I’m fast approaching my two year anniversary as a registered yoga teacher. And although I am young in my practice, both as teacher and as student, these past two years have taught me more than I could have imagined – probably more than I can actually recall. I’ve definitely learned a lot more about myself, more about my practice, and more about working with other people. At 25 I feel as if I’m beginning to find my place in the world, I’m creating a life I’m excited to live, figuring out who I really am, finding out what’s really important to me, and building a brand – all while trying to have as much fun as humanly possible.
Almost a year ago I made the leap from part-time to full-time yoga instructor, giving up my nights waiting tables so I could put all of my focus and all of my energy into this decision. Sunburnt & Salty Yoga Company had been a dream of mine for a while and I felt in my bones that this was the time. Taking this step was scary. Waiting tables was my comfort zone. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to do this on my own. I’ve always been one of those people who wait until conditions are perfect – and we all know how well that works out – when you hesitate, you usually never go. And that was my old way of being – to allow the fear to stop me from following my heart. My teacher training taught me to be fearless and to follow my inner compass, so I jumped in head first. Since then I’ve been slowly building my brand as a yoga teacher, learning from my own mistakes and experiences, as well as putting to use the helpful tips and information that I’ve absorbed from other teachers and professionals that I deeply admire. So here’s what has been working for me.
Stay true to who you are and what you do.
Like many other professions, yoga teachers are their own brand. Now we could go into a debate and quote the Sutras and explore the philosophy of yoga until we are blue in the face, but the fact of the matter is: if you make a living teaching yoga, you are, (1), incredibly fortunate, and (2), building a brand that is a direct reflection of YOU. Even if teaching is not your main income – even if you just have a couple of students, or even if you just have a Facebook page, or maybe an Instagram account, then you, my friend, have a brand. You are a brand. Welcome to 2015. So if you are a yoga teacher, think back to your 200-hour teacher training, if not hang in there for a moment, the primary goal of this foundational training is to remove the layers of false identity that we have built up and attached ourselves to throughout the course of our life. It wakes us up to who we actually are. We come full circle to our highest, authentic Self. And once we are honest and open and free, only then can we begin to guide others through this same transformation. So although you are teaching a sequence and instructing people to move through different poses, you are also actually sharing a part of your true Self with others, drawing inspiration from your unique experience, working to maintain your own integrity while guiding students through their own personal transformation. This integrity, this authenticity, is the foundation of a solid teacher as well as a solid brand. Know who you are (or what your brand represents) and stay true to that.
Keep your heart open and your intentions pure.
“…People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote by the late and great Maya Angelou was an influential quote during my teacher training and one that I still revisit to this day. When I think about all of my favorite teachers I don’t think I necessarily liked them because they would challenge me, I think I was drawn to them mostly because of the messages they shared and because of the passion and energy and dedication they put into teaching each class. The classes were, and still are, never about them. It is always about the students. Each time I take a class under one of my “gurus” I understand teaching (and branding) a little bit better – it is less about instructing and more about an offering of gratitude for the gift of life and connection and health. Great teachers aren’t great because they can do crazy poses or because they can make you work up a sweat, great teachers are great because they teach from the heart – they allow themselves to be open and vulnerable and raw with their students. Their passion for what they do is obvious. Their devotion to the practice is evident. And their genuine concern for the students and others around them is unmistakable. Just like we are drawn to the passionate teachers that remove their personal agenda from a class, people will naturally be drawn to you or your brand if you infuse it with that same passion and genuine concern for others.
You have to put yourself out there to see what’s possible.
How are people going to know about you/your brand/what you are doing if you don’t put yourself out there? It’s OK to promote yourself. Is anyone else going to do if for you? Most likely no. Get out and meet people. Go door to door and hand out flyers. Just start talking to strangers – always being respectful and courteous, of course. If you haven’t already, create a website or Facebook page or Instagram account, social media is FREE advertising people! Let your marketing be a direct reflection of YOU, because you are your brand. Again, this will attract the kind of people you want. I’ve definitely gained some clients and other work opportunities via social media, but one of the coolest things about this Facebook-Twitter-Instagram world is that I’ve able to connect with (and even meet face-to-face with) some really amazing, like-minded individuals from around the globe. For me, now, social media has become less about the likes and followers and reposts and more about the connection: the new friend I made on the other side of the world, the message I received telling me that I’ve inspired someone to start practicing yoga, or the realization that no matter how different we all appear to be, we still all share the same emotions and fears and worries. Branding, yoga, life… it all comes down to that connection. Things always work better when we all work together.
