I am headed back to Bali TONIGHT for the rest of the month of April… and I am so unbelievably excited I could burst.

I will be writing a full blog post about why I am going on this solo trip and what has inspired me to embark on a new way of life — a life I will be contemplating in Bali and diving deep into so that when I return I will be able to incorporate my new way of living into my daily life.

The SHORT STORY: I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I have not been well this year, which you can read the most about here.

The FULL STORY: Coming soon. Not sure how soon, because I am playing my blog writing schedule very much by ear while I am there. Could be Day One, could be deep into the trip. We shall see!

Anyway, I wanted to share one big ol’ LOVING LATELY post before I head out on my trip to leave you angels with all sorts of things I have been loving these days!

LOVING LATELY // 3.4.18

DIGITAL DETOX & LUCID DREAMING //

Lately I have been taking an hour to two hours off of from my phone before I go to sleep, largely thanks to Jonathan for being really good about reminding me how important it is and how much I want to stay on top of it.

I won’t lie, when he’s not with me I still have a tendency to check my phone like a maniac right up until I get in bed. What can I say, I love responding to you guys and commenting back on IG and scrolling all of the accounts that I love. But I will say, that is more of a daytime thing and not something I want to focus on at night anymore.

The last several nights Jonathan and I (and Huddy, of course) have stretched, done yoga on the floor, meditated, written poetry, and just soaked each other in rather than being on our phones or staying in workaholic mode. It has been so nice, and has reminded me what this life is all about. It’s about CONNECTION… in real life, not on the screens.

Anyway, thanks to taking time off of my phone before bed, I have gotten into this incredible subconscious pre-dream DREAM MODE before sleep every night. It’s this incredible frame of mine where I am able to exist with so much awareness inside of my subconscious. I have seen so much from Tibetan Sanskrit texts that I was able to READ (no joke — past life memory of sorts?!) to random memories from childhood that have been lodged in my subconscious for years, to dream state ideas and places that I go while asleep — but WHILE I am awake.

Sometimes I am jolted back to reality because my rashes have still been so terrible that I will remember that my entire body is itchy and on fire. If you’ve ever had eczema, you know that nighttime is the worst. My acupuncturist says it’s because it’s the YIN time of day, which is the time of the blood. Since rashes are inflammation of the blood and blood flow constriction, it makes a ton of sense.

Regardless, I dive back into my lucid dreams pretty easily once I am able to re-relax myself, and for a chronic insomniac like myself… it’s been an amazing way to drift back off to sleep and avoid insomnia.

If you’ve never done it… TRY IT! I promise it isn’t that hard. Meditate before bed, light some candles, clear your mind, brain dump your day into a journal, and see where your mind takes you when you lay down.

LIVING IN SWIMSUITS & COZY CLOTHES //

I am sooooo into living in swimsuits lately. Maybe its the fact that my body has been broken out in head to toe rashes for 4 months straight (you can def see them in these photos) so anything that BARELY covers my skin is key, or maybe its the fact that something in me ignited this year and I have never been more comfortable in my skin or proud of my own body before. Regardless… I am ABOUT the swimsuits right now. And the beachy clothing.

And living at the beach. I know so man of you reading don’t live near the beach so you may not feel me on this one, but you know what it feels like when it’s summertime. Now envision summertime pretty much year round — and that’s been life in LA lately. It’s been the warmest, sunniest winter. And now that I am heading to Bali I am just going to take the beachwear to the next level!

Lately I have been LOVING the site Backcountry annnddd I’ll tell ya why. The main thing I love about them is that you don’t have to sacrifice fashion for function when it comes to swimwear. When you have boobs like this sista over here (oh hey), the last thing you want is a super flimsy (yet cute, but flimsy AF) bathing suit where you have to worry about your boobs falling out of if you even stand up from your lounge chair. I don’t know about you, but I’m about the surfing, paddle boarding, beach yoga, and ocean dips. Ya feel me?

