you think you have time

"The trouble is, you think you have time." - Buddha

This profound quote graces the wall of my little yoga studio and I think about it often. If I ever chose a tattoo with words, it would be these. Recently, one of my students asked me what it meant. "Isn't spare time a good thing? How else would I make time for yoga!?" she mused.

If you take the time (no pun intended) to think about these words, the real "trouble" does not lie in free time or even idleness. It's that for as busy as we all are, we still think we have all the time in the world– time to waste –squandering it on trivial goals, meaningless jobs, toxic relationships...etc. always with our eyes on the next milestone. Our actual lives end up lost in the shuffle of our daily routine because we think we have this TIME. 

Especially when you're young, life seems long. The whole future is laid out ahead of you. But how quickly that can be changed (in the blink of an eye) and how futile our little plans are anyway. All the more reason to live for each breath you have.

Whether or not you've seen or heard these words before, I encourage you to think about this quote. Reflect on what it means in your life and pause to remind yourself what you're really doing here.

do your own thing

Block used in Bound Half Moon Pose

If you've practiced yoga before, you've surely heard a teacher encourage you to modify certain postures. Drop your knees here, use a block there and don't be afraid to look different. Yet so many students would rather huff and puff their way through an uncomfortable pose than look like a wuss or use a dreaded prop. Modifying seems to have such a terrible stigma!

We know that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to their mind and body. There is no one universal diet, job, food, activity or music that is perfect for everyone and the same is true for yoga practice. Why on earth should all those different bodies look the same in any one posture? How many students are fighting through certain poses because he or she thinks that it should look a certain way or that modifying means "not good enough?" 

The real question comes down to this: do you want to practice yoga or do you want to look like you're "good at" yoga? The truth hurts. Literally. 

As a yoga practitioner and as an instructor, I ADORE seeing yogis do their own thing. It's very cool to notice someone binding a pose I wouldn't have thought to bind or heading back to Child's Pose because it feels good. But I think I die a little inside each time I see someone slamming through 12 mangled chaturangas during a sun salutation. *Note: there is a glaring and perceptible difference between having a fast-paced or spirited practice and a mindless, ego-driven practice.

When you're deeply connected to your practice, it's beautiful, quiet and obvious. Beautiful because it's creative, quiet because it's humble and obvious because it's so personal. You set a tone for those around you because you're so openly there for yourself and you're not afraid. When someone is practicing with the intention to look a certain way, it's sad because they're missing out and painfully conspicuous because they're not in control of their mind/ego. 

Spread the word: modifying is the real joy of yoga practice. Adapting each pose to make it your own means you're actually paying attention to yourself. Yoga injuries wouldn't exist in a world full of yoga blocks and rests in Child's Pose. Ever wonder how a yogi who's so "in shape" can end up with back problems, torn ligaments or knee replacements years later? Because something was wrong and they never sincerely listened. Get quiet. Know when to deepen, back off or completely stop. Pay attention to your body, your intuition, your instructors and your mind and you will learn something valuable from all of them.

#keepyogacozy

5 places for affordable yoga clothes

If you're looking for yoga clothes and you like to blow your money, you can head to places like Lululemon, Athleta or Lucy. (Don't hate me for pointing out your favorite store) All of these places have a huge cult following and they do make nice clothing, but you don't always need to spend over $50 for cute, good-quality yoga clothes. If you think you can't find nice yoga clothes and control your budget, come to my house and I'll show you a drawer full of wallet-friendly clothes! My following list is in order of the most awesome, 1 being the trendiest and cheapest.

1) Of all places, Forever21 actually has a nice selection of SUPER cheap and cute yoga clothes! (I'm talking $10 stuff, here, people) I was totally surprised to find some great patterns and styles as well as a huge selection of funky or moisture-wicking leggings. I'm really loving on this black and white striped $11 sports bra!

2) I buy a lot of yoga clothes from Target (Targèt, if you will). They have it all! Recently, they even had a line of the strappy, draping, layered look that Lululemon is famous for, but at literally 1/4 the price. I have the tank below and it is a great flowy fabric that works well for hot yoga.

Layered tank from Target - $22

3) Old Navy recently launched a big activewear line, complete with running and yoga clothes of all types. I have a pair of moisture-wicking pants from Old Navy that I wear and wash every single week and they've held up well so far. For $20, I'm impressed at the quality.

$20 compression capris from Old Navy

4) JCPenny has jumped on the yoga bandwagon, offering lots of different cheap yoga clothes to layer. Maybe not quite as stylish as some of the other places I've listed, but if you're looking for basics, they'll have you covered. I really liked this cream jacket shown below.

Half-zip Pullover from JCPenny - $20

5) Even Roxy has a fitness line nowadays! (I know, right?) I ran across a few of their items on Pinterest and though they're the most pricey of the bunch, they're still really cute and you can find quality items on sale. I'm a sucker for anything of this hue, so I'm in love with this turquoise jacket.

$58 half-zip pullover from Roxy

What do you think? I hope this list helps your budget and style on and off the mat. If you have any other great places or ideas, please share in the comments section...namaste! :)