Get over the fact that there will be haters.
With all that being said, no matter how nice you are, no matter how pure your intentions there will always be those people that just don’t like you. And that’s cool. Well now I know it’s cool, but at first, this was one of the hardest lessons for me to learn. Because really the problem is their own, not yours, and you have way better things to do than to spend your time worrying about what others may think. Now I won’t lie, there are many times where I catch myself pausing before I post on Instagram or stressing over what I said in a yoga class because I’m so concerned that others might laugh or judge or hate. But then I remind myself of moving from authenticity, and as long as I maintain my passion and my integrity, I know that every choice I make and every word I speak is coming from my truth. And if people don’t like what I post or what I do or what I say, then I’m not going to take it personally. If it makes you happy and it’s not harming yourself or anyone else then by all means do what you want to do! And that goes the same for those who are different from you. No judgment, no anger. Accept all the different beliefs and then let yourself move right along. You can’t please everyone so don’t waste your energy trying to do so. Remember, stay true to you. The good people will stick around.
Never sell yourself short.
I always come back to something my boyfriend’s dad would tell him: “There is plenty of room in this world for hard-working people.” And it’s so true. If this is something you really want, then you have no choice but to put your head down, work hard, and go do it. For me as a yoga teacher, I at times struggle with charging people for my service. I feel bad, guilty even. It’s like I don’t deserve the money or something. But then I must remember that this is now my career. This was my decision. This is how I pay my bills and put food on my table. Your clients/customers/friends should respect this and honor the fact that this brand is how you are choosing to survive. And most people do. At the same time, you should respect yourself enough and honor the fact that you made this choice. If you don’t value your time and energy, others will not value your time and energy.
It always comes back to balance.
When you are building a brand, especially when you are your brand, it can be hard to take a step away from everything to focus on self-love. But this is one of the most important pieces of advice that anyone could have given me. Give yourself some tender, loving care. Shut down the computer. Turn off your cell phone. If you need to, take a break from your yoga mat and get your body outside and into nature. Get a massage or take a mini-vacation. Balance your career work with service work. Be of service to others and to your planet: offer a free or donation-based community yoga class or workshop to your town, maybe raise awareness or funds for a non-profit, volunteer at the local animal shelter, or go for a walk on the beach and pick up some trash along the way. Practice getting out of your head and getting connected with your intuition. What feeds your soul? What refuels your energy? What gets you really excited about life? Go do that. Own who you are, without judgment or guilt or shame. And remember that hard work combined with a positive and pure intention is one powerful formula. Sprinkle in a little gratitude and you are setting yourself up for success… in every area of life.
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This DIY is geared towards all you bloggers! It does not particularly relate to nature (except the underwater shots!), but I feel this will be well received by some who are looking to create visually stunning posts on a beautiful layout with whatever free & inexpensive tools you have available. Surprise! You don’t need Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, and you don’t need to pay for expensive stock photo use or fonts. There are so many free resources available, and I’ll list my favorites right here as well as provide a link to the ones I don’t mention (but are still awesome and you may find useful!).
Hosting | Many of you likely already have a hosting platform, whether that be Blogger, WordPress or something else. I now host with WordPress.com (not the self hosting platform of WordPress.org $$$) and migrated my blog by myself over to WordPress fairly simply. This process could have cost me close to $200 if I paid someone else to do it, but instead I found some easy tutorials and then pieced together what applied to me, and viola! This did require some domain mapping, but WordPress walks you through that.
Photography | Naturally, I would first recommend investing in a nice camera. This does not have to be a DSLR camera, even a 12megapixel camera is sufficient. In fact, I get stunning photos from my Samsung Galaxy S5 and my GoPro Hero4 both of which are much cheaper than an entry level SLR (the image above was shot with the GoPro). If however, you feel that you really lack the photography edge (there does need to be a eye for composition!) but are a great wordsmith and just occasionally need some nice photos as introductions, I would suggest using this amazing Stock Photo site that provides all free images. I use this site periodically when I need a featured image that I don’t have from my own collection.