I also love Backcountry because they have not only Swimwear but the cutest Spring Lifestyle Collection. You babes are going to love what you see — some of my most favorite brands there are from Seafolly to Vitamin A, and I even got these badass ray bans there! So PINK and so fun!

Also, these Prana shorts are my fave. Fun fact? I hosted an event with Prana in Manhattan Beach back in the day when I was a new yoga teacher! They are the kindest company, and SoCal locals.

And I highly doubt it will come as a shock to you guys that I am a Birkenstock person. I mean… isn’t it written all over me?

Anyway, long story short, Backcountry is your one stop shop for all things swimwear, spring looks, and comfy beachy clothes. You guys are always asking me what I am loving on the fashion front so I wanted to share more!

MANIFESTATION //

Let’s talk about manifestation. It is SO REAL. Check out this Manifesting 101 post I did a few months back for the basics.

But now I wanna update you some of the things I have manifested into my life!

For one, a few months ago I told Jonathan I was going to manifest having Trevor Hall on my podcast. He has been one of my spiritual idols and my #1 favorite musician since I was about 14 years old. I had no connections to him when I told the universe I wanted him on the pod, but very shortly after I started meeting people who knew him. One thing lead to the next, and I had him on for the first time back in December.

Fast forward to today… my SECOND (not first, but second!) episode with Trevor came out today. On today’s episode we are talking everything from his spiritual practices, to his latest album (check it out, it’s everything), to how he met his wife. CHECK OUT the ep, and let us know what you think!

Secondly, several months back all I wanted in my life was to be surrounded by healers, intuitives, and conscious doctors who could help me get to the bottom of my health and skin issues. Lately, my days are filled with appointments with incredible healers from shamanic facialists, to shamanic medicine readers, to straight up shamans, to reiki masters, medical mediums, kundalini gurus, and more.

These are not necessarily people I have sought out! Almost all of these people have come to me in one form or another to be of service in different areas I am struggling with. It has been incredible not only from a healing standpoint, but also just from a high vibe standpoint of being surrounded by such magical humans.

Also, this trip to Bali was 100% manifested!

I have also booked about 5 more DREAM GUESTS on the podcast to the point where its almost making me laugh how accurately the universe responds when we send it the message that we KNOW what we want.

MY YOGA HOME PRACTICE //

I have not been able to go to my regular heated yoga studios for MONTHS because of everything my skin has been going through. Truly, right now, I have bright red welts all over my chest, arms, stomach, and legs. It feels like they’re on fire. One of the worst things I could do for my skin is move and twist and sweat in a hot room.

It’s been ROUGH, because yoga is a part of my identity. I didn’t miss a single day at the yoga studio for years. YEARS. This is no exaggeration, this is legit how much it means to me.

But the blessing in disguise is that I have really created a yoga home practice in a brand new way. Last year I got pretty into doing yoga at home because I was doubling up on the yoga during my teacher training — yoga at home, yoga in the studio, teaching yoga, all of it. That is how I created my Soul on Fire Yoga E-Book, purely for people who wanted to practice at home but weren’t sure where to begin!

I have been loving practicing on my floor lately, in the comfort of my own home where I can hang with my Squeak, stretch, flow, make up my own flows, blast my own music, improve upon poses that I have always wanted to master but don’t get touched on often in classes, and more. It has been empowering in a big way, and so enjoyable.

JADE ROLLING & GEMSTONE ROLLING //

I wrote this post on jade rolling and if you haven’t checked it out, pop on over there! Jade rolling, gemstone rolling, and all around lymphatic drainage has been an absolute game changer for my skin lately.

I have also been getting weekly FACIALS from the best of the best in LA. I am working on a fave facials in LA blog post that will be up very soon! Not sure how soon… since I am going to take time to myself in Bali, but it will be up whenever it’s supposed to be.

Boom! What are YOU loving lately?! TELL MEEEE.

