What fills your Soul with Happiness?

Me being silly by the pool with girlfriends....

My "Paris Girl" for my Art Show...unfinished.

Me...at the yoga studio..in my happy place.

Me... Just Glowing.

      Hello Loves! Happy Friday!!! I am sure most of you are out..as I am home in my yoga clothes blogging. Next Stop...shower! LOL! When I was a little girl after my Nana would bath me she'd dry me, & say to me.."Okay fresh as a daisy now!" So sweet. So today was a great day & a not so great day at work, but after yoga tonight my grumpy mood subsided...Well before I get into my day I want to say I am doing great in my 30 day yoga challenge..for the 30 classes in August! I did 12 days in a row, (started in July) but for August I have done 9 classes out of the 10 days because my work schedule usually doesn't allow me to do it Thursdays. So I'll have to double up! Anyways how do I feel? AMAZING! STRONG! HAPPY! CONFIDENT! GLOWING! Wow...yoga is like a gift that you can give to yourself. I cannot explain it. I've lost 3 pounds, & I already feel like I'm losing inches. But I am not just doing it for the weight, it's for my mind & soul as well. I am truly in love...who needs a man? Yoga is my boyfriend!
       Anyways so last week I had a lot of clients who came in frustrated with their weight being stuck & their lack of motivation. So because of my excitement over my yoga challenge & goal to lose that weight I gained this year by my 30th birthday in December, I was able to bring that excitement to all of them! I even made a "list" of all my clients who committed to the goals we set so I could follow up with them this week. I put stickers on their food journals, asked them to bring them back, sent cards, & even had one client make a "Happy List," of things she loves to do that she has put on hold due to her family's needs. I let all these amazing women know if they aren't taking care of themselves first, how can they expect to take good care of their loved ones. I asked them, "What fills your soul up besides food?" I got different answers..scrap booking, coffee with a friend, feeling confident, a bubble bath, writing...So then I asked, "How can we make time in your week to do one or two of those things for yourself?" I have always done these extra things at work with the cards & stickers but I think the clients got more motivated because they could feel my own exciting energy! The results were amazing today..they brought back their journals, two of them lost 5 pounds, one broke a plateau she had been stuck at for months, & the best was when one client said this week she gained a bit more "confidence." YAY!!! It filled my soul to help fill theirs!
       So what fills your soul? What things, places, or hobbies make you happy? Make a list, & commit to doing one a week even! Why not?! I booked my first Solo Art Show at my friend's Yoga Studio for October, & I am beyond excited! It is good for me to have a deadline because I tend to procrastinate! So Wednesday I painted just for about 2 hours, but it was something! I am working on a set of 6 paintings called, "Women of the World." Each one is a woman from a different part of the world. I did my NYC girl, & now I am working on Paris! Painting definitely fills my soul. As does my writing, yoga, hanging out with my girlfriends..even if it's laying out at the pool talking or sipping on lattes together. I went to "Pic N Save" (Big Lots) today after work before yoga. Yes I still call it "Pic n Save." LOL! Anyways I used to go there with my Mom & Nana when I was a little girl. We would always buy little cute things there. So even though I did not spend a lot, I farted around, got some snacks, candles, & just enjoyed finding little bargains. That filled my soul & it's always so nostalgic when I go there because I think of my Nana. I also want to go thrift store shopping this week. I have not been forever & I just wanna go & see what I find..hey you never know! It's the little things that can make me smile.
      So today was a harder day though because as much as I love the people in my life, for some reason today everyone kept asking me about my cane & my health, & telling me, "I hope you feel better." Which in a way left me confused because I have been feeling great! I know they care so much & I feel so blessed to have them care but sometimes I want the cane to be invisible. It gets emotionally draining seeing strangers reactions or having the same question asked over & over. Again I am grateful people care, but it gets tiring sometimes. So by the time I left work, I needed "me" time..which meant, "quite no talking time about me or my stupid cane." So after work, I shopped, went to yoga, & now I am at home relaxing & I could not be more happy being silent. I really feel I am handling this relapse so good compared to the other two because I am not surrendering to the cane, I am fighting it by going to yoga & keeping a healthy mindset. I am focusing on my dreams & goals..such as getting ready for the art show, doing the yoga challenge, & writing. I am also making a "30 Things to do before I turn 30," List which I will be posting soon because I'm only on #18 & my birthday's coming up! One is to have a solo art show so Yay! And last but not least I am surrounding myself with beautiful friends that are positive, genuine, & good for my spirit. I have reconnected with old ones, started hanging out with new ones, & pushed aside the ones who do not make an effort or bring me down. Life is too short to waste time. So my soul is filling up..with my dreams, good friends, family, God, yoga, & an inner peace I've never felt as strongly as I do now. So what are you all waiting for? Go write that "Happy List," so your soul can feel as filled as mine has been.