Templates | Your layout really sets the tone of the blog. Although many blog sites come with free templates, many times these don’t meet your needs or leave you begging for more. I would recommend either biting the bullet and paying for a nice one (mine cost $24), or checking out some free alternatives even if it means learning a little bit of code to install them. My favorite are these gorgeous responsive HTML templates (free, and for static sites if you use your blog for other purposes) but they do require your own hosting (perhaps try BitBalloon.com). For blog templates, I like this site.
Fonts | Most templates come with their own font suite. If you plan to use other fonts, you will need to have access to the settings that allow for this change. Assuming that you have this option, then check out FontSquirrel and DaFont for all kinds of free fonts in many styles.
Photo Editing | I used to use PicMonkey before I got Lightroom. I use Pixlr on my phone and noticed that they have a web based platform now too. If you host your photos on Flickr, you can use their feature Aviary to edit your photos nicely. As an example, see the two photos above (top:edited in Aviary; bottom:unedited). I highly highly highly recommend editing your photos before posting them on your blog. Whether it involves just some simple adjustments of color and brightness, or using presets to transform your images for all the same look and feel – it’s worth doing something. People are visual, and attracted to things that pop and show off color and design. I love this template I have now because it really brings the photo as the main focus on the post, and draws your eyes in before I captivate you with my words :)
The rest of the free stuff that I like to browse there can be found here. This list is predominantly for those involved in design and marketing, but there are so very useful tools that you may find appropriate to your blog too. happy hunting!
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Last weekend, I hosted an art workshop after my yoga class: Frill the Fin . Each person brought their surf fins, and then we used paint pens to doodle and decorate the fins to our tastes. This was such a fun way to add some color and vibrancy to a part of the board that gets overlooked. There are several companies who have realized this, and started producing gorgeous fins like Island Fin Design. However, if you’re not one to spend anywhere from $45 to $75 a fin, then try your hand at decorating your own! It was super easy and here’s what you need:
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As the month concludes, I’m sharing another upcycling DIY inspired by Real Simple Magazine‘s challenge to readers to find new unique ways to repurpose common household items. Let’s review the DVD box. We probably trash these, or have thousands of them somewhere completely unorganized. But why not take advantage of that and utilize them for something other than dust collectors and trophies for your ever-changing interests in movie genres. Enter: passport security.
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Upcycling: (v.) the process of turning something old into new again. This month, Real Simple challenged readers to repurpose several common household items. One of those was the trusty shot glass. Did you collect these at one point? Maybe in your wild and crazy college days and now you have a shrine in your cabinet to memories you may want to just leave behind? Okay, I’m not speaking from experience (lies), but I figured these would be a great place to start with that repurposing challenge!
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What an easy way to freshen up the kitchen! From the Free People blog, I’m sharing their nifty DIY to reuse those fruit rings that collect in your compost (before your throw them in there!) to put them to work for you in your kitchen (or bathroom!). Here’s what to do:
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Tofu. Glorious tofu. Delicious soy protein. Vegan delight. Substitute for so many things. And easy to make at home, with the right tools and some patience. I gave it a try, and it turned out SPLENDID! Tasty, just like from the store, retained its shape and cooked up marvelously. Now if only I had half a day on my hands again, I’d be making it more often! But if you want to try this little homesteading practice, then I can recommend where to start in today’s DIY.
You can purchase this kit from Williams Sonoma. I received it from my mother as a gift for Christmas, because she knows my hippie self and my surfer fiance would enjoy working on this together. Of course what happened was Evan watched from the side and took photos to document this experiment so I could share it with you. You’re welcome.Filtered water or spring water
6 oz of organic soybeans
1.5 tsp of packed gypsum
medium & large pots (preferably non stick)
blender
wooden spatula or spoon
small and large mesh strainers
muslin (2 pieces at 18×20 inches)
potato masher
small, medium & large bowls
tofu mold
ladle
rack lined baking sheet or roasting pan
Step 1: Read all the direction before proceeding.
Step 2: To make the soy milk, rinse the soybeans and transfer to a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of filtered water and let soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. Squeeze a soaked bean and if it splits in half easily and inside of each half is flat, then they are soaked long enough. Drain the beans but reserve the soaking water. Add more water as needed to total 8 cups.