Also, check out Backcountry and their amaze swimsuits and Spring looks! If you get this Seafolly suit from this post, SEND ME A PIC! Tag me on IG #tbbmademedoit and it will make me smile. Functional and adorable, all at the same time. You can shop the looks below!

WISH ME LUCK on my flight to Bali toniiiiiight!! So, so, so ready to be there and bliss the F out. Will take you all along for the ride, in whichever way feels the best. <3 ALL OF MY LOVE.

i wrote a bit in my post last week about my recent trip to mukul in nicaragua, a.k.a the middle of jungle-meets-ocean HEAVEN oasis land, but other than talking about all of the HIGH VIBES i am feeling right now, i didn’t get too into the details of the trip itself.

SO here we are! i am going to tell you a bit about the highlights of nicaragua, the AMAZINNNGGGG sensational SPA with its seven healing temples (literal magnificence), some of my must-have products and items that i won’t travel without, and the art of choosing who to travel with.

i am also going to tell you about my favorite SUNSCREEN & SPF beauty products: supergoop! i have been using their CC cream & sunscreen for a while now, and can’t wait to share all the deets of why it’s the best in my book and how well it WORKS.

ready?! let’s go.

nicaragua highlights //

okay, to be honest.. we really didn’t leave the resort because many parts of nicaragua are dangerous and deeply impoverished. we landed at the managua airport and took a two and a half hour drive (!!) to get to our hotel, so we really weren’t near a city or town to explore — we were LITERALLY in the middle of the jungle!

i am such an ocean lover, so the fact that our room was right on the beach and we had a little pool on our balcony that overlooked the ocean meant that i wanted to spend the majority of the trip right there on the balcony, doing yoga flows and reading all of my travel BOOKS (book club post coming soon) that i brought with me to soak in.

a main highlight of the trip was doing yoga twice a day in the glorious yoga hut that overlooked the ocean, taught by the LOVELY mary tilson who invited me to mukul in the first place to join in the yogi magic! she also invited me (and jonathan!!) to indonesia is december, so i am stoked that i get to see her again and flow with her again in a few months.

the FOOD was a highlight for sure. i didn’t realize that i was so into nicaraguan food, but it is super healthy and vegetarian-friendly (not that i’m vegetarian but i find that when i travel i gravitate toward veg food), so i enjoyed all of the rice, beans, plantain dishes (#YUM!!!), and of course all of the SUPER fresh seafood at our hotel.

lastly, the relaxing was a highlight. i always have to be so go-go-go when i am home, so having the chance to sit down, CHILL, read, sleep in, go to bed early, walk around in a bathrobe 85% of the day and a swimsuit for the rest of it… is my idea of heaven and of MY kind of trip.

and of course the SPA was a highlight, which brings me to my next point!

the SPA of my dreams //

so, the spa at mukul resort is just simply on another level of amazingness. it’s like nothing i have ever experienced or seen, and as a certified spa junkie (you know there is nowhere else i’d rather spend hours upon hours upon hours of my life, especially on vacation) i have seen a LOT of beautiful spas.

the spa at mukul has SEVEN healing temples (a.k.a private spa suites with their own POOLS!!!) and i was lucky enough to get a tour of mostly all of them, including this spot in between them all with the most gloriously stunning view of all mukul and the surrounding ocean + jungle:

the treatment i got was in the healing temple, where i got a combination treatment of a cacao foot scrub, acupuncture, deep tissue massage, and shirodhara. shiro is an ayurvedic treatment that is traditionally done as part of a full panchakarma (read my panchakarma experience here!), where herbal oils are dripped onto the third eye and the scalp, and in some cases used also as a wonderful conditioning hair treatment.

i have to say — the acupuncture was the best i’d ever gotten in my life. SILVIO, the amazing therapist who was working on me, targeted my tightest areas within my shoulder blades and neck and the moment the needles went in me i could feel a deep release. he kept telling me it would “balance my energies” — and even though i am a woo-woo person, i can safely tell you that i DID feel more balanced pretty much immediately!

