I'm Possible

"Nothing is Impossible. The word itself says 'I'm Possible'.

- Audrey Hepburn

 

The only thing standing between the possible and the impossible is fear. Fear is mental manifestation nestled in our thoughts. Our thoughts become our beliefs, hence the expression, "You are what you think". So if you want to believe in the 'I'm Possible' factor, you need to change your thoughts. Stop proving what you can't do and start improving what you really want to do. If you've always wanted to flip your body upside down, while balancing on your hands, but are scared you'll fall - set up a crash pad! Remember the most successful people didn't achieve greatness on their first attempt (even Steve Jobs failed a few times before getting it right). Live out your "I'm Possible" desires one small step at a time. After all, it's the journey that means the most, so move slowly, diligently, with caution, not fear. Let your heart lead the way (like in Bakasana pose above) and all good things will fall into place.

Tribute to Teachers

Astavakrasana/Eight-Angle pose

In school, they're called 'teachers', in the corporate world, they're called 'mentors', and in the yoga community, they're called 'gurus'. No matter how we choose to label them, their impact is immeasurable.
Take my 3rd grade teacher, Miss Rita Laberee, for instance. She had such an impact on my life that I remained in contact with her throughout high school. Then in 1999, I was privileged to work closely with Diesel Canada President, Lou Adler. And at my first yoga conference, I was forever enlightened by Seane Corn.
As an average student, I preferred the teachers who believed in me, rather than those who compared me to my academically gifted older sister. Throughout my career in fashion, I appreciated the bosses that accepted my mistakes because they were inspired by my passion. And in all the yoga classes I've ever taken, I'm continuously inspired by the teachers who remain authentic and don't take themselves too seriously (ever if their clients include celebs)!
While on the hunt for a yogic awakening during my vacation in Miami, I discovered there was a Jivamukti class (a rare find) at one of the studios. I booked my babysitters and made sure to attend the class. With only me and the studio owner as students that morning, I felt so grateful for the intimate session. As the teacher, Ganapati, guided us in Astavakrasana pose (PS - this was not a pose I was able to do yet), I struggled to get my legs parallel to the floor - actually I could barely get my feet off the floor, let alone straighten my legs! With a compassionate look, he encouraged me to keep practicing.
A week later, he was back on the class schedule, so I made sure to return. Once again, we were only two students and once again he guided us in Astavakrasana pose. He carefully studied my actions, as I was determined to balance in the pose for a few breaths. "Hug your tricep with your left leg, cross your right foot over the left, lean your torso forward, and at the same time, lift your butt back, extend your legs out to the left and squeeze your thighs....and keep breathing!" That was it! The eager student within me showed up with confidence and persistence. But it was Ganapati's clear instructions and encouragement that made it all possible.
You never forget the A-HA moments in your life when you go beyond your expectations. You also never forget the teachers, mentors, and gurus that supported your growth with compassionate guidance. To every teacher who comforted me when I felt discouraged, all the while championing my aspirations and restoring my confidence - I'm eternally grateful. To Ganapati (who until two weeks ago was a complete stranger), thank you for cheering me on while I experienced another unforgettable A-HA yoga pose. As September begins, with back to school, I'm reminded of all the teachers who constantly show up to make a lasting difference - THANK YOU.

Bow to BIG Dreams

Uttanasana in platform heels

As many of you know, I've worked in fashion for fifteen years and no matter how much I believe yoga "saved" me, I still feel connected to the industry that molded me into who I am today. And whether we choose to believe it or not, fashion influences how we choose to reveal ourselves to the world every day.
My favorite scene from the 'The Devil Wears Prada' is when Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) reminds her assistant, Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) the influence fashion has on all of us: "This... stuff? Oh... OK. I see, you think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don't know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise, it's not lapis, it's actually cerulean. You're also blindly unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St. Laurent, wasn't it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of stuff."

Miranda Priestly, thank you for that deeply insightful explanation of the cycle of fashion. 

Although these days I prefer to study the cycle of yoga, I still can't resist peeking into the world that brings me comfort, especially when the Fall season rolls around. So when I opened my daily Bloglovin' email and read that Garance Dore (the ultimate fashion blogger) will be writing a monthly column in Vogue Paris, I was over-the-moon with happiness.