Step 3: In a large pot over medium high heat, begin warming 5 cups of the reserved water. Place the beans in the blender with 2 cups of the water. Puree until the mixture reaches the consistency of milk shakes and then pour into the pot of warming water. Rinse out the blender and 1/2 cup of the water and add to the pot.
Step 4 : Cook the soybean mixture, stirring the bottom frequently with the spatula to prevent scorching, until a foam resembling beer head begins to rise from the surface. About 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir a few times to deflate the foam. Be cautious and watchful because the foam comes up quickly.
Step 5: Line a large mesh strainer with one piece of the muslin and place over the medium pot. Pour the hot soy milk through the strainer, pausing when the strainer reaches capacity, and then continuing until all of the milk has been strained.
Step 6: Gather up the muslin and twist into a bag shape. Using the potato masher or your hands, press on the bag to extract more of the milk. Open the cloth and place the solids in the medium bowl. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of reserved water into the bowl and stir until the solids take on a polenta like consistency. Return the solids to the cloth and twist the cloth again to form the bag. Press on the bag to extract even more milk. You should have about 8 cups of soy milk now. Discard or save the solids (see tips for uses at the end).
Step 7: To make the tofu, bring the medium pot of soy milk to a gentle simmer over medium high heat, stirring the bottom frequently with the spatula, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove any skin that forms on the surface.
Step 8: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir the 1.5 tsp of gypsum into 0.5 cup of filtered water until dissolved. Put the tofu mold in the sink and line with the other piece of muslin, allowing the edges to drape over the side of the mold.
Step 9: Remove the soy milk from the heat and let stand for 2-3 minutes, stirring the milk frequently in a “Z” pattern to help cool it down and prevent a skin from forming. While stirring vigorously, add one-third of the gypsum mixture. Stop the spoon in the middle of the pot and hold it there upright to slow down the movement of the milk. When it has stopped moving, remove the spoon. (the speed and direction of the stirring produces a better texture). Using a spoon, drizzle another one-third of the gypsum mixture across the surface of the milk and do not stir. Cover the pot and let stand for 3 minutes.
Step 10: Uncover the pot. Agitate the remaining one-third of gypsum and drizzle it across the surface of the soy milk. With the spatula submerged 1/2 inch into the milk, gently stir the surface of the milk back and forth for 20 seconds. The milk should be curdling, with the curds forming into clouds and the watery whey separating from the curds. If the edges look milky instead of watery, gently stir that area as directed above. Cover the pot and let sit for 6 minutes.
Step 11: Uncover the pot. If there is still milky liquid, cover the pot another 1 minute, then gently stir the surface again. If the pot is not hot enough ( as in, you can touch it and not flinch), set it over the lowest heat possible for 2-3 minutes to reheat. Then gently stir back and forth across the surface and the milk should start curdling. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 2 minutes. If there is still milky liquid, stir about 0.5 tsp of gypsum into 1/3 cup of filtered water and drizzle it over the milky areas and gently stir the surface.
Step 12: You should now have a pot of white curds and pale yellow whey. Using the small mesh strainer, gently push against the curds to move the whey into the strainer. Ladle the whey into the mold to moisten the muslin, then continue to ladle the excess whey into an empty bowl. Stop when the curds feel firm against the strainer. Then gently ladle them into the mold. Fold the muslin over the curds and cover, then top with the mold press. Transfer the mold to the rack lined baking sheet or roasting pan.
Step 13: For medium firm texture, place about 1.5 lbs of weights on the mold press and compress the tofu for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and mold press, pull back the muslin. Using your finger, check the texture – it should have a little bounce.
Step 14: Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Gently remove the base with the muslin wrapped tofu from the mold. Transfer the base with the tofu block into the water. Let sit to firm up for about 5 minutes.
Step 15: To remove the tofu, slide a plate or large spatula under the tofu and lift it out of the water. If using within 8 hours then place it on a plate, cover and store in a cool spot. If using it later, transfer it to an airtight container, cover with water and refrigerate. Change the water every other day. Stored like this, it will last up to 1 week. Makes about 1 lb. of tofu.
And finally, one last thing…..
To care for your muslin – don’t discard it! Rinse the pieces and then machine wash on cold and line dry. It will fray, but will last through many batches.
To care for the mold – before the first use, gently wash it with soap and water. After each use, gently rinse with water. Air dry completely before storing.
