Veronica Fiorino Yoga

Happy 2023 Friends!!

In class today we talked about a different way to think about New Year’s resolutions. For me, choosing one goal for the whole year has felt overwhelming and honestly never really worked.

To feel and see real change, for me it works best to make small changes that build on top of each other. The first habit change typically has to be tweaked to fit into my days. When I focus on that one, it becomes part of my daily routine. Something that becomes the foundation for other changes.

A new year is a great time to think about things we would like to change, but really we can make changes at any time. Every year sure, but also every month, every week, every day, or even each hour we can restart, renew, and refresh.

All of that to say, when you think about what you want to accomplish this year, try to break it into small incremental changes. Maybe that will feel better and make your goals easier to accomplish 💕

Let’s make 2023 the best year yet!
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Hi friends,

It’s been a while. How are you? …but actually, how are you?

I’ve been busy, overwhelmingly busy. So busy that yoga hasn’t been as much a part of my life as I’d like it to be.

These periods happen and when they do it’s hard for me to show up like I want to for you all. I’m not able to prepare for class as I’d like to and it’s much much harder to show up with the energy to ensure you leave feeling a more grounded, supported version of yourself.

Because of that, I’ve decided to give up my permanent class at Flow. My last official class is this Tuesday at 515! I will still be subbing here and there when I can and ultimately, in the future, I hope to be back in a more consistent way. Until then I am transitioning back to being a full time student. See you on the mat. Appreciate you more than you know 💕

11 years ago this weekend I ran the Baltimore marathon. So much has happened since then, but I am grateful to have taken the lessons I learned while running with me over that time:

Rest is productive and necessary. Recovery, equally so. (Maybe try yoga? 🤷🏻‍♀️)

Your mind is your strongest muscle. Even when you think you cannot keep going, you can and you should.

Preparation is important, but things will never go exactly as you want them to so if you are going to prepare, plan for uncertainty.

If you’ve read my other posts, you know these themes are all still things I am working on. They are much easier said than done, but as I reflect on that race and how it’s influenced my life, I recognize this race as the first time I had these realizations. I had a lot of time to think about it….like over 4 hours worth 😂
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I haven’t shown a lot of the non-yoga side of my life on this page and I think it’s probably time I start. Not every day is zen and full of healthy foods. Some days it looks like dressing up and celebrating another trip around the sun in “real” clothes with red wine and pasta. (Aka what’s captured here^^. Yes I do own clothes that didn’t come from lululemon or outdoor voices….)

It’s all about balance right? Balance looks different every day. Self care looks different every day. The more we show all the sides of whose we are, the more alike we become. Here’s to showing that balance 💕.

I’ve had to listen to my own advice this week and rest…it’s funny how when you get sick you become so aware of your ability to breathe. I’ve never been so thankful to be able to breathe through my nose 🤷🏻‍♀️

Excited to be back with you all this Thursday at 730 am outside at the temple!

rest is productive

August is my one year teaching anniversary at Flow!!

As a student there many years ago, I remember dreaming of being an instructor there. The community was so strong and the instructors so knowledgeable, welcoming, and engaging. I left each class feeling more myself, more connected, more grounded.

I try to remind myself of that every time I show up to teach. I am so grateful to this community for welcoming me in with open arms and so excited at the opportunity to keep moving with you all 💕

Watching you all choose you like ^…

One of the greatest privileges I have as a teacher of this practice is giving you all the opportunity to flow on your own. Watching you all look inside, listen, and then move as you need to is an incredible gift.

I’ll see you tomorrow (Thursday) at 730 am outside at the temple.

Sign up 💕

No better place to learn to laugh at yourself than on your mat 💕

Endorphins make you happy and so does outdoor voices! Couldn’t be more excited about getting to try this out ahead of it being in stores!💙

Let’s work to stop underestimating what we can do in a year and over estimating what we can do in 1 day🤍

The moment of lift: when balance has been achieved and your back leg starts to feel light (peep my back toes hovering off the sand).

Sure we feel this on the mat in any arm balance or headstand; when your body is stacked and the weight shifts just right to balance. It’s freeing, the feeling of flying almost.

