West end yoga at kerrikoch.com

have you experienced this?

How do you practice self discipline? For me, repetition and some form of accountability hold me to my daily practices.

A disciplined mind on the mat leads to a more discerning approach off.

                     

we tend to pick at the things we don't like about ourselves or our lives, but how many take the time to recognize and nurture the things that are going right?

While attending school to become a health coach, we were taught this as a concept called crowding out. When you introduce the things you want to see in your life, the things you'd rather not, tend to fall away.

Whether its creating a healthier diet or a better mindset, beating ourselves up regularly won't move us toward a state of sattva ~ balance and ease.

Moving toward sattva is the result of consistently applying conscious habits in alignment with nature, over time.

Do you...
desire more day to day ease?
struggle with motivation?
always overextend yourself?
lack the energy you once had?

Research reveals lifestyle as the critical factor in our overall health and wellbeing over time.

It is more important than ever to be conscious of how your actions, behaviors, and mindset relate to your experience of every day life.

Your repeated actions shape your future and your health. Do you like where you’re headed?

Is it time for a change?

Let’s connect to see how west end yoga at kerrikoch.com can help you move toward Sattva.

moving toward sattva doesn't have to mean changing your whole life in one single act. Moving toward anything implies a gradual approach.

Moving toward sattva is the result of consistently applying conscious habits that are more in alignment with nature, over time.

what is Sattva?

In the philosophy of yoga, three primary gunas (strands or qualities of energy) are woven together to create the essential aspects of all nature.

Each of the gunas has its own unique attributes: tamas is stability, rajas is activity & passion, and sattva is balance & harmony.

For yoga practitioners, awareness of the gunas tells us whether we are genuinely moving forward in life (sattva), running in place (rajas), or losing our way (tamas).

Awareness and conscious manipulation of these three energies is an empowering way to reduce stress and increase inner peace for those seeking balance of mind, and body.

Those who practice sattva; moving toward a state of balance and ease, seek to nourish the body with pure substances and engage in purifying practices. This can include a sattvic diet, meditation, pranayama, and asana practice.

When we approach the gunas as tendencies, or habitual ways we respond to any situation that arises, this becomes a powerful, yet accessible practice for anyone to move toward Sattva: balance & ease every day.

tapas: Sanskrit meaning fire or to burn. Tapas is purification through self-discipline; it is the effort exerted to achieve one’s goals. It refers the internal fire that fuels our commitment and determination. It is the inner motivation to _____ fill in the blank. Tapas can also apply to a set period of time; a commitment to a particular practice for X number of days. In this way, it has been a part of my personal practice for more than 20 years. Today I completed a 108 day Tapas practice. The commitment to myself was to dance for 5 minutes and practice asana in addition to my daily yoga practice. Part of this tapas journey was letting go of perfection. During these 108 days, I traveled twice, and had to be flexible with what I could reasonably practice in my hosts’ homes. Those handful of days when I didn’t reach my daily goal, feel like the knots that are tied between each bead on a mala; a spacer between the days that supported the whole intention. Tomorrow begins a new 108 day journey; the act of putting myself into the fire again and again is purifying me and moving me toward sattva. Want to learn more? west end yoga at kerrikoch.com can help you create and commit to your own tapas journey. link in bio. #healthcoach #wellnesscoach #lifecoach #tapas #womensupportingwomen #motivation #mindset #healthyhabits #yogateacher #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogalife #yogalove #yogaeverydamnday #yogaeveryday #yogaeverywhere #yogachallenge #yogajourney #yogini #namaste #asana #mindfulness #yogadaily #yogacommunity #yogalifestyle #hathayoga #yogisofinstagram #yogainstructor

truth 💣

Malala Yousafzai & Kylie Jenner just turned 18 - Kylie got a brand new Ferrari and spent $10,000's on plastic surgery and botox. Malala was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, survived a gun shot to the face by the Taliban, opened a school for Syrian refugees and is inspiring education for kids around the world. What's upsetting is the media is only covering Kylie as "breaking news" and not mentioning a word about Malala's powerful strength and courageous passion to change the world.... Kylie is immortalized because her parents are rich, she shops on Rodeo Drive and gets drunk at parties..... Malala is infinitely more beautiful!

just this…

However, even with that being true, this voyage has shaped my identity in multiple ways. Daily, the process of figuring my mess out encourages me to rise, face the accountability mirror, and be deliberate with my time, energy, and how I show up for myself.

this.

