So on that note, it’s nearly 1pm and I am just getting around to writing our weekly post. Why don’t we get right into it, shall we?!

Also HAVE YOU listened to Jesse McCartney on the pod from last week?! If you haven’t, a MUST. The ultimate icon of all icons!!

12 Things Tuesday //

1.  I have been on a major roll this morning going down memory lane. It started with looking thorough my old photos / videos to find a cute video for Instagram to make a spiritual vid I have a vision for. I have legit over 150,000 photos/vids on my phone (I know, it’s nuts) so at least 50 people in my life got text messages this morning of old school memory lane photos of us!! I am THAT friend. I love memories, I love capturing the moment, I am obsessed with documenting, I love it all.

2. My inflammation (eczema, rashes, etc) had been doing sooo much better lately, but then after getting hit with these horrible allergies I now have super inflamed lips again and the face rash that has been coming & going for four years. Sooo fun. I have been laying in bed using my Bon Charge red light mask all morning and I swear it makes such a huge difference. It’s also an amaze natural alternative to botox. I am obsessseddd. Use my code TBBJORDAN25 at checkout HERE and try one for yourself.

3. While I was going down memory lane, I came across a video of Adam Levine from a Maroon 5 concert my mom and I went to in 2018. In the vid he is singing, “Lost Stars” and the part where he hits the massive high note is literally one of my all-time favorite moments in music EVER. “I thought I saw you out there crying…. I thought I heard you call my name… OOOOH” — it gets me EVERY TIME.

4. Speaking of, music cures the soul. It’s a healing balm for this harsh world. I am so grateful for it. I have been doing one of my Jordan deep dives lately into the music that I am most in love with and I swear it has been raising my vibration during this time when I haven’t been feeling 100%.

5. Who is watching LOVE IS BLIND??? I had never watched it before, didn’t even think it sounded that good, and now I am HOOKED. I had heard so so much about it online and I knew people were super into it, and now I get it. I am about halfway into season 6 (I haven’t watched any of the other seasons yet). What are our thoughts for other ppl who are watching? Do we think Jimmy & Chelsea end up together? And is Jessica not IDENTICAL to Amber Fillerup (our queen OG blogger)?! I have so many thoughts!!!

6. Haveeee you joined our MARCH CHALLENGE in the meditation platform?! It’s 21 days of commitment, devotion, and dedication to yourself & your practice. The medi’s range from legit 2 minutes long to some deeper dive ones. We also have journaling prompts, a gorgeous PDF for you with daily/nightly rituals, a group with accountability partners, a bunch of live events coming up, and access to over 100+ recordings… for literally only $11 monthly. You need to get in on it. I am shook every day that this space now exists and we want you thereeee with us!! Join us HERE.

7. One of my fave platform testimonials as of late:

“So emotional!!! Tapping on my heart after the kundalini breathing made me feel so much. I LOVE this combo of Kundalini Breathwodk & Visualization and the affirmations ALWAYS feel like a little goodie. Like I feel so abundant when I even get some in the end of the medi, it really enhances every meditation 10fold WOWWW.”

8. Thank god for mom friends. Like thank goddddd for mom friends. I am feeling so grateful for my community of mamas in this season of life. I also love of course having friends who are not moms (either not yet moms or don’t want to have kids) but there is something to be said for people who are in your season of life and truly get what you’re going through. Shoutout to the mamas who keep me afloat, you know who you are. <3

9. Did you knooowww we actually have a free access page now to the medi platform?! You can try out two meditations for FREE when you go here. The lucky girl affirmations & a wild Pleiadian channeling video. It’s hard to encapsulate the vibe of the platform with just two recordings because I cannot tell you how many diff styles and types of medi’s there are in there, but we tried. TELL MEEEE your thoughts, & I hope you’ll be inspired to join us!

10. We are still house hunting, it’s still been a really tough process, and I feel like I totally need/want to reframe my mindset around it. I need to start telling myself the process is easeful & fun and that our perfect house is on its way!! But tbh this has been my hardest manifestation yet (other than health related stuff).

11. Atticus got into preschool last week!!! He will start in Sept!! It feels so good to officially know where he is going. I won’t be sharing specifically where for obvious reasons, but let’s just say it’s very hippie & alternative and on the weekly schedule there is BUTTER CHURNING. I am unwell. Cutest and best thing ever. He wants to take a yellow school bus to school so he’s super stoked but I haven’t told him yet that he won’t be taking a bus, lol. But we WILL be taking him on a bus soon for fun because he is so so obsessed right now.

12. Speaking of, any cute kid’s shows, toys, rituals, books, or games your kids are loving right now? We need some new ideas and I would love your input!!!

LOVE YOU ALL & hope you are having an amazing week! Tell me how you’re doing below!! & check out last week’s post on the 15 THINGS I’VE LEARNED FROM RAISING MY VIBRATION here!!!

I will do a Kauai recap post with all of our top recommendations, and will also leave some recs below! Can’t wait to share with you guys, as that is always a top request whenever we go to any of the Hawaiian islands. For now, let’s get into today’s 12 things.

12 Things Tuesday ♡

1. I currently feel like a zombie because we were up so late, and the travel day yesterday was bonkers. The flight from Kauai to LA is only a little over 5 hours, but with a toddler who refuses to nap it feels like the longest 5 hours of life, lol. He was honestly so good for most of it, but hours 4 & 5 were roughhhh. And he also didn’t want to eat anything, so he was both exhausted and hungry!! But Jonathan and I discovered a game on the plane’s entertainment system called “ball defender” and I don’t even know how to describe it, maybe it’s sort of like Tetris (kind of??), and I became ADDICTED. It was so fun and Atticus loved it too. I swear it got us through those last few hours!

2. If I could give any tips to parents traveling with kids, my top tip would be: even though it’s going to be difficult and exhausting, DO IT ANYWAY. Don’t let having little kids hold you back from traveling, seeing the world, and creating memories as a family. We kept talking about the fact that this trip to Kauai was the BEST trip we have taken as a family so far. Atticus is old enough now to really have so much fun. He loved the beaches, the pools, the hikes, spending such quality time with us and our friends, and just exploring the island. I wouldn’t trade these family trips for the world, even if the travel days can be a little (or a lot) hectic.

3. I feel like I should do a post about packing / traveling with toddlers, because I feel like we’ve finally gotten it down to a science. And also, traveling is a great time to start a new habit with a toddler or put a break in an old routine. This trip I think Atticus pretty much weaned off of his nightly formula bottle, and I know if we had just been home in our usual routine that never would have happened. Every night in Kauai he was just asking for water!!

4. I swear, my body was made to be on the Hawaiian time zone. I really think this is true and has something to do with my past lives and beyond. In Hawaii, it is so easy for me to wake up with the sun around 6:30am, and go to bed at 8:30pm. Like literally by 8:30 I cannot keep my eyes open and fall asleep so easily. In California, I am a night owl, cannot wake up in the morning for the life of me, and toss and turn in bed until past 4 in the morning (including last night). WHAT is this all about!!!

5. I have been working on my book and recently started incorporating a lot more Pleiadian stuff into the book as it has been channeling through… and my connection to the sweet Pleiadians has been growing ten million fold. I have missed channeling them and also talking about them on the podcast, and I hear you guys when you tell me that you miss it too!! I am on another massive starseed deep dive, and cannot wait to share what has been coming forward.

6. Speaking of, have you taken the starseed quiz on the homepage of my site?!! What starseed are you?! Tell meeee!

7. We did the most special family photoshoot in Kauai and I cannot even tell you what an angel Atticus was. I am obsessed with capturing every phase of his life because it all moves so quickly. We were just saying, even the difference between how he was when we were in Cabo in October and how he is now, is WILD. He is so much more of a “kid” now rather than a baby. I try not to get caught up in the anxiety of how fast it all goes and wanting to soak in every moment…. but having children really does put time into perspective in a big way.