megan was next to me getting a massage also (#ROMANTIC!) and afterward we enjoyed dipping into the temple’s two private pools (one hot & one freezing cold) and laying in the beautiful outdoor garden.

note to self: goal one today to travel the world SPECIFICALLY for spa treatments and write a book about it! how cool and healing would that be?

must-have travel products //

okay! this is a fun one. PRODUCTS! i have so, so many travel staples so for this post i will just share my top three.

1. number one is obviously SUNSCREEN. i am a fair skinned gal, and with all of the attention i’ve put on self-care for the last few years – it would be crazy to not think about my skin and how deeply our skin is affected by the sun’s rays without protection.

my longtime favorite sunscreen has been supergoop! and i have been exclusively using their sunscreen products for about a year. (ever since i met their founder + investor maria sharapova and learned ALL about the brand!).

but even cooler than the regular supergoop! sunscreen (and their CC cream which is the only foundation i use and it WORKS SO WELL!!!) is their Super Power Sunscreen Mousse! YOU GUYS. This stuff is amazing.

if you’re anything like me, putting on regular sunscreen is an absolute chore – as important as it is. it can be messy, greasy and straight up sticky and annoying. this mousse is light as air, absorbs into the skin extremely quickly, and is chock full of SPF 50 (thank god because like i said — i am FAIR!).

they always stay away from Oxybenzones, Parabens and Synthetic Fragrance, which is a HUGE plus on all fronts.

it also smells SO GOOODDDD (like cucumber and citrus) so i swear at one point i was simply using it for the SCENT when we were back at the room on our shady porch!

it’s also easy on sensitive skin which is a must for me. i’d highly, highly recommend. i am always getting asked about my fave natural sunscreen recs, and this is for sure it! shop it HERE!

2. skincare galore!!! i will do a full post on my skincare routine (specifically my travel skincare routine) in the coming weeks, but since we are on the supergoop! train right now i will tell you…

a) their CC cream is a game changer. it gives me this dewy, bronzed glow that i am seriously addicted to. you know i hardly wear makeup at all, but this just evens my skin tone and makes me feel like a bronze goddess when in reality i am usually just totally fair-skinned and splotchy (sensitive skin, i’m gonna be real with you!). i use the light to medium color.

b) their SPF setting mist & setting powder, which both smell delicious and help give you that refreshed dose of SPT 50 without ruining your makeup midday. i LOOOOVE having this with me after a long day on the plane… because there is nothing more drying or irritating for our skin than being in the air all day. the rosemary in it is full of antioxidants that are so soothing to the skin. the powder sets makeup and reduces shine… and as a chronically shiney-faced human, i appreciate / need this.

3. FOOD & SNACKS! you know i bring my bulletproof ingredients with me everywhere i go. so of course i bring my brain octane oil, the coffee itself (which i use with the hotel coffee maker!), my VITAL PROTEINS COLLAGEN PEPTIDES (my skin thanks me for this, big time! you can read all about collagen here), and usually a protein powder or two (currently loving this one & this one), and of course my always trusty bulletproof bars to snack on.

the art of choosing who to travel with //

traveling in such an intimate, personal, and ultimately lovely experience that enables us the HUGE gift of relaxation, free time, and getting to connect with ourselves and the people we are with on a deeper, far-less-distracted-than-day-to-day-life level.

for that reason and for so many others, i am careful about who i travel with. i am such an HSP (!!!) that i really soak in other people’s energy, so especially spending such concentrated time together during travel i have to be mindful!

generally i make sure before i travel with someone that we enjoy doing the same things, and/or that the other person is cool with splitting up and doing things on our own for part of the time. i don’t do well when someone wants to spend every waking moment by my side, UNLESS we like to do all the same things, so the people i travel best with are pretty independent.

