Austin Yoga Bear Chapter Taking Off!

Taking over as Chapter Director for Yoga Bear has been a great challenge so far. We have 3 new participants who have joined the program in Austin in the last week, and I'm happy to see the Texas chapters continue to grow in not only studio and participant relations, but also in events and press. In the past week, I have had three articles written about our Austin Chapter, the work we have accomplished, and our exciting event taking place on Labor Day with Sundara Yoga. Please check out our mention in Pam LeBlanc's Fit City blog about upcoming fitness events! Pam has a daily online blog where she writes about health and fitness related stories in the Austin area. Her blog is very informational for anyone in the Austin community searching for upcoming events, stories on health issues, or just news or tips to live a healthier lifestyle.

Yoga Bear was also mentioned in a national online Yoga Journal called the National Yoga Examiner. Jordann Rawls writes for the Examiner, and did a wonderful article about the Free Day of Yoga we are participating in, as well as the Austin Chapter and the program we have been growing here. Her article is truly worth the read for anyone looking to join the program not only in Austin, but nationwide.

A good friend of mine, Taylor Shanklin, works at Convio here in Austin. Convio has been awarded one of the best places to work in Austin, and I have actually applied to work there! They have an online blog called Connection Cafe, and Taylor is one of their featured bloggers. She did an article on our Austin Yoga Bear Chapter today, and mentioned our healing therapy session with Sundara Yoga during the Free Day of Yoga on Labor Day. Thank you so much Taylor for the the wonderful mention!

Feeling & Living Green!

I have been on a serious yoga kick for a few years now, and have changed my workout routine over the past couple of months to include weights, running, and pilates. It feels really good to see changes in my body over the past year, and also to feel like I am in shape. Usually people workout once a week, and pretend like that may be enough to say they are trying, but it really is about a nice balance of working out, eating right, and maintaining a healthy mix of happiness in your life.
I would say when I can afford to, I buy mostly organic foods, but with the economy the way it is, and needing to stay on a budget as much as possible there are ways to work around that. I eat a lot of salads, and instead of choosing fatty meats, I buy leaner turkey meat or fish for protein. I also drink a TON of water! I live with my twin sister, and the one thing we consume the most of is water. We have been doing a lot of our grocery shopping lately at Walmart, and it has been saving us close to $15-20 every time we go. We usually shop at HEB, and saving this much is for sure a deal breaker for us. $1 for a large box of toothpaste? Sold!
A few tips I have to go organic without going broke are to go generic (look for USDA organic seals on generic products), try foods before you buy them (Whole Foods and Central Market let you test foods at certain counters), search for coupons (go online and print coupons, or cut a few out of local health newsletters).
Just remember - the key to feeling and living green is balance. Paying attention to everything in your life will bring you a more well-rounded, 'greener' outcome!

Change is in the Air....

Today I had a meeting with our now former Austin Chapter Director for Yoga Bear, and she officially turned over the reigns to me as the new Chapter Director! YEA!! I'm very excited to take on this role, and opportunity. There are a lot of challenges that will come my way as the program continues to push forward, but as Kelly has already planted the seeds for me, I am ready to take charge and lead the path for Yoga Bear and its participants in Austin to have a lovely place for wellness and healing. September is National Yoga Awareness month, and we already have goals set, with our first big event on Labor Day, participating with Sundara Yoga on the Free Day of Yoga, and hoping to look into a few other events or seminars to participate in during the month as well. I'm truly excited to apart of this wonderful non-profit, and hope to give it my all. I cannot wait to plan more events, and watch the program grow larger in Austin!

Taking on Challenges!

Happy Monday! I just took a look at my calendar and realized it has almost been a month since I have been unemployed. It honestly does not even feel like it has been that long. Maybe the power of positivity has kept me from realizing the hours and days flying by. Since the end of July I have turned 28, watched several close friends turn another year older, gone to a few movies, signed up my first studio and event on Labor Day for Yoga Bear, and have had several interviews and networking meetings for my next hopefully soon-to-be job! The past couple of weeks have been a great learning experience for me. Being able to get to network, and meet amazing people in Austin has been wonderful. Having the time to dig in deep on the Yoga Bear plans for Austin has been my biggest accomplishment. Aside from our upcoming event with Sundara Yoga on the Free Day of Yoga on Labor Day, I plan to pull together a series of speaking events and seminars for the fall for cancer surviors and their caretakers. We are also looking into participating at the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure this fall, and hope to sign on more participants into the program after the race.
I hope to land my next big gig soon, and am ready to take on the challenges I feel are coming my way. New beginnings are always exciting. They bring new energy, new blood and new flow into your life. I'm very excited to continue my work with Yoga Bear, and begin a new role...as soon as it comes my way! ;)