8. I am listening to my favorite 444 Hz music on YouTube right now and this is just your monthly reminder that this is such a great background vibe for your day. I have it on in the background while I’m working pretty much 100% of the time!

9. I read some VERY good books in Kauai. One of them was called If You Tell, and it’s a real story of a family’s life that truly sounds more like fiction than reality. The mom covered up three murders, treats her daughters in crazy abusive ways, and gets away with it for the majority of her life. It’s a really interesting take on how we protect our parents at all costs, and what it takes for her daughters to eventually wake up and report her. If you love real life true crime type of stories, you will devour this. But fair warning… it’s not light reading!! And it really stuck with me, I keep thinking about the family and all that they went through. So so wild.

10. Now I am reading Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult, and for my fiction lovers you will love. It is so well-written and so far I am on the edge of my seat to see what happens…! So far it’s a 9/10 from me — very good!

11. We are getting closer and closer to the launch of TBB meditation platform!!! Are you on the VIP waitlist yet?!VIP’s will get first access to launch pricing, epic giveaways, live channelings, and so much more. I am so elated to share this magical portal with you.

12. Being reunited with Huddy last night was the best thing ever after being gone for almost a week. He slept in my arms all night and gave me so much love. There is truly nothing in the world better than the love of an animal. <3

How are my fave people!? I know today’s list was a little all over the place… I feel very frazzled today lol. Tell me how you’re doing! I cannot believe it’s almost the holidays (and already Chanukah!!), time is FLYINNNGGG.

On that note, let’s get right into it woooo!

12 Things Tuesday!!

1. Anyone feeling particularly exhausted today like me? If you are, it’s because we only have two more days until Mercury goes into retrograde, and seven other planets will be in retrograde at that time as well. Sometimes during the mercury retrograde shadow period like we are in now, we can feel exhausted and out of it. It’s not the best time to go full throttle at something new, if you know what I mean. I learned all of this from my astrologer and alignment coach Eric, who is next week’s guest on the pod!

2. Speaking of the podcast… who listened to last week’s episode with 102-year-old practicing functional medicine doctor Gladys McGarey?! She BLEW me away. The responses from you guys on that one have been really special. It was an honor to speak with someone with so much wisdom. Imagine being alive since the 1920’s, and having gone to medical school during WWI! Unreal.

3. And also speaking of the pod, tomorrow’s guest Natasha Graziano is *something* else!! She is one of the most talented speakers I have ever had on the show. When I tell you that the room SHOOK when she spoke, I am serious. There is a reason she is named the #1 female speaker under 40 by Forbes. She is also a master of the law of attraction and manifestation. Get excited, you guys will love.

4. I am blasting Beautiful Chorus right now, my favorite high frequency music. It always brings me right back to my plant medicine journeys too, which reminds me…

5. Plant medicine is calling. <3 For the first time all year. I took a very significant break ever since my 6 session ketamine journey last November. And that break has been so needed. But the intuitive pull I now feel back to certain medicines is undeniable. It’s one of the only things I have been able to think about today.

6. I did a Q&A on Instagram today, go check it out if you have any burning questions for me because maybe I answered them there! The TOP question I have been getting like 20+ times a day is when we are going to have more kids. The peeps really wanna know. We aren’t quite ready yet, but I am feeling those baby spirits coming closer. We will try soon, but I have a few things I want to do before then!

7. Speaking of, when did it become such a thing that women *have* to have kids so close together? Attie is not even two yet and the pressure I feel from society is unreal!! And I don’t mind getting the question at all so don’t worry about that, I love how involved our community is in our life. And I love getting asked by you guys. But I mean just in general when did it become so strange to give your body enough time to heal from the last pregnancy?!

8. In my family we are all very spread apart. My dad had my oldest sister when he was 19. And then my next sister when he was 21. And then 10 years later, he and his ex-wife had my brother. And then fourteen years later, he and my mom had me! Then six years later, my nephew was born… and then when I was 12, 16, and 21 my nieces were born. So there were always babies coming along lol. I loved it! But my family is very confusing to people, which I do get.

9. I am reading THE BEST fiction book right now. It’s called Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, and it is so flipping good. It’s especially good because it’s about multiverses which is what my fiction book is also about that I have been working on for a while. If you like this kinda stuff… it’s a must read. Pretty dark though I have to warn you!

10. I have become freaking obsessed with matcha. Never thought I would see the day. Pique Tea is the best. Working on getting a code for you guys. ;)))

11. House hunting is still in full throttle manifestation mode. Keep sending the good energy our wayyyyy.

12. TBB Merch newest collection is launching on 9/8!! Mark your cals!! I am getting SO DAMN excited!!!!

How are my besties this week? How is everyone doin’? Love y’all so so much!! XOXO 

I know, I know. Bear with me here. I told you guys we were going to start to get more deep on the blog than ever before, so why not start with this? We are ready for it! Trust me! 

I first started feeling the intuitive knowing that we were in some sort of holographic reality a couple of years ago when the signs about it started jumping out to me as clear as day. Many nights I would dream that we were all infinitely powerful beings living in a Matrix type of reality, and in my dreams I could fly, heal myself and others, use magical powers, and everything came and flowed to me with complete ease. Then I would wake up and pretend to exercise those “powers” I felt in my dreams. It worked.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t wake up and start flying around my house — although that would be awesome. But I did slowly but surely start to change the chemistry in my mind and body to heal myself, heal my relationship to everything outside of myself, and feel complete peace and ease in my body, mind, and spirit. I also started channeling, which many of you know. Over time… I started realizing we truly are more powerful than we know.

SO MANY things on earth do not make a lot of sense to me, or to many of us. Like, why do we dream? Why do we sleep for roughly 1/3 of our lives? Why is truth oftentimes stranger than fiction? What is our soul’s purpose? Where do we go when we die? Who or what is God? Why do some people experience paranormal or psychic experiences and others don’t believe in them or feel open to them at all? What is fear? How do some people come up with world-altering inventions or mathematical equations or overcome impossible odds? How and why do miracles exist?! What even is impossible, if nothing is in fact impossible? Why does the number 201 follow me everywhere, every day, ALWAYS?! Why can I see people’s faces shape shift?!

What if this was all a SIMULATION, holographic reality, playground or dream state, and we all had infinite control over our own destinies? At the end of the day, only love is real. The universe has made that abundantly clear to each and every one of us when we truly stop and listen. We are all in charge of our own reality, which is why we actually all live in our own worlds — does anyone remember the whole “Yanny vs. Laurel” controversy or the gold dress vs. blue dress debate? PERCEPTION is individual. We all live in our own little universes!

Even Elon Musk says, given the rate of technology advancement in our lifetime, “It’s a given that we’re clearly on a trajectory that we’re going to have games that are indistinguishable from reality. It would seem to follow that the odds that we’re in base reality is 1 in billions.” Base reality, being of course, the one reality that is not a simulation.

Think… The Matrix, but real life! And trust me, I used to not be into this stuff at all. I was the first person to tell you that ghosts are not real, there is only one universe / timeline, there is a scientific reason for paranormal experiences, on and on.

BUT, boy has my mind shifted. I attribute that to so many things… the main thing being waking back up to my soul, and reconnecting to the spirituality I had as a child. Basically, before we become conditioned by the world, we are babies and little kids who have come from something infinite, beautiful, powerful, spiritual, the realm beyond. Thanks to getting sick with Lyme disease and going through a full spiritual, emotional, mental, metaphysical overhaul. It happened over time but also all at once… it was wild. And so cool.

This awakening has been incredible on so many levels. For one, I have been able to tap into other universes and realms and have been able to speak with ancestors, angels, aliens, my higher self, and beyond! I have received the knowing that we are so, so powerful beyond our wildest dreams and measure. That’s why things like manifestation, subconscious brain re-wiring, thought visualization (Joe Dispenza style), telepathy, and all sorts of traditionally unexplainable miracles take place on the daily — because we hold the keys to breaking patterns & building new ones every single day.