See Garance began writing her blog about fashion, six years ago. Her undeniable talent as an illustrator, fashion writer and photographer, made her a front row regular during Fashion Week. A few years earlier, she was approached by Vogue Paris with a job offer, but didn't feel the timing was right (talk about good intuition). This time, when Emmanuelle Alt (new Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Paris) invited her for coffee, only to offer her the perfect job, she couldn't believe her patience paid off. Being offered to write your own column in Vogue Paris is a dream for any freelance writer, but being asked to keep your authentic voice and not "try to be "Vogue"' is beyond huge.

I dedicate this post to Garance because she represents anyone who struggles to realize their dream (like me). Her path wasn't smooth and easy. It took almost a decade of pounding Fashion Week pavement, to get the rare street shot, that would set her blog apart from the rest. And though she continued to dream big, never losing hope, that her 'moment' would come, and then, Voila! As her first column graces the pages of the September issue of Vogue Paris, I get butterflies knowing that a once BIG dream, is now reality. It's comforting to see that anything is possible when you combine hard work, perseverance, and timing. Suddenly, my dreams of one day teaching yoga to a large crowd, being featured in Yoga Journal, meeting Louise Hay, and writing a self-help book, don't seem so far fetched. 

Every BIG dreamer knows that all great things are possible, but it feels really amazing when we see such dreams come to life. I hope hearing BIG news about a dream being realized encourages you to keep going, keep trying, keep praying, keep visualizing, keep believing in YOU and all the things you're possible of achieving.

For inspiration by Garance Dore, visit her blog: www.garancedore.fr/en/2012/08/27/vogue-paris/

Cheers to NOW

 

Ever wonder what your life would be like if...? Well it really doesn't matter. You chose the path you're on and there's a reason you decided to walk rather than run or drive rather than fly. Right now, you're exactly where you're meant to be, doing exactly what you're meant to be doing, and doing it with exactly the person(s) you're meant to be doing it with.

Cheers to RIGHT NOW - no matter how happy or crappy because this is where you NEED to be.

 

Discipline+Practice=Betterment

Want to be able to do this?

Here's what it takes:
       Dedication
       tIme
    paSsion
       Commitment
    traIning
        Practice
   wilL
repetIion
    coNsistency
      dEvotion
It's Fall, which means its back to school, back to discipline. I was talking to a veteran yoga instructor last week and as we were comparing our yoga class turn out, we realized that there is a major lack of discipline when it comes to this practice.
Why is it that students sign up for a session and then they disappear? Where's the commitment to your yoga practice? Yoga has existed for centuries; it's not a fad. But in the western world, yoga still isn't being taken as seriously as it deserves to be.
Suffering from anxiety? It's not your best friend that will save you. It's a consistent practice of breathing techniques and soul searching that will solve that. Want to end lower back pain? Well I don't think spending an hour on Facebook will relieve that! Feeling stressed? A cocktail or two will definitely chill you out, but that's just a short term solution.
The main reasons people come to my yoga classes is to feel better, both physically and emotionally. Most of their issues go way beyond the physical, which is why yoga is the best option for them. Combining rhythmic breathing (which calms your nervous system), with poses that simply require the use of your own body weight, provides mental and physical stability. Yoga allows you to be in the moment; to tap into the NOW; to detox the emotional crap we cling to. Doesn't that sound like the most enlightening form of physical and spiritual therapy?
September is fast approaching. It's time to fall back into a disciplined practice of anything that brings you happiness and provides compassion. I hope to see you in my yoga classes with your mat and all your issues. I'll be open to receive whatever you bring, so you can leave feeling lighter, happier, kinder, and just overall, BETTER!

Namaste

RIP Anna Piaggi

Fashion Legend Anna Piaggi

If you weren't completely distracted by Olympic highlights last week, you would have seen the news that Italian fashion writer, legend and icon, Anna Piaggi died on August 7th, at the age of 81.Whether you’re a fashion follower or not, I’m sure you’ve seen her unforgettable face before. Known for her over-the-top signature style, this eccentric fashion editor and stylist was a rare breed.