megan, my dear friend who joined me on this trip, is the epitome of someone who loves the same things i do (yoga, healthy meals, relaxing, going to bed early, reading, FaceTiming our friends + fam, watching movies, spa treatments, ocean + pool hanging!!), is also super independent and all around a very positive and uplifting person to be with.

i mention this because i think it’s important to be mindful of our energy and protect that sacred travel environment – i am sure we have all been with someone who makes or breaks a trip for us, so if you have the option… be choosy and once you find your most aligned travel buddies, sharing the experience with someone you love is probably the best part!!!

so yes! all in all nicaragua was a BLAST. i’d highly recommend mukul, and would also highly recommend supergoop! sunscreen mousse and their other fab products. use the shopping links below to check them out!!!

also, what’s on your dream bucket list for travel!!? i have so many wanderlusty places on my list right now! XO 

This week is FLYING BY.

I am finishing my YOGA EBOOK (it comes out on Monday — WHAT?!?! Have you preordered?!?? If so comment below and tell me!!!), I spent the day doing yoga on a YACHT with some of my fave humans all day yesterday (check Insta to see more!), today was Christina‘s birthday so we spent the morning at Next Health getting pampered with cryotherapy, cryo facials, B12 shots, and more — all around, this week has been NUTS.

One thing I am super stoked to share on the fitness front is that I have been getting back into running lately.

You know I took a huge break from running after my Panchakarma last September. All my body craved for the first time in years was of course low intensity exercise and all the slow, juicy, sweaty, yogi flows.

And then about a month ago the switch flipped again, and one afternoon (after a particularly awful yoga audition that left me with serious residual anxiety) the only thing on planet earth my body wanted from me was to go on a long, sweaty, spontaneous RUN to let it all OUT.

So, um, duh — I listened. I came home, slipped on my running shoes and RAN. For 6 MILES. And it felt SO FREAKING GOOD, I can’t even tell you.

After keeping it chill for so long, my body didn’t even know what to do with itself with all of those endorphins.

Although this particular month has been CRAZY so I haven’t been able to incorporate running into my routine as much as I’d like, I am working it back in here and there and it feels amazing.

RUNNING INSPIRATIONS //

I also have to say, having running inspirations in my life has made running a lot more fun and inspired for me this time around. Before, it was all about pushing myself to my limits and trying to get my body ready for a full-blown marathon.

It was a lot of me, me, me — even though I didn’t think of it that way at the time.

This year, I am really just feeling the FUN in running.

My soul sista Emily Nolan (you guys know her from Episode 16 of the podcast!) is running the PARIS MARATHON this weekend, and watching her train and arrive in Paris this week has me feeling all sorts of fluttery butterflies for her and the whole racing process.

My <3 Jonathan (you guys know him from the podcast also, Episode 11) is such a running inspiration to me. He paced me in my first & only (so far) marathon last year, ran the L.A. Marathon a few weeks ago, is training for some crazy long races this summer, and leads run classes from time to time at Orangetheory here in L.A.

His dedication and his love for running inspires me to no end. Like, way more than he knows.

Between those two and countless other runners I have in my life from my marathon team to the fitness blogging world, I am always inspired to sweat outside. And lately, the form of sweat that’s been calling me again is RUNNING.

With a lot of yoga mixed in. Like a lot.

I believe we should constantly allow ourselves to evolve. That’s why I never define myself or the way I work out. My preferences are ALWAYS changing, and I really enjoy switching it up!

I AM looking for a half or a full to do this summer + end of the year… taking any and all RECS!

So what am I into running in these days?

I’ve gotten so many nice comments from you guys about my activewear go-to’s lately!

It makes me super happy because I literally live in activewear… and by that I mean I truly do NOT wear anything else! One or two nights a week I’ll change out of it, and that’s about it.

But when it comes to running I am pretty picky.