POV: spent the night in a dirty, unacceptable hotel last night but decided to leave and treat self for last night in India 🇮🇳

yoga has been a part of my daily life for more than 25 years.

Yoga has healed me in more ways than I can account for in one post. It’s various practices are my foundation and without them surely I would have crumbled long ago.

It has been a few years since teaching, but I am ready to share its gifts again.

Yoga will be part of the programs offered in my wellness coaching, and I will be sharing a class upon returning from India this spring.

Follow along as I make my way out of the chrysalis of my own making.

truth 💣

every time I find myself at the beach, I wonder what keeps me away.

time spent there alone, or with a friend is a reset button; all thoughts fall away, breath a little deeper, body more relaxed.

being calm is a practice and I love this reminder. #becalm

s-p-e-l-l… it’s right there in the word itself. I’ve always appreciated the energy of the words chosen in thought and speech.

Re-minders are always welcome.

Merry Christmas. May you find joy in the simple things this holiday season and peace in the new year.

Interesting Insights

1. Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice shoes.
2. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there's a 50% chance you'll die within the next 3 years.
3. There are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly like you. There's a 9% chance that you'll meet one of them in your lifetime.
4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and keeps your spine stronger.
5. A person’s height is determined by their father, and their weight is determined by their mother.
6. If a part of your body "falls asleep", You can almost always "wake it up" by shaking your head.
7. There are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing - food, attractive people and danger.
8. Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side.
9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes will absorb the unpleasant odor.
10. According to Albert Einstein, if honey bees were to disappear from earth, humans would be dead within 4 years.
11. There are so many kinds of apples, that if you ate a new one every day, it would take over 20 years to try them all.
12. You can survive without eating for weeks, but you will only live 11 days without sleeping.
13. People who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don’t.
14. Laziness and inactivity kills just as many people as smoking.
15. A human brain has a capacity to store 5 times as much information as Wikipedia.
16. Our brain uses the same amount of power as a 10-watt light bulb!!
17. Our body gives enough heat in 30 minutes to boil 1.5 liters of water!!
18. The O**m egg is the largest cell and the s***m is the smallest cell!!
19. Stomach acid (conc. HCl) is strong enough to dissolve razor blades!!
20. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
21. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
22. When you wake up in the morning, pray to ask God's guidance for your purpose today.
23. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
24. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
25. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
26. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts and things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
27. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
28. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
29. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything.
30. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
31. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
32. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
33. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
34. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
35. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
36. Help the needy, Be generous! Be a 'Giver' not a 'Taker'
37. What other people think of you is none of your business.
38. Time heals everything.
39. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
40. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. Each night before you go to bed, pray to God and be thankful for what you accomplished, today. What if you woke up this morning and only had what you thanked God for yesterday? DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING.
43. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
COPY & PASTE to your timeline☺️

this morning passing the security at the airport, I watched the TSA agent going through the same motions, repeating the same directions to the travelers in the long lines.

Her frustration was apparent, and instantly empathized with her. So when I had the chance, I leaned in and let her know that she is appreciated.

She lit up and I heard a change in her voice. We exchanged a few smiles before I moved along into travels.

Kindness has the ability to ripple out into the world.

how do you practice self-care?

A mindful shower leaves you feeling nourished and cared for. I like using a dry brush on my face and body before entering the shower, where I use exfoliating gloves to further remove dead skin and smooth my skin.

Once out, I use a body oil. Currently enjoying body oil. Its warm smell and light feel are perfect as a leave on moisturizer.

Are any of these items or practices in your routine?

there are many ways to practice mindfulness; the art of slowing down and paying attention to only what you are doing in this moment.

Today, when you sit down to eat your lunch, or dinner, pay attention to only eating your food. Put your phone aside, resist the television, keep any conversation light and uplifting.