The downloads lately about us being in some sort of holographic reality have been huge. I have this strong feeling that this life really goes by in the blink of an eye as far as our eternal souls are concerned (because time is an illusion and it does not exist the way we think it does), and that when we pass on from these bodies we “wake back up” to what our true reality is. Which is infinite love, bliss, & eternal oneness. I know that idea is so out there compared to what we are taught to believe, but it doesn’t have to be a scary thing! In fact, it is a beautiful & amazing thing and to me it explains so MUCH about why we have the infinite power inside of us that I know we all possess. 

Yes… we are all infinitely powerful. Inside of us lives a whole universe of power, love, magic, and creative energy that is calling to be woken back up & put to use.

So how can we harness that!??!

That is why I am such a big proponent of routine! We ALL hold the power to our own daily routine & what we do every day. No matter how busy we are or what our life looks like – we can make the decision to instill lasting, daily habits that ultimately build up the entirety of our lives. That is why every single day no matter what I wake up, read a chapter of something that inspires me, drink my green juice, journal, stretch, have my coffee and lemon water, breathe & go inward before I start my day. That IS my spiritual practice. That’s when these ideas and knowings flow to me freely, before I am inundated by the noise of the world.

I have so many goals that I want to achieve in this lifetime, and I am so well aware that my routine still has a long way to go. When I spoke to the incredible Ryan Holiday (the author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy, & Stillness is the Key to name a few) for the podcast last week and asked him how he has found the diligence and inspiration to write more than ten extremely successful and life changing books by the age of 33, he said simply, “I just do it. There’s no big secret to it. I wake up and write every day before I do anything else. I get all the important things done early on in my day so everything I do after that is just a bonus.”

( I am paraphrasing his words here, but I cannot wait for you guys to hear this full episode when it comes out in two weeks. We also found out we are both from Sacramento and grew up extremely close by to one another! Again, maybe it’s just me, but this world is full of too many fantastic and irrefutable coincidences in order to just be “random.” There is something larger & more beautiful at play here, absolutely. )

We are in charge of our own free will & destiny. It’s NOT THAT HARD, not if we make it easy & shift our perception.

I know without a doubt that part of what I am here to do in this lifetime is write books, lots of them. Memoir, fiction, poetry. I feel it all coming forth. I feel paralyzed right now by the decision whether to dive into memoir or fiction first — if you guys have any feelings or thoughts on that please let me know, because your words may be just what I need to help me decide and just START!!! (Please seriously though comment below + let a sista know.)

Regardless, I know that I have infinite worlds of creativity, power and aliveness inside of me to get these writings started. I know that the moment I put my mind to it and just begin, the words will pour out. I know this to be true with every fiber of my being, because I know that this is our playground reality to do whatever we wish with. I know many of us have extreme obstacles to overcome, and that is all relative, but there is no doubt in my mind that we CAN overcome anything. Absolutely anything. Health, career, love, financial hardship… we can overcome anything. We were actually born to do exactly that.

I also believe in infinite lifetimes, parallel universes, soul realms, soul contracts, soul families, DNA imprints, karmic lessons, Akashic records and so much more — so that’s not to say that there aren’t limitations in this lifetime based off of our soul’s entire JOURNEY, some of which may remain a mystery for this lifetime, but I do believe that any limitation can be broken. Any barrier can be broken through. I believe in the good and purity in all of our souls and that the lightness really is here to overtake the dark.

So the one thing we can do to make life infinitely better, in my opinion, is to know that life is a playground. We hold infinite power in the “video game” simulation of our lives.

And whether you agree with me or not about the simulation hypothesis, it is so nice to know that we do hold this infinite power. We are talented, spiritual, strong, resilient creatures who are always evolving and always learning — we hold the wisdom of WORLDS inside of each of us.

When you think of life as a game, life gets infinitely better. 

When you think of life as a game, you can essentially “win” at the game of life whenever you choose to shift your perspective.

That is why ENERGY is so potent and powerful. Because as Joe Dispenza says, when we change our energy, we change our life. That is simple truth! Have you ever noticed that when you stop worrying about something and have full faith in the outcome, you truly cannot go wrong? Because you let go of the attachment to outcome and in that you give the freedom of your own destiny + free will to take over and do its thing.

Practicing the art of letting go and surrender is huge when shifting your energy and perspective and choosing in that sense to live a happier, mindful, peaceful life of non-attachment. And JOY !! So much joy exists in the spiritual life and quest of non-attachment.

My current mantra is this: Life is a game. Life is my playground. I have worlds of wisdom and knowledge ready to pour out of me, and so much creativity at my fingertips at any given time. I am in charge of my own health, wellbeing, and the outcome of my life. I hold infinite power.

I have so much more to say on this topic, but this is just a taste for now. My soul has been speaking to me big time and has given me lots of little truth bites to start sharing on the blog.

*If I can heal myself from Lyme and mold and regain my energy and vitality, then anything is impossible. A few years ago I thought I was going to die. I wanted to die. I was so ill and lost all of my zest for life. I lost everything I thought was ever going to be mine in this lifetime. And guess what? I broke down to rebuild… and now, I KNOW I can find full healing and full remission + that life is infinitely deeper, more beautiful, and full of so many more blessings than I ever could have imagined.  That, alone and in itself, makes me believe so fully in the innate power + blessings + magic we all hold inside of our bodies, spirits, and minds.

What do you think? Are you into it? What are your thoughts on us living in a simulation world?  Ultimately I think it is so beautiful to return to our true innate power and the magic that lives inside of us no matter what. The truth is, we CAN do anything. We all can. It’s all about believing in ourselves, and believing in shifting our reality.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week. Between my water fast earlier this week, beginning my liver cleanse at Surya Spa yesterday (another Ayurvedic healing treatment I can’t wait to share with you guys), and gearing up for a relaxing weekend before heading to Ojai with my love for Valentine’s Day… I am feeling like my self-care this week is on POINT.

Also, have you caught my podcast episode with Biet Simkin from yesterday? She is a GODDESS in every sense of the word. I can’t wait to hear what you think

After going straight from my Panchakarma to a wild week in NYC and then right back to LA for a full day at The Good Fest, this sista needed some major resetting. I wouldn’t even call it downtime, because this week has not been much of that, but a RESET is more like it.

I wanted to pop in today to talk about something I have been getting tons of questions about from you guys, particularly since I’ve started talking more on social media about my herbal supplements and holistic remedies for eczema, sleep, anxiety, digestion, fatigue, nutrient & mineral deficiencies, and more.

First I want to tell you my thoughts on supplementing our diets with vitamins, herbs, and probiotics… then I want to tell you what I take just to lay it all out! Take it or leave it because we are all DIFFERENT, but this is what works for me and I want you to find what works for you!

My Thoughts on Supplements //

As with everything in the wellness world, you must first and foremost listen to your own body. If you feel healthy, vibrant and energized with smooth digestion and great sleep — MAYBE supplements, herbs, and vitamins aren’t for you. You’re already feeling like a million bucks, and that’s amazing.

But if you’re anything like me at this stage in my life, you fall into a different category. That category looks a little something like this… debilitating eczema, chronic fatigue, gut health issues, parasites and candida, insomnia, the list goes on.

And by no means does that mean that I am unhealthy person. I feel very healthy actually (maybe healthier than ever in my life despite the current health concerns), and because I have taken so many steps to clean up my life in every sense of the word — my sensitive system is reacting and up-leveling in certain ways, which is bringing my body along for the ride. I truly believe that my spiritual awakening and explorations in the cosmos / kundalini / reiki / etc. have caused my body to be WAY out of whack (for now)… because my bod isn’t used to all of this stuff that my mind is experiencing and expanding with!

The health issues are all a gift from the universe because now I am inspired to draw inward, use supplements and herbs, learn about plant medicine, take care of myself on a whole new level, embrace the self-care life even more so, and HEAL. I am really, truly thrilled about this stage in my health journey if you can believe it — debilitating eczema / hives and all.

