Pain Can Be Good

Now I know what you all are thinking...
Kelly! What do you mean pain can be good?

Well today I was on Pinterest and found a great quote that talks about pain...
Just read it you'll understand.

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*http://positiveandinspirationalquotes.blogspot.com/

I completely agree with this quote. Pain is something that is unavoidable and if you think otherwise you are just crazy! Whether it be physical or emotional pain it is something that we all have felt. If you are like me you feel it almost on a daily basis. I usually suffer from back pain and migraines on a daily basis, but I have also suffered from emotional pain. It's never easy to deal with pain, but is definitely not something that you should be carrying around with you. If it is physical pain breath into that pain, accept it, and then release it. If it is emotional pain you are suffering from breath, long slow breaths. And forgive the person that hurt you, it will be your ultimate release. Or look to God for answers. Pain will always be a part of life. But it doesn't have to rule how you live your life. Accept it, learn from it, and move on from it.


Now, if you checked out one of my YP of the week posts before then you know that often times I add a video from YouTube explaining how to get into the pose. I also mentioned in my last post, which you can find here, I find videos of classes on YouTube and do my Yoga at home. Well today while I was on break at work I was on Pinterest searching through Yoga stuff, which I often do. I happened to come across a pin about 10 Great YouTube Channels for free Yoga. Click on the link and it will take you right to the post. The author of this post, Krysta Shannon, has provided you with 10 different channels that offer a range of yoga exercises. If you live a busy life style and only have 15 minutes for a workout she's listed a channel for that. Or if you have an hour to dedicate to Yoga she's listed that. Since I had just mentioned this I figured I ought to share this great find with you! If you want more Yoga stuff go follow my Pinterest board Yoga Lifestyle.
2 of the channels on this list I am already subscribed to, before I had even seen this list:
Ekhart Yoga (where I get most of the pose videos from)
PsycheTruth (also has really great videos on healthy eating + informational videos)

Live life to the fullest!
Accept yourself for who you are!
Love yourself!

xo

*Shine like Glitter*
I often find myself going to Pinterest for Yoga inspiration.
There are just so many resources.
I mean just today I pinned about 10 different Yoga pins.
It is also a great place for inspiration.
And a great place to find motivating quotes.
I also have a board for that.
Which you can find here.
Namaste.

*all opinions are my own.

Yoga Pose of the Week: Dolphin Pose

I apologize... this was supposed to be posted last Sunday and for some reason it did not get posted. I will be posting a new yoga pose tomorrow.

I want to start something new not only on the blog but in my life as well. Each week I am going to pick a new yoga pose to work on. I am going to work on it throughout the week and then implement it into a yoga routine. I am starting this because I want to further my yoga practice and I want to learn more yoga poses. I will also read about the pose to learn the benefits of that pose and then share them with you. I am giving myself a week to work on the pose little by little as not to exhaust myself. I hope you will follow me along on this journey. A journey that will help guide me to bettering myself physically and mentally. I urge you to try these poses even if it's to do just that, try. Yoga has many health benefits and does not require you to go anywhere. Because if you are like me I hate going to the gym, with yoga you can do it in your living room.

This week past week in yoga class we worked on handstands, with a partner. The exercise was so much fun, yet a little bit terrifying (I did not want to crush my face on the ground.) However once I got into a handstand, with a little help from my partner (who happened to be my brother), it was exhilarating. I wanted to keep going, but also did not want to exhaust myself. I have had the idea to start a yoga pose of the week for awhile now but never got around to it. After this exercise I thought this would be the perfect time to start.

Dolphin Pose

After doing some reading about the pose in the book that I use (picture below) and by reading online at www.yogajournal.com I found:

Dolphin Pose works to strengthen the core, arms and shoulders as well as the legs. It helps to improve upper body strength and will be useful when moving into arm balances. I picked this pose because I want to continue with working on not a handstand but a headstand and Dolphin prepares the body for headstand. Dolphin also has some great benefits, ones that I know will definitely help with a lot of issues I suffer from. I have listed the benefits below.

I am using a blanket in these photos that I use strictly for yoga. I like to use my blanket when I do yoga at home or when I am doing yoga in the grass. I use a mat in class. You can use which ever. 

*Benefits*

• Strengthens the arms and legs
• Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and arches
• Calms the brain and helps to relieve stress and mild depression
• Improves digestion 
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with the head supported
• Helps prevent osteoporosis
• Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue
• Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet and sciatica

*These are taken from the yoga journal website. I have included the link above if you wish to read the whole post about Dolphin pose or for any other yoga poses.

If you go onto the Yoga Journal website you will find step-by-step instructions on how to do the pose or there are many videos on YouTube on how to do Dolphin as well.

I found this video on YouTube that uses Dolphin in the routine. I like it, this is the video/routine I am going to use this week.

xo

*Shine like Glitter*
I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life.
Like I said I hope you all follow me along on this journey.
Motivation is appreciated and I will be here to help give you motivation.
Leave me comments and we will share this together.

Life is Too Short

Life's too short, eat more cupcakes.

I have a sweet tooth that would make a baker happy. I love sweets. I crave sweets probably more than the average person. On this note I am a strong believer in eating dessert first. Do I always do it? No, but I believe it should be done. I've been reading Sweet Designs by Amy Atlas. Find her here and here. She is also a dessert fanatic. After reading through her book I've decided to eat my dessert first as often as possible. To me dessert is usually the best part of the meal, but let's be honest by the end of the meal I am too full to enjoy dessert afterwards. And I know I am not the only one to feel this way. By eating my dessert first I get to enjoy my favorite part of the meal. *grin*

This morning I woke up, got ready, stopped at the grocery store and got myself a carrot cupcake for breakfast.

Life is too short and nothing is guaranteed. The only guarantee we are promised is God's love for us and one day he will return to this earth. We are given this life to enjoy, to live to the fullest, so why not enjoy the little things. Like eating cupcakes for breakfast! *wink* Because there are no guarantees in life I am not guaranteed that I will make it through the entire meal (if I haven't eaten too much already) to enjoy dessert. But by eating my dessert first I would be satisfied and if I were to die before the end of the meal I would die happy.

xo

*Shine like Glitter*
"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." - Ernestine Ulmer
The quote above starts out Amy Atlas' book.
It is a quote to live by.
A statement that I am going to try to live by.
Live life for you, lovelies.
Eat your dessert first.
If you aren't a dessert person, which by watching New Girl I found out exist, do what makes you happy. Just like Ulmer says life is uncertain. Just like I said nothing is guaranteed.