I feel like I started the podcast yesterday! But it has been almost four full years. I remember when I decided to start it, so many people said to me, “You don’t have time to start something new. You barely have time to juggle all that you do now!”

And I remember thinking… I will have time for whatever I want to make time for. I am doing this. (Sidenote: Don’t ever tell a Libra she doesn’t have time for something. She will MAKE time and she will make it her damn mission to make all of the time in the world.)

There were other similar hesitations from people around me, but most of the questions I got were, “What IS a podcast and how can I listen to one?!” because believe it or not four years ago was still very early in the podcast space — which seems wild because podcasts are such an integral part of so many of our lives now.

In fact, I posted on my Snapchat in October 2016 a photo of myself asking, “Would you guys rather me start a podcast or get back into YouTube?!” and the votes were overwhelmingly for PODCAST! And I so, so remember after I posted my first episode, with my BFF & Founder of Liquid I.V. Brandin Cohen as the guest, seeing you guys tag me on Snapchat saying you were listening. I couldn’t believe my eyes — it was a brand new way of connecting with you guys and probably very likely the first time many of you even heard my voice out loud.

I screen shotted EVERY photo I got of you guys listening on Snapchat and saved them. I think this was even before Instagram stories were a thing! Not to mention, at that time I was fully editing my own podcast. I recorded in Garageband and would spend HOURS (18+ hours in some cases) editing the vocals to make them sound even halfway decent, without having any background or knowledge about audio editing. (#stilldont, lol).

Thank goodness after five episodes, an amazing human named Cody emailed me and said his wife, Nina, had been listening to my podcast in the car and he noticed I could use some help with my audio. He edited a few of my existing episodes for me, and it was a no brainer from there to hire him and his team to start editing and producing for me. I have now been with them for almost four years, and I am SO grateful for our work together and their audio and production wizardry. Now I can focus on simply recording the episode… what I do best, lol… and they do the rest.

The very beginning of the podcast was a thrilling time. First I had Brandin on, and on the second episode I had my mom. It was SO exciting to me to share more about my life with you guys, talking to my mama about her life and asking her questions about my childhood. It was like after three and a half years of blogging you guys were finally getting to know ME off of the screen and outside of just writing. It was the BEST feeling in the world.

After that I had more friends on the show — some of my early guests were my good friends & fellow bloggers Sophie Jaffe, Kelly Leveque, Rachel Mansfield, Danika Brysha, Jeannette Ogden, and people I had idolized for years like yogi and entrepreneur Kathryn Budig.

My 11th guest was Jonathan Albrecht, my then friend and now HUSBAND, and well… let’s just say the chemistry was there all along. People who listened to that ep said that they felt like they were listening in on a private date, LOL. And we started dating only a couple of days later. SO that was the first of many pivotal things in my life that have happened on this very special podcast!

A Pivotal Moment //

After 31 episodes, I decided to record my first solo episode. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting on the ground against my huge windowsill in my old one bedroom apartment where I lived with just Huddy, and spontaneously decided to record an episode about trauma. It is episode 32 if anyone would like to go back and listen.

The words POURED out of me. For the first time ever I shared all the details with you guys about a pivotal experience and relationship in my life that was both traumatic and has everything to do with who I am today. It felt like, after sharing that story, I could finally breathe again. It might sound wild but I re-listened to that episode after it came out once or twice a day for weeks, maybe even months. It’s like hearing myself talk about it worked out so many things for me about that traumatic experience that I had never even realized. Talking about it and hearing from so many of you who had been through something similar HEALED me in a way I didn’t even know I needed.

The best part was you guys were getting to know me in a deeply intimate way. I feel like that’s when TBB Tribe / TBB Family really BEGAN, because our community was taken off of just the screen/blog/Instagram and put into a place where it was like we were really chatting. Plus, we started the Soul on Fire Podcast Tribe on FB shortly after the pod began which will forever be a special group of humans.

Spiritual Awakening //

Another incredible thing that has happened because of the podcast is the spiritual awakening journey I have been on. I vividly remember my agent Sarah texting me and asking if I would like to have a psychic medium on the show who was another client of hers, and I was immediately intrigued. Her name was MaryAnn DiMarco, and if you guys listen to the show, you know that now MaryAnn is like a spiritual mama and EXTREMELY close mentor and friend in my life. I go to her for everything (literally, everything) now and she sparked my own psychic awakening journey.

From there, I had on crystal healers, reiki masters, more mediums, past life regression therapists, alien channelers, energy alchemists, kundalini masters, astrologists, Human Design chart readers, THE LIST GOES ON !! My life CHANGED, you guys, because of the podcast and I will forever be so grateful. I have been able to meet some of the most incredible people I have ever come across due to the podcast, and my own spiritual journey is forever unfolding with each person I get to meet.

I have also met some of my life IDOLS and had the chance to interview them for the podcast, from the Medical Medium to Gabby Bernstein to Trevor Hall, to people who inspire hundreds of thousands like Melissa Wood, Ruthie Lindsey, Peter Crone, Lo Bosworth, Danielle Bernstein, Rachel Ricketts, & Jessica Olie.

I have met some of my CLOSEST FRIENDS by interviewing them for the podcast- like Jenna Zoe (Human Design goddess!), Kelsey Patel (who officiated our wedding!), Kenzie Burke, Krista Williams, MaryAnn of course, Bree Melanson, Khalil Rafati, Shaman Durek, the list goes on.

We have covered so many important topics on the show from addiction, to recovery, to racism, to spiritual awakenings, to sexual identity, religious identity,  and beyond. It has been nothing short of an honor and a privilege to have these conversations and to share them with you guys.

In short, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! I am forever changed because of this show and I absolutely cannot wait to keep it going… for as long as you’ll have me! I am THRILLED for episode 201 to come out next week (my angel number), even though we had a very annoying mishap happen with it this week so we have to record it again — but hey, when you podcast you are working with technology and sometimes shit happens.

ANYWAY, I would love to hear your thoughts! Your favorite episodes / guests? How long have you been listening? How did you find the show? Love you guys so much, and forever grateful for our extremely special community and bond. Cannot wait to see where the show goes over the next 200 episodes & beyond! XO

This week’s TBB Podcast solo episode on spiritual awakening, channeling, 5D and beyond got me thinking: it’s time to go way deeper on the blog, Instagram, podcast, and basically… everywhere.

I usually save the super deep things for the pod, whether it’s channeling angels or talking about Pleiadians, and every time I put it ALLL out there I think, “Okay, people are either going to be into it or they’re not.” And I can usually tell pretty quickly by the response to an episode or a post if you guys are into it.

You know what you guys are always into? THE DEEP SHIT !! The channeling stuff! The Pleiadian stories, the awakening journey, the ever evolving process of waking up, and then continuing to wake up more. The stuff I always second guess myself before I publish, but then I receive more messages about it touching your heart than I could ever imagine.

You know what you guys are not into? The boring, the safe, the monotonous, the same-as-5-years-ago-and-same-as-everyone-else-online-but-very-comfortable kind of content.

