SGchangeagent

Has anybody ever contemplated on the words solo and alone?

For me, this past year I’ve actually reflected on this more than a few times. Thus another blog is created!

For those of us that are single, and believe me I know several amazing soul sisters that fit that bill, my hope is that my writings give you peace.

And for those of you who are in committed relationships, there is grace filtered in the blog for you.

I’m ok being alone and traveling solo. There’s a difference right there in these words.

Taking downtime after a busy day of back to back corporate meetings, phone calls and fire drills is a critical vital needs for me. This downtime usually happens on the weekend when I sit on my balcony early mornings writing. When I’m taking a yoga class or two and when I’m walking the local trail. Little effort with much ease as I slip into quiet time.

This weekend, I decided to slip out of my home quiet time and try something new. Little did I know I would get so much more out of this weekend adventure.

I stayed in a camper two nights to attend a yoga festival in Asheville!

By attending four different yoga sessions, I was never alone. Conversations were peppered with kindness. Yoga practice was infused with music that touched our souls.

After arriving back to camp ground, I connected with new friends from NC staying two campers away from me. It was raining, my camper was super small with no awning. They had an awning and were sitting outside under it. So off I went to say hi. Solo but never alone.

They encouraged me to take the hike in the morning to find the treehouse. I had every intention of doing exactly that.

So, here I am, sitting in the top of a treehouse at the June Bug Retro Resort and Campground. Suddenly, I’ve found another magical space to come back to!

Bottom line is this. Whether you are single or not, it really doesn’t matter for this thought process. Stay with me here.

What matters is that you focus on your own vital needs and do you. Step out of your comfort zone and attend a yoga retreat with a friend or solo and meet new friends.

Take the downtime you need to be the best you can be for yourself and the people around you that you love and cherish.

Travel solo but never feel alone.

#namastecommittedtomysoul

What pivotal moments have you experienced lately?

What exactly made them pivotal to you?

For me, these moments showed up and celebrating them became my intention during my Costa Rica yoga retreat. As I reflect, I am grateful.

I recently returned from our 8th Annual Yoga Retreat with Hot Yoga of Delray.

This retreat brought me full circle from our first yoga retreat to Costa Rica 10 years ago!

Ten years ago, I sat in the same yoga room with little exposure or understanding as to what yoga really is.

This July 4th week, I was honored and humbled to teach 5 Rock and Slow Flow YinYasa practices to an amazing group of some of my closest soul sisters and new friends that have touched my heart and soul.

A celebratory pivotal moment indeed!

Another pivotal moment for me was to observe the connections and deeper friendships that were forming with the special people that were part of our Costa Rica retreat.

Watching friends experience this type of transformation for the first time, for an extended time, during the trip as we all embraced the experience of being open to our own feelings and healings was absolutely amazing.

For me, yoga retreats have become part of my growth as an individual.

Depending on the type of retreat, I’m able to experience sightseeing, quiet time, healing massages, energy work and of course, yoga.

As usual, with all the retreats I attend, I make the time to go inside my own self and mind to reflect on my own personal and professional growth, due to my yoga journey.

Each retreat forever changes me as I continue to learn, grow and thrive.

Growth takes time, focus, practice and openness to change. We don’t always see it right away but it’s always there within us if we really want to make a change. Growth is hard, Growth can bring up some difficult feelings. Growth is good!

Doing the work goes a long way, it’s the foundation for me to continue to achieve my personal and professional goals.

The first weekend I returned from Costa Rica I was blessed to have my son in town. We hiked two mountains to experience together these amazing views and our own quiet time.

Another pivotal moment of being able have this shared hiking passion and experiences with Dylan is something I will forever cherish and never forget.

He’s wearing the Pura Vida hat. Pure life indeed.

I’ve decided that celebrating pivotal moments is going to be my intention for the rest of 2022!

#namastecelebratory

We arrived in London rather late due to power outages at the train station in Paris. It was the last day of the Queens Jubilee. Little did we know there was a planned strike the next day.

Tip 1. Don’t let power outages and strikes derail your plans, there are always backup options!