So when it comes to supplements… I think they are an incredible way to supplement an already healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods, exercise, happiness, and good sleep. Those would be my key components of a healthy lifestyle right there.

Beyond supplementing an already healthy lifestyle, supplements & herbs can be used to manage deficiencies or areas where we need a little extra boost. For me you know what that is… sleep, digestion, skin, the whole gamut!

you may have seen on my social media that i spent the weekend in portland & bend, oregon running a TRAIL RACE and exploring both adorable cities — and i have to say, i am in love. with all of it.

trail running included, even though the race itself was HARDER than life… probably harder for me than the full LA Marathon, but i’ll get to that!

there is so much i want to break down in this post, like my favorite spots in portland, what it was like running a half marathon in the mountains after taking a huge break from running, and how amazing it was to be in nature and reconnect to the earth in such a powerful way.

oh, and how fun it was to celebrate the love of my life’s birthday on our trip. he turned 31 yesterday, and ran 31 miles on saturday. he is a boss.

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let’s start with portland.

we only got to spend two nights in portland, which was not nearly enough given the amount of things i was dying to do there, but we used our time to the fullest and had such a blast.

we stayed in the CUTEST airbnb that i will definitely be staying in again & again, slightly south of the city but only about 10 minute drive into the downtown area. it makes me wish LA was not so spread out, it would make life a trillion times easier!

jonathan and i flew in on wednesday night and our friend alexi flew in thursday morning to join us — so for all the people wondering on instagram “who took that photo of you guys in bed?!?!” it was alexi, aka the best photog ever. but i have been known to self timer that shit as well, so no judgement on those who thought it was timered, lol!

thursday morning we took it nice and slow, which was SO BEYOND NEEDED. we had all been working nonstop before the trip to ensure that we could relax and take some time off while we were there, so the exhaustion was very real on thurs morning (for me, at least… i needed to take it EASY now that i was finally on vaycay!).

we hung out in our airbnb, sipped some coffee, and ventured into the city in the late morning for brunch at Harlow, which had been highly recommended to me by SO MANY OF YOU (you guys are awesome).

when we arrived at the restaurant, i immediately knew it was a place i was going to fall in love with. their menu is all vegetarian, with tons of gluten-free yumminess, smoothies, bowls, egg dishes, etc. basically my heaven.

i ended up ordering the “betty bowl” even though EVERYTHING looked so good, and i had to fight myself not to order the Harlow Latte with hazelnut-cashew milk (you guys know i am a sucker for delicious coffee drinks) but after the coffee i’d already had, i knew that would be a bad idea.

i opted for the iced earl grey latte instead (same milk, no honey), and it was delish.

i believe i said multiple times while eating that bowl, “if this was available everywhere, being plant-based would be ridiculously easy.” TRUTH, although you know i love that variety.

after we ate, we walked around the cute street we were on before making our way over to NW 23rd street to do some shopping and strolling around that street, as a bunch of people told us that was a great place to explore!

we spent the day popping into cute shops with CRYSTALS, adorable cards, quirky books and oregonian t-shirts, and i can safely say i fell in love with all of it. i bought a book on mindfulness meditation called “the things you can see only when you slow down,” which i felt was a TOTAL sign because so many people have been reminding me, ever so gently yet ever so often, to SLOW THE F DOWN.

my acupuncturist gave me a 25 minute speech about the importance of slowing down the day before i left, and then when i saw that book i knew it was placed in my hands for a reason.

portland has the CUTEST book stores, i could get lost in them for days and days on end. last time i was in portland i think i spent an entire day in Powell’s book store — the hugest i’ve ever seen, with a fiction section that bursted my heart open with it’s vastness.

J & i took a yoga class at Yoga Pearl in the late afternoon, which was so freaking nice after siting on the plane and also getting our bodies ready for the race. it’s always hard for me to take yoga at places i’ve never been before because i am such a creature of habit with my studios, but Yoga Pearl is beautiful and the experience of being in the space alone made me feel very oregon-esque.

then the three of us went to Bamboo Sushi for dinner (huge winner) and next-door to Salt & Straw for ice cream afterward!

i am not the hugest ice cream person, but holy shit that ice cream was good. i had chocolate gooey brownie and almond brittle, because if i’m going to have ice cream… i’m going to go all out.

thennnn we headed to bend!

i told you our time in portland was way too short! we woke up the next morning to meet our friends (electric flight crew!!!) at the airport to head to Bend, and admittedly i was a stress basket for a multitude of reasons.

ONE, i had found out that morning that someone very dear to me had passed away. my next post will be about her, so you guys will learn more soon. secondly, i do not like waking up and scrambling to get to the airport without time to eat breakfast or get all my stuff together. we were pretty rushed, we didn’t know a whole lot about where we could get healthy food in a pinch before our 3 and a half hour drive to Bend, and we were walking around downtown trying to agree on a place with ALL of our luggage and bags.

i went into Kure Juice because i recognized it from my last trip to portland and had probably the best oatmeal of my LIFE. J & alexi decided on whole foods, where we met some people who drove us to the airport in their cross-country road trip van (great story, new friends hehe), arriving at the bus with plenty of time (and me thinking i left my purse and laptop in the road trip van which thankfully i did not, but there was a minor panic attack that’s for sure), and then driving to Bend.

we stopped in the super cute yet totally not wellness friendly town of Governor’s Camp on the way, had some less than decent Mexican food, and eventually made it to Bend 4 hours later. it was a BEAUTIFUL drive, with rolling green hills and tons of lush, gorgeous mountain scenery that we simply do not get in LA or anywhere near.

THE RACE!

i will skip our welcome dinner with Under Armour and my scramble to try to get to sleep early which really didn’t happen because i was starting to get so nervous about the half in the mountains, once i officially heard how insane the elevation and the hills were… BUT with jonathan running the full 50k, i felt a lot better about my own *short in comparison* 13.1 mile distance.

it had been a while since i had woken up for a race. over a year, in fact. the last race i ran was the Vine, Body, Sole Half Marathon in Napa LAST May! i took a long running break after my Panchakarma and during my teacher training in favor of slower, more low-intensity exercise, but a few months ago i knew i was ready to dive back into more running. because i love it, even though that ish is hard.

running is like a moving meditation for me. it’s certainly not easy for me the way it comes naturally to some people, but i think that’s one of the things i love most about it. running is a huge challenge for me. even when i am very well trained for a race, it takes my body several miles to warm up and to feel up to speed (literally).

but once i get into my groove, it becomes a true out-of-my-head, reflective, meditative experience. this time was no different, even though… the entire half marathon was on a TRAIL, so way high up in the mountains. to give you an idea of the elevation and incline, it looked a little something like this:

intense, right?! and yes, that downhill from about mile 2 – mile 5 felt like pretty much the best thing of my entire life. that’s when i really got into my groove and felt like the race would be a piece of cake after my MAJOR uphill “warmup.”

the first hill was freakishly hard. it was one of those hills that is so steep, there is zero point in trying to run it because you’d burn yourself out in .2 seconds. my mind was doing crazy things during that uphill climb… including convincing myself that the race was going to be my demise and that i’d never be able to finish it if the entire thing was as hard as that first massive hill.

of course, as all things do, it got easier after my body was warm and my mind started to calm down. plus, i kept thinking about jonathan who was in the middle of his 50k while we were doing the half — and that inspired me more than words can even begin to say. (50k is 31 MILES!)

after mile 6 or so when the incline started to get really steep again, i decided to be easy on myself and walk as much as i needed to. this made the race super enjoyable, because there was no pressure to keep moving fast the whole time — it was a slow and steady, enjoy the scenery, take in the mountains, and give love to the growing tightness in my hip flexors and calves by walking it out kind of race, and just jogging when it felt right.

the last 4-ish miles were when it started to feel particularly painful & hard. because of all of the inclines, my iPhone “Health App” now told me i had gone 17 miles. that’s 4 miles more than a half… and i knew i had several miles to go! it was starting to get really frustrating not knowing where i was, or how much further i had to go, but when i finally past the “Mile 9” marker i knew i had it in me to go 4.1 further.

