soon. What I do know is that I will come back stronger and rise above anything I do not believe in. This has been a powerful lesson.

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take time to tune in and listen to the voice within. trust.

I am ready for new beginnings. I believe that closing these doors will very soon lead to the opening of a beautiful landscape in my life. Aspen is such a beautiful place for me on my journey, always reminding me that there is no end goal, but just to live the journey of life.

And if I’ve learned anything recently… nobody knows the right way to live life. Advice is always helpful, but know that YOU know your own way. Be strong, and trust that the Universe will always guide you home.

 

next step

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Woah.. so this is a major transition phase. I’m currently at home resetting before my next move, and I am all over the place! It’s crazy to think that my entire life has been shaped by the “next step”: you go to school and work towards the next grade, apply to high school, apply to college, and now what? Sure, I could just keep moving into an entry level job and climb the corporate ladder, but I don’t see any happiness and fulfillment there. So instead, I’m choosing to spend this time discovering more about myself and what kind of impact I want to have on the world.

(To those of you who went straight to work, I’m not totally hating on you.. some of you already knew what you wanted and I respect you for your drive!)

Anyways, this time is not easy. I know it’s not supposed to be. I have so many things I want to do, so many places I want to see, and for some reason feel like there’s not enough time. I can already tell that in the future I will look back and think I was crazy to think I had so little time to see the world. But at the same time, I don’t want to sit back and let time fly.

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So for now, I am trying to seek comfort in the chaos. I hope to learn and grow in the next year through new experiences. I want to take on different jobs and discover what drives me the most. My dream would be to be able to travel for my career…how cool would it be to travel with the World Surf League? I am passionate about the action sport industry, so I plan to spend this time finding what works best for me.

But at the same time, I am not locking myself into any commitments yet, as tempting as it is to be comfortable. I long to be in my home base, but have the rest of my life to do that. I want to make sure I experience as much as I can, and believe that these lessons will land me in the right place at the right time. It won’t be easy, but I know it’s right for me!

x

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dreamer

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Suluban Beach, Bali

It’s funny, how when people ask me about my tattoo, somehow with a sort of smirk (or so I think). I just smile and say, “it’s my Australian souvenir” or “you know, I really wanted the word dreamer tattooed on my wrist, so I got it.” Sure, it has its moments, I look at it and wonder why I would do that…and hey, maybe I’ll get it removed one day. But sometimes, it reminds me of the mindset I was in, and the phase in my life where the whole thing took place.

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After a few days…sorry mom!

I wrote lists of reasons why I’m a dreamer. I was in such a state of bliss-I had traveled across the world and was on my own for six months. I was completely vulnerable, figuring out who I was and how I wanted to be around others. It was messy…there were times I wish I could redo, but I learned so much about myself. There is a power to being vulnerable.

I was enamored by the moon, doing my walk home from yoga at night. I never felt more safe, walking alone down the steep hill on Beach Street. I would just look up, amazed at the glowing moon, and felt so close to home. I remember walking by Coogee Pavilion, with the dull roar of families and friends chatting, laughing and enjoying their time. I would walk out to the railing, watching the moonlight shine over the water-the waves pushing and pulling in the sea. There was so much magic to the whole thing. Such a simple task-getting from Clovelly to Coogee-walking home from yoga somehow became such a meaningful memory.

Leaving Australia was far from easy. I’ll never forget the chaos of leaving Michelle and her kids. I was a wreck! Not to mention the embarrassing amount of luggage that I rolled away  with… I was in such a daze, and felt so sad leaving such an incredible place. During my flight, I wrote pages and pages of memories, thoughts and feelings in my journal. At one point, I was just writing these random lines of thoughts that came through my head, almost like a stream of consciousness. I remember reading an article about Cara Delvigne, where she said some moment in her life “lit a fire” in her, and that really resonated with me. I felt like Australia really lit this fire that gave me so much confidence in myself and my direction.

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Gordon’s Bay along the coast walk

So you’d think that meant I came home ready to conquer everything and be in the perfect situation? Wrong. Little did I know, the work had just begun. I came home without really realizing the shock it would cause to my system. Here I am with all of these tools, ready to live my new lifestyle, with nobody understanding my progress. I had just spent months with people who watched me grow, and now I was out of my element. I let go of someone I love, all for the chance to learn more about myself and be vulnerable. And boy, was I vulnerable. I connected with these people who in the end hurt me, but I look back now feeling stronger. I was embarrassed, sad, disappointed, and kept coming back for more. I put my feelings on the line, and got what I deserved in the end. I don’t take any of it back, because I am now sure of what I want in someone and the amount of respect I have for myself. Not everyone in the world has the best intentions for you-but I believe that there’s a lesson to be learned in the end.

And now here I am, just a few weeks past graduation. I finished college! I stuck out all four years in Dallas and ended up loving it. It’s incredible to think that there is a new chapter so close to beginning, and I can’t wait. I can feel that there are about to be some beautiful adventures to come. If you’ve made it this far into my post, I applaud you. Sorry for the feelings… I know I have been off my blogging game, but I have struggled to come up with what I want to share. Despite the big changes happening now, I still feel like there is a lull. I know that with what’s to come, I will be sharing a lot with all of you!

So to come full circle with this, the term dreamer continues to add new meanings. It’s a reminder of my experience abroad, what it represented for me at that time, to continue exploring, stay true to myself, and always be open to something new–with all the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Call it a list of cliches, but it’s become a symbol of my identity, and I’m proud of it

 

x

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