Summer is coming around the corner (okay, maybe I’m just telling myself that). However, being from Florida means that our seasons consist of summer and spring, which means we wear bright, happy colors and dress casual pretty much everyday.

I have naturally straight hair, which many argue is great, but I have longed for messy, beach waves. After going through multiple salt sprays, curling irons, and even not washing my hair after swimming in the ocean, I finally found the secret! These goody spin pins are my new hair staple (pretty much my only hair staple actually). In addition to having a sleek, clean ballet bun hairstyle, the pins hold in place overnight and create the perfect beach waves.

I recommend making two small buns (yes, the Miley bun) and sleeping on them overnight. Take your damp hair and spin the piece away from your face, then wrap into a bun and insert the pins. They don’t poke you in the face and hold in place all night. The next morning, your hair may look a bit poufy at first, but it relaxes soon and can be held with a little light hairspray. Voila! You now have the perfect beach waves!

I know, how cliche of me to title this post as ‘wanderlust’ but it could not be more accurate. 

I have this desire to explore the unknown–to be immersed in a totally new place with no plan, nowhere to be.  When I traveled to Sedona this past summer for yoga teacher training, I felt this sense of freedom being on my own.  Before the training program, I spent the afternoon in the town of Sedona, wandering aimlessly and learning new things on the go.  And as for the teacher training, that was a whole new experience itself, something that changed me forever. (more details later!)

Ever since then, I have found a desire to continue this path.  What better feeling then to be somewhere totally new, with no plan, and to simply explore?  I am so excited to go to Australia in a few months to continue my journey.  For over four months, I can start out a stranger and soon become a settler–who knows, I may never come back! 

As for now, I am enjoying every second of being in Southern California with my mom and sister.  I can’t wait to show you all the places we’ve explored!  I have a new appreciation for this place, I can really see myself living here in the near future. 

This desire to explore new places is shared among many, and feared by some as well.  I believe that getting out of the box is the most important way of figuring out yourself and what you want from life.

I’m off to California for the weekend!  I can’t wait to meet with my mom and sister in DFW and visit some of my favorite places in San Diego and Newport Beach.  Maybe I’ll run into Ryan Atwood…

I hope you all have a great weekend! Can’t wait to fill you in on our adventure : )

Oh, and summer is in almost a month! I can’t believe that I will be going to Australia in 3 months!!

Compass pose: Watched the instructor show it, pretended I didn’t know it… 

I mean, how can I do THAT?!

Well, as the saying goes, weakness makes you stronger.  So I tried the pose, fell a few times, then managed to make some sort of a pose that you could call compass pose.  This pose is my next focus (along with mastering handstand, almost there!) 

When I taught yoga last summer, I used the quote “fall seven times, stand up eight” to my students.  I’ve been practicing what I preach, not only by applying it to yoga, but also in life.  In order to succeed and figure out what I want most in life, I have to put myself out there.  In doing so, I may fail a few times, but that will not hold me back-it will make me stronger. 

I hope you all have a happy week this week!  If you don’t hear from me in a while, I may be stuck from attempting compass pose! 

I put together this quote and picture this past weekend. Many people who know me would say that this quote needs to be engrained into my head, and I agree! Most of us spend a lot of time worrying, and that will not change the outcome. As I face a tough few weeks left of the semester, I hope to take on this way of thinking. I hope this will help all of you too! 🙂 

It took me all the way until going to college to realize how truly blessed I am to live in sunny South Florida. Growing up, instead of “snow days”, we had “hurricane days” and our weekends consisted of lounging at the beach or laying a towel out in the backyard to do homework. 

Once I got to Dallas, reality set in. There are seasons? Those really exist? Luckily, the seasons in Dallas aren’t nearly as grueling as the cold, brutal winters in the Northeast. However, the cold icy snow was enough for me to book weekend trips home many times during my freshman year…

I’m writing this post because I want to express my gratitude to my family for picking such a wonderful place to live. Although I wanted to be home most of the time during my freshman year, I have changed that thought into always knowing that I have a beautiful home-base that is always going to be there. This coming Fall, I will be studying abroad in Australia, and it will be so great knowing that home is never leaving and that this is the time to venture out and explore new places. Luckily there will be a beach there, so being homesick will not be from beach-deprivation! (Just my amazing home, parents, sister, doggies, and dad’s amazing cooking, and my infamous “manny”)

Last week, I shared my happy place with you. This week, I share with you my home-base, the source of my happy place. I can’t wait to be home for Spring Break to spend time with my family, close friends, and this guy! 

That’s Tucker, you can see more of those on my Instagram 🙂 

It feels like every week begins and there is a long to-do list to accomplish. I have been going at this way of being for a few months now, and it’s safe to say that it’s time for a break! I still have another week until I will be greeted by my loving doggies, supportive family, and the sweet salt air. But for now, I have to focus on getting through the finish line, which is a difficult task. When I feel like the workload is piling on and there’s no way out, I find my happy place…

No matter where I am, I can close my eyes and go right where I gain clarity. I am laying back in the ocean, listening to the sound of shells rolling in the shore break and the winding of boat propellers in the distance. The water ripples dash on my cheeks as I bob up and down. The sun warms my face, and I am in a complete state of bliss.

I feel like I’ve lost this place and have been brought back to it recently. Everyday, I dwell on what was, what can’t be fixed, which in turn wastes my energy and potential to be happy with what is. Returning to my happy place reminded taught me to take a step back, because I’m not alone. Everyone has their own journey with many obstacles, and we all handle them different. So instead of letting those tests I spent days preparing for, move on. In the words of Modest Mouse: “Don’t worry even if things end up a bit too heavy we all float on alright.”

Everything is a lesson, and I can only move forward in order to improve. If I don’t let it go, then the past will eat away at my thoughts, which is not healthy. So I’m taking this thought and running with it, because life goes on, and there are so many reasons to be content with what is. 

Where is your happy place? If you don’t have one, just close your eyes and think of the first thing that brings comfort and clarity 🙂