and also because of the inclines, going 0.5 of a mile felt like a full 4 miles in itself. it was killing me! but i tapped into my breath, took in the serenity of the total silence around me, and kept going. i knew i was so close to finishing! my hips and calves were screaming, but my lungs felt 100% fine which was nice considering the major elevation and altitude!

i also had a moment out there talking to the person who passed away this weekend that i was close to — i’ll get more into that in my post about her, but it was very special and oh so calming.

because i allowed myself to walk so much throughout the race, the final half mile was really not so bad at all. i knew i was SO close to the finish, so after the last big hill i jogged through to the finish line and found our EFC crew.

i foam rolled it out, watched alexi finish her 5k (she sprained her ankle last month or else she would have been in the half with me!), and all of us anxiously awaited jonathan crossing the finish line of his 50k… ahhh!!

watching him finish was hands down one of the coolest, most memorable experiences i’ve ever had. he texted us when he was 45 minutes out, and my anxiety level was WAY TOO HIGH to not go right down there to start waiting at the finish line so i rallied everyone down there to get our beers & cameras ready and… wait.

the giddiness was way too much fun. every single one of us got to soak in the excitement of his massive accomplishment because it is just so freaking amazing to know someone who is finishing such a huge, challenging race — let alone be madly in love with that person.

he came through pretty much right when we thought he would (a full hour earlier than his goal time!!!) like a TOTAL champ, and by far the best part of my entire day was giving him a huge, beer-soaked hug and kiss at the finish line.

it’s an incredible feeling to be with someone who motivates you to be the best version of yourself, huge physical challenges and all, but that’s a blog post for another day.

not to mention, he ran this race for his BIRTHDAY which is just incredibly cool and inspirational.

then we celebrated the night away in Bend, checking out some super adorable spots like Bend Brew Co, a cute little pub that i didn’t catch the name of, and a hilarious but AWESOME “night club” called Seven.

safe to say, we had a really freaking amazing time. i even had two cocktails AND a shot, and you guys know for me… that is a LOT.

all in all, the trip was incredibly fun. it was so awesome to be somewhere new surrounded by so many good people that we love, to push ourselves and do something VERY HARD but very awesome, and ultimately — to watch J finish his 50k and totally crush it.

now i am dying to go back to portland AND to bend to hit up all the cute, healthy, yogi spots that we didn’t have time for on this trip!!! do you have any oregon faves that i missed?! any trail racing or half marathon / 50k experiences of your own?! i’d love to hear!! XO

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Did you know that I have been writing Loving Lately’s since I first started blogging in 2013?!

When I lived in NYC with my best friend Katie, she would come home from work after a long day and say “your loving lately posts are my FAVORITE, do them more often!! they make the work day go by so much faster!!”

Ever since then, I have taken them very seriously… knowing that lists are so much fun to read, and it can be so inspiring to get a glimpse into what someone else is into at the moment.

There are LOTS of great loving lately items up in here today, so let’s get started!

Loving Lately // 5.11.17

CRYSTALS! // If you guys have been following along on my Instagram these last few weeks, then you know I have gotten major into crystals, along with my recent foray with kundalini yoga. I recently picked up some rainbow titanium aura quartz, which is said to be the “Stone of Astral Journeys” and is known to be a great crystal for out of body experiences and removing energy blockages. Now that I am trying to remove all of my BLOCKS so that I can be as in tune with the universe as possible… I figured this was the perfect stone for me. It also activates the Third Eye, and I have been seeing some crazy awesome stuff in my Third Eye (I need to write a whole post about it), so I meditate with it in the morning and place it there!

If you are looking for a place to buy crystals, head to my girl Marissa Lace‘s online crystal shop, Light Love & Lace! Use the code soulonfire at checkout for 10% off!! YAY. You guys will love. Also, who has listened to her on the podcast this week!?!? She’s AMAZING.

PODCASTING! // Speaking of the podcast… I can’t tell you guys how much podcasting has reawakened my soul and creativity. It has been the perfect way to blend what I love — sharing with you guys, while connecting with people who have inspiring stories to share, while getting to watch a whole new aspect of my business grow and take form. As an entrepreneur I am always in love with CREATING and building, and it had been a while since I created something new that I was really, truly excited and thrilled about. This week’s episode with Marissa Lace is an absolute must-listen, and last week’s LIVE episode from NYC with Rachel Mansfield is a fave too.

Also, if you are into the podcast and haven’t rated / reviewed, subscribed… you can do so by searching ‘The Balanced Blonde Podcast’ in the iTunes store, and then hitting “ratings and reviews” to leave your own! I would be SO grateful if you would consider doing that in a few minutes of your free time! It helps greatly with visibility on iTunes, and the positive (honest!!) reviews mean so, so, so much to my lil’ heart.

BODY WORK!! // Last week I had the awesome opportunity to have a body work session with alignment and fascia expert, a.k.a “the body whisperer” (so true), Lauren Roxburgh! I had been dying to try her alignment-based body work for so long and our schedules finally aligned for me to come in for a session. The experience was truly magical. Her work is meant to improve posture, release tension and stress, activate and strengthen the core and intrinsic muscles and increase connectivity and flexibility – all of which helps us to find a healthier, happier stance in their bodies and lives.

We also dug deep emotionally, as she noticed I had some blockages in my Solar Plexus, Root Chakra and heart space… meaning that I have some built up stress. So we talked about it, and naturally I cried it out. It was so therapeutic.

UMMM, amazing, right?! LOOK at this Before & After photo that we took after she stretched me out, calmed my nervous system, readjusted my fascia, and dug deep:

I am SO excited to dive deeper into this work with Lo (she is about to give birth so she is taking some MUCH DESERVED time off) this summer and move all the way through her 10 part SERIES with her. You guys know how much I love this healing work and all that it can do for us.

Plus… my sway back. I’ve had it my whole life. Even with all my yoga, I’d love to continue working to stand TALL like I am in the second photo after being all worked out and calmed down!

LAVENDER HAIR!! // Have ya noticed?!?! TBB ain’t so “B” (blonde!) right now… I am all about dat lavender!!! It has been SO much fun to switch it up and do something different with my hair for pretty much the first time in my life. Yes, I have been different shades of blonde (even 100% white-platinum), but I have never strayed from being a blondie.

I actually started having visions of me with lavender hair during kundalini classes and meditations… and even in a long savasana after a vinyasa class. I had been inspired to do it for a while, so I finally went for it last week! I think it’s going to take a lot of maintenance to keep it lavender and not fade right back into blonde, but I am up for the challenge for a while.

Also, I’ve sinced learned that purple is the color of the WISDOM CHAKRA, which is also aligned with abundance, power, prosperity, being connected to the universe, and so much more. How crazy cool is that? So it’s totally in alignment and in tune with the spiritual transformation that is already taking place inside of me! #meanttobe

BOXED WATER & THEIR RETREE INITIATIVE! // 

I am absolutely LOVING  that my longtime favorite water company, Boxed Water, is committed to planting two trees for every social post that features their product with the hashtag #ReTree. How unbelievably easy is that? Like, can we all go post a picture of their product with the hashtag #ReTree?! That. Easy.

Not only has Boxed Water partnered with the National Forest Foundation for this incredible reforestation initiative, but they are also just better for the planet in every way. They’ve made it their mission to change the way water is packaged, shipped and sold. Founded on the belief that sustainability matters, their recyclable cartons are always made of paper from well-managed forests- where new trees are continuously planted to replace the ones harvested. They are the BEST and I want everyone to know about them!