And guess what, I am the same! I am bored to tears by a lot of content online and in podcasts right now, and even on TV and in books. I’m like… give me something deeper, people. The TV shows that have deeply captivated me in recent years are few and far between (like The OA!! Give me more of that!), and the books I find myself pouring over are always memoirs about people who have simply woken up to who they’ve always been (insert Glennon Doyle’s newest book, Untamed, which I cannot put down).

Sometimes I find myself going quiet on the blog because what I really want to say would require me to write a whole essay. But then I started thinking, after seeing the response to this week’s podcast episode, why put that pressure on myself? Why not show up on the blog whenever I want, or all the time like I used to, because I always have something to say? Even if it’s not perfect, even if it’s messy, because isn’t that what writing and sharing is about anyway?

So here we are and I am so happy to be here. I have always said that my favorite posts have always been the brain dump posts. The straight from the heart onto the page life update kind of posts. And right now life is weird!! I think we can all agree on that? There is so much going on, I still don’t know exactly whether to come out of my quarantine comfy bubble or stay in it, and the climate of the world is heavy to say the least.

SO HERE GOES THE CURRENT BRAIN DUMP!

I have felt on the precipice for so long of reaching a much deeper layer of myself, and now I am finally here. Doing this deeper work is not fun, it’s pure shadow work. I am seeing every side of myself with extreme clarity.

Things feel HEAVY — down to my very twisted intestines (literally) and my stomach feels like an absolute wreck soaking in the state of the world. I am seeing a new Gastroenterologist today (will definitely keep you guys updated) because it literally feels like there are daggers in my stomach which I know energetically is only the next phase of UPLEVELING. But physically… damn, that shit is painful.

I am both severely exhausted and wide awake. Severely exhausted in the sense that this Lyme battle has crushed me in a way that it is hard to explain in words. While I am healing in many ways, it’s like I have reached the edge of a long battle and have absolutely collapsed. I am waking up much earlier every day, which is a sign of health and commitment to promises I’ve made to myself, but am working + doing all things from bed because I can’t find the strength or stamina to move a single muscle before about 2pm every day.

The pain is searing. Joint pain, brain fog, out of body aggressive type of physical pain. The stomach stuff though — holy mother F there is nothing else like that kind of pain on this earth that I have experienced. Plus, anxiety is raging. Always something us sensitive souls will deal with but !! the anxiety !! right now is wild.

I am wide awake in the sense that when the negative nancy in my brain    tries to take over and tell me I am anything but healthy, successful, beautiful, a good wife, a good friend, a good daughter… on and on… I can shut that shit down immediately. It’s not easy, but I have my tools. I tell myself I can do better than that, I can choose again. And in all of those instances it is much easier to return to a state of love than ever before.

Also I am wide awake in the sense that ideas and creativity are flowing to me with ease. I have so much inspiration pumping through my veins. I am not too stuck on what I am doing “next” work wise because I know whatever makes its way through will be exactly what it needs to be. Plus, my inspo for the podcast has increased tenfold lately, probably (definitely) because I am feeling way more me and it’s time to evolve to the next level, all of us together.

Most of all, I am so happy to be very much reconnected to my spiritual nature. For a while there, for a lot of this year actually, I disconnected a bit from it. Maybe as a means of survival or just trying to live that faster paced life again. But due to a series of events in the WORLD at large as well as in my own life and body, I have been forced to go deeper again. And now I am so unbelievably glad I did. I see now that there was no other way.

My daily goal and inspiration is to remain in a high vibrational state of consciousness where ideas flow with ease, where love is the only lens through which I can see, and where sickness cannot physically exist. It is not easy to stay in this place or even to get there, but every time I get a glimpse the whole journey is worth it.

SO all of this to say, you can expect me to be coming back to my roots in a big way on the blog, podcast, Insta, and beyond. Expect lots of channeled messages, writing from the heart, plant based recipes when I feel called, and spiritual content galore. But like also don’t place too many expectations ya know because I kind of change every minute it seems.

The MOST special part of it all is that this week’s podcast ep was really geared toward you guys — toward all of us — because I know we’ve all been on this journey of awakening together. I mean, we literally started it together nearly four years ago when I started podcasting, over seven years ago now on the blog. So the messages I have received from you guys about being on this journey  T O G E T H E R  and what that means to you — that is all I freaking need in this life. It makes me feel so fulfilled, grateful, and happy. So keep them coming!!!

You on this journey of evolving with me? What are your requests on the blog / pod? I am all ears. And if you haven’t listened to this week’s episode yet, tune in here! If you are not yet signed up for my new and improved weekly newsletter, sign up here. It’s fun AF. LOVE you all, XOXO 

Short and sweet post for y’all right here, because the juicy long posts are coming but I need to share the fresh & exciting events that are taking place in the next WEEK that I want to see your shining faces at!

Let me tell you what we’ve got…

EVENTS, EVENTS, YAY!

1. A Night of YOGA & SHAMANISM with the amazing Shaman DUREK!

The epic Shaman Durek (from Episode 57 of TBB Podcast) & I will be hosting an exciting night of yoga and shamanism in West Hollywood on Tuesday, March 13th. It will be from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and we have so much magic up our sleeves for you guys. The evening will start with light yoga to get our bodies warmed up and our energy as present as can be. Then, Shaman Durek will teach us his magnificent ways of incorporating shamanism into our every day lives. (Think protecting our energy, manifesting our dreams, getting infused with reiki symbols, igniting our innermost power, and so much more.)

And we will close out the evening with a LIVE PODCAST Q&A, where you will have the chance to ask Shaman and I any questions your hearts’ desire! Your questions will be featured on TBB Podcast, and you will get to see my first ever live L.A. podcast in action.

Lastly, Alo Yoga will be providing a mega discount on clothes so you can close out the evening with a little shopping before you head home. And it’s right across the street from Erewhon… so HEALTHY DINNER/tonics/desserts, anyone!?!? They are open til almost midnight! Just sayin’!

2. A LIIIIIVE Podcast with the Almost 30 ladies (Krista Williams & Lindsey Simcik!) at Westfield Century City!

Okay, okay. I am doing TWO LIVE PODCASTS in ONE WEEK?!?! WHO AM I!? I mean, I go big when I start doing something.

I have been dyyyyying to have these two ladies on the pod for quite some time. We have all become good friends here in LA LA land and I love them for their wellness ways, their down to earth vibes, their obsessions with all things spirituality, their comedic personalities (I mean they are both hysterical), and so much more. I think the three of us keep Erewhon in business, just saying.

This event will be from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. outdoors at the brand new Westfield Century City! Have you seen all that they have there now!?!?! An EATALY, a Chan Luu, all of the shops I am obsessed with, an Apple Store, sooooo many good restaurants, and so much more.

Come hang with us, ask us Q’s and get FEATURED on the pod, and so much more!

We will have a registration link very soon, but the event will be FREEEE (!!!) and we have stellar goodie bags coming your way if you attend. Like, stellar.

And it’s ON A WEEKEND. So all my humans that can’t make my weekday events, this one is for you! Magic in ALL OF THE WAYS!

It will be super casual and will be like three friends chatting onstage. I meeeean, fun AF or what!?

SAY HI TO KRISTA & LINDS! COME HANG WITH US! If you’re coming, shoot us an email or a DM! Will get the registration link up ASAPPPPP once we have it… but even so, just COME. 

