Tag: presence

Two Wheels in the Twin Cities

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A summary of biking in Minneapolis is that everyone hates everyone. Namaste.

Walkers wander into the bike lane, bikers forget to signal, and drivers are reckless. Commuting regularly via bus, bike, foot, light rail, and car, I have been the accused and the accuser in all of these scenarios.

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Once everyone safely arrives to their destination, the dialogue quickly changes to how great the Twin Cities are for offering so many different forms of transportation. In the five years that I’ve lived in Minneapolis, I have been able to explore so much more of the Cities due to all of these options.

It’s true that they aren’t flawless. MPR is required for heavy traffic, buses sometimes follow the beat of their own drum, and sometimes the bike lane disappears without my permission. But I like to think of that as part of the journey, especially with biking.

For a large part of our lives, physical activity is determined by organized sports with the purpose of being the best. For me, biking couldn’t be farther from that. I’ve gotten stranded in St. Louis Park on a pitch black summer night trying out a new route. I’ve made an unannounced U-Turn that prompted a driver to take a few of her fingers off ten and two. I’ve ridden for weeks on incredibly flat tires, all the while assuming that I really needed to work on lower body strengthening.

So, I’m not exactly an expert. But the best part is, I don’t mind.

I love having a hobby that has no pressure to get to certain level, status, or excellence. I love, love, love not paying for parking downtown. I love giving myself permission to not always opt for the most efficient way from Point A to Point B.

And if you know me, you know I love any opportunity to spend less time sitting still. I love having someone 30 years older speed past me on the Cedar Lake Trail, it’s inspiring and humbling all at the same time.

While biking from work to Corepower the other day, I was behind a biker who really looked the part. This is the best case scenario for me- having an expert biker navigate the downtown chaos while I rail closely behind. He was really killing it in his reflective vest, until someone quickly opened their passenger side to hop out for the corner restaurant. The door flew open right in front of him, as he slammed on the brakes and somehow stopped himself from flying over or into the door. 

The woman apologized continuously and explained she didn’t seem him approaching. I heard a few passengers behind me, who also gasped watching the scene, say they hope she apologized. As his self-proclaimed side kick, I let them know she did, and I made sure he was okay. He brushed it off like a champ.

In my opinion, that woman isn’t an expert passenger. But who really is? We all make mistakes, so maybe everyone should think of themselves as beginner everything. We all forget time and time again that there’s a world surrounding our Point A to Point B commute. The more we recognize that, the less we get flicked off. Simple. 

 

 

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Don’t worry, every month is #BikeMonth in the Twin Cities

 

The Best Guests

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“We are coming tomorrow- Thursday am,” my mom texted me at 9 pm Monday night. To which the only logical response was, “Who knew?!?”

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Kylie, Ingrid, Myself, the stars: Sheryl, Scott

With ski equipment and an early birthday gift packed, a dogsitter arranged, and a non-refundable hotel reservation on the books, it seemed the suggested February 19-21 visit to the Cities had accidentally been moved up a month. Even as the last to know, I am so glad it did.

To ensure the 5+ hour drive from Milwaukee is worthwhile, I normally have a detailed itinerary with the objective of making them as obsessed with the Twin Cities as I am. Clearly we’ve made progress if they’re voluntarily visiting in January. AmIRight?

So Tuesday’s date night of fish tacos at Brandon’s and late Revenant viewing became a double date. While my go-to is visiting the best or newest restaurants, I think we may have discovered a new tradition. Brandon and I take our homemade dinners very seriously (let me know if you want to score an invite), so getting to share a meal and snapshot of our weeknights with my family was far more meaningful than any trendy menu.

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Important vegetarian note: Freehouse allows black bean substitutes for any burger *heart eyes emoji*

We met back up for lunch Wednesday downtown at Ling & Louie’s, which my roommate Sarah Duever joined us for. In an effort to make everyone feel like a celebrity, I like to alert the masses that my parents are in town and see what they’re able to join us for. My mom then spent hours exploring Nicollet Mall and mastering the skyways in the name of shopping. While I was being a worker bee, my dad showed himself around town and visited the Mill City Museum.

