Jim & Em: Adventures in Seoul

Hi friends! It is the very last day of 2017 and we just got back from our amazing first trip off island to Seoul, South Korea. It was such a wonderful way to end the year! We got to visit family, explore a new country, and EAT ALL OF THE FOOD! Getting to tour Seoul with people who actually live in the city was great, my brother and sister in law took us to all of the cool touristy places but also the secret little joints that nobody knows about!

We visited temples, museums, shopping districts, and palaces! The bus system and metro were very user friendly and cheap to use, and the people were very nice (except for the old people who try to run you over and the bus drivers that attempt to fling you off the bus every chance they get...)

On our Museum tour day, J and i visited the Korean War Museum and the Korean National Museum. The Korean War museum was beautiful and very interesting to see the Korean perspective on the war. The National Museum had all of the normal anthropological stuff, just with an Asian twist. After visiting the Louvre this fall I think we were a little burnt out on the history but otherwise it was a great museum.

We also got to visit the Jogyesa Buddhist temple which had the most beautiful colors I've seen. It was right smack in the middle of the city but felt like a completely different world! That same day we walked around the art district and saw some great street markets that were full of food, trinkets, and shops! It was a complete sensory overload...but in a good way!

The architecture in the palaces was incredible and it was so interesting to compare the it to Okinawan shrines and castles! Even the dragons and shisas had different characteristics. My favorite part was the sequence of figures on the roofs that protect the buildings from fire! The inclusion of the zodiac and astrological elements was also very neat.

Some things to keep in mind while traveling in Seoul:
-Pick an Airbnb that is near the stuff you want to see (Seoul is huge and spread out!)
-If you are a vegetarian, there are plenty of food options for you so eat up!
-Know what the weather will be like and dress appropriately (it was like 15 degrees...)
-Utilize the public transportation!
-Wear comfy walking shoes because you will be walking all over the place!
-Learn a few key Korean phrases, most young people have some english but not everyone
-Try everything!
-If you know someone who lives in Seoul, ask them for their favorite places

Overall, it was an amazing trip and I feel so lucky that we get the opportunity to travel to all of these amazing places! Here are some photos from our Seoul exploration...hope you enjoy!

Now time to plan our next trip!
Em

Welcome Home

A new month. A new home. We are finally moved into our apartment in Okinawa, and it feels so good to begin putting down some roots here! It's crazy to think back to all of the times we have moved during the last few years, basically the longest amount of time we have spent in one place since meeting is just under one year. Not to mention, both of us lived separate but equally gypsy-like lives during college and the years afterwards. So as you can imagine, I am pretty excited to be settling into a home that we will get to be in for three whole years (knock on wood)!

Currently, we only have our clothes and a few random household goods since we are still waiting on our big shipment to get here. But the loaner furniture isn't terrible and honestly I'm just so glad they have stuff to lend us in the first place it wouldn't matter to me if it was made out of cardboard! Hopefully our stuff will be here this month though and I can begin to put everything into its rightful place, you know like putting clothes in closets (...I packed all of our clothes in the unaccompanied baggage shipment, and all of the damn hangars in our household goods shipment, yay me).

We love our location even though there isn't a yard for the pups and we are on the third floor, because luckily there is a park right behind our place and hellooooo booty workout going up and down those stairs eight million times a day! See? Always a silver lining haha!

I can't wait to do a 'before and after' post for our apartment. There is definitely something to be said for moving into a new place sans everything you own because it gives you a lot of time to think about what you really need and where to put things. Basically what I'm saying is my Pinterest boards are on fire right now. And maybe the is nothing I can do to get rid of the horrible yellow tile in the kitchen and bathrooms but a few plants and some good lighting will hopefully distract from its less than desirable hue.

One of the best things about our apartment is that it is located right next to a bunch of great restaurants and bars, the beach and sea wall are only blocks away, and there are tons of other people living around us. Our view isn't too shabby either :)

So far life here in Okinawa is pretty great.

Stay tuned for progress updates and some awesome pictures from this weeks adventures on island!

We survived Saola & went to the mall!

Move to a tropical island, they said. It will be sunny all the time, they said. Well, apart from the gigantic tropical typhoons that swing by occasionally and are a bajillion times bigger than said tropical island. We are on day 3 of our new life in Okinawa, and I have to say that things have already been quite exciting.