But maybe we feel this off the mat too; when we come down from a hectic moment (read: few months!) and find equilibrium. When things go from stressful to just existing, from running to sitting still. That is the moment of lift, when we have time to stop, pick our head up, look around, and acknowledge how far we’ve come.

It’s been 2 weeks since my last yoga class and wow…the impact has been significant.

Whenever I take a step away from my mat for an extended period of time, there is always a mental and physical reaction. Sometimes I don’t always notice the shift until I’ve taken the next class and left feeling more myself; more grounded, more in tune with my body and mind.

That was not the case this time.

But, as it has been anytime before when I’ve been away, yoga has welcomed me back, taken me in, and made me feel at home. Whether I’ve come back to a practice in my home studio ( ) or made time in my travel plans for class at a new one (like today with ), I’ve been able to reconnect, reground, and recenter.

How lucky are we to be able to move this way together?

“Balance is not something we find, it’s something we create.”

I love this quote because it reminds me (and hopefully you!) that we have more control over this elusive idea of balance than it might seem.

On the mat, this might look like finding balance between effort and ease, challenge and rest. Off the mat, if you are anything like me, this probably looks like balancing work commitments and life commitments.

Ultimately though, finding balance is a goal. One we can reach if we hold ourselves accountable to get there.

What are you trying to balance right now?
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Just here to check in and say hey 👋🏻

Join me this week (virtual or in person) at 630 PM on Thursday! If you sign up for class you’ll get the recording for 48 hours!
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Swipe for what you don’t see 👉🏻👉🏻👉🏻

When you go upside down, knowing your exit strategy is so important. Practice safely coming out of your inversions as much as you practice the inversion itself!!! You’ll be safer AND you’ll be more confident in your pose!!

Happy inverting 💕💕💕
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Hi friends!! It’s been a minute. How are you?

It’s been a little while since I’ve come across an idea I wanted to share, but I read a quote earlier this week that really struck me and I’ve been eager to share it with you since then.

It reads, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space, is our power to choose our response. In our response, lies our growth and our freedom.” - Victor Frankel.

Often I think we run from space, from stillness, from sitting in an in between period and being truly there. In class this week, I encouraged those there to think about this as we moved. To think about what happens between point A and point B and notice how you can control the transition, the in between period, but also be able to control your response to any bumps along the way.

I encourage you to do the same the next time you are on the mat or maybe in your next transition in life. We move so fast, chase after our goals so fiercely that sometimes we forget to be in the space, to be present in the journey. Being present now will make teaching the top all the more beautiful.
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Happy Monday Friends!!

What are you doing for you this week? Nothing planned yet? That’s okay! Take a few moments this morning to plan 💕

I find when I schedule my self care, I’m less likely to do something else…give it a try and let me know how it goes!
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This past week in class we talked about sitting with discomfort. It’s a theme that I feel most comfortable working on on my mat because it transitions so well for me off the mat.

There are always going to be things that make us feel uncomfortable. On the mat that might look like a challenging pose or just challenging your routine and picking a variation you normally wouldn’t. Off the mat, this might look like a difficult conversation with a friend or pushing yourself out of your comfort zone at work.

No matter what it is, we (read: I) often run from it. Or try to spend as little time as possible sitting with that feeling of discomfort. But by sitting with it, really feeling it, and working through it, we set ourselves up to be better prepared the next time something makes us uncomfortable.

Life constantly challenges us. Things rarely go the way we want them to or the way we planned them to. But that doesn’t mean we can’t come out on the other side better.

This week when you feel uncomfortable, I challenge you to sit with it, to feel it, and not rush through it. I’ll be right there with you. We will be happy we did.
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Your true home is in the here and the now. It is not limited by time, space, nationality, or race. Your true home is not an abstract idea. It is something you can touch and live in every moment. – Thich Nhat Hanh
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“If you are persistent, you’ll get it. If you are consistent, you’ll keep it”

Some Monday motivation for your day, week, month 💪
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In class this week, we talked about transitions both on and off the mat.