How To Use Social Media Effectively

I recently had a discussion with a few friends about how often they use social media outlets, and which ones they used. Is there a right or wrong way to go about maintaining your narratives on these sites? Is it bad to put up a block or privacy shield between yourself and the outside world on these sites? After our talk, I remembered a few articles I had read about exposure in the realm of social media being the best way to reach your audience. By sharing you and your personality you are creating buzz about who you are on a personal level, and on a business level.

I posted an article this morning on my Twitter page titled 25 Powerful Social Media Tips You Can Use Now. The article lists important tips on what to remember when having profiles on various social media sites. Keeping in mind it's not about making friends, it's about maintaining your personal and professional profile at a nice balance. Hosting profiles on over 5 sites may be too many to handle, and making sure you put time and energy into each of your profiles is what's key. Make valuable connections, stay aware of trends and best practices in each of the sites you are on, and within the world of social media itself. Take a look at the article, and be sure you are following the guidelines to a healthy social media relationship.

Yoga Bear Class for Cancer Survivors on Labor Day

On Labor Day there will be a Free Day of Yoga in the city of Austin, where several yoga studios and instructors will be teaching classes for free. As the Outreach Director for YogaBear I saw this as a great opportunity to reach out to the studios who are already involved with YB, and get to know those who have had interest in the foundation, and those who still do not know about us. We will be passing out information packets to several studios, as well as hosting our own event with the wonderful people at Sundara Yoga from 2-3:15pm. The topic of our session is "Theraputic Yoga for Cancer Survivors." The class is an open session, and we will have literature about YogaBear, and take a few minutes to talk about the nonprofit and what we are about, what we are doing in Austin, and upcoming plans for the fall.
September is National Yoga Month! Join us in educating, inspiring and building awareness of the positive impacts of yoga on health. In 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services designated September as National Yoga Month. That same year, thousands of yoga and health enthusiasts participated in a 10 City Yoga Health Festival Tour featuring yoga classes, lectures, music, entertainment, exhibits.This year, people across the country will participate in free events and activities, designed to build awareness of the mind and body benefits of yoga practice. In nearly every city, hundreds of yoga studios, teachers, individuals and event organizers will create National Yoga Month events. Please visit http://www.freedayofyoga.com/ for a list of classes for the Free Day of Yoga in Austin.
Whether you’re trying it for the first time or are an experienced yogi looking to deepen your practice, there’s never been a more opportune time to practice yoga. The economy and job loss are always on our minds these days, causing anxiety and fear. But yoga provides an accessible way to manage stress for anyone.
The best reason yet to participate in National Yoga Month? It’s free – something you don’t hear a lot these days. Just follow these steps to enjoy one free week of yoga in September:
1. Visit yogamonth.org to find participating studios and teachers2. Print out the Yoga Month Card 3. Redeem it at the participating location most convenient to youThe Yoga Month campaign is produced and administered by the Yoga Health Foundation. The foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization registered in the State of California. All funds benefit the national awareness campaign and yoga health education.

One Year. One Million Bags.

When I met with Mary Dean last Monday she told me about this cool eco-friendly start-up here in Austin called Blue Avocado, founded by women. I recently looked them up, and I must say what they are doing is truly amazing. They are a small group - 3 moms and one 'green' guru, who have changed the way they shop. They no longer choose what is convenient, but what is right, or eco-friendly. Over the past few years I have seen a change in my friends and myself in this direction, and it feels really good to see more companies, small and large, taking steps in this direction as well.

BlueAvocado is a lifestyle products company. They help newbies who are not sure how to get the ball rolling on the 'green' track. They want it to be as easy as possible, which is why their mission is "to make it easy to do and get it done." BlueAvocado has released the gro-pak, an eco-chic system of sustainable and reusable grocery bags (patent pending). By carrying their system an average shopper will replace up to 1,000 plastic bags every year. Take a look at this youtube video which explains more about their fight against plastic bags, and the great accomplishments their team has already achieved in the past year.