XOXOXO

That is it for March events, I think! I am heading to Bali for the month of April (EEEEK) so will be getting ready for that after this weekend and SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT. Gone for all of May also at a location that I will share very soon.

More events to come in June!

Love y’all!! More posts to come today and beyond!! Missed ya while I was in Hawaii!

where to even begin with this post? so much to share, on a subject i am so excited about i could burst.

i will give you forewarning, it’s SPIRITUAL & OUT THERE, so let me take  you on a little journey into what i’ve been up to for the last several months…

ALSO, i ended up recording this as a podcast episode, because after i wrote this blog post i felt that i could explain myself in FULL via the spoken word. i was also super inspired by the amazing yoga girl a.k.a rachel brathen, who recently mentioned that podcasting is her current favorite form of expression because you can get it all OUT, where writing can be trickier sometimes.

SO, even rambling.

READY? BACK STORY.

this last year has been nuts for me on a spiritual level. i have experienced so much awakening and so many energetic shifts i find myself still trying to wrap my head around each experience.

it all started with surrendering to the universe, as simple as that might sound, but it’s true. for so long i tried to hold on to so much control, and was very wrapped up in moving fast and doing what i felt like i should be doing.

then i surrendered. had some epiphanies. set some intentions and was blown away when they started coming to fruition.

now i am on a whole new level, in a place where i can’t even imagine going back to the way i was living life before. i was happy, but ignorant of what else was out there and how good i could (and we all can) truly feel.

so now, i feel like it’s finally time to write a post explaining where i am in my spiritual journey right now, and then everything else will probably make crystal clear sense from there . . . because how could it not?

so. let’s dive right in.

ever since my ayurvedic panchakarma last september, i have felt this huge, massive, gaping openness and curiosity for more when it comes to this wide open world of spirituality.

i had the self-care portion of it DOWN, but then a really big shift happened on a more spiritual level a few months later.

at the very, very end of 2016 i let go of some big things in my life. stale relationships and stale thoughts. i spent a full month and a half getting really, ridiculously clear on what is important to me, what my intentions were moving forward, and what i wanted to manifest in 2017.

a big part of that was the need to slow way down.

without getting into too much detail, january 1st of this year served as the hugest symbol to me that what i was putting into the universe, everything i wanted to manifest, was right there in front of me. it was all happening.

life was happening, and it was time to slow down and enjoy it.

from there the spiritual journey took off. i felt a huge pull to start practicing kundalini and reiki, and just like that… teachers, practitioners and new friends started dropping into my life that… guess what?! were kundalini teachers and reiki masters!

not a joke. so very true.

books started HANGING OFF OF SHELVES and being so crystal clear to my eye in book stores and yoga studios that were all about kundalini, mediation, reiki, healing, and everything that i had been thinking i wanted to learn more about.

so of course i bought them, and soaked them all in.

i also felt a pull to start meditating more, to speak to a few extremely legit psychic mediums, and to explore different ways to ground myself and have more of these CRAZY blissed out meditative visions that i was starting to experience at the end of kundalini classes and reiki sessions.

i also started connecting with more and more people who are also on this spiritual path, many of whom have been guests on my podcast. i have learned SO MUCH about my own spirituality from talking to them and soaking in their teachings and their wisdom.

( on that note, i do believe it’s no coincidence that i started a podcast when i did, and that it’s taken on this whole new direction with the spiritual side of wellness basically on its own. )

then the journey gets a little deeper //

bear with me here, because we’re going deeper.

oh, yes we are.

SO! i have had not one, not two, not three, but countless mediums, intuitives and healers tell me over the last year or so that i am meant to be a healer. of some sort. of any sort.

they don’t tell me which kind, or what that means exactly, but the first time someone said it to me my response was: “oh, i teach yoga! so that counts, right?” and he laughed. hard.

i have since learned a little more, and i understand a bit more about where the statement comes from.

whether or not i am meant to be a healer, i know and feel it in my bones that i am deeply intuitive. that’s why i write, that’s why i love as hard as i know, that’s why i am drawn to many of the things i love like yoga, meditation, oils, deep conversation, and so much more.

that’s why living on the surface has always been hard for me… if not completely impossible.

okay yeah, definitely impossible. i have always craved a deeper life and have always gravitated toward people who have depth and situations that have meaning.

the latest… & it’s exciting.

so now you know about my deep dive into kundalini and reiki and meditation and sage and oils and breath work and mediums and crystals and all that awesome stuff.

but what i have not shared yet, and perhaps the most exciting thing to me yet, is my recent experience with energy alchemy.

energy alchemy basically works with different layers of energies, from physical to emotional to spiritual energies and also energies that are beyond our plane of creation.

the art of alchemy includes transmuting negative energies into positive, clairvoyance, healing and distance healing, keeping the body healthy, and so much more.

i had never even heard of it before, but when my friend nicola of 7 om alchemy reached out to me several weeks ago to let me know that she practices alchemy & spiritual saging at the Ojai Valley Inn — without even KNOWING that i was headed to that hotel later in the week, i knew i had to have a session with her while i was there.

nicola mentioned to me that her spirits were calling my name to her loud and clear for many months, which was fascinating to both of us because we had really only met one time FOUR years ago and had pretty much lost touch in the meantime.

i was interested to see what the session was all about and i was also very hopeful that it might provide some answers to the deeper spiritual questions that i was looking for, and what my next move should be.

the moment i walked into nicola’s space, or should i say met her at the door because we didn’t even make it inside before insane stuff started to happen, i knew i was brought there for a reason.

we connected on such a deep soul level right off the bat it’s almost hard to explain in words (yet), but i can tell you that it transcended time and space, and it was beautiful.

our third eyes were connecting in a radical way. i saw past lives / other spirits within her face and she saw the same within me. she recognized things within me, about my intuition and my spirit, that made everything click.

everything.

this is what the previous healers and mediums had been talking about with me, and now it started to make sense. my intuition IS meant for deeper connection, and there are a lot of reasons why. i want to learn more about them before i fully share, but this ish is very cool.

our session was not nearly long enough because we had a group session afterward with my friends (which was also incredible), and i KNEW i needed to learn more from her.

immediately my questions of what my next move should be were answered… and it became clear to me within the alchemy session that i knew them all along.

so NOW i am doing nicola’s 7 week celestial journey, which consists of all sorts of beautiful practices from morning meditations, to morning writing prompts, to learning about the Pleiades, to basically an all encompassing cosmic journey.

today is day 2 and i already feel light and excited about what this course will bring. starting my last two days with meditation and the writing prompts has been so nourishing for my soul already.

i believe you can still join us in the course if you’re interested, and you can use the code TBB44 for $44 off if you’d like to join in.

i am so unbelievably excited to see where this journey will take me, but i can tell you that my visions have been so strong. it is very cool and exiting. HEAD OVER to the podcast to hear the story in full. <3 <3 XO XO 

writing to you from the beautiful, magical, sun-soaked island of MAUI in hawaii! i am currently sitting on my balcony, cross-legged (duh), overlooking the ocean, listening to the rolling waves crash into the shore, and spying down on my cute parents, sister, and niece chillin’ by the pool while i chug kombucha and type out this post.