As a fashion fanatic, I looked forward to seeing which character would show up in the front row. Her signature strand of blue hair was always topped with an incredibly unique top hat. Though she claimed she wasn’t photogenic, her bold eye shadow, famous red hearted lips, and layered scarves and accessories made her one of the most photographed faces in fashion.
"She's a great performer, but she is also the author of the play," describes longtime friend, Karl Lagerfeld.  This brings me to the reason why I felt it was important to dedicate a post to Anna on my blog. Here was a woman, who until the age of 81, remained deeply connected to her inner child. Her theatrical fashion style was anything but sexy.  She didn’t dress to impress, but rather to celebrate the pleasure dressing up gave her – just like a four year old. Her costumes were styled almost the same way a child layers her accessories during dress up. She loved every detail and took great pride in consistently delivering another unexpected look guaranteed to shock and awe, which only Anna Piaggi could pull off.


Image: Tessted.com

As we enter adulthood, we say good bye to our inner child. We disconnect from our purest self because we’re conditioned to believe that maturity is required and expected. Yet shutting down the communication with our inner child is what makes us lack compassion, sensitivity, and raw love with ourselves, as well as others. We didn’t know the act of judgment when we were 3. We didn’t know racism and hate as toddlers. The awakened inner child allows human beings to act from a state of loving kindness.
Every image of Anna Piaggi reminds me of the joy that ‘dress up’ brought to my childhood. We could all use a little Anna is our personality. Her carefree approach to simply being her innovative and experimental self, no matter what the papers wrote about her, was priceless. The fashion world will definitely be duller without her.
See you in a rainbow Anna!

Boarding Pass to Practice

Hi Friends! I'm back from my family vacation and boy do I ever need a vacation! Oh yes, I'm in serious need of some Me time. Isn't it funny how we travel hours to "get away", but once you've packed your kids and husband, what getaway is it?! Yes I adore my family and I'm fortunate to be able to travel (for those judging right now), but travelling with your kids, having them with you 24/7, trying to breathe through their meltdowns, isn't my idea of a blissful vacation. So now that I'm back on home turf, my goal is to reconnect with my best Self (PS my best Self took a vaca at the same time, only to leave behind my obnoxious Ego). Needless to say, my temperament over the past 2 weeks has been anything but pleasant.
Am I the only one who feels disconnected from my best Self on family vacations? I mean I didn't get a single yoga practice in, so that certainly didn't help. I was also with my children the entire time, but aren't most people? So I'm wondering, actually I'm confessing rather, that not having any time for me makes me not-so-nice to be around. My tolerance level is at 1, my breath shortens, my expectations of my 4 & 15 month old elevate to unrealistic heights, and my desire to manage public tantrums is at an all-time low. So basically, the only part of me that's on a getaway is my patience!
I know I'm being slightly dramatic (wink wink), and I do enjoy spending time with my kids away from home. I think the part I struggle with on these holidays is finding solace to connect with my best Self. The times I've vacationed and spent a small amount of time alone made me much more compassionate and understanding. It's almost as if you get to recharge your battery so you can operate at your fullest potential.
The day before I left, I was writing a post about practicing, in which I included my 'practice list' for the following 4 wks. Needless to say, I didn't have time to complete the post, so when I discovered it the morning, I had quite a laugh. My practice list included patience and compassion towards those closest to me. It's crazy how we live in a society that thrives in the following modes: go, fast, and now. We react in 'go' mode, at a fast pace, to get whatever, now - hence our lack of patience and compassion. How many times do you stop yourself from reacting when your Ego is leading? I'm sure the answer is, rarely.
As funny or bizarre as it might sound, practice makes better. We all can use a little practice at being better human beings. For some it might come naturally, but for most, we need reminding - even an actual list! Whatever it takes to help slow us down so we can breathe better, think from the heart, and silence the Ego, I think makes us be better. When I take time for myself (even 5 minutes), I know everything I do gets done better. Sometimes it takes a family vacation to learn the benefits of daily practice. Now that I'm back, it's time to send my Ego on vacation so I can practice without interruption. For anyone about to set off on a vacation, try to schedule a personal practice to avoid needing another vacation upon your return ;)