With some help from a Minneapolis event calendar, we decided on dinner at Freehouse and a comedy show at Acme Comedy as our evening activity. With the very intense viewing of Revenant (I spent a lot of time hiding in my scarf) the night before, I figured laughter would be the best medicine. However, any night with the celeb guest list of my parents and freshman year clan/Florida and Vegas travel companions Kylie and Ingrid is destined to be hilarious.

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For the record, I took this before photos were outlawed (Kylie, not so much)

As a first-timer to the Acme Comedy Club, I would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting or living in Minneapolis. It mixes the posh atmosphere of it’s North Loop stomping grounds with the comfort and coziness all Minnesotans love. Servers visit you in the red plush seating for drink orders, as we laughed (with a few cringes) through three openers and the main act: Minnesota-native, Cy Amundson.

While Amy Schumer Radio sometimes gets me through the work day, nothing compares to the intoxicating atmosphere of a comedy club. Surrounded by other audience members, some with a crazier laugh than mine, you can’t help but be present. Even though I couldn’t have told you Monday this is what my week would have looked like, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I wanted to be, or company I’d rather have.

Sometimes it’s what we’ve planned the least that we need the most. Scott and Sher- you are welcome any time.

 

Celebrating Sydney

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Every single detail of that day is crystal clear. And for someone with a brain game app that I can’t remember to play often enough to see results, that’s huge.

Visiting Lake Mills with family and friends on September 18th, 2015
Visiting Lake Mills with family and friends on September 18th, 2015

The story of losing Sydney Tabakin on September 18th, 2010 will continue to be told, and will continue to reach more hearts with every reverberation of sorrow and laughter. It’s muscle memory- ingrained in our minds, tattooed in our hearts (and sometimes elsewhere), and rolling off our tongues with the same authenticity and emotion it created 5 years ago.

We have also proven the stories of Sydney’s life will live on, each one unique to the storyteller and their relationship with Sydney.

For the last five years, we have focused on the love and the loss; but the story we need even more than that, is this-

“We are so lucky,” I told myself just after a usual bout of clumsiness interrupted my zen thoughts about the 11825824_10153343871535668_1028002565700626142_nweekend to come and left me clutching a stubbed toe. It’s a phrase I repeat often. “Thank your body for each and every moment of this practice, we are so so lucky,” I tell my yoga students as they awake from savasana. In every situation it seems to apply. And on the eve of the 18th, my excitement for seeing the luckiest people I know- those who knew Sydney- overpowered any distractions or setbacks.

Just as I expected, my weekend was filled with the best friends I could imagine, laughing until I couldn’t speak, all purple ereything, and more long island ice teas than I knew possible {aka 11 gallons}. I had referred to this weekend as a reunion, and that’s exactly what it was. A celebration of life and the friends that make every encounter unforgettable.

Just as we all had different experiences and relationships with Sydney, each person who could and could not be there this weekend is a part of a whole. While the empty space created by a loss like Sydney can never be filled, this weekend brought back a sense of vitality so many of us had been missing. We didn’t all choose to be a part of the tragedy that occurred 5 years ago, but we chose to celebrate life this weekend, and we continue to choose each other. 

We choose who we catch up with, what grudges we hold, and what this special weekend will look like in 30 years. We decide how many times a day we can be inspired to say, “I am so lucky.”

Sydney's parking spot, September 2010
Sydney’s parking spot, September 2010

The people we surround ourselves with and what we make time for reflects what we value, and this weekend was no different.

At the time of the car accident, our friend group was beginning senior year. Decisions about our future demanded our attention and pressure continued to set in. At the same time, we chose to be present; to engage with each person around us and make the most of our last year in the same place. We knew how to balance and prioritize what mattered most.

Now with many of us as nearing or starting out in a new chapter, it can be easy to lose sight of what we’ve accomplished, who we have inspired, and what we know.

The stories of Sydney are nowhere near done, the only difference is the next story of how she impacted your life isn’t is the past tense, it starts today.