Off to Trafalgar Square and the famous Bond Street before meeting our guide for the Rock and Roll Pub Tour.

What a great way to learn about history.

Tip 2. Take a pub tour.

We explored Soho and saw the places where the Beatles and Stones recorded and even at times lived. Since I love rock and roll, it was the perfect tour for us.

We stopped and took a picture in front of this record store off the Main Street and this jazz venue that I plan to come back to for a show. They book 3 months in advance. Perfect for me, ever the planner!

I took this random shot with the pink car in the picture and decided to make it my phone screen saver for the month.

After wrapping up the pub tour, we were ready for our venue. Queen and Adam Lambert concert at the O2!

The concert was absolutely amazing. It could be a story in itself. Just download their songs and hear for yourself.

Tip 3. Plan a trip to a faraway place around a concert. This is how our whole trip started. Tickets to see Queen and Adam Lambert.

Onto day 2.

We decided to grab tickets for the On and Off Bus tour. We figured it was the best way to check out some of the iconic landmarks. We didn’t book individual tours because we had limited time left. We were leaving the next day!

We had only been in London 24 hours and both of us knew instantly that we would be coming back.

London is an easy place to get around. We managed to even take another boat tour on the River Thames.

I loved Hyde Park and the surrounding area and look forward to visiting it again to stay longer in the park. Maybe even see a concert here?

There was so much to see. We took tons of photos. There is so much history to dig into in London. It would be nice to come back and take day trips to explore the outlaying areas.

In the midst of our sight seeing, we knew we had to get another Covid test to return to the US. Thankfully Karen is very resourceful and found us a place nearby. Here I go again on my fourth test. Don’t ask! They were all negative!

Tip 4. Be resourceful or have someone with you who is!

As we wrapped up our sightseeing, another challenge was presented to us.

There was a pending strike at the airport in Paris now. Our original plans included taking the train back to Paris to fly home.

As always, the resourceful Karen immediately changed our flights to fly direct out of London. This change gave us peace of mind because the London airport was within 30 minutes of our hotel.

I’m grateful that I have the core people in my life that enjoy travel as much as I do.

Oh the places we we will go! Stay tuned.

#namastefocusedonmyvitalneedfortravel.

What can I say? I’m in Paris for the first time in my life and have officially fallen in love. With this city!

So I decided to document my trip for any of you wanting to plan a trip to Paris.

We arrived to our hotel in the afternoon. Paris is 6 hours ahead of US east coast time so I felt like I jumped ahead in time. Without aging of course. We dropped our bags and starting walking along the River Seine towards the Notre Dame.

Tip 1. Pick a landmark to walk to.

Along the way, we stumbled upon the cutest little cafes and the Shakespeare Bookstore. Since I’m an avid reader, I was drawn to the bookstore. Right next door are two of the cutest cafes. So we went to the Notre Dame and came back to eat at one of the cafes. The food and wine were fabulous!

Tip 2. Just try a local cafe!

We are still on day one! Walking gives us a good layout of the land. The roads on the side of the River Seine are one way roads so it only made sense to walk down the other side of the river to make our way back to the hotel. It was almost 10 pm in Paris and it wasn’t even dark yet.

The next day. The tour of the Louve. We woke up around 6 am, Paris time. It was midnight at home in the US!

We met our tour guide at the Arch inside the courtyard of the Louve. Just standing there and looking around was amazing.

Tip 3. Schedule tours in advance and take moment along the way to be still and look around you.

The Louve is absolutely breathtaking. I have no more words to describe the feeling walking through it. Plan a visit and see for yourself!

You can’t go to Paris and not walk down the Champs de Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe and maybe even stand in line to visit the Louis Vitton store! Just walking down this street, even in the rain, I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a movie.

Top off the evening with a dinner cruise down the River Seine chatting with random people and passing by the Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower.

What a fabulous time to wrap up our first full day in Paris.

Tip 4. Chat with random people. During one of our conversations, it was suggested we visit Montmarte so we added it to our list for the next day.

We slept when we were tired and we woke up when we were ready. Thankfully we didn’t book a morning tour because it was close to noon when we ventured out.

