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Awaketomysoul

Playing small is no longer an option
  • Home
  • YOGA
    • Yoga Training Programs
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    • Special Events
  • MALAS
    • Malas
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  • MUSIC
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Take 10!

September 27, 2017

Here is the deal. Everyone looks amazing via social media. Great smile, great life, great yoga pose BLAH BLAH BLAH.

What you didn't see was the 9 pictures or HARD steps they took before this moment to get to where they are RIGHT NOW.

There was a time in my life where I was at step 1- working hard to make changes in my life. Falling and getting up. Trying to drop the weight of life sucking relationships or jobs that wanted nothing more than to own/control me.

But with a ton of hard work and the right support group, I found my way. I got myself healthy and into the right environment that gave me room to grow and create!

So if you are scrolling through your newsfeed and jealousy rears its ugly head. Remember some have worked really hard to get to where they are-You may not have seen steps 1-9.

Picture #10 of 10

 

Tags: Self Care, #playingSmallisNoLongerAnOption, strength, Soul Freedom, faith, awaketomysoul, Self Love, cleveland, Courage, Empowerment
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When my friend/mentor (who requested to remain unnamed) showed me Culver as an option for my oldest, my first thoughts were: How will my kids fit in at this amazing school where they ride horses, learn to fly planes and sail boats. I immediately said, "No way!" My mentor's response," This place will open up all kinds of opportunity for the kids. Instead of the boarding school, let's think about the six week summer camp, for all the kids. This isn't just a place for the wealthy. Culver is a place for everyone. They have scholarships + financial aid to help with costs. They really make an effort to include everyone they can. The kids will meet people from all over the world. Don't worry about money right now. Let's just see what happens." Keep in mind: i had JUST had a stroke 3 months before and was about to quit my job. Instead of saying no. I trusted my mentor and said OK. SO, we applied. They offered financial aid and we qualified for the maximum amount but still the bill was still out of our range for a single income family. It was then that my mentor offered to take care of the remaining bill each year for the kids. I cry EVERY TIME I think about it. This place has changed my children's lives. You see...from the moment we stepped foot on campus it didnt matter HOW you got there. What mattered is that YOU WERE. There is no difference if you were a FULL RIDE student OR an international student from South Africa or anywhere in the world or a full paying student. EVERYONE WAS WORTHY and EVERYONE IS IMPORTANT. You were and will always be a part of the Culver Family. I asked my mentor how I could ever repay him. His answer was "Just pay it forward. When you can help someone do it." With that the Awake To My Soul scholarships were born. Each year I offer a full scholarship to a student to attend my training. I offer work/study for those who want to trade their skills (photography, writing, etc) for tuition! I even offer a monthly payment program to help. Just like Culver, at Awake To My Soul EVERYONE IS IMPORTANT. EVERYONE MATTERS. If you know someone who wants to take YTT + needs reach out to me. Let’s start a new chapter together. FRIDAY FLASHBACK 💥 post/caption circa 2016💥 One of the biggest lessons I've learned in life so far is that you can't look at your bank account, your current situation, and your current network and choose a dream that you can currently afford. Choose what you want, and then go become it. Think bigger than your current dreams, to start your own movement. Because...one person with a large dream can make BIG impact. Imagine if the world dreamed bigger. P.s. My BIG dream with music and yoga is to help as many people {regardless of skin color, gender, religion or sexual orientation} see their self-worth, greatness and strength so as a collective we can impact the world and bring HEALING where there is suffering, HOPE where there is doubt, courage where there is fear and LOVE where there is hate. Photo credit: the talented @joyfireburn People around you may tell you to forgo following your dreams & get a "real job" that pays the bills — but deep down, you know with every ounce of your being that the tiny flame of passion inside of you will never go out. Your passion is your greatest strength. Don’t ever let anyone take that away from you! As my summer adventure comes to a close soon, I can say it’s been life changing. Conquering goals. Living out dreams and beginning NEW dreams. It was everything I hoped it to be and more. One more stop to visit the kids in Culver and then...... (🥁Drum roll please...