Mindfulness while eating has many benefits, including better digestion and an overall sense of feeling nourished by the meal you have just eaten.

How do you practice mindfulness, and will you try this tip today?

“Did you ever look in the mirror so long that your face didn't make sense anymore? It just becomes all these shapes. Just shapes. Not good or bad.”

do you ever find yourself stuck in a rut of your doing? Lately, I have been giving up; choosing to spend my time playing a computer game rather than any one thing from a list of many things I could be doing.

This morning, having balanced my checkbook, it felt like a big enough win to motivate myself. In that moment I realized, that I am completely in charge of creating the small win that will lead to big personal victories!

Be thoughtful in your choices,
Be thoughtful in your breaths,
Be thoughtful in your consumption,
Be thoughtful with your words,
Be thoughtful with your heart,
Be thoughtful with your actions,
Be soft where you are hard,
Be flexible where you are rigid,
Be kind where you are cruel,
Be honest where there are or have been untruths,
Liberate yourself from past patterns and behaviours,
Flip the table and make a change,
Not to judge your past self as wrong,
But to support and encourage your present self to accomplish that which you had thought was impossible,
To feel good in your own skin,
To feel grateful to be here no matter what is happening,
To be the light in the dark,
To be your own beacon of hope,

May you be well,
Clare xo

day 32... and I'm gonna keep dancing as part of my daily practice!

Just a few things I've noticed:
- increased balance
- increased creativity
- better sleep
- less in my head (HUGE for me)

How about you - when was the last time you danced?

So grateful for and for opening my heart ever wider again this year. Jai Hanuman!

these 4 pillars of wellness are defining the way I show up for myself and the women who work with me.

1 Food heals. There is no one diet for every-body, but there are some common things we can all do to improve our health.

2. Healthy mind = healthy body… and vice versa. Begin with one and the other WILL follow.

3. Daily sadhana. Also doesn’t look the same for all of us. For some, it’s yoga, others dance, and still others workout or run.

4. Women supporting other women. Together, redefining women’s wellness.

do you find yourself exhausted trying to make everyone happy? Or maybe, you feel secretly annoyed thinking others are taking advantage of you?

You might be lacking healthy boundaries in your relationships, if:

• You are an open book.
Often, individuals with poor boundaries share too much information too soon, or fail to share enough for others to understand them.

• Other people define you or give your life meaning. Allowing your identity to be defined by those around you, keeps you from living an authentic life. You are allowing other people to tell you how you “should” be. The only expert on you, is you.

• Saying “no” makes you feel guilty or like you are letting others down.

• You take things personally. Rigid boundaries form when you're highly sensitive to criticism or rejection.

• You just feel awful a lot of the time.
Sometimes we can feel bad about ourselves because communication with others isn’t right. But often, just the right amount of discomfort can push you forward in a better way.

Defining or reclaiming healthy boundaries is part of my 3 and 6 month coaching programs.

DM to find out if self empowerment life coaching is right for you.

yes! In yoga practice, tapas refers to both the challenge and the discipline it takes to grow out of your comfort zone.

I just completed a 7 day dance tapas; dancing 5 minutes every morning as part of my yoga practice.

Last week I danced with .amberryan and voiced to her how good it feels to step out of my comfort zone… I need more of it!

So my dance challenge continues for at least 7 more days.

How about you? Do you regularly set challenges for yourself, and what are they?

Want to accept a dance challenge?

Let me know below 👇🏻

it is a sad day to be an American woman.

Make no mistake, abortion will not end and actual lives will be lost.

And yet, I worry… a lot; it’s a family trait. I get angry about insignificant things. Most days, I’m clueless about what I’m actually doing with my life. Gratitude is easy, but also easily forgotten. And kindness is easier for me to give than receive.

But today, reciting the reiki principles offered a bit of relief from the pressure to be perfect all the time.

Just for today allows me to show up real every day.

“Interrupting our destructive habits & awakening our heart is the work of a lifetime.” Pema Chodron

the trick I think, is to start where you are, not where you want to be.