Onto the cutest quaint town of Montmarte.

There so much history with artists throughout Paris. Montmarte showed us a more casual environment where many famous people come to create and live. We did a walking tour and had another wonderful meal outside at a local cafe.

The day of sightseeing isn’t over yet. We headed back to hotel to freshen up and head over to the Eiffel Tower to arrive before dark and see the tower light up.

I’m scared of heights and constantly challenge myself. So yes, I went all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower! The views were absolutely incredible and well worth the nerves going up. It’s an experience I will never forget. Thank you Karen!

Tip 5. Have destinations and tours planned but stay flexible.

We found a cute little cafe and had a fabulous pasta dinner at midnight on our last night in Paris. The cafe was packed. You would have thought it was 8 pm!

Our last day in Paris ended with a croissant and coffee at a local cafe, a short shopping trip to the Bon Marche and a visit to a local brewery on the water.

Paris, I will return. But now, we have a train to catch to London!

#namastefocusedonmytravels

The word fearless has started to come up during yoga and meditation this month. It has gotten me thinking about what fearless means to me as we shift into the second quarter of 2022 and the last quarter of my first year in my new role at work.

Change is happening! It’s not easy. To be fearless, why not embrace different things? We did a meditation with one of our largest vendor partners after a meeting the other day. I am strong. I am focused. I am healthy. I directed this mantra to myself. To my son. To a stranger and to a difficult person in my life. I am fearless!

And I want you to feel fearless too!

For me, being fearless also means being mindful of the dynamics of the people around me. To give them encouragement and strength to look at things from a different perspective. To be okay being different. I am fearless!

I feel that being fearless is also about being open to learning new things, experiencing different cultures, being open to other peoples viewpoints and being aware of our own selves. I am fearless!

In my yoga journey, I’m learning about moon energy. April brought the pink moon time that gives us the space to release thoughts, things, actions and people who no longer serve us.

I invite all of us to take time this month to reset our goals. Our focus. Our time. I am fearless! Hello May.

Cheers to a wonderful season of being fearless. #namastefearless

I’ve had the opportunity to deepen my yoga and fitness practice in the month of February. The month of love and my birthday.

I can’t believe we are almost through the second month of 2022. As time continues to evolve, so do we. As I reflect on this month, the words grateful, self love and self care come up on my mat during yoga, on the bike during cycle class, when I’m walking around downtown and at my place of work!

It’s interesting when we become more in the moment that we are able to listen better. To hear the exact words we need to hear right here right now. The words of affirmation that I hear are often words of encouragement that I can pass onto others. What words of affirmation have you heard lately? What words of encouragement have you given to others?

I am Grateful. Grateful for so many amazing moments shared with friends far and nearby. Grateful to plan these wonderful trips to see more of the world. Grateful to walk into a new decade of my life filled with so many possibilities at work and at home. What three things are you grateful for this month?

I am focused on self care and self love. To value my worth. To take care of myself. To be kind to others. To be a servant leader, a mentor and an inspiration to others who show up in my life. To know that I am grounded in peace and that I am enough.

The last day of the month of love falls on a Monday. Monday, you are enough too. See you in March!

#namastegroundedinpeacendlove

“May you always be happy. May you always be well. May you always be safe. May you always be peaceful and at peace.”

There were the words spoken from our guide during yoga practice today as we prepare for a winter storm.

These words resonated with me on several levels. Happy. Well. Safe. Peaceful and at peace. No matter our circumstances, aren’t we all looking for this? During practice, it got me thinking about what I need to do to keep staying happy. To continue to be healthy and well. To keep myself and my heart safe. To be peaceful when dealing with adversity and most of all, to be at peace with where I am. Today.

Again, the concept of vital needs continue to show up in my thoughts and journaling. I’m thinking the concept and definition of happy is likely to be different for everyone. So, what does it take in your own life to find a higher degree of happiness? Mine is associated with a variety of experiences and travel.

Happy. Variety of experiences. As a reflect on the last month of 2021, my happiness was found with my son. I was blessed to spend time with him here in North Carolina. We celebrated the holiday season. We hiked to an 80 foot waterfall. We attended a Carolina Panthers game. We reconnected in Copper Mountain outside of Denver a few weeks later.

