How To Live A Better Life

Just a little video that they showed us at the beginning of camp before the kids got there. Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx-yXGXNstU

A post from my old Blog - Also not funny

Yoga: To perceive the constant union, unity, or copulation with the divine self in every breath, in every moment, in every activity, and in every achievement. Yoga is the way one can perceive divinity manifested in the whole universe as well as in the entire body.

Back last February I had a coworker take me to a Bikram Yoga class. I had done yoga before at our local gym but I had never experienced anything quite like this. I didn’t know what to expect so I wore my regular gym clothes, which consisted of capris and a baggy t-shirt – bad idea. We walked into the studio a bit late and so we hurriedly put our mats down in the back of the room. There were about 15 people in the class and then one big mirror in the front of the room. The first thing that you notice when you walk in is the temperature of the room. To be true Bikram Yoga – or Hot Yoga as it is sometimes called – the temperature in the room must hit 105 degrees – definitely hotter then your average fitness class.

Bikram is composed of 26 poses – or asanas – each of which are performed twice in sequence and held for what can feel like forever. The first half of the set is the standing poses and the second half is the floor poses. The goal of all of these poses is to stretch your muscles and release all of the toxins in your body. Even though there are other people in the room you only are supposed to concentrate on yourself – how can you compare yourself to your neighbor? You have two completely different bodies!

The very last pose is Shavasana – or the corpse pose. This is designed to quiet the mind and as my teacher says “Thoughts may come but don’t dwell on them. Let them run through you”. Your supposed to keep your eyes open and ‘stay present in the room’ but truthfully all I ever want to do is close my eyes and fall asleep.

By the end of the class you are absolutely pouring sweat. Seriously, stepping out of that class I feel as if I am stepping out of the shower – just not anywhere near as clean. But by the time I am home, showered and in bed I am really able to marvel at how good I feel. So, if you have the chance I would recommend trying Bikram Yoga. But go twice at least – I promise after the first time you will want to throw in the towel – this is the only way to get to know how truly wonderful Bikram is!

Santa Baby

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they are right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself. And sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."

-Marilyn Monroe

I find it interesting that people quote things that Marilyn Monroe said. She wasn't exactly a dignitary, politician, philosopher or anything of that nature. She was an actress. Yet I read this quote and I liked it a lot so I decided that I would share it.

I feel like I am at a turning point in my life right now. Last year I went through a lot of changes. And by a lot I mean A LOT! I didn't exactly handle the changes very well which in turn led me to be someone I wasn't. But I am over that stage in my life now and I feel I am moving on. Maine def. helped :). I am relating a lot to the "sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together," part of M.M.'s quote.

Um, this post wasn't very funny which is kinda sad because I am typically a very funny person. I apologize for the unfunniness of this quote and promise to have a laugh out loud hillarious post next time!

OOheee It's Where I Wanna Be

I have been MIA for a couple months now. Sorry about that! I actually have been in Maine being a camp counselor for the summer. This was a HUGE learning experience in my life and I really feel like it has changed me a lot. It was also one of the hardest summers of my life. Basically we were on a rigid schedule from 7:30 in the morning until 10:00 at night. I couldn't ever call in sick to work (even though there were a few days when I know I should have), I couldn't sleep in, I had to always being worrying about someone else that wasn't myself (in most cases multiple people) and I basically had to 'grow up'. There was never a time during the summer when it was allowable to be selfish, lazy, arrogant, obstinant etc. If you couldn't tell: I had a blast!

Maine is gorgeous! If you ever get the chance to go I would def. say do it! It is so different then this mountaineous desert that we live in. There aren't any mountains at all actually but there are very large trees! Everything is green (this might stem from the fact that it rained half the summer). Our camp was about 1.5 hours out of Portland. We were in the middle of no mans land. I did get to travel around Maine a little bit and everywhere was just as gorgeous as where we were. We went up to Booth Bay Harbor and it was quite possibly the cutest harbor I have ever seen. We went Whale Watching there and wow... that was an experience.

Not only was the place gorgeous but I also got to make many new friends and experience a different way of life. There were camp counselors there from all around the world! One of my friends was from Australia and he was possibly the funniest person I have ever met! We had completely different views of the world and morals and what not but it didn't matter. It was interesting explaining what I believe to so many different people. I was told more then once that I was the first LDS person they had ever met which was weird for me because I live in Utah. And I finally met my first TRUE hippie. We're talking no underwear, no cell phone, belief in reincarnation, life long dream: to travel the coast in a van and surf all day everyday and the list goes on and on. He was amazing and so fun to have conversations with! Basically everyone I met out there I absolutely loved!

Coming back was really hard for me. My first full day back in Utah I basically just wanted to cry. I love everyone here and I was so grateful to see my family but I was already missing Maine. I didn't want to come back and get submersed in all of the drama of life again (which by the way I am not letting myself get submersed back in all of that so don't even try! hehe). At camp everything was so care free. When you went to bed at night the second your head hit the pillow you were out like a light. There was nothing to keep you up worrying about. So basically that is my goal for here... not to let things get to me like I used to! I'm doing good so far! :)

I am glad to be back and I am glad to see everyone! I missed the mountains... weird I know, I missed floating down Provo River with my friends (which was amazing let me tell you!), I missed being able to eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, I missed my soft bed and I missed being able to do things without having daddy long legs everywhere!! Hallelujiah!

So in short: Camp was a great experience. Go if you have the chance. Go to Maine if you have a chance. Don't get submersed in random drama that doesn't matter. And KILL ALL DADDY LONG LEGS!!!

Quote of the Day:

Do what makes you happy,
Be with who makes you smile,
Laugh as much as you breathe,
Love as long as you live.