Self Discovery Through BlogHer ’11

Standing on the balcony, gazing out at the San Diego marina, I was struck by an overwhelming sense of fear and excitement.

I took a deep breath and looked to my phone for the schedule I worked so hard on in the weeks leading up to this moment.  That’s when I realized all the preparation in the world could not have readied me for what the following days would bring.

I mean really.  Functioning on about five hours of sleep, traveling for seven hours, and then arriving at the hotel at the beginning of the day, leaves you feeling a little less than motivated.  Hitting every.single.event included in the P&G Life Well Lived day I signed up for suddenly seemed completely ridiculous.

I did not make it to every event I had planned to attend that day or any other.  What I realized on that first day, that became my mantra for the rest of the trip, was the importance of taking it all in.  Every moment.  I realized that the purpose of all the planning was for me to know my options, so I could pick and choose the seminars, meetings, and social events that would help me the most and spend the rest of the time making real connections with people.  Because of that, I learned a ton and had an amazing time!

The people I met and the seminars I attended, helped me to see something I was not able to see before I went.  I realized that the reasons I initially started my blog are no longer the reasons I blog today.

I was asked multiple times if I am “really into yoga”.  Yes and no.

When I started my blog and chose it’s name, I was a new mother to a colicy infant, suddenly out of the corporate setting to which I had become accustomed, and in a body that had not felt like my own in quite some time.  I started this blog as a means to find my way back to the yoga centric, tight, and fit person I once was, back in my CorePower Teacher Training days.

That’s not what happened.

This blog has shaped me, but more psychologically than physically.  It’s opened my eyes.  It’s made me reassess my goals as a woman and mother.  It’s allowed me to realize the woman I am now.  Rather than just whipping my butt into shape (which it honestly has done in some ways), it has helped me take a yogic approach to parenting, in which I try to parent with empathy, power (as in not being afraid of the decisions I make), love, and intention.

In the coming days I’ll talk more about the social events that made me feel like a superstar for four days.  Well, actually, I really am somebody pretty important and all.  Ok, maybe not.

For now, I’m reflecting on what an amazing experience it was to meet so many other women with similar passions and goals.  I am so happy that going and spending the time to really connect with other women and take it all in, rather than bury my head and push full steam ahead, helped me to realize why I really blog.

Biggest Regret: I hardly took any pictures!!!

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