We have spent the last couple of days with our sponsors going to housing briefs, exploring the area, and stocking up on necessities for our temporary housing while we begin our search for a home. Honestly, it has been a complete whirlwind and it feels like we have been here for a lot longer than 3 days! Yesterday, I got my first (and hopefully last) bout of food poisoning from sushi but after 24 hours of puking we are good to go again. Although I may hold off on the sushi for a couple of days...or weeks.

Today, the weather as finally good enough for us to leave base and go explore, so after a big brunch at the Officer's Club we went to the local mall to see what was up! Since it's the weekend before halloween, all the of the local children were at the mall and dressed up in their costumes for special events happening there today (so cute!) We were excited to get off of the base and visit a giant, Japanese, 4 story mall, but mostly I was just super stoked to visit the Miyazaki store and bathe in a sea of stuffed soot sprites and totoros <3 I'm only like 13% kidding...

Tomorrow, as we enter in to our first full week here in Okinawa, we begin our search for our new home. I am so ready to be out of temporary housing and the realtor in me is itching to get into these houses and check them out! Two dogs, two people, and seven bags worth of stuff do not fit well in a 500 square foot hotel suite. Especially one where the fire alarm goes off randomly during the day, the bathroom ceiling leaks when it rains, and dogs aren't allowed on the furniture.

Hopefully in the next couple of days we will have a few homes to choose from, our cars will be picked out, and the end of temp housing will be in sight! And HOPEFULLY, I will be able to share some pictures of blue water, green mountains, and beautiful scenery with you all here soon. We just need these clouds to go away :)

We. Made. It.

Well guys...we made it! I'm not going to say that moving across the world with two large dogs, seven bags, and a language barrier is easy, but with a good sense of humor and a lot of help from A LOT of people...we made it. Our flights were long but breaking down the journey into two days really made a difference for us, especially with the pups. Also, having afternoon flights was crucial for us since we had to get to the airports so early to check all of our baggage and get the dogs situated! We made sure we arrived early and had plenty of time so that we ended up spending a lot of time in airports but never had to rush or worry too much about missing our flights.

The puppies had never flown before but did amazing! No accidents (praise!). And I can't say enough good things about Alaska Airlines and their pet policy, they were so helpful and kind, and didn't charge us an arm and a leg for traveling with so much stuff and dogs. ANA was also super helpful and very attentive and kind to us. We must have looked like the Griswold's pushing all of that crap through the airport, but I think OCONUS PCS moves must be kind of like childbirth because I am already forgetting the trauma of this move haha! And, yes, some would say that it was indeed a bit traumatic. BUT! We are now finally in the land of Totoro! And I am so excited to begin exploring this beautiful country.

We are so thankful for everyone's kind words and thoughts during this transition and can't wait to share more exciting stories from our adventures here in Okinawa! Right now we are busy getting settled in and doing all of the usual PCS things like looking for housing, trying to buy cars, preparing for a giant typhoon that is coming through this weekend, you know, normal things like that.

But we will keep you all posted here, and hopefully have some fun stuff to share soon!

Stay Tuned....

P.S If you want to stay up to date on our daily adventures you can check out my instagram stories at: @emmmienardi

How to Move to Another Country

Hello lovely internet fam,
I've been doing an excellent job of neglecting my blog for the last month or so and honestly I have no excuse except for the fact that I've been running around like a psychopath trying to organize my life before moving to the other side of the world. Given the amazing amount of knowledge I have gained over the last six months through both experience and advice from others in the same boat, I've decided to compile a list of things to do before uprooting your life and moving to another country for a few years...

1. Get on Pinterest and make a board dedicated to all of the amazing things there are to do in your new country! That way, when you find yourself blubbering into a glass of wine, you can pull up your Pinterest board and look at beautiful beaches and cool things to do!

2. Take on a new hobby or class that finishes RIGHT BEFORE you leave for said new country. Not only does it distract you in the way that stubbing your toe makes your headache go away, but you may find that this welcome distraction also allows you to get a job in your new country (employment = good, unemployment = bad).

3. Decide to bring all four of your pets with you and spend the six months before your move planning elaborate time schedules around quarantines, vaccination records, and plane tickets. Oh and, pay an excessive amount of money in the process.

4. Somehow wait until the week before your move to sell your car and rent your house out! This way, you have the opportunity to really test your nerve before embarking on your new adventure!

5. Rip the one pair of jeans you left out of your packed goods (that you wont see for a month). Who doesn't want to wear leggings for 6 weeks straight, OR that random pair of overalls you decided to bring in your carry on...just in case!