( fun fact: i have been told that i have an unusually loud typing-noise, and i think it’s because i type like an absolute maniac. my fingers move PSYCHOTICALLY fast, not as fast as my brain, but i have had a lot of practice over the years so it can sound pretty wild… lol. just thought of this because i was just in ojai with some of my best girlfriends + this came up a LOT! )

i have so much i want to share with you about ojai, my insanely amazing spiritual experience with energy alchemy while i was there, maui so far, and more, BUT today is somethin’ special and i want to get right to it.

( i’m working on posts about everything else that will be live while i am here in hawaii! )

my blogging journey!

so i recorded a solo podcast episode before i left town the other day, which you can listen to here.

it is all about my blogging journey…

including the details of how i stumbled into even starting a blog / instagram, what my life in New York looked like when i first started blogging (while in grad school!), the first product i developed, the second/third/fourth products i developed and how they worked / didn’t work (because trust me, some did NOT!), WHY i decided to start blogging full-time, some deets of my eating disorder (i mean, it was happening at the same time so…. couldn’t avoid talking about it! #OPENBOOK), what i’ve learned, how to prevent burnout, etc.

it was a really fun episode to record because sometimes it can be so nice to just talk directly into the microphone and share with you guys in that way. there are no other energies to balance (as much as i love / adore / am obsessed with my guests) and i can just SHARE. from the heart & soul. one of you awesome humans told me it was like having a long, deep chat together. and that is ALL i want, so that made me very happy.

sharing my blogging journey with you guys and hearing HOW MANY OF YOU are into starting your own blog, have started blogs and are thinking about diving in full-time or more seriously, or have an idea for another creative business really got me thinking.

i want to provide really tangible, helpful info for those of you who are diving into this awesome industry. so i will definitely be doing a lot more podcasts on the topic (woo!) and can’t wait to share more on that front.

huge tip below, one of the juiciest & biggest and i don’t talk about it that often so let’s dive into it!

let’s talk about MENTORS!

i have a lot of mentors. i am really lucky, as you’ll learn in the podcast episode, because i am surrounded by successful, driven individuals from my BFF / business guru brandin, to my boyfriend / business guru / teacher extraordinaire jonathan, to my entrepreneurial & extremelyly business-savvy dad (in fact, all he wants to ever talk about is business lol), to my longtime idol & spiritualality-meets-branding mentor gabby bernstein, to my agents and managers, to BOOKS (so avail to all of us), and so much more.

i believe that having a valuable, trustworthy, confident mentor is one of the most tangible and realistic steps that you can take when it comes to formulating ideas and a plan for your new business. it also makes things more FUN, because you have someone to bounce ideas off of (or a whole community, depending on whether your mentor has a community or social presence to join in on!!) and someone to learn from.

in many cases, having a mentor helps prevent some of the errors in the inevitable trial & error process of starting a business. not all, because they ARE inevitable and you’ll want them because you’ll learn from them — but the big no-no’s that could crash and burn your excitement and your ideas are the ones they’ll help you avoid.

AN OFFER, for those who are ready to take the next step with their business + ideas!

one of my top mentors, the beautiful and beyond successful & abundant gabby bernstein, offers an annual Spirit Junkie Masterclass Digital Course that can be done in the comfort of your own home & will legit rock your world.

if you’ve been reading along lately, then you know i’ve mentioned it a lot, but TOMORROW is the final day to sign up. so really, i’d do it today. (who has time to fret about doing it at the very, very, very last sec?)

it’s rockstars like GB who have paved the way for so many of us wellness-obsessed entrepeneurs to create businesses off of the things we love most!

gabby’s masterclass signup link is open for ONE more day, and you can sign up here!

there are a lot of things that set this course apart from so, so many other business + spirituality courses out there that are similar.

in general, i don’t promote business courses. i had a few bad experiences and i even had a bad-ish experience in grad school (#gradschooldropout), so if i’m going to tell you about something it’s going to be because it’s different, BETTER, more practical, and more spiritually aligned with my mission (and hopefully yours too!).

a huge thing that makes gabby’s course different is that there is LIIIIVE energy within the course!! although it’s all online, it has been filmed in ultra-crisp HD video and audio beforehand with the super fun, electric energy of a LIVE crowd because that’s how she filmed the entire thing with her amazing rockstar guests! you’ll feel like you’re right in the room, with the best seat in the house.

it’s truly one of a kind. she is goals.

by the way you’ll also have lifetime access, so if you’re like me and you’re terribly fearful to commit to something big like this for fear that “it’s not the right time, i already have SO MUCH GOING ON!!” then you don’t have to worry about that. the course will be available to you at ANY time throughout the year. but you can only sign up now!

more amazing deets:

gabby, like me, believes that the fastest path to business success starts with enriching your spiritual practice. in my opinion and in my experience, you really truly cannot create something meaningful & huge & abundant without first having that deep, authentic, spiritual relationship with yourself.

and I’m not talking about religion. i’m talking KNOW YOSELF! meditation! yoga! journaling! DEEP. DIVE. discover what it is that makes your heart beat a little faster, and go after it.

throughout the course you’ll learn techniques and methods that will help you tune in to your inner wisdom and really hear what’s calling you. we all have access to that, but so many of us are shut off to it.

this course is about SO much more than just getting stellar business training — it’s also about creating the kind of spiritual experience that allows you to embrace your purpose and take action with conviction and confidence you’ve never felt before.

you don’t need any pre-requisites or a pre-existing business, and it’s totally cool if you do or don’t! the only, only, only requirement is your willingness to grow and serve.

boom! yes! do ittttt. signup is here, and it’s available until tomorrow, june 29th, and 6pm EST.

that is my TOP tip for creating the business + life of your dreams. to commit to something bigger than yourself. learn firsthand from someone as knowledgeable and incredibly successful as gabby B (new york times best-selling author and so much more!).

my other top tips for starting a blog & growing a business…

+ stick to what you’re passionate about // if you’re going to create a blog, make sure it is relevant to a topic you could talk ENDLESSLY about! you never know what this might turn into for you and you don’t want to set yourself up to get burnt out or to run out of ideas.

+ join a passionate community of likeminded individuals! // this could be anything from a Facebook group (the soul on fire podcast tribe on FB is on FLEEK, just sayin!), a fitness or wellness community or studio in your area, a blogging network online, a newsletter where you can chat with other people who are on a similar path as you, or even make friends on instagram!

+ engage with others, support, and don’t compare yourself // i think what really sets successful bloggers apart is the non-competetive and non-comparison factor. there is room for all of us. there are billions of people on the internet. support your fellow bloggers and they will do the same in return!! engage authentically with their posts and content. and don’t get too wrapped up in what they’re doing and/or try to imitate, you do YOU and that’s all you need to focus on!

+ MORE !! listen to the pod episode to dive deeper with me, and head to my GABBY landing page for full info on the spirit junkie masterclass and to join this journey of a lifetime while it’s still available!