SWITCHING UP MY MEALS EVERY DAY // Okay, you guys know I am a creature of habit. I usually get pretty attached to my meals if I am loving them — but right now I have been absolutely loving switching it up! I have been making this delicious ground turkey (have you seen it on my Insta stories?) simmered in bone broth and white truffle ghee, mixed with egg whites and arugula. Sometimes I add some nutritional yeast and paprika or a full egg if I’m in the mood. Beyond obsessed. Also switching up my Keto OS & Bulletproof with a regular ketogenic smoothie every morning depending on what my body wants / needs that day! It’s been awesome.

We must listen to our BODS above all else.

RECORDING AUDIO FOR MY EBOOK!!! // Have you gotten your hands on my yoga ebook yet?! I am in the middle of recording AUDIO for it (yes, audiobook of yoga! ahhh!!), and everyone who preordered the ebook gets the audio for free. Because you guys are the JAM. Also, everyone who orders the ebook in the next 2 weeks before audio content goes live will get a huge discount on the audio!

SO EXCITED to share, it’s been a blast to record and re-read through everything I wrote down!

Apple Cider Vinegar Limeade // I am literally obsessed. I order cases upon cases from Amazon like it’s my job. ACV is amazing for digestion and it makes the perfect natural energy drink. Not sponsored, just realness… try it!!!

So that is SOME of what I am loving lately! What are YOU loving? Would love to hear. Share with me below!!!! XO

I recently got back into town from Philly & NYC and holy moly, was it a whirlwind. So much fun, but such a total whirlwind.

It’s been amazing getting back into my routine and also knowing I have SO MUCH TRAVEL coming up this year (Nicaragua, Ojai, Hawaii, Cabo, Indonesia, Santa Cruz, Cabo again, to name a few…!!!) I have been soaking in my home time with Huddy Bear and all my faves.

Also had my BFF Danielle visiting me this weekend — who followed along on Instagram?! We had WAY too much fun.

Wearing my fave Natori sports bra in my NYC hotel! I am such a huge fan of these bras, as you know I can have trouble finding something that is supportive AND cute. These are a huge win and I am so glad I had a bunch of them with me on my trip!

All photos by Renee Choi !!! The most amazing. Check her out!

The trip was such a blast.

I got to teach yoga at The GOOD Fest which was a total MEMORY MAKING experience for the books. I got to meet hundreds of you (if we met, please comment below and say hi!! Would love to stay connected foevaaaa), give a breakout blogging sesh for VIP ticket holders, and also soak in the magical vibes of all the other speakers whom I love dearly.

More on that soon, but since this post is all about how I maintain my exercise routine on vacation, I’ll keep telling you about my trip so you’ll see WHY it was such a whirlwind.

After The GOOD Fest, I stayed the night in Philly and then took the train to NYC the next day. That night, I taught a huge and awesome yoga workshop at Pure Yoga on the Upper West Side, and then the following night I hosted my first ever LIVE podcast recording with my lovely lady Rachel Mansfield.

The next day I spent the day at MindBodyGreen (SO FUN) meeting with all my fave editors (I mean, they’re all my fave, so I met with ALL of them) and teaching yoga to their team for a rad FB live!

The rest of my trip was sprinkled with photo shoots, catching up with friends (some of my lifelong BFF’s live there), meeting with Sarah (lit agent) about my next book idea (EEEEEK), and hitting up a few meetings.

NYC, you’ll always have my heart. Man oh man do I miss living in you… my bicoastal days are coming soon, I know it.

SO — I was gone for a week total.

How on earth did I squeeze in workouts!??!

GOOD QUESTION!

I told myself before I left that I would make sure to work out every day in some capacity or another, because sometimes my trips to the east coast can get so packed that I forego my workouts — which usually ends up just making me go crazy.

I’ve learned over the years (especially while traveling) that I need to move in order to feel sane — but not just move. In NYC I walk miles upon miles every day no matter what, because that’s how the city is, but I need to do yoga, run, and really sweat it out in order to keep my body feeling the way I want it to feel.

Plus, exercise is my stress release. So prioritizing it is huge for me.

So… here are my top tips! I hope they help if you have some big trips coming up this summer!

My Top Tips for Exercising While Traveling //

+ PLAN AHEAD! Take a good look at your trip schedule before you leave. In my case, between Philly & NYC and all of the events, meetings, and plans that I had — I only had short pockets of time to exercise. So I blocked out time to exercise in my calendar and made it happen. I planned ahead to schedule afternoon meetings so I could workout in the mornings, and some nights I squeezed in a yoga class when I knew I wouldn’t have time to do it earlier. When you make your workouts a priority, you give yourself the time and space to actually allow them to happen!

+ D0n’t beat yourself up if your routine is more lax than when you’re home! Inevitably, when you’re traveling you’re going to be out of your usual routine. If you go to HIIT classes twice a week, hot yoga three times a week and run once a week when you’re home — you can’t expect to squeeze that exact routine in on vacation and still relax, work (if you’re traveling for work), see friends, explore the city, try new things, and enjoy yourself. So be cool with switching it up and prioritizing. For me, I knew if I could get my yoga classes in I’d be happy… I knew I just didn’t have time to go to HIIT even though at home that’s a part of my routine.

+ LESS is better than nothing! I made sure to go for treadmill runs in my hotel gym most mornings even if I only had 20 minutes to do it, because I know I feel so much better when I can get my heart rate up — even if that was a full 40 mins or more less than my ideal runs at home! It’s better than nothing, right!? YES. A short treadmill run, a shower, and a long walk around the city all day is perfectly fine with me. (And yoga when I could make it happen.)

+ Workout in your hotel room! I traveled with my Soul on Fire yoga ebook (#boom) so that I could still get my yoga on even when I didn’t have time to go to a studio or (let’s face it) when I was simply too exhausted from the day’s work and the week’s worth of events to get to a full-blown studio class. This falls back into the less is better than nothing category.

+ Pack PLENTY of workout clothes. You don’t want the fact that you may not have enough workout clothes with you to prevent you from exercising. That means socks, running shoes, plenty of sports bras (NATORI!), yoga clothes and running shorts (if you’re like me and want to switch it up), and whatever else you need. Luckily, athleisure is so cute these days you can usually double up and wear these outfits during the day before you workout too so you’re not stuck with ten million outfits in your suitcase.

Boom!! That’s pretty much what I’ve got.

Of course it’s also important to find workouts that you LOVE and truly enjoy so that you’re having fun on your vacation too. Scheduling in workout dates with friends if you know people in the city you’re visiting is a great way to hold yourself accountable and to also make it fun and social in the process.

Also, if you’re looking for a good sports bra, I highly recommend Natori. I am wearing their bras in all of the photos in this post, and they couldn’t be more comfortable or easy to travel with. They are designed for a bigger bust, soooo if you’re with me on that ladies, these will be perfect for you. There is also no underwire which I absolutely love.

Thoughts?! Are you into working out on vacation?! Would absolutely love to hear. XO

P.S. This post was made in collaboration with Natori, but all thoughts & opinions are my own as always!!

Okay, I wrote this post and it got real deep real fast.

I was going to write a good old-fashioned heart spill post, the way I used to back when I blogged on the daily. But once I got going I realized I had a lot more to say than I thought… so this is a heart spill and then some.

This post may have just turned into a mission statement about where my blog is going and where I am going… where I’ve been, what has shifted, and where I feel like I’m headed.

That’s what is so cool about blogs. They can evolve right alongside of us. And I feel like this year in particular has been full of evolution for me. My blog has changed a LOT since the 2013 days (scroll back to some of the earliest posts to see what I’m talking about if you’re ever bored and have the time… it’s sort of fun to watch the whole evolution thing go down), but man oh man, has this year been one for the books.

My whole personality is in a different place. I hear it almost every day. I take it as a huge compliment, because I feel clarity and peace in ways I have never felt before — and I am so glad that it’s radiating through.

This has hands down been the best year of my life, and I want to tell you guys why.

ALL ABOUT DEM THOUGHTS //

I have been thinking a lot lately about who I am, the way my mind works, how to channel and harness my energy in the best and most effective of ways, and how to take care of myself and rest when I need to so that I don’t lose sight of all of the beautiful things the universe has gifted me + has in store for me.