6. Decide to take a spur of the moment trip to Europe two weeks before your departure date! Sure you will spend a bunch of money and randomly disappear causing family and friends to think you pulled an Irish Goodbye, but can anyone say 'Practice Run'?

7. And lastly, spend all of your free time with family and friends that you won't see for a while! Moving to another country has a lot of crazy ups and downs and the lowest low will be not seeing your tribe regularly BUT the highest high is the amazing opportunity that you get to experience! All of the crazy little things that happen are nothing in the grand scheme of things, and getting to experience another culture first hand is a wonderful adventure.

So, take a deep breath, experience each moment for what it is, and dive in headfirst!

See you on the other side,
Em

Hellooo August

I can't believe you are here already. Summer is in full swing and the days are muggy and hot as all get out here in the Bull City. Needless to say, I'M READY FOR FALL. But then again, I'm always ready for fall so that's about par for the course. I've been spending my days wrapping up my last few real estate deals, inventorying our household goods, catching up with friends and family, and running around like a crazy person. We have had a wedding to go to every month since April, and my yoga teacher training has continued to get more in-depth and intense. So we are definitely all over the place, but in a good way!

I have been trying to be better about living with intention in each moment and finding gratitude in little, everyday things because it seems like time just won't slow down and I don't want to miss anything, especially during times like this where everything is going a million miles a minute and it's so easy to just plunder through without noticing or appreciating anything.

Luckily, I rediscovered my copy of The 52 Lists Project today while attempting to inventory all of our stuff today! I never finished it because, go figure, we moved and I couldn't find it anywhere. This book is such a beautiful way to find inspiration and gratitude each week with a new though-provoking topic. And this weeks topic is 'List the Things That Make You Excited'.

I am so happy that I found this book, and can't help but feel like it showed up right when I needed it the most :) That being said, I am reinstating that weekly blog prompt from this wonderful book and I invite you all to play along too!

As an easily excitable person, this could end up being quite an extensive list but here goes...

Things That Make Me Excited
-Good books
-Hole-in-the-wall coffee bookshops/coffee shops
-Traveling to new places
-Harry Potter
-The first snow of the year
-When the seasons change
-Seeing old friends
-Sales
-Cook books
-Baby animals
-Hearing other peoples good news
-New yoga pants
-Seeing my hubby after we've been apart
-Christmas!
-Cozy dinner parties
-Fridays
-That moment when you first see the beach
-Making lists (lol)
-Getting packages
-Dressing up
-People standing up for others


What are some of the things that make you excited??

Em <3

July Update

Where is this year going??? How the heck is it already July?? Why do I have so many questions?

Okay, glad I got that out of my system, but seriously. I can't get over how quickly time seems to fly when you have deadlines. I feel so much pressure to spend time with friends and family before we go. So much pressure to make the most of each little minute while also getting a million and one things done to leave. It sometimes feels like I have one foot here and the other already on the other side of the world. 

Living in the moment has been something I've always struggled with, I'm always planning and trying to be prepared for the future. But, if being a military spouse has taught me anything, it's that I am usually not in control and time spent worrying about the future is essentially time wasted. But of course you can't just turn that part of your brain off (no matter how much meditation you do, darn). 

As Hagrid once said, 'what's commin' will come, and we'll meet it when it does.' 

Thanks Hagrid, *insert eye roll here*

This month has been full to the brim! One thing I know I am doing right, in the midst of so much uncertainty, is spending my time doing the important things :) Family dinners, getting to see my sweet hubby on weekends, lots of yoga and reading and learning, mostly just spending good, quality time with my people. I want to take advantage of these things while I can, before we're overseas for the next few years. 

Our niyama focus for the month in my yoga teacher training in santosha, or contentment. This can be such a tough concept to deal with since contentment doesn't always equal satisfaction. Santosha means being okay with where you are in life. Now, that doesn't mean you get to just sit idly by and do nothing with your life! It just means that you focus more on the positives and accept that progress takes time. For example, I woke up this morning and was pretty sore from yoga yesterday. So I accepted the fact that today my practice would be a little slower and more restorative and that's okay!

Maybe I can't book our flights to Japan, find us a place to live, or get any freakin' information out of anybody until like two minutes before were expected to leave, and I have to observe santosha and just let things unfold in their own time and be grateful for what I do have and where I am now. 

Needless to say, this niyama is really hitting home for me right now! Living life with more intention also means being able to accept where you are right now without judgment, because where there is judgment there's no room for gratitude. 