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it can come in so many shapes and forms, and it can last for however long or however short it wants to.

sometimes i feel like i am living in a bright, white, radiating halo bubble of inspiration that is just there and allows me to be in true inspirational flow and feels like it will never go away. in that state of mind, i feel ALIVE and clear and excited about every new idea that flows through my body, knowing that i am connected to my deepest core and to something beyond myself.

that is when i come up with new ideas for the blog, my brand, the podcast, yoga sequences to teach, etc. and when questions i have about my personal life + my career are resolved in my mind with crystal clear clarity.

then on the flip side, inspiration can dwindle and sneak away just as curiously as it came. for me, that inspiration-suck usually happens when i am overtired, overworked, and moving through life at a super rapid pace that doesn’t allow me to slow down and reconnect. it also happens when i don’t listen to my gut, ignoring it in favor of pleasing someone else or trying to go with someone else’s flow when i know that “flow” is not right for me.

those are some key reasons why my personal inspiration tends to fade, but it can happen for other reasons too. like for seemingly no reason at all! that is the most frustrating – when i am alert, rested, and ready to kick ass and create – and the ideas just don’t flow.

that definitely happens to the best of us. we can call it writer’s block, energy blocks, lack of focus, feeling blah, lack of clarity, whatever it is you connect to the most… but it happens. ALL of it happens to me, and quite often!

i’ve learned over the years to ride the wave of inspiration and not get too attached to the when, why, or the how long questions about what it is or how long it will stay. luckily i have a flexible lifestyle where i am able to ride that wave, so that when i am not feeling the creation process i can get other stuff done that is still productive – but anyone in any lifestyle can do the same.

it’s all about trust, instinct, and living on a soul level.

what i call a soul on fire lifestyle.

finding your flow & maintaining that inspired state of mind //

i am no expert on harnessing your inspiration and using it to its fullest (because we are all so different!) — but i feel like in my own personal life and in my own personal body, i am. because really that is my top priority in life, to figure out how to be the best version of myself, where i am nearly *always* in my flow, so that i can inspire others to do the same.

that’s pretty much my mission these days but that’s a story for another day.

so i have a few techniques for how i find my flow and maintain it more and more often. some of my personal techniques may seem a little spiritual & woo-woo to you, so just know that you can tone them down and turn them into something meaningful for YOU because we are all different!

START BY ASKING YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS?

+ are you an extrovert or an introvert?

and this is not a question asking “are you social or antisocial?” but rather do you gain energy reserves off of being around others, or do you build up more energy and inspiration when you’re alone? do you leave big groups feeling inspired and full of ideas, or totally mentally depleted and ready to crawl into bed? when you’re home alone, do you get bursts of creativity and feel inspired to get shit done or do you just feel like a lazy couch potato?

chances are, you can relate to all of the above at certain times or another. we all get tired and want to veg the F out sometimes.

but whatever you feel the MOST of, that’s what you are. i am a cross between the two… as i am definitely an introvert in the sense that my best work and creativity happens when i am alone and have endless hours to just do ME, and also in the sense that big groups and events that last for long periods of time deplete the living shit out of me.

HOWEVER — sometimes my biggest, hugest bursts of inspiration come from bouncing energy and ideas off of someone else, or in deep conversation with someone who just gets it. this week i had the pleasure of having lots and lots and LOTS of soul-on-fire moments and experiences with people, and all of those situations left me SO FULL of inspiration. so i do have that extroverted side of my personality where i can take in other’s energy and harness it to feel inspired + alive, but it has to be a certain type of person. a “high level communicator,” as my therapist would say — someone who GETS it and can go deep.

+ whichever answer you had to the above, can you move forward without too much attachment to it?

the reality is, we are a society that LOVES labels. i felt amazing when i learned that i was an introvert and an HSP (highly sensitive person!), but getting too attached to those labels isn’t necessary. i do sometimes love, love, love spending the entire week soaking in other people’s energy. in fact, what i love most right now about my job is not the being home alone writing (which is sometimes my favorite), but rather the connecting with inspiring humans and interviewing them for my podcast.

i can’t get enough of it, or of them!

and everything i am learning from these amazing humans from gabby bernstein, to morgan haley, to jason & colleen wachob of mbg, to people i have spoken to super recently who’s pod episodes are coming out soon (emma mildon, kelsey patel, maryann dimarco, and so many more!) is REALLY opening me up to so much more that is so far beyond the surface.

and that is what is really exciting to me right now — everything there is to learn. i am in a spirituality phase, and feeling crazy inspired and open to all of the beautiful things the universe has to offer when we open ourselves up to it. so i think that means that my life right now is meant to be more extroverted than usual, and i’ll take it.

i spent several years in an introverted, writing bubble which was awesome and so fulfilling – but life is always shifting and evolving, so i am embracing the RIDE.

+ does the way you spend your time excite you and fill you with aliveness, or does it deplete you and fill you with dread? in simpler terms: does it liberate or, or does it hold you back?

it might seem like a silly question, but so many of us spend time doing things we DON’T want to do! i was a “yes” girl for so long — i didn’t want to disappoint anyone. it lead me to end up spending so much time doing things i did NOT want to do, which made it almost impossible to say “yes” to what i really, truly, DID want to do.

i think a lot of us are filled with fear about making changes. cutting toxic people out of our lives, saying no to toxic situations, staying in vs. going out, admitting to ourselves that we don’t like our job or our boss… it’s all scary and hard. so we avoid it.

but that means we are ignoring our authenticity and our deepest desires to move forward and create MORE and be in our flow! we all deserve to feel that true liberation vs. the limitation.

so… how do you spend your time?! does it excite you? especially your free time – who are you spending it with? are you carving out time for yourself?

i am finally at a place where i wake up full of excitement and ease for the day ahead of me – even my crazier days with tons of commitments. because i simply do not allow myself to do things that i don’t like or be with people i don’t like… it’s just a waste of my time and makes it impossible for me to live in the flow.

+ do you have spiritual or self-care practices? what are they, and are you consistent enough with them that they can make a difference in your life?

the second part of this Q is the most important! consistency! i am working on a whole, huge post about spiritual and self-care practices, because they have changed my life. and the consistency with them is truly what changed and shifted things for me.

i’ll just get into it briefly now, but here are some of the things i have been doing that have awakened a whole new, FAR more inspired and excited side of me: kundalini yoga, reiki, acupuncture, meditation, crystal healing and crystal meditation, breath work, vinyasa yoga (always a staple for me), saging my space and using palo santo, essential oils (this is my fave diffuser), speaking with intuitives & mediums and tapping more into my intuitive side, taking long baths with essential oils, infrared sauna, cryotherapy, therapy, reading, reading spiritual texts, journaling, and becoming super aware of what i want + what i need.

so, yeah. that’s a LOT of self-care, and that’s not even the half of it. living my life this way awakens my soul and makes me so happy. it makes me feel connected to the universe and so aware that there is so much more out there for us… so much more. we just need to connect to ourselves in order to connect to the light that is meant for every single one of us.

and then find that consistency — so set yourself up for success by signing up for a program, a fitness / yoga studio, a meditation series, what have you!! there is so much out there to learn & soak in.

+ do you have a community or tribe around you that supports you finding your flow & living your most abundant, radiant, fear-free, beautiful life?

this is BIG!!

whether you’re a natural introvert or extrovert, we all need our tribe. our people. they are everything. we are creatures of community, and without that stable community around us – we are missing out on a huge, gorgeous part of our fullest lives.

a few suggestions…

+ the soul on fire podcast tribe on Facebook is SUCH a fun, open, wellness-minded, fitness-loving, AWESOME group of people that has been really exciting to be a part of and watch grow. join & introduce yourself here! people have been meeting up in diff cities, doing yoga together, making friends, and hanging out. i LOVE IT & i also post all the soul-on-fire podcast new-ness in there, and more!