Travel. I celebrated the end of 2021 back in Melbourne with some of my closest friends. We shopped. We walked the causeway. We went to the beach. We had massages. We laughed and never once cried! May you always be happy.

Well. Fitness has become a big part of my life these past five years. I’m now in a fitness regime that works for me, my body and my mind. Finding the balance of fitness that helps me reach my goals is what I strive for in my fitness journey. Be well my friends and find your groove.

Safe. As the winter storm and black ice took over the city, the word safe took on a whole new meaning to me. Be safe my friends as you travel far and wide and close to home. Keep your heart and your mind safe. Speak your truth and know your worth. May you always feel safe.

Be peaceful and at peace. Be kind. Please don’t mistake softness for weakness. There is much strength in a soft approach. To me, it shows the evolution to being peaceful within your own self. Be authentic in your words and actions. Stand strong in your convictions. Love. May you always be peaceful and at peace.

The month of January is moving at an unusual fast pace. We’ve had much sickness in the world the first two weeks of the year, winter storms and black ice. I’m not mad at any of it. I’m just staying thankful to where I’m at in this moment of life. Be love.

#namasteatpeacetoday

I stepped out of my comfort zone to drive in the mountains. Spent time at the breathtaking Grove Park Inn and Resort. Stopped by Yoga in the Park in Asheville. Drove on a winding mountain road to Lake Lure on my way to get ready for a Sunday morning yoga and hike at Bearwallow Mountain.

I’ve been reflecting on the words reconfigure and recharge ever since I returned from my Asheville trip. In the tech space, we are constantly reconfiguring systems to work more efficiently. We recharge batteries that give power to tools needed to communicate and power up applications. In our personal space, what kind of things do we need to reconfigure our own internal systems? What do we need to recharge ourselves?

For me, reconfigure starts with a reset on a regular basis when I feel that I need to take some quiet time to reflect on my own vital needs and goals. To look within and evaluate how I am feeling and responding to things out of my control.

North Carolina, where have you been all my life?

#namastelayeredup

During a Thanksgiving yoga practice, I found myself grounding into the earth as our guide referenced the mountains and history around my new city.

This practice became part of the blog that was brewing inside me as I celebrate today solo.

The roots we establish in the space we choose to love, live, work and thrive grow in time. I’ve been here in NC only 90 days and continue to shift from my beach life to my mountain time. Grounding into the earth in gratitude for a strong foundation. Taking quiet time on and off the mat to reflect on appreciation for life.

As I reflect on the ending of this decade for me and the beginning of the next one, I’m grateful and thankful for so many people along with the authentic conversations and amazing experiences we’ve shared.

I’m grateful for my abilities to affect change, for my mindfulness approach to leadership and for the opportunity to continue to expand my roots. To travel the world. To care deeply. To just be.

I’m thankful to feel the sun on my face as I sit on my balcony writing this blog. To be able to walk to a yoga practice and early morning fitness classes. To thrive in my career. To be a better person each and everyday.

#namasterootedtomybeliefs

In the midst of change, I took the time for a mini yoga retreat on a fabulous private island.

We did yoga. We relaxed on the beach. We explored the island. We had authentic conversations.

As I sit here in my new space, yes another balcony for writing and reflecting, I ponder the word retreat.

I challenge all of us to find retreat in our own space. To take the time to focus inward. To be in the moment. To rest and recharge. To thrive.

I’ve officially attended 18 yoga retreats throughout the world. Each one of these retreats hold a special memory for me.

I can honestly say there are many moments that I can count as my individual retreat time when I’m not on an official yoga retreat. Like when I’m writing, walking, reflecting.

So, here’s to scheduling our own personal retreat as we shift into the fall season. To manifesting what’s important to our own vital needs as we wrap up the last quarter of the year.

As for me, I’m looking forward to local hiking in the mountains and I do intend to get two more travel yoga retreats to Costa Rica and Egypt on the calendar for 2022.

#namasteonislandtime