So, for the remainder of the summer I plan on continuing to make the most of my time with friends and family, go on lots of adventures, do lots more yoga (time to get some teaching hours in!), and maintain as much patience and grace as I can! 

Having a sense of humor doesn't hurt either :)

What are some of the ways that you observe santosha in day to day life?

Always more to come...

Em 

June Favorites: Books, Movies, & TV

We're halfway through June and you know what time it is....okay, well maybe you don't. But I am going to tell you so never fear! It's time for Emilie's June Favorites: otherwise known as a list of random things that I've really liked during this month. Cheers.

1. Movie...

Wonder Woman: let's just get this obvious favorite over with. OBSESSED. I have always been a sucker for a good Girl Power storyline (Spice Girls represent) and this movie was one, big, epic, MFing girl power moment. I thought Gal Gadot did a wonderful job (pun intended) and that her portrayal of Diana was amazing. She made Diana relatable, real, and still an ass-kicking warrior princess. Wonder Woman is goals for all of us; she does what she wants, stands up for those who can't fight for themselves, doesn't let anyone tell her what to do, and is unapologetic about her femininity.

2. Book(s)...

I am not capable of reading only one book at a time. I get bored and end up taking forever to finish it, unless of course it's Harry Potter. Right now I am really enjoying:

*White Trash: The 400 Year Untold History of Class in America (Nancy Isenberg)
*The Secret History of Wonder Woman (Jill Lepore)
*A Breath of Snow and Ashes: Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
*Outliers: The Story of Success (Malcolm Gladwell)

I highly recommend all of these books especially if you like history or historical fiction.

3. Television...

When I say 'television' I mean Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon because I am cheap and we don't do cable unless its basketball season. But! Here are my favorite shows currently...

*American Gods - This show has incredible camera shots and the storyline is insane, I can't wait to read the book! Unfortunately I messed up my longtime pact of reading books before seeing the show on this one but if the book is anything like the show, it's going to be great. Neil Gaiman is an artist.

*The Handmaid's Tale - This show makes me angry & upset but it is relevant and I love it. I'm a little confused about why they decided to drag it out into more than one season, but excited to see where they go with it. Elizabeth Moss is insanely great as June and I love that she is also a producer on the show.

What are you reading, listening to, and watching right now??

Happy Monday...

Em

living your yoga

Happy June Everyone!

Summer is almost upon us here in NC and you can feel it in the air. Literally, it's muggy AF. I just wrapped week five of yoga teacher training and am more than halfway through this journey to get my RYT200. It's been such a wonderful experience and I can honestly say that I don't even recognize my practice from before. It sounds cheesy, but I am changed. Learning just the tiny little bit that I have so far has been so incredibly expansive for my heart, mind, and soul. Not to mention my physical body!

Each month I have continued progressing through our pranayama (breath-work) and dharana/dhyana (concentration/meditation) plans which are building up our experience level and teaching us the different methods for these ancient practices. It has been so interesting to learn about the history and purpose of these techniques. I never really appreciated or understood the pranayama or meditation aspects of yoga until now. I am impatient and the thought of sitting still and 'wasting' time breathing used to horrify me! But now, I feel like I have opened a whole new part of myself and its all because of these yogic practices that I used to think were silly.

What so many people don't know, myself (until this year) included, is that the asanas (poses) are only a tiny part of yoga. In fact, according to the Eight Limb Path it is only, well, one eighth of the full Raja practice! In order to truly live ones yoga there are many other aspects that are equally, if not more important. Below you can see a chart of the Eight Limbed Path...

The idea is to build upon the Yamas and Niyamas with your posture practice, breathwork, and meditation to eventually reach a place of enlightenment or divine connection. Of course this doesn't happen over night, but we have to have goals in this life right? 

This month our focus is on the first niyama, saucha, or purity. Purity in this sense means taking care of your body, mind, and soul in a way that keeps them clean and pure. So this can range from taking a shower, to eating healthy, to going to yoga or the gym, all the way to cleansing your mind, intellect, and spirit through study, the search for knowledge, and truthfulness. Needless to say, these are lofty goals that can seem SUPER overwhelming, but if I have learned one thing through my practice it is that trying your best is always good enough. 

Yoga is about trying to be your best self! Nobody is perfect and that's totally fine. Maybe you can't do a handstand, or meditate for longer than ten minutes without falling asleep, but that's not what it is all about. Being a true and good person, aspiring and striving to better yourself, and treating others kindly is yoga too. 

