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Yoga + Lifestyle
Goals. Some goals are long-term some goals or short-term; some goals are goals that we're not even sure why they might be goals. But the fact of the matter is that goals present themselves everywhere, regardless of your industry or lifestyle, you are usually working toward something. So, how can we more effectively work toward our goals?
If you’ve been around for awhile you may be wondering about the meaning behind YogaPlay. After nearly a decade of teaching yoga, I’ve found that most of my learning has come from a genuine curiosity in the body’s abilities. There was a time when I took my practice so-very-seriously and tried to walk the narrow path of what I thought a yogi should be and do. But somewhere along the line, I decided to throw out the rule book and walk my own path and do my very best to enjoy every minute of it.
YogaPlay was born out of a relentless desire to challenge my body within the realm of yoga and this long honored practice.
At some point in life, we have all experienced some type of trauma or hardship. And how we overcome these experiences will vastly vary from person to person. For me, one of my most profound experiences with healing occurred several years back. I remember feeling like I was spiraling out of control; I didn't know up from down, nor did I recognize who I was as a person. My reality had shifted so much that I couldn't even identify my personal value system. In many ways, my healing journey felt like I was starting from scratch as a person.
One of the biggest learnings I've had during my first couple of months teaching yoga full-time is learning how to say no. When I first stepped into full-time teaching, I told myself I would say yes to everything. I haven't yet read Shonda Rhimes book, Year of Yes, but I was trying to emulate that idea without really understanding the nuance behind it. So stepping into this new role, I decided to say yes to every opportunity that came across my plate.
A couple weekends ago, my husband, Justin, and I took a trip up to Sunriver, Oregon. Annually, his family gets together for a week with limited plans to unwind from the busyness of our daily lives and spend quality time together: making delicious meals at home, enjoying fierce competitions of table tennis, sardines (a must!), and a plethora of outdoor activities. We pack in the whole family: in total, we are usually twelve piled into a giant house which makes for great fun!
In the last month I had the opportunity to do some dedicated breath work outside of my usual pranayama, typically offered in yoga classes. The idea of being able to release some really deep seeded emotions while lying down and manipulating the breath. I’ve felt fundamental shifts with the connection to my soul and my life’s purpose.
My love for podcasts has grown exponentially in the last couple of years—so much so, that my Monday ritual has included going to the gym, hopping on whichever cardio machine I’m feeling that day, and catching up on all the newly released podcasts. Some I listen to purely for fun and curiosity, others to continue my yoga education, and also for business growth and development. Read on for my favorites in heavy rotation!
As with any career, being a yoga teacher presents its own challenges. Some of the biggest challenges and frustrations that I’ve encountered in my eight years of teaching is about knowing the right people and being the right place at the right time. Which can feel like so much happenstance. I used to be really frustrated at this, the idea that people were getting ahead because they knew someone or because they’re friend knows someone. It wasn’t until I began to realize that I have the same opportunities available to me and that while another yoga teacher might have their network, I, too, can have my very own network and community.
If you could offer one piece of advice to yourself at 22, what would it be?
To begin, let’s set the scene, Paige Earl (my maiden name) was pretty fresh out of university at 22 and living in Portland, OR. She was dirt poor, just entering the full-time workforce, living with her boyfriend, Justin (my now husband!). Paige and Justin would wait up until midnight the day before paydays so they could go to the grocery store and restock the kitchen. Between working opposite shifts for the same company, they spent their free time Netflixing and chilling before it was a thing—DVDs from Netflix being a splurge. Read on to read my advice….