+ gabby bernstein’s free video training that will intro you to a whole new world of creating abundance for yourself, dropping the fears, and living your most authentic life. check it out & opt into her mailing list for ALL OF THE FUN STUFF! she’s amazing, and on a personal and professional level she has profoundly impacted my life and my worldview.

+ gabby’s SPIRIT JUNKIE masterclass!! you can get on the waitlist *NOW*! this will help awaken you to your purpose in life, and is for those of you who are READY to make the shift but don’t know where to begin. gabby & i will be with you every step of the way. if you sign up before june 29th, you will get a ONE ON ONE Skype call with me to discuss your goals and set up a step-by-step action plan to bring those goals to life. go here to check it out, opt in & step into your light.

+ come to the GOOD fest in LA next february! i am teaching yoga, some of my favorite humans are leading guided meditations and teaching kundalini, and i am teaching yoga AGAIN (with my babe sophie jaffe) and there will be so much fun community stuff, yummy food, and people to meet. it’s going to be incredible and i can’t wait! use code TBB10 at checkout for $10 off of your ticket!

+ join a gym or yoga studio in your neighborhood! my orangetheory LA community has changed my entire life and social circle here in LA, and same with all of the yoga studios i go to (especially habitat where i teach and corepower which i LOVE!). studios have events and workshops that are great places to meet new friends who have likeminded interests and will keep you inspired on and your A game.

post-orangetheory fitness last night with my bex! bestie since college turned total fitness nut with me.

i know this was a long post!! and i so want to keep going. but i will save the rest for another day and leave you with… gabby’s spirit junkie master class (do it with me – it’s going to be a HUGE game changer!), her free video training, the GOOD fest in feb, the soul on fire podcast tribe on FB, & of course my podcast + this bloggy!

i will always try to keep bringing the inspirational content that sets your soul on fire — i hope. comment below & tell me your thoughts on this style of post and if you’d like more of it! X

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I just wanted to pop in and say WHAT UP?!?! because I am so freakin’ over the moon about this week’s podcast guest & all that she has to offer us. Yes, my heart is legit bursting open right now.

Let’s talk about someone who will seriously and truly set ALL of our souls on fire… say hello to miss GABBY BERNSTEIN.

Yes, the Gabby Bernstein.

I won’t say TOO MUCH because we have a full-blown super fun podcast episode to share with y’all, and a full-blown LANDING PAGE full of her amazingness so that you can sign up for her masterclass with me – but still. I have a lot to say about her anyway.

Let me hit ya with some background info!

Gabby is the New York Times best-selling author of The Universe Has Your Back (you know I loved every ounce of that book), the creator of the Spirit Junkie Master Class, and overall just a true spiritual leader of our time. She’s been featured on Oprah, is a regular expert on Dr. Oz, and even co-hosted the Guinness World Record’s largest guided meditation with Deepak Chopra.

Um, whoa.

Gabby’s mission? To guide us all through the blocks that keep us from serving the world and rising up in our fullest abundance. To help us find our purpose and live our truth.

She has transformed me & my entire relationship to the universe, and now I want her to transform you (!!!!).

Today on the SOUL ON FIRE podcast, Gabby and I are talking all about her Spirit Junkie Masterclass Digital Course… and offering some crazy rad deals if you sign up before June 29. (THE FIRST DAY to sign up is June 23, so watch her free videos first on my landing page & I’ll remind you guys on the 23rd to sign up!)

If you want to deepen your spiritual practice, gain the confidence to own your purpose and take action on your dreams, CREATE A MOVEMENT, and more, then this is for you.

I just want to help you set your soul on fire and I truly believe in what she is doing. The tools you’ll take away from this program are invaluable, and you can do it all at your own pace from the comfort of your own home. She gives concert, detailed advice on how to expand your business, mindset, spirituality, and overall LIFE.

To learn more about the Spirit Junkie Masterclass Digital Course, head to thebalancedblonde.com/gabby for all the deets and to sign up!! We are giving away so many FREE BONUSES (!!!) including a Soul on Fire yoga ebook for every human that signs up, and the first five sign ups will get a free one-on-one Skype sesh with me.

Can’t wait for you to hear the episode and dive into what she is all about! I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts if you listen, so please do leave a review on iTunes, comment on Instagram, or post in the Soul on Fire FB group to let me know what ya think (have you joined?!)!

Let’s Spirit Junkie this ish up together!!

XO,

Jordan

So SHORT posts will be where it’s at right now, so I can keep getting content out there in between the long-form posts that you know I love to write more than anything!

Regardless, you know this blog will be my life forever. Long posts or short, big or small, deep or less deep… I’m HERE. Always.

You guys rock and I am so glad you are here.

Anyway, today is about the PODCAST ! Today’s episode of Soul on Fire is all about INSTAGRAM DO’S & DON’TS with the amazing, sensational, beyond inspirational RachLMansfield. In other words, one of my very best friends in the universe. In other other ways, total rockstar Instagram queen food blogger.

In the episode we talk all about INSTAGRAM DO’S & DON’TS. I don’t want to give it all away, but here are some highlights from the episode:

+ DO create quality content that fits with your aesthetic and your brand

+ DO remain consistent and find all sorts of consistency across the board (not just with a schedule, but consistency in all forms)

+ DO show community support & engagement with other people in your community (for us, it’s wellness)

+ DO be yourself & do what feels authentically right to you, at all times

+ DO have creative practices and processes so that you can stay in touch with your ideas instead of scrolling other people’s ideas ALLLL day long

+ DON’T compare yourself to what everyone else is doing

+ DON’T steal ideas, copy, or rip someone else’s idea off without crediting them

+ DON’T hate on other people on the Internet (duh)

+ DON’T assume that bloggers have free reign to send you free stuff (lol, you’d be surprised)

+ DON’T get into the business for the $$$$

AND SO MUCH MORE! This is just a fun little snippet. You can listen to the full episode HERE —

If you listen and enjoy it, please rate, review & subscribe!! Having subscriptions on iTunes is what makes podcasts able to grow and grow and reach new people and eyeballs… so you guys do have the power to make all the difference with this (so cool, really).

Also, having great LEGIT reviews makes my world go round, especially because sometimes people listen out of nowhere, are super unfamiliar with my blog and my journey, and leave a onetime review without understanding what the podcast is all about. (AKA they think I talk too much… I’m not trying to be Diane Sawyer, you guys!). So let’s get the tribe up in there to rate & review!!

And go show RACHELLLLL your support and love, because she rocks and she’s my everything. We are for sure hosting a retreat together this year, just figuring out the deets… so y’all need to come. XO

Thoughts on the episode?!?!

WHAT ARE KETONES?! What the heckkkkk is ketosis? What are the health benefits, and why / how is this good for us?

EPISODE HERE //

Well guys, today we debunked it all on The Balanced Blonde Podcast, Episode 14– a BONUS episode this week because I was so freaking stoked to share the details of ketosis with you.