There are as many paths as there people when it comes to yoga, and no single journey is perfect. All I want to do is strive every day to live my yoga. Whether that means I make it to class or not, I want to truly know in my heart that I tried my best to live my yoga. One of my favorite modern yoginis, Rachel Brathen, has a great quote...

 

I don't know what these next few months have in store but I am so excited to continue growing and learning as a yoga teacher and student because I think a true yogi never stops learning. Being a forever student of ones self and the world sounds like a pretty great adventure! 

How do you live your yoga every day? 

Em

Memorial Day Thoughts

I woke up this morning after a wonderful couple of days at the lake with friends. We grilled out, went swimming, played games, and drank lots of beer. You know, what Americans do on Memorial Day weekend. But when I got out of bed I had a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I tried taking a shower, doing some yoga, walking the dogs, but nothing I did helped me shake this feeling of anxiety and sadness.

And then I remembered that I read an article before going to bed which was written by the spouse of a Marine who was killed in action. She wrote about how it affected her when people wished her a 'Happy Memorial Day'. About how she felt seeing all of the Facebook posts of people celebrating with BBQ, and fireworks, and water-sports. Today, holds a very different meaning for those who have lost a loved one who died for this country. A meaning that can be hard to grasp because of the divide between military and civilian life.

I guess this article hit me a little harder than I initially thought. But I am one of those Americans who has been guilty of not understanding what this day is really about. Since becoming a Marine wife I have grown to have a better understanding of some things that civilians never have to think about (whether I like it or not), and Memorial Day is one of those things.

Today is a day for ALL Americans to stop and appreciate how huge these seemingly small, heroic actions are that have shaped our country. How each and every man and woman who has died in service to our country has made it possible for us to have all of the everyday rights and freedoms that we are so fortunate to take advantage of. I didn't understand what today was about until I married into the Marine Corps because I was never around many service members.  But I am thankful for having this bittersweet understanding now because the older I get, the more I realize how unique and amazing our country is. Sure, we have ups and downs politically and socially, but we have people who are willing to die to protect our rights as Americans. We have people who are willing to continue putting their lives at risk so we can have the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, the freedom of press, the freedom of assembly. Because of these men and women, every single American has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Memorial Day is just one day a year where everyone is expected to take the time to truly grasp and comprehend this monumental sacrifice. But the loved ones left behind when these fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, lose their lives for this country experience Memorial Day every single day of the year.

I think that we all need to do better, we need to be better in honor of this sacrifice. We need to be better Americans, better neighbors, better people. We need to realize that we all want the same things in life. We want to happy, we want our families to be safe, and we want to live our lives fully. We are all more similar than we are different. The Americans who put their lives on the line to make this possible deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated every day. And in my opinion the best way we can all honor that sacrifice is to be better people.

In times like these where it seems like the world (and more specifically, our country) is divided by words like 'us' and 'them', 'democrat' and 'republican', 'violence', 'hate crime' etc...we need to remember that there will always be people who put everything on hold to ensure that we have the opportunity to grow and become stronger, more united, and better as a country.

5 Things

As some of you know, I am participating in the Jenna Kutcher Instagram challenge which is geared towards streamlining your online presence and cultivating genuine participation within the blogging community. It has been an incredible experience to 'meet' and learn about so many different bloggers from all over the world and their brands! I think we are all aware that social media can be a double edged sword especially when it comes to appreciating and living in the real world in real time without having to whip out our phones every two seconds. This challenge encourages everyone to be their true, genuine, authentic self on social media instead of putting a filter on your life, and embrace others for doing the same. Sure, we all like looking at pretty pictures of tiny puppies in teacups surrounded by a sea of peonies, or a skinny tanned girl doing yoga on a beach in Hawaii while she drinks a gluten free piña colada and the sun sets majestically in the background. BUT! Where is the connection there? Where is the personality, and the depth, and the humanity for the love of god!?!?

I know that I follow a lot of those accounts on Instagram, but for the most part those accounts are what I call 'scrollers' because I look at them and scroll right on by without reading their post or clicking the links or caring what is happening at all. They are JUST pretty pictures. But my favorite accounts, the blogs I've been following for years, are the people who are so genuine in their online presence that you can't help but be like, 'yes! I have felt that same way!'. They are the bloggers who let you know that they are having a bad day because they had to deal with 5 diaper explosions while shopping in Target. They are the ones who are chugging wine while discussing what happened on the Bachelor. They are interested in traveling, learning, bettering our world, and also just going to the grocery store, finding a good deal on Lululemon, and encouraging others to be themselves too.