Uses for soy milk solids – stir into soups or stews to thicken
Uses for whey – use it like water in soups or stews, Asian hot pots and sauces or for boiling vegetables. Has a tangy but subtle taste.
Uses for firm texture of tofu – use 3 lbs of weight and compress for 15-20 minutes
Let me know how your adventure with tofu making turns out!!
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An easy and natural way to keep the bugs out of the house or patio is by using all natural ingredients. We’ve been growing lemongrass for a while. Like all grasses, it grows rampant and much faster than I have time or need to consume it all. Apart from seasoning my rice, I also use this as a natural bug repellant. Here’s what to do:
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We were looking to construct a sturdy and long-lasting compost bin that would allow more air and circulation into our compost versus our short term black trash can with the holes drilled all around. It worked well for a while, but never received as much sunlight as it needed, because we were forced to keep the lid on top to discourage cats and stray animals from digging around inside. So, Evan and I constructed a brand new, durable compost bin with hinged lid and screened sides — perfect for creating the most rich and luscious brown earthy mix as possible!
I drew up a design and we ventured out to the collect all the items. I had Evan demonstrate all these techniques and skills (lies, he really just built the whole thing) so that I could photograph the process and share it with you. There are a number of photos to illustrate the steps, so I’ve broken this into a series for you to easily follow. Let’s begin!Optional: nylon cord for handle
Exterior Measurements: 3’x2’x3′ (LxWxH)
Now you’re ready to attach the lid! Place the frame of the lid on top of the compost bin and make sure it lays flat. Attach the chicken wire if you haven’t done this step yet. Now, with the help of another person, slide the hinge under the lid and measure 4-6 inches from each side of the bin so that they are evenly spaced. Use a pencil to mark the location of the hinge and the location of the holes before removing it. Do this step with the lid as well. Now, first attach the hinge to the lid, then attach the lid to the box.
You’ll notice that the hinge will allow for the lid to open completely – don’t let this happen, as it will introduce unwanted pressure to your hinge. We will fix this later. Now, if you desire to add a handle, this is the time to do so. Use a large drill bit to drill out a hole that is only slightly larger than the diameter of the rope. Slide the rope through and tie knots to secure it, leaving a handhold on the opposing side to use as a handle. Cut the rope and burn the nylon threads to keep the knot in place.
Before you move your bin to the desired location in the yard, first we’ll need to secure the lid so that it does not fall back too widely when opened. You can utilize scrap wood for this part. Find two pieces of wood approximately the same size. Match them up to the back edges of the lid, on the outside portion of the hinge, not covering the hinge. It should ideally be exactly the same height and length at the 2×4 you are holding it against. Open the lid to make sure this is the position you want and that the weight can be carried by the two pieces (use another set of hands to validate this). Now predrill the holes and attach the wood. Your lid now has a recycled wood stopper!
That only took half a day, right? It was half a day worth spent! You now have a super sturdy compost bin, that is quite esthetically pleasing too! If you’ve never composted before, read my previous diy that explains what can and cannot be composted. It’s really easy, and really beneficial to your garden, landscaping AND your household – by eliminating organic wastes in your trash bins, you’ll take out less trash each week!
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I have three best friends. Three ladies who have accompanied me through different stages of life. Three women I can count on through the thick and the thin, no matter where we are in the world. I love these ladies like sisters.
When I got engaged in December, I knew immediately who I would ask to stand by my side up there with Evan. But I wanted to get creative with the asking, rather than just a phone call (which was truly the most realistic option considering each of them is located 1000s of miles from me). I wanted to send them a gift that represented me so that it would not only create a memory, but be completely original and unique.
I found these seashell coin purses and pretty much knew instantly that this was my foundation for my unique bridesmaid proposal. I kept the rest simple – I typed up a little message, with the date of the wedding, and closed everything inside the shell. I found cute boxes from Marshalls, bundled everything up and mailed them out. They had no idea what was coming. In the message, I wrote about our friendship and then included my proposal to them — Will you be my bridesmaid? Then I requested that they call me immediately with their answer.
One package I was able to deliver in person to my Maid of Honor in Florida, the other two were mailed to Washington D.C. and Alaska. Covered a lot of ground, eh?
I wanted these ladies to know how special they are to me, so I wanted their bridesmaid proposal to be something they would always remember.
What do you think?
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