I have that super “on,” introspective, HSP, creative type of mind that likes to be going, going, going all of the time. Especially in the middle of the night — yo, insomnia. But truly always, it’s ALWAYS moving.

That’s why things like yoga, kundalini (who has listened to my latest podcast episode with the High Vibe Livin girls?! I am OBSESSED), meditation, journaling, traveling and getting out of my routine, SOLO TIME, and being in love all set my soul on fire in a way that stimulates creativity and my flow more than anything else.

So today what I really wanted to heart spill about is… being in tune with the universe. Manifesting the fullest version of my life, and always keeping my eyes on how grateful I am for all of the good things I’ve been graced with.

This used to be a blog about vegan food, for goodness sake… and yesterday I had someone come up to me at the farmer’s market and say “you are my FAVORITE yoga and lifestyle blogger!!!”

I almost dropped dead with gratitude. Writing about yoga, lifestyle, and straight up journaling my life… is something I feel I was meant to do. Even if zero people were reading (well, one, because my mom would always read!! I’d make sure of it), I would feel called to it.

And now more than ever, blogging about so much more than just food + wellness, I feel so connected to strengthening my intuition and spirituality to share with you guys. It is what is currently setting my soul on fire.

( So is writing ebooks… have ya checked mine out? It’s been such a fun ride to release this bad boy & share all the yogi love. )

Being totally, deeply, in touch with myself and the universe through yoga, meditation and kundalini has been changing my life as of late. Let me tell you a little story about it all & why this has been the best year of my life.

Story Time…!!!

You know I did my 300-hour teacher training this past year, and it brought up a LOT. It taught me a ton about myself and opened my eyes to an entirely different side of who I am. The side of me that loves to teach, connects with deeply rooted spirituality, thinks less and trusts my gut, allows my intuition to lead the way, and so much more.

After practicing yoga for a good decade, doing multiple teacher trainings, retreats, immersion programs, etc… I never thought much about my own personal spirituality. I wanted to be into it, I read all of the spirit junkie  & universe guidance books by Gabby Bernstein, I occasionally felt major waves of spirituality wash over me in a particularly good savasana or seated meditation — but I just didn’t feel super connected in that way.

I’ve always been more of a vinyasa, sweaty, flow hard to find bliss and relaxation in savasana type of yogi. Even though the mental, spiritual and emotional aspects of yoga have really resonated with me for all these years, I could only ever tap into them through the physical.

Then January 1, 2017 happened.

A lot of things seemed to shift in my life. It was almost scary, in a totally awesome way, how many things began to change overnight. I came into the New Year leading a yoga and intention setting event, and leading up to the event I spent a good two weeks drawing inward to tap into what I wanted to carry with me into the new year and what I needed to leave behind.

I wrote it all out. I made vision boards. I collected probably 150 quotes that resonated with me and what I knew I wanted. I covered an entire wall in my parents’ house with colorful papers full of inspiration for what I wanted to do, create, and BE this year.

For the first time ever, I felt so CLEAR.

Clear on what I needed to manifest and let go of in order to be the fullest version of myself, let go of negative energy, and remain in the state of clarity that I was beginning to develop with such a strong force.

I released all sorts of stress and preconceived notions of how I thought things should be, and decided to leave the bad, stagnant energy behind me. I embraced the new year and all I knew it had to offer.

I knew what I wanted above all else was to live the year rooted in love — to not worry about my future, my past, or harp on anything stressful… to just be surrounded by love in my relationships, my career, my routine, and everything I chose to do.

And guess what? I fell in love. Big time. With an amazing human who reminds me every day what it feels like to be so full of love and light it almost hurts (in a good way)… and if I told you that happened on the first day of the new year I would not be exaggerating.

It really did.

He is my best friend and the most incredible person. I will probably write posts upon posts about him in the future (let’s be real, I definitely will), but for now I just had to add that in to show you that because I was so amazingly clear on what I wanted to feel this year — love — I was in TUNE with the universe, and I was in the right place to receive it.

The timing was on point.

It’s been amazing. It’s amazing how at peace and how much more creative and calm I feel just being head over heels in love. And also being so in love with the ways my life has shifted.

I take so much more time to myself than I used to. Self care has been huge for me ever since my Panchakarma, and my teacher training only strengthened that. Meditation has been a game changer, and letting go of hardcore workouts for a while to really draw inward was a huge help too.

Plus, I found peace knowing that the universe was really, really guiding me. I had released what I wanted into the universe, made it clear, and it was actually coming to fruition. Pretty wild!!!

So after beginning to tap into that universal guidance, that powerful feeling of surrender, spirituality through meditation and movement, trust in my gut as a teacher and of course a forever student… I wanted more.

And THEN, in came kundalini.

One day I will tell you guys all of the crazy ways that kundalini presented itself to me this year. For now I’ll just tell you that the word itself came up about 15 times in a row, out of nowhere, nearly every single day, making it very obvious that I had no choice but to try it.

So I did a private session with the amazing High Vibe Livin girls who I met at a retreat in Santa Barbara, and I had what I would consider to be my first super spiritual experience of creative visions and total stimulation and strengthened intuitiveness through breath, movement, and meditation that I have EVER had.

It satiated something deep inside of me that wasn’t totally being nourished by my regular yoga practice. It seemed to be the missing link that I needed to keep strengthening my connection with my intuition and my spirit.

Since then, I have done kundalini a handful more times. I am still figuring out how to work it into my life in a way that works best with my full (full, full) schedule, since the physical practice of yoga and also other forms of exercise like HIIT are still important to me for so many other soul-nourishing and stress-relieving reasons.

There needs to be more time in the day.

However, every time I have done it, I have had a true spiritual experience. I’ve left this planet, metaphorically, and tapped way into myself in a way that has brought so much clarity to light.

Beyond practicing kundalini, the word itself has continued to come up in conversation every single day. Traveling last week, I met a good FIVE people who teach kundalini and have shared even more benefits and awesomeness about it with me.

Then I got back to LA and did another private with Britt & Tara from HVL, and this time I got to do it with my love and even do some partner meditation. Crazy special.

When I was on the east coast last week, everything felt so right.

Teaching yoga (4 days in a row to so many of you — if you came to any of the events in Philly or NYC, comment below so I can say hiiiiii!!), meeting with my amazing agent about our next book idea (very yoga related, as you can imagine…), and feeling totally okay with the fact that I didn’t blog once while I was gone.

Also, I feel like my blog has shifted and evolved in a way where I feel comfortable “blogging” on Instagram. I write major captions there, do Instagram stories, release podcasts weekly, have the Soul on Fire FB group (join!!!), all in so many ways to connect with you guys so that I don’t feel weird if I’m not blogging as often on this actual blog.

I know things have shifted over the years. I want to thank you guys for being here. The blog will never go anywhere — this is my bread and butter. When I envision myself years and years into the future, I am unsure about Instagram + podcast + all of those social media platforms, but I am POSITIVE I will still be here writing on the blog.

Always. Forevskis.

And I CAN’T WAIT to see where it all goes!!! And I am still so passionate about wellness, nutrition, nourishing our bodies with balanced approach to healthy food, and more — and now there are just new and fun elements to be shared.

It’s crazy awesome how our lives evolve. I also can’t wait to see how the rest of this year unfolds, and how kundalini and this deeper spirituality I’ve found will continue to work its magic in wondrous ways.

So grateful for you guys. So grateful for all of the awesome changes and shifts. And stay tuned for a big change this week, to match all of the shifts going down in my life…! Any guesses?

XO

HOW CUTE ARE THEY?

Use the discount code TBB15 for 15% off of everything on their site. Their clothing is all organic, sustainable, mindful and impactful.

They use pure materials from organic cotton to coconut oil, and they even have a partnership with an environmental and socially conscious organic cotton production corporation in India… so awesome.