The disconnect our world faces right now between our online presence and real life is crazy! People feel more isolated and unhappy than ever and it's because we have gotten so far away from reality, or maybe we have just changed what 'reality' means. Regardless, I am trying to be more mindful of living in each moment and using my social media presence as a catalyst for expanding upon that real world experience.

So, now down to the nitty-gritty! Day 3 of the #jkinstachallenge was to pick five major facets of your self and share them on your account. This was tough because I feel like everyone has so many unique, and important things that make up who they are as a person. But when it comes down to it, these are the five, biggest parts of me that make me who I am...

1. Family: Obviously this was going to be number one because my family is amaaaazee! They have always been there for me through everything. Whether I was living around the corner or on the other side of the country. They have supported my harebrained ideas, loved me when I have failed, and encouraged me to be true to myself no matter what. My parents and sister have been my constant companions and without them I wouldn't be who I am today (sorry guys, if that sounds like an insult!)

2. My Marriage: It's always hard to imagine another person coming into your life and being on the same level as your immediate family. Meeting and marrying J has been such a learning curve. We initially met at an NCSU football tailgate during my sophomore year and his freshman year in college. And let me just say that if you told me then that we would end up married, I would have thought you were INSANE. Welp, turns out that I am the insane one because here we are! And I am so happy that we ran into each other that day, even if he doesn't remember! Our relationship has completely changed me on some levels and made me more steadfast to my roots on others. J and I are so different in some respects but so similar in others. We have learned how to work our partnership into every day life and continue to grow together every day. Entering into a marriage truly is a beautiful act of self sacrifice and love (I mean that in the best way!). I have had to learn to navigate the tricky waters of being a Marine wife while still GRACEFULLY holding true to my somewhat liberal roots. And I have had to embrace the lifestyle of moving every couple of years and being far away from everything that is familiar and important to me. Which leads me to...

3. Being a military spouse: this is a complicated one for me. Growing up in an area that is known for its acceptance, non-judgement, and down right artsy fartsy-ness (not a word, I know), I had never been around the culture of a military lifestyle. Durham NC is a small lake of blue in a big, red state if you know what I mean! I honestly thought everyone in our military had a crew cut, chewed tobacco, and was the complete opposite of me on the political spectrum. So you can imagine what a shock it was for me to be thrown into such a different environment, I'm not going to lie, I was down right scared. But, I was surprised at the immediate and genuine outpouring of help and friendship from this amazing group of people I had never met. You always hear about how the military is like a second family, but I did not even come to close to comprehending what that meant until I experienced it. This group of women is part of my soul now. Every station we go to, our military family grows. These women are some of the most compassionate, hilarious, REAL people I have ever met. Everyone is so different, and so strong in their own ways that I feel like a huge dum-dum for ever having thought of this group of people as being so one-dimensional (but that is what our 'bubbles' do to us). Anyway, I can proudly say that being a military spouse has made me a stronger, more independent, and self-confident person and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

4. Travel: As a homebody with a bad case of wanderlust I feel like I am constantly feeling this push-pull of wanting to nest and stay home, but also to travel and see the world and experience everything that is out there! I've been lucky to get to travel internationally several times in my life and my list of places to visit grows by the day. Each time I open a new book, or meet a new person, another place appears at the top of my list. I love the idea of being able to see the world but have a home-base to come back to. It's all about balance. Finding that perfect space between cultivating your home and growing as a person through seeing the world. And lastly (at least as far as the top 5 go)...

5. Yogaaaaa: This is a relatively new facet to my life, especially compared to some people who have been practicing yoga for decades! But it could also be labeled, spirituality on my list. Because you see, I did not understand what yoga actually was! I was one of those people who thought yoga was just asana, or the postures of yoga. I didn't realize that the postures were just a small part of what yoga actually is. I started my in-depth journey with yoga this past January in order to have a job when we move overseas this winter. I had no clue what I was getting into. It is like everything suddenly makes sense, like I was looking through a foggy window before and trying to figure out myself on a spiritual level but could never quite see through the glass. I have always identified as a spiritual person and loved learning about religion and cultural perception throughout school (anthro major, go figure) and have always felt that, if I'm being honest, all of the religions of the world are just different doors to the same room. So finding a spiritual practice that places everyone on an even playing field and is inclusive to all religions and sects and creeds felt like finding a little bit of light in what can be a very dark world :)

So, those are 5 of things that make me, me at my very core. What are your five things that make you, you?

Love and Light
Em

Winesday Wednesday Chadonnay Day Week Month?