The Cleanse to Clarity

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cleanse quoteI never understood doing a cleanse. I tried various juice cleanses—usually a loose interpretation of a recipe combined with what I had immediate access to—always with the subconscious knowledge that it would last less than 24 hours.

So a few months ago, right at the end of the semester, when I was faced with the opportunity to do a juice cleanse, I was surprised to hear myself say yes.  The difference, however, from the previous attempts and my 3-day Juice So Good cleanse was the intention. I had just completed the most difficult semester of my college career, and only had finals between me and graduation. I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and more than anything, wanted to leave that emotionally and mentally draining tunnel behind me in my path. Previously, everything about a cleanse sounded miserable; but suddenly, everything about it made sense.

I headed over to the Apple Valley CorePower studio, where the cleanse was kicking off with a detoxifying C2 vinyasa class. We started the practice by writing on a post-it the reverse of the negative track that plays in your head. If you’re one to think I’m not enough, a mantra could instead be I am loved. We then slid the post-its under our mats and let that mantra guide our practice and set the tone for our cleanse.

The next three days and eighteen juices still stand out in my mind. I found cleansing isn’t about deprivation. IMG_1831It’s the conscious process of giving yourself exactly what you need without the sugars, vices, additives, stress, people, thoughts, and stories that are no longer serving you. It’s taking the power away from every external factor and bringing it back to yourself. It’s diminishing those tracks that inspired the mantras on our post-its, and recognizing that negative thoughts only exist because we allow them to.

Sure, it’s only juice—mind you, a main ingredient is love—and it’s only three days of our luckily long lives. But the intention behind this process made it memorable and impactful enough to still inspire a blog post three months later.

Speaking as someone who rarely does this, it’s usually the experiences where we actively put ourselves first that stay with us the longest. I am fascinated by the way our bodies and minds communicate; how reaching new intensity or mindfulness in a workout can lead to similar breakthroughs the next day at work. How going on regular walks can help calm our thoughts when we’re stuck in traffic. And as a result of this cleanse, how bringing only good into our bodies can inspire, motivate, and strengthen us to oust the bad from our daily lives.

So what’s your story? The track that plays over and over that only positivity and self-love is strong enough to silence? What is your vice? What is no longer serving you? And most importantly, what is the reverse? What do you wish you could remind yourself of on a regular basis? What would you infiltrate your body and mind with if given the chance? Do it today.

p.s. the post-it that reads “you deserve life-giving love and support” stills sits on my dashboard. 

3 Years, 5 Lessons, Countless Downdogs

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Passion has been a bit of a buzzword for me lately. It could be from creating inspiration boards with kindergarten-3rd grade students, the Greek Awards recommendation letters I’ve been writing, or from the Tazo tea called Passion that I drink daily.

More than anything though, I think it’s credited to the recent Downdogs for Diabetes event. If you aren’t familiar, this is my sorority’s annual fall philanthropy event; a yoga class, led by yours truly, that benefits the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. I’m simply unable to explain my involvement and energy surrounding this event, without touching on passion.

DSC_56The Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation benefits diabetes education, research and awareness; along with many other initiatives to support Alpha Gam alumnae in need. The University of Minnesota Alpha Gamma Delta chapter (Delta) holds 2-3 fundraising events each year to support the Foundation. Downdogs began three years ago, and I’m thrilled to see that it’s had staying power.

Even for those not studying public relations and/or with a love for events, Downdogs has taught me a few things over the years, all of which I couldn’t have learned if it weren’t driven by passion. As graduation approaches, and people of all stages in life continue to stress about the future, I think tapping into passion may be just as calming as a downward facing dog-

1. Stay on brand– Downdogs for Diabetes has been successful as a fall philanthropy because it stayed true to Alpha Gam. Our Purpose, which is like a values based mission statement, outlines the importance of health and wellness. Focusing on what you value- and what you don’t- can put things into perspective. This along with the yoga classes held in our living room, Alpha Gam and yoga go hand in hand. Although it had not been done before, this event wasn’t a huge stretch (no pun intended).

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The first Downdogs for Diabetes, 2012.