I decided to have my nutritionist Kelly Leveque (you guys should know her as a household name by now if you read my blog frequently — she is my go-to for literally everything nutrition + science + geeky — hehe, love you Kell) & celeb personal trainer / total keto expert Wes Okerson as my guests so that we could answer ALL of the q’s I have been getting from you guys and also the questions I’ve had myself about the process of ketones in the bod!

Listen to the episode here & let us know your thoughts + any q’s!!!

First, let’s get something straight: WHAT IS KETOSIS?

Ketosis, by definition, is a metabolic state characterized by raised levels of ketones in the body. The “keto” in the word ketosis comes from the fact that it makes the body produce small fuel molecules called ketones.

This is an alternative fuel for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. It is hard to get the body into ketosis through diet alone (although it can be done — it requires a super low-bard diet that is very hard and basically unnecessary for most of us to stick to longterm), but this insanely awesome Keto OS powder that the three of us use gets the body into ketosis within 90 minutes of drinking this powder in any form of liquid!

It’s FREAKING AWESOME, YOU GUYS.

I feel like I discovered a miracle drink that makes me feel amazing, increases my brain alertness (and blood flow to the brain like crazy), is great for digestion and fat loss and metabolism, and has so many other health benefits it’s not even funny.

(Don’t worry, we talk about all of those benefits in detail in the episode AND the science behind them — not leaving you hanging with anything here.)

Quick overview:

Is there anything fake or unnatural about this product?

No! Our bodies produce ketones inherently, and this just speeds up the process and makes it more efficient. Babies are born producing ketones. Ultimately, this is our body’s natural state and by ingesting ketones exogenously we are simply making that process happen on our own. (Sort of like taking a pre-workout but even more natural than that, because our bodies are producing ketones ANYWAY.)

There is STEVIA in the product, which is legit a natural leaf from a natural plant. It’s sweet, tastes amazing, and I use it every single day in my tea and coffee anyway.

There is also CAFFEINE in most of the products, but you can get one without caffeine if you’re not a caffeine person. I love the added jolt of caffeine, but that’s a personal preference.

Lastly, there is beta-hydroxybutyrate in the product, which is a ketone our body produces naturally that gets synthesized in the liver from acetoacetate, the first ketone produced in the fasting state. It makes our bodies jump into fat burning mode, amps up the blood flow to the brain, and gets us into high-performance, “on” mode real quickly.

Ultimately, what we discuss in this podcast episode is the NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE behind getting the body into ketosis, the fact that no matter what you should be listening to your body (!!!!) and this does not replace having a fast food diet or a restrictive diet or anything of the sort, what any possible side effects are (basically just making sure you drink enough water and there are zero side effects), the insane waves this product is making in the science + wellness communities, the benefits all three of us AND their clients have seen from using the product, why we are obsessed, and other fun tidbits about our wellness routines, myths about high fat diets, what Kelly and Wes both eat in a day, ETC.

Basically, wellness hacks + fitness secrets galore from a few of Los Angeles’s finest.

Side note: we are also all obsessed with Bulletproof coffee, which also falls under the ketogenic type of lifestyle. You will start to draw some parallels from the way we live our lives… Can you tell we agree on a thing or two when it comes to wellness?

So yes, listen to the episode and let us know your thoughts my angels!! We recorded this for YOU (and lets be real — for me also, I wanted these questions answered myself!) and I totes want to share this product with all of you. Email me (through the contact form on my site) with any questions at ALL and we will get back to you! 

If you’re ready to order and just want in on how awesome this is, you can do so here, using the code ‘thebalancedblonde.’ LOVE Y’ALL. Straight up realness, ALL day every day. XO

I have heard from a few of you lately via email, Insta DM, blog comments,  my new Facebook group, etc. that you are loving the blog a lot lately because you feel like the content is super genuine and authentic & that you can feel my passion and *soul on fire-ness* from behind the screen.

Can I tell you something about that?

Those comments and messages recognizing my happiness and total reignited inspiration bring me to tears. Not like hysterical bawling my eyes out tears, but more like happy welling tears in my eyes because I am so beyond grateful and humbled that you’ve noticed, and that my relatively newfound visions & direction for the blog are being received well by the people who matter most: YOU GUYS.

It’s not that I wasn’t happy before, it’s just that blogging was becoming such a *business* for me.

And as we’ve discussed in the past, I am not a 9-5 kind of girl. I am the most anti-corporate, highly sensitive, free-spirit til the day I die type of individual.

In fact — I was feeling SO overwhelmed by the amount of work I was taking on as a blogger (mainly representing brands and running around to countless events and having the worst insomnia of my life) that I felt like every day I was waking up to run a marathon and didn’t even have time to see my friends and spend time with the people who truly DO set my soul on fire.

It’s not that I didn’t like the brands I was promoting (I did and I still do, and I have always been VERY picky about only representing brands that I feel are totally beneficial to you guys as readers and to myself as a guinea pig) — but I was just doing too much, and I was also letting brands and other people tell me how to do things even when I knew I wanted to do them a different way.

Well, come 2017, that ish has stopped.

I’m doing things my way. And I am really freaking stoked about it.

And I’m not foregoing my partnership paychecks or the ways I am making money… I am still an entrepreneur at heart and really enjoy living the lifestyle that I do.

I’ve just found a different way to make that happen. I’ll tell you how:

This Newfound Me + Newfound Visions //

1. Ever since my Panchakarma, I feel like my passion for wellness has been reignited, and since that is a huge part of my blog… hello, it really has a lot to do with all of this

After my eating disorder and my extremely public battle with orthorexia (and the vegan TBB-haters who wanted to see me dead), I became kind of jaded about “wellness.” I still loved it, was totally into it, but didn’t really understand where I fit into that world anymore. I did the whole marathon running thing, the Ayurveda thing, the HIIT life, the IIFYM dabbles, intuitive eating, blah blah.

I love it all — but I know I am not confined by any of those lifestyles or labels… I’m just ME, and trying out ALL of it has lead me to this very balanced point of understanding that I can take a bit from all of those lifestyles and share THAT with you guys.

Beyond that, I am not even “just me” or “just BALANCED.” I really believe + know that I do have a unique and opinionated view on wellness, and I think I am FINALLY figuring that out after my long road to recovery.

So NOW, I feel like my passion for wellness has been super reinvigorated in many ways. One is that I discovered this whole ketosis amazingness which has been helping my body and brain run so much more efficiently. After all of my hormone-issues post-eating disorder, I was sort of a mess. I was hanging onto weight for dear life even though I was living such a healthy lifestyle — and now, thanks to this KETO LIFE (and the Bulletproof diet, for the most part) and my skin was a mess until I find this keto stuff + Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides.

With my newfound passion + clarity on what works best for me health wise… I am so EAGER and thrilled to share my obsessions & methods with all of you I could burst at the seams! I think that is definitely coming across to those of you who have been reading for a while.

Message me or comment below if you are interested in learning more about ketosis — I have a lot of informational stuff I can send you and we are releasing a PODCAST episode about it tomorrow!!! (Me and da experts Kelly Leveque + Wes Okerson). Use code “thebalancedblonde” as a referral on this site to get cool sh*t and be on my team if you join! Obviously no pressure from me always or ever — I legit am obsessed and want you guys to feel as badass as I do.