Right now we are transitioning into a new year, to some degree transitioning still into a new month and what I personally have noticed about myself is that in transitional periods I try to fast forward to the end goal whatever it is. Whether it’s accomplish a New Years resolution or any goal/task I have on my to-do list, I don’t pay much attention to what happens in the transition.

I’m so focused on the future that I’m not present in what’s happening or the growth that is taking place in the in between.

It can absolutely be helpful to reach towards a goal, so please still set goals for yourself if that works for you. But as you change, as you transition, I encourage you to acknowledge all of the personal growth that takes place in the in between. To thank yourself for all you’ve done.
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This morning in class we talked about finding balance between effort and ease. The holidays are a great “case study” of this balance, but we are constantly searching for it throughout the year. Within each day, week, month we are looking to find balance in our lives; balancing work vs play, what we have to do vs want to do, where we need to put effort vs where we can find some self care.

Each day, that might look like showing up for your yoga practice or meditating. Each week it might be taking an afternoon for self care. Each month it might mean getting together with friends you haven’t seen for a while. It means something different to all of us, but the importance of this balance is consistent no matter who we are.

Like most things worth doing, this is harder said then done, but the more we think about it, the more intentional we are about this balance, the easier it will become habit. It’s worth the effort….get it?
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Each year at this time, we start to think about what we want out of the next year. Often we focus on things we want to change about ourselves; weight, working out etc. I have ABSOLUTELY done this thinking that making myself smaller will lead to more happiness.

And you know what? It didn’t.

It just lead to more disappointment or this feeling of not accomplishing something on my to-do list. Last year, I chose “resolutions” on feeling instead. I thought about how I wanted to feel each day, thought about the things that made me feel that way, and then how can I focus on and spend more time doing those things.

So when you are thinking about what you want out of 2022, I challenge you to think about the feeling. How do you want to feel next year? What things do you love that make you feel that way? How can you carve out more time each day/week/month to do those things?
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I am a day late…Happy Winter Solstice!

The shortest day of the year was yesterday! It’s very exciting to think about the days getting longer and the warmer months returning, but there is a lesson in the winter months we shouldn’t pass over. The winter months are a time of reflection, of stillness, of rest.

This can be hard during the holidays when we are running all over the place, traveling and seeing family. So let this be a reminder, if you haven’t already taken a few moments for you, please do. If you haven’t already found time to slow down, to be present, to sit with your thoughts, please do. If that means you schedule your self care, do it. If it means you wake up 30 min earlier or stay up a bit later, do it.

It’s worth the effort. I promise.
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I really love this picture, but I feel like it should come with some caveats. (Most yoga pose photos should probably come with caveats!)

This pose requires some serious hip mobility and hamstring flexibility that depending on your anatomy just might not be possible in your body. For me, getting to this shape took years of dedicated consistent practice and even then it just isn’t there some days.

One of the good things that came out of the pandemic was I was able to practice almost every day and wow did I feel a difference in what poses were accessible. This pose was just straight up not accessible to me until that happened which is OK!! So okay.

Sometimes I would come to insta and see these poses that looked so effortless in some bodies and I would feel lesser then. It took going through several trainings and a deep dive into anatomy to understand that some poses are literally not accessible depending on your anatomy 🤷🏻‍♀️ Also, yes I could have made that jump without all the training…

Anyways…To sum up, I love this picture and am so proud of the growth I’ve seen in this pose over the last year and a half BUT I want you all to know that your version of this pose is perfect regardless of how it looks 💕

P.S. this is true for ANY pose you see on insta. Don’t @ me.
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“Home is where love resides, memories are made, friends are always welcome, and laughter never ends. Home is not a place it is a feeling”

Happy Thanksgiving to all that are celebrating today! I am incredibly grateful for this community that has come together two years in a row to give back.

This year we raised $415 dollars (!!!!) which equates to over 41,000 meals. Our donation link will stay up throughout the holiday season, so please continue to share with others.

I hope you all are able to find time for gratitude today 💕 thank you thank you thank you!
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Heading into this week like….

We are still a little ways from our donation goal! Run (don’t walk) to the link in my bio to donate!

Class tomorrow at 6 PM EST. DM me if you want the link and do not already have it!
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