2. Shake it up– From the lines outside Mesa at bar close, to the club meetings that advertise with only two words- free food-we’ve all seen (and experienced) how people are motivated by food. As a result, this event was pretty unconventional compared to other fundraisers for our chapter and for the community. However, risk taking is essential for innovation and allowed our chapter to discover a new tradition.

3. Authenticity is key– This ties in with numero uno, and is probably the most important of them all. Downdogs wouldn’t have started or succeeded had I not had genuine enthusiasm and trust that it could. If your vision is authentic, you’ll be able to get others to envision it as well.

4. Details can come later– When I originally planned Downdogs for Diabetes, I wasn’t sure exactly where it would take place, if people would like it, or what impact it would have. I just knew there was only one way to find out, which rings true for professional and personal life scenarios. You won’t make any strides forward or try anything new if you’re waiting for guaranteed success.

5. Gophers can’t be tamed– Okay but actually. Goldy attended this year’s event, and was a bit more rambunctious than mygoldy average yoga student. Rather than letting his surprises (i.e. pretending to change the music, bringing a ladder to his yoga mat, and spraying people with their water bottles) throw me off, I rolled with the punches. As much of a planner as I am, there can be a point where preparation no longer serves you. 5 year plans are great- especially for when someone asks you what’s your 5 year plan– but it needs to be able to adapt to the new experiences and growth you will be fortunate to have.

One of the greatest things yoga has taught me is to keep my mind as flexible as my hamstrings. Whether it’s planning events or planning your future, letting go of certainty in order to embrace and appreciate surprises makes life a bit more zen, and a lot more enjoyable.

Begin Again

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85a85f7d2bf5d923ae05494459b02fb1There’s something about the end of summer that gets everyone in a back-to-school mode, regardless of if they have use for new notebooks and sharpened pencils. It’s a futuristic mind-set, whether you’re shopping for the biggest box of crayons, moving out of apartments, or trying on all your fall sweaters, the last days of summer are rarely spent as summer.

In terms of school and work, the end of an era also brings the end of a title. When someone asks what you do, that’s rarely our response. Most say their job title, without any implication that they experience more in their life. I am completely guilty of this; in fact, when someone went against the grain and told me he “said his opinions, wrote and argued” for a living, rather than saying “lawyer,” I responded with a blank stare.

So, even as September marks the last year of using “student” as the what I do is who I am answer, I know this will not be the end of my learning journey. Case in point, I have learned multitudes more since becoming a yoga instructor than when I only considered myself a student. I may be a yoga teacher, but I learn more from my students than they probably do from me. Had I taken that title completely to heart, I would’ve missed out on the lessons all around me.

Some think of yoga as an hour on the mat, for some it’s an hour they never want to experience. The purpose, though, is for yoga to be present in every part of your life. In my opinion, it’s the exception to not letting what you do define who you are. The epitome of the exception is the visionary, inspiring, and dedicated teacher BKS Iyengar that sadly passed away this week, at age 95.

Graduating from my Vinyasa Flow Yoga teacher training, 2011.
Graduating from my Vinyasa Flow Yoga teacher training, June 2011.

It’s not just yogis that are taking notice, it’s the world. He impacted every element of how we think of yoga in the West, revolutionizing how people integrate the practice into their lives and whom it is accessible to. He’s the reason why I secretly sit in lotus at my desk and can use the word “teacher” to describe not only what I do, but also who I am. He’s even the reason Lululemon’s horseshoe logo sits on the calves of so many people, even those who don’t have a yoga practice.

It’s this type of impact one person can have on the world that shows the value of remaining present. It’s easy to spend any “last”-whether it’s your last two weeks in a position, or your last year in school- as if it is already complete. However, this lack of presence is what allows us to miss out on benefiting from one last connection or experience that we won’t have access to again. It keeps us from realizing the new opportunities for growth, whether it’s trying something new or finding new value in what already exists. Presence has an irreplaceable importance that transcends titles and transitions. Regardless of one’s stage in life, presence is essential for enjoying each stage of life. 

“Illuminated emancipation, freedom, unalloyed and untainted bliss await you, but you have to choose to embark on the Inward Journey to discover it.” BKS Iyengar