Happy Wednesday friendsssssssaaahhh!
Okay, obviously I've had too much coffee and need to take it down a notch. But, today is (as the Skimm so eloquently put it) the Winesday Wednesday before International Wine Day!! Welllll technically tomorrow is International CHARDONNAY Day, not Wine Day in general but I've never said no to a good excuse to have a glass (or two or five) of vino. Personally, I am waiting patiently for June 10th which is National Rosé Day, not to be confused with INTERNATIONAL Rosé Day which is on August 14th. That was a lot of information but stick with me! Here is nice little chart to make things easier. You're welcome *high five*

Anyway, now that The Bachelorette is back I think it's safe to say that most of us celebrate weekly wine day on Monday's but for the past couple of weeks I have been getting together with my sister in law to watch The Handmaid's Tale and woooooo if you don't need a glass of wine to make it through that show! I seriously cry angry tears an average of two times per episode but it's so good! And at least they aren't tears of emotional distress (cough cough Grey's Anatomy cough).

Now, I am definitely not a sommelier by any means, like my ideal wine is from Trader Joe's and it has a pretty label and is five dollars but I know what I like and love trying new varieties. When J and I lived in Florida during flight school some of the other wives and I would get together for Wine and Cheese nights regularly and just take a few hours to wind down, commiserate, and have some girl time. Those nights were seriously the BEST!

All we needed was a few bottles of wine, some cheese and crackers, and some blankets and the night would be made. I'm definitely not advocating alcoholism here by any means! But there is something so nice about sharing some wine with your people and embracing the hygge of a night with friends :) We definitely never had a dull wine night and I always left the night with sore abs from laughing so hard!

My current favorite wine genré if you will, is of the Sparkling Rosé variety because I am basic and it is refreshing and delicious when it is muggy and hot out.

So, in the spirit of Winesday Wednesday, International Chardonnay Day, and because I want to knooow...what are your favorite wines??

Let me know!

Cheers, Em

Monday Motivation

Woke up this morning to the sound of my neighbors roof getting nailed on and a light rain falling. I'm not gonna lie, it was a rough morning as far as waking up goes! But after two cups of coffee, some sun salutations (with more than a couple of child's poses), I finally got up and moving.

This weekend was LOOOONG. It was month four of our yoga teacher training and we went through 4 full classes and an inversion module in addition to teaching circles, yoga anatomy, and assists/adjustments lessons. Not to mention my wonderful hubby surprised me by coming in to town on Saturday night and we all went out to celebrate my besties 28 birthday! (ughhhh we're getting old, but that's another issue altogether haha)

Needless to say I fell asleep at like 9:00pm last night and slept like a rock! But I still woke up tired and groggy. I think everything as far as getting ready for our move to Japan, keeping up with work, doing yoga teacher training, caring for four crazy fur-babies, finishing thank you notes (yikes, I swear they're coming y'all!), all of the weddings and social engagements we have, being a long-distance wife, and just remembering to breathe really caught up with me this weekend. I've been so gung-ho about getting everything done recently that I have barely stopped to take a minute to just breathe and relax, which may be why my meditation plan is all over the damn place.

Now don't get me wrong! I choose to do all of this and I loove it all but sometimes we need to take a step back and just chill. This is definitely something that I need to work on, but being able to recognize this feeling before having a meltdown is progress for me haha!

So, in order to get myself back on track today I decided to turn things down and just focus on the three R's that we use when sequencing a Moon Salutation: reset, reconnect, and refuel.

The first thing I did was take the dogs on a long walk and, don't freak out....I left my phone at home! Having that time to be outside in nature without any technology is really, really important. We're all so plugged in all the time, and I am especially guilty of this, that it can be pretty rare to go more than a few minutes without looking at a screen. We hear a buzz and immediately look at our phones, or sometimes (like Jess in New Girl) we have a 'phantom buzz' and literally nothing happened but we STILL check our phones!

After our walk I came home, took a long, hot shower and opened all of the windows. Then I rolled my yoga mat out and put on some music. Two of my favorite playlists to listen to when I want to focus inward are actually soundtracks from two of my favorite movies! Amelie and Pride & Prejudice (the one with Kiera Knightly...sorry Colin Firth). Today I went with Amelie, which is actually a beautiful soundtrack to do some yoga flow to, you should give it a listen :)

Then I took about an hour to do a little free flow, easy yoga stretching. Whatever feels good and healthy for your body, it doesn't even have to be an actual yoga asana, just get your body moving and focus on your breath. Even if you just lay down and do legs up the wall with a little pranayama, it will make a world of difference!