2. YOGA & specifically teaching yoga. This has been a dream of mine for a long time, and throughout this 500-hr dedication (of time, soul and energy) with Yogaworks I have never, ever felt so spiritually awakened or in tune with my purpose & what I feel I am mean to be doing and sharing. It’s pretty insane how in touch I’ve gotten with my spirit and everything that means for me.

Also, teaching yoga throughout the week really gets me out of my “work, work, work” computer-blogging bubble / mode and really, really helps keep my soul alive and keeps my social, interpersonal side really nourished and satiated. I NEEDED that.

I was really missing and deeply craving that connection beyond the screen — and to have that in my life on a near daily basis now through teaching has really helped reopen that in every area of my life. I knew I needed to be less of a workaholic, and now I see how helpful dragging myself away from the screen can be FOR my work as well.

YOGA + connecting with likeminded humans = a surefire recipe to make me really ridiculously fucking happy.

3. Learning to let go where I need to: I tried for a long time to do everything. Literally everything. I thought I could save everyone and I thought I had space for EVERYONE — especially those who I felt needed me the most. Now I recognize that I was giving so much of myself without receiving as much as I needed in return, which was resulting in major energy depletion.

I said “yes” to every work opportunity and social opportunity. I also was dedicating so much energy to people who have been in my life for decades (and some for less time, too) who simply weren’t serving my soul anymore the way I really needed and craved for them to.

I had to do what has been harder for me than ANYTHING in the universe… which has been, simply put: to let the fuck go. It was the ONLY way space would get re-opened inside of me to be and do everything I needed to be and do to keep my soul awake and alive and inspired.

I CLEARED the space, did the hard-ass work and what I was seeking landed right on my doorstep (metaphorically in some ways and even literally in others).

Self-care vibes tho.

4. I LEARNED HOW TO SAY NO. I am such a people pleaser… and this goes along with the above, but I didn’t really know how to ask for what I wanted before and make it all clear in a business setting. Now I simply won’t do what I don’t feel is right, even if it burns bridges (whoops, sometimes it has to happen. I try not to get to that point but if so… c’est la vie. #LetThatShitGo)

Now I am REALLY clear with those around me about what I need and want in order for everything on this blog to feel comfortable and organic to me. If it doesn’t fall under my tried and true guidelines, it’s just a no. I will break a contract if I need to, because that’s how important it is to me to keep this space sacred and organic and authentic to my heart and soul.

I know without that sacredness, there is no longevity. And without longevity… I got nothin. I’ve never been looking for a quick fix or a one stop shop: this blog is my life.

It’s me! My soul! Me as a human! How could I ever forego that for a BUSINESS that isn’t fully, fully me?

I created this blog for a reason, because I LOVE sharing from my soul — so WHY WOULD I SHARE anything BUT that?!?!

5. MY PODCAST! — Okay, this one is big. My podcast reignited my soul because I had no idea how deeply and seriously I was craving that VOCAL, AUDITORY connection with you guys. You get to hear these rad and inspirational conversations with game changers in the industry, and I get to interview people who have literally set their souls on fire and who inspire me on an every single day basis. I get to ask the wellness questions of my wildest dreams and feel so deeply supported by YOU GUYS who listen.

Watching my podcast numbers and the download numbers grow has really reignited my passion because while in other platforms and areas my numbers have slowed down or plateaued… the podcast numbers are growing at a rapid and very uphill pace. It’s really fun for me and makes my heart happy because I LOVE to see how things are being received, and clearly this type of authentic connection is well received by you guys.

And because of that, I have been able to restructure my blog and my Instagram accordingly to make them both similarly authentic and interactive like the podcast — which has actually helped EVERYTHING go more rapidly and organically.

It’s. Pretty. Awesome.

Listen + subscribe here!

Happy, happy!

So yeah, I am REALLY HAPPY. I am happy in my personal life, my yoga life, in my physical body (thanks, KETOS + COLLAGEN + BEEF LIVER + all of these fun giveaways of the sh*t that I love!) and also in this blog and in my connection with all of you. I always, always, always want to share authentically with you guys + keep this space as special, sacred and interactive as it deserves to me.

You guys are always my first priority, and now that I have all of these new wellness vibes I am so excited about from yoga to healthy biohacks… I just feel like I have found my place again. Thank you for bearing with me for all of these years… coming up on four. How freaking special. Love you all.

Thoughts? Have you noticed the authenticity factor or my happiness / inspiration levels? Would love to hear your thoughts.

KATHRYN BUDIG is today’s podcast guest… Need I say more?

Over the moon would be an understatement.

Feel free to listen below + skip the story if you prefer, this  episode is GOLD! (You can also listen on iTunes here!!) —

Kathryn has been an idol of mine since very early on in my wellness-lovin’ days. As you’ll hear in our convo… I discovered her by way of a ToeSox ad when I was interning at LA Yoga Magazine and running the mag’s weekly email newsletter.

My first thought was: “Woah, this girl kinda looks like me! Long blonde hair, strong yoga bod [okay way stronger than me but that’s neither here nor there], and totally approachable & friendly looking” — which, at that time, wasn’t something you saw in the yoga world on the daily. In fact, I was SO YOUNG to be immersed heavily in the yoga world, so stumbling upon someone who looked like she could easily be my friend felt, well, really good.

Fast forward to a few years down the line: Kathryn was on the cover of Happiness + Wellbeing Mag, and the following month I was asked to be on the cover. A few months later, Kathryn was on the cover of Yoga Digest, and the following month I was on the cover of Yoga Digest. Do you a pattern here?

I loved the small world coincidences and it was such an honor to be put in an even remotely similar category to her. At this point, I’d been following the girl for years and was epically inspired by her whole lifestyle and life philosophy.

THEN, dun dun dun, we RAN INTO EACH OTHER IN NEW YORK CITY. I’ll save that for the podcast episode, because we discuss it in detail, and we talk about whether that was FATE or just a mere random coincidence.

We also discuss so much more — from 2016 being a WACKY year for all of us (take a look at Kathryn’s social media and you’ll see that she has had a difficult year for the books in her personal life, which I can relate to  as well), to her upcoming teaching sabbatical for the first time since she began teaching many years ago, to her stance on the shifting yoga world, to social media, to finding balance with all things in life, her favorite meal, and SO. MUCH. MORE.

It was an amazing conversation and so fun to pick the brain of someone I love and admire so deeply. I definitely consider Kathryn to be one of my teachers, so to have her on the Soul on Fire podcast was an honor and a blast.

Feel free to LISTEN HERE, subscribe on iTunes, check out her book, her social media and let us know your thoughts!!!

Also…!

Oh, also, in case you are looking for any last minute gift ideas for the yogi (or just wellness-inspired lady) in your life… you should know I am madly in love with my Sanuk Sidewalk Surfer shoes right now. The style I’m wearing here is from their Donna collection – they’re super comfortable and come in the cutest textile prints! They withstood my morning yoga practice which means they are a true active girl’s dream. I am always looking for shoes that I can wear with my active lifestyle that aren’t legit ACTIVE wear… you know what I mean?