🥁) CLEVELAND I’LL BE BACK TUESDAY! I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU! Link in bio for my weekly schedule! #awaketomysoul #playingsmallisnolongeranoption #clevelandyoga ##clevelandyogateacher #cleveland #yoga #yogaandsoundhealing What it looks like when you live out your dreams of flying airplanes. One summer closer to that pilots license! GO LEE GO! ✈️ #culveracademies #aviationunit #livingthedream #culversummercamp #playingsmallisnolongeranoption This is how it always happens. In the beginning of the year i am given me a word for the year. Sometimes it comes in a dream, or meditation, a book or even a friend. I think I know what it means, and I might even be right in part, but usually around the summer the universe starts to show me another layer of my word. ⠀ I welcomed SPACE as my word for 2019. It felt like a welcome reprieve after twelve months of an amazing year of a tightly packed schedule of teaching for some AMAZING people and incredible locations. I thought I would be making space, inserting it in my schedule, pushing a few things around so that I could have more of it. And I have. But being here in North Dakota where the landscape says nothing but SPACE, life showed me that I wasn’t given SPACE as my word so that I could just put more of it into my life, I already have. It was given to me to lead me into an entirely new SPACE :mentally, energetically and creatively. I know it means living differently and operating out of a different and new heart space. With that I welcome the change. Here’s to SPACE. Space for more LOVE & more DREAMS. #awaketomysoul #playingsmallisnolongeranoption #hopesanddreams #space JUST A REMINDER LADIES! Repost from @xonecole - Supporting HER doesn’t stop you from winning. #blackwomensupportingblackwomen My husband’s boots have taken him all over the world with the United States Navy. They are scuffed up and the laces have been replaced multiple times. On the celebration of our nation July 4th, I want to thank all those who are deployed or have been deployed or have been separated from your family to answer the call of duty, "Thank You." To those who slide those boots on ready and willing to serve this country at a moments notice. To those that have my husband's back here or during deployment, "Thank You." Every day poses a risk for our military. They could be on the streets of Baghdad or on a carrier in the Pacific or standing duty on any of the nations military bases while the rest of us prepare flag decorations, grill, enjoy a beer, or wait for fireworks to begin, while enjoying a peaceful and patriotic holiday. We are able to enjoy this day because of YOU. This country is still the land of the opportunity because the military (PAST + PRESENT), help make it so. To our military members, holiday or no holiday, you work long hours, you eat what is available, you sleep on cots. It may have been days, weeks, months or even a year since you have seen your significant other or hugged your children. Yet you remain resilient, fighting, standing and protecting the people of our country. No one forced you to serve. You volunteered to be there. And every second you are, we here get another moment to enjoy the freedoms of this holiday. So thank you to my husband (Chief Warrant Officer Greene) and all his brothers and sisters who make the choice, to love this country and fight for our freedom. THANK YOU MY FRIENDS. May God bless each and every one of you. {SWIPE RIGHT} 🔛 eyes wide open. My priority over the last three years was to work really hard at trusting myself. My feelings. My body. My gut. My judgement. I realized that I had been walking through life listening to everyone else and ignoring myself. [RESULTING IN A STROKE AT THE AGE OF 39] I so desperately wanted to be able to trust ME. So I spent the last three years closing my eyes, shutting out the world so that I could hear ONLY my voice. I refused teachers, classes, other's opinions, all because I didn't want any other voices in my head. When I first came to Cleveland Yoga two years ago, I remember @tamischneider27 asking me after one of her classes, why I always practiced with my eyes closed. I answered confidently that I did not want to be distracted by anyone or anything else. It was to learn to trust myself. It was my moment to shut out the world to feel and honor myself. To feel only me and not contend with anyone else's opinions, judgements or ideas. It was all mine. But the reality is you can't always shut out the world. You have to be able to trust yourself with your eyes wide open, or you risk the chance of missing all that this world has to offer; the wonderful people and experiences that life brings. Today was the first time in years that I made the choice to open my eyes wide. Even when it was scary, even when I couldn't control the outcome. My eyes were wide open to see the beautiful views and feel the experience fully. I can trust myself AND I can see it all. I have made promises to myself to dream about CRAZY goals and make them my reality. To create memories that last a lifetime. To make an impression on the world. Slowly I am fulfilling those promises through adventures and living in a world of YES. I have a BIG dream I’m planning on living out that i can’t wait to share it with you all! Playing small in no longer an option. 💥✨💥✨ 📸 @brittanygrahamphotography #awaketomysoul #playingsmallisnolongeranoption #imready It's far too easy to compare myself to other people and think that if I'm going to be successful in this “yoga thing”, I have to do it just like so-and-so. To combat that, one of the things I've been telling myself is that, instead of trying to be the next version of that person I admire, I want to be the first best version of Ylonda. Essentially, I want to be myself. I want to find success my way and reach the community I'm meant to reach and do it in a way that gives me and others joy. If comparison is something you struggle with, stop trying to be the next so-and-so. Be the first--and best--you!