Afterwards, I was able to sit down with my planner and get organized for the week ahead. Now I know that TIME is the biggest scheduling factor that most of us struggle with when it comes to taking a few moments for ourselves, but it is SO important to take care of yourself mentally and physically! We should all strive to set aside a few minutes everyday for ourselves to refocus.

I was listening to the most recent podcast by Rachel Brathen (known as Yoga Girl) the other day and she was giving her list of tips and tricks to get started, or maintain, a regular yoga practice and her number one tip was: roll out your mat. This simple act will ensure that you spend a little quality time on your mat. Even if all you do is lay there and breathe, that is totally fine!

Maybe yoga isn't your thing! Maybe reading a book and drinking a hot cup of tea relaxes you :) Or going for a run! Whatever brings you peace and helps you reset, refuel, and reconnect you mind, body and soul is exactly what you should make time to do!

So, keep breathing, make time for yourself, and make sure you have some wine in the fridge because tonight is the first night of the Bachelorette.

Cheers!
Em

Living with Intention

We are swinging right through Spring and into Summer here in NC! The days are starting to get hot and muggy and long, and everything is green and full of life. I love this time of year in Durham and I'm so glad I get to spend the next few months here before our big move this winter.

During the summer months when the American Dance Festival is going on you can hear the rehearsals going on across the street at Duke! The cicadas are picking up their chorus and fireflies are everywhere. You can hear people walking their dogs, playing outside, grilling out, and laughing with friends and family until late in the evenings. On Friday nights you can hear the fireworks from the Bulls Games and the smell of charcoal and freshly cut grass is always in the air. These are the sounds and smells of my childhood, and it makes me so nostalgic to experience them again after being gone for the last two years :)

Even though it's starting to get too hot to leave the windows open, I love to throw them wide at night so I can hear the crickets chirping as I fall asleep and the birds singing when I wake up. Every morning I take my mat out onto the back deck and get in some morning asana flow while my coffee is brewing and the dogs are running around the yard. Everything seems to move slower in the summer. I love that. The feeling of waking up early, but slow, so you have time to start your day gently and with intention.

I have been thinking about intention a lot recently. I feel like I see so many people going through life every day full of worry and anxiety and chaos. And of course, I am guilty of that regularly, but I've noticed that my yoga practice has made me hyper-aware of this to the point where I am able to catch myself getting kinetic and am then able to take a breath and reset my intention. Naturally there are some big things in life that cause stress; a big project at work, a test in your hardest class, money problems, etc. But, there are also a ton of little, insignificant things that cause just as much anxiety, and when it comes down to it worrying about ANY of these things, big or small, is not going to solve anything.

I heard a saying once that, 'if you worry about things before they happen, you suffer twice'. To people who know me, it's going to sound like I'm being extremely hypocritical right now because I am seriously one of the biggest worry-warts alive! But I think that is why I am so aware of it, because I spend so much of my own time trying to quell my anxiety and stress that I have in my life (and to a certain extent exacerbate when I don't catch myself in time!)

One of the ways that I have started trying to live with more intention is by taking a step back, following my breath, and giving myself a minute to process things when I get overwhelmed or feel myself starting to experience negative emotions. This is harder some times and easier other times but the result is always the same: I walk away feeling more at peace with things, and I am able to move forward in a more productive and positive way.

It can also help to reflect at the end of your day! I recently had dinner with my family and I was telling them about a family I used to nanny for and how every night at dinner they would go around the table and each person would say what their "rose" and "thorn" of the day was. Your "rose" being the best part of your day, and the "thorn" being the worst. We decided to do it ourselves and it was so wonderful to hear the highs and lows of each others day and talk about things on a different level. It can be so easy to let little, annoying incidents effect the outcome of our days but if we take the time to appreciate the little things and focus our intention on being grateful for those things we can be so much happier and peaceful.

Smile at a stranger. Hold a door for someone. Call a friend you haven't talked to in a while. Go for a walk outside without your phone. Go to the gym. Start a book you've been wanting to read. Have a glass of wine on your deck and look at the stars. The list in endless!! Pick one thing to do each day that will bring you joy, and do it with intention!

Find the things that bring you joy and DO THEM! We are only here for a short amount of time and every second should be filled with love and intention and gratitude (easier said than done, but big goals build character and every little step in the right direction makes a huge difference!)

What are some things you can do to start living with more intention?

Em