All of their clothes are free from chemicals including: bleaches, toxic waxes, sulfur and heavy metals commonly used in the production of clothing. Only natural, non-toxic plant based dyes are used (#SCORE).

I am all about the companies that make us feel good in clothes and also promote a globally sound environment through every step of production. They are hard to come by but when I find them, I become obsessed and want to share them with YOU!

So yeah, they’re awesome. Plus how cute are these prints?

Check them out to shop & be sure to use my TBB15 code for 15% off!!!

What I Love Most About Yoga //

There are so many things I love about yoga.

What I fell in love with initially was the physical practice. I walked into my first ever yoga studio in Sactown when I was 15 years old and it was hook, line and sinker.

I told myself I would go back every day for the rest of my life, and give or take a few days (plus a lot of days in the beginning of college, because… well, college) I have held up that agreement with myself.

That first ever day in the studio is when I became a diehard yogi. I was attracted to the mind, body, spirit element of the practice, but at that time it was mainly the physical aspect that I was hyper-focused on. I wanted to learn all of the poses and do all of the things. I wanted to have the “yoga butt,” the yoga abs, and all around tap into my strongest physical body through the practice.

But even going all the way back to that FIRST CLASS — basketball shorts and all, dripping in sweat, my heart bursting open with a crazy feeling of gratitude & love during Savasana that I had never before experienced anything like it — I always knew it was about so much more than the physical.

The physical element was just a vehicle for what I really experienced deep down… an inner peace that was simply indescribable until I learned more.

True peace. Calm. Mind, body, spirit awareness. An awareness of a universe so far outside of myself and beyond myself. Beyond everything I was dealing with at the time, from my then-boyfriend’s recent suicide attempt (just three days before that first ever yoga class, actually) to just coming into my own as a human and trying to figure it all out. I was going through some major shit on the inside.

That Savasana euphoria BLEW MY MIND.

So I went back again and again and again for that rigorous, sweaty, hot AF physical practice that ended in that blissful state. I needed it all the time. I craved it in my bones.

Over the years, now that it’s been 11 of them (what?!?) I have learned quite a lot more about the blissful feeling that washes over me at the end of a class.

It’s about what happens internally that keeps me sane, keeps me coming back for more, and makes me so incredibly grateful that I found this practice that I needed so desperately.

( Shop Satva here!! )

The Beauty of Savasana & Meditation //

I recently took an hour and fifteen minute vinyasa class that ended with a full fifteen minute Savasana.

FIFTEEN MINUTES of pure bliss and rest after working our muscles to the bone.

I can’t even tell you how needed and amazing that experience was for me on that particular day. With Venus in retrograde and a LOT OF STUFF happening in my life these past few weeks (like my ebook coming out!! ahhh!!) I was in serious need of some true relaxation and zen vibes.

Those fifteen minutes allowed me to sink in and dig deep in a very meditative kind of way. I nearly had an out of body experience, which never is able to happen in the usual 2-3 minute Savasanas in most vinyasa classes in Los Angeles.

It’s like I saw my life moving in slow motion and could pick out the things that were causing me stress and basically choose to eliminate them. I had control over my mind — power over the fluctuations of the mindstuff (thanks Patanjali :)).

Directly after that, I had the MOST POWERFUL experience with my girlfriends from High Vibe Livin (they will be on the podcast next week!!!) doing an angel card reading and a kundalini meditation. You can see more of that experience here in my new VLOG from last week on my YouTube channel!

Basically, we connected huge time about how much I need to open up blocked energy in my life and in my heart by continuing my spiritual practice and continuing this yoga journey so far beyond the physical. And being unafraid to do so and really big deep within.

I am so looking forward to diving deeper and learning more about Kundalini in the coming months — I had a rough weekend emotionally this weekend (thanks again to all of the planets in retrograde…) and ALL I could think was that strengthening my intuition and my connection to my core via Kundalini and meditation is exactly what I needed.

To maintain that power and control over my mind.

Because when we have that power and control, we can greatly reduce our own suffering. And find inner peace.

Just like I did on that very first day of yoga in Sacramento (in my basketball shorts ;)).

P.S. let me know if you shop Satva and pick out some cute clothes, you guys will fall in love!!!

And WATCH DAT YOUTUBE VIDEO!

( you can read my full story about how I began yoga & it turned my life around in my Soul on Fire yoga ebook if you want to hear ALL the deets about my full yoga experience + my teaching journey + what the soul on fire lifestyle is all about. )

If you’ve been looking for a sign to begin or advance your yoga practice, I think this miiiiiiight be it. *Monkey with hands over eyes emoji* is ONE HUNDRED percent how I feel RN.

Today The Balanced Blonde Soul on Fire Yoga E-Book is LIVE, avail, ready for purchase, all of the things — and I am over the moon to share every ounce of it with you!

Yep, that’s right. I am about to be your virtual yoga instructor, you guys!!! MY DREAM. And soon to be IRL yoga instructor too if I have anything to do with it!

IF this is your sign — you can purchase HERE & also check out today’s YOUTUBE video to see a BTS flow from the day we shot all the PHOTOS!

Here’s the thing, guys…

I got a little over zealous and wrote a full-blown book. I couldn’t help myself! I wasn’t planning on it, but once I got to writing, that’s what happened.

It’s 180 pages. My entire yoga journey is shared in those pages, and ALSO:

+ 10 original yoga flows

+ 80 pose break downs with a photo for each pose (and diagrams to break down all of the linked poses like Sun Salutation A, Sun B, Cat / Cow, Handstand Prep, Headstand Prep, & More!)

+ 2 original yoga VIDEOS

+ inversion tips & tricks

+ flows for digestion

+ my personal yoga journey (I wrote it like a book – let’s be honest)

+ a Sanskrit glossary

+ a step by step guide for creating your own flows & sequences

+ yoga music galore

+ all the deets on INTUITIVE MOVEMENT (my current obsession that I want the world to know about)

+ original photography by Ashley Streff & design by Anelise Salvo (both incredible + two of my righthand women)

+ SO. MUCH. MORE.

P.S. THIS EBOOK IS FOR EVERYBODY.

Not just beginners, not just advanced practitioners — it’s geared toward teaching you to begin and deepen your practice, practice vulnerability and intuitive movement, and to ENJOY every little bit of this yoga thang. Because it’s fun. It’s really not that serious.

You guys are already my TBB Tribe, and I’d LOVE for you to join the #SOULONFIRE fam with the first of what I hope will be many yoga ebooks, future audio components and video series, and MORE.

A few big giveaways linked with this ebook launch!!!

I am hosting LOTS of fun giveaways for everyone who orders this week and shares on social media with hashtags #SOULONFIRE & #TBBMADEMEDOIT (and tag me of course, so I can see it)!!!

Beloforte yoga clothing, Wild Friends nut butters & MUN skincare (my Argan oil obsession)!!!

As always, let me know your thoughts! I couldn’t be more EXCITED! And please let me know if you have any questions – I want to make myself as available to you as possible during this process if you’re about to order, EEK!!!!

Sharing //

P.S. If you LOVE the ebook and want to help me spread the love (can you tell I’m flipping out with excitement!??!) feel free to share one of the below TWEETS on yo TWITTER or tweak and share on Insta!!!

Sample tweets to help me spread da love //

( with this photo, if you are into sharing photos too!!! )

+ So excited about @balancedblondie’s brand new #SoulOnFire yoga ebook!!! To get your practice started – head to gum.co/SoulOnFireEbook

+ If you’re looking for a sign to get your yoga practice started, @balancedblondie’s #soulonfire ebook launched this week. gum.co/SoulOnFireEbook

+ Let’s flow together from afar! Check out @balancedblondie’s #soulonfire yoga ebook at gum.co/SoulOnFireEbook & get your vinyasa on w/ me!

+ Looking to advance your yoga practice? @balancedblondie’s got ya covered. Head to gum.co/SoulOnFireEbook for 180 pages of YOGA!

LOVE YOU GUYS! CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR ANY / ALL THOUGHTS!