I like my running clothes to be comfy, to fit well, to be sweat-wicking, to feel like they’re barely there (yes, I don’t want them bugging me), and to of course be bright & fun because that’s a fun plus with all running clothes.(You want the cars to see you!!!)

Right now my number one favorite is lululemon‘s new Nulux line. The material seriously feels like it’s BARELY THERE.

It feels like a cloud on my skin, TBH.

The Fast and Free Crops pictured in these photos are incredibly comfy to run in, and they are SOFTER than life. It feels like I am wearing nothing weighing me down which I am all about.

And this Fast and Free Sports Bra is RIGHT up my alley, is super flattering on my body type (or at least I feel amazing in it!!!) and I LOVE these hydrangea & jet stream colors.

I have been living in this bra. I ran in it earlier this week and then wore it in a different color to cryotherapy today… YEP. Obsessed.

If you like these clothes as much as I do or agree about the barely-there necessity when it comes to running, shop the post below and give my ALL-TIME FAVE brand lululemon some love!!!

Thoughts?! What kinds of workouts are you into right now? Tell me all! I will also talk more soon about how I healed my cortisol imbalances so that I could start running again without getting acne flareups, holding onto water weight from the hormone probs, etc! I know a lot of you have asked and I am an open book, so soon it’s time to TELL.

Shop the post, my babes //

If you followed along on my Thanksgiving adventures via Instagram + Snapchat, then you now well know that I was in the beautiful town of Carmel by the Sea, and that I was freakin’ obsessed with every single ounce of the mountain beauty and soaking in all the down time with my family.

Yes, DOWN TIME. Real down time, enjoyed by YOURS TRULY! What a concept, right?

This year has been a doozy. So much awesome stuff has happened, and my career has grown and evolved at a rapid, zooming pace. It’s pretty much everything I’ve wanted and dreamt of — yet also it’s been a challenge to find time to slow down, connect with the people I love most, and stay present in each moment.

And hang on, before you think this is one of those “poor me, I’m so busy!” type of posts — stop right there. I’m not that kind of gal. I don’t think it’s cool to be busy, or that there is anything more impressive about me or any other busy person just because I have a lot going on.

I’ve CHOSEN to have a lot going on… I’ve said YES to a million and one things this year, and while it’s been awesome for my career — it’s taken a toll on my overall wellness routine & my life and heart as a whole.

Soon I’ll share with you guys a few measures I have taken to reconnect to myself and unwind the busy-busy-busy-ness without sacrificing success in my career. (You already know about my Panchakarma and yoga training, but those have only been the beginnings of a pretty big life transformation.)

So Just How Am I Choosing to Slow Down?

Anyway, one thing I’ve learned is that being in nature — specifically in the mountains, forest, and colder climates (not snowing but colder beachy climates) really reconnects me to my core and my ability to slow down. And it works fast… which, even though I’m trying to slow down, I really appreciate.

That’s why I have been heading up to the mountains of Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey as much as possible this season.

And on top of the reconnection to nature, being with people I really love most and feel completely comfortable and myself with is the second thing. People where I don’t always have to feel so “ON.” Where I can literally just sit at dinner in silence for 10+ minutes or talk incessantly about how much I relate to yogic principles and the universe’s eccentricities and not feel like a weirdo.

So, this Thanksgiving in Carmel with my family was… well… nothing short of magical.

I needed it. Needed it so badly, you guys. It’s hard to explain how much I needed it.

Something happened in Carmel,  between the adventures in Big Sur and watching the epic ocean waves crash onto the shore and bundling up for long beach walks with my dad and taking in the foresty streets with NO ADDRESSES on them — the houses only have names there! How cool is that?

And that something that happened was that I reconnected to who I am at my core.

I didn’t think I had necessarily lost that person… but yes, even though I have been telling myself to slow the heck down for a long time, I finally realized in Carmel that there is a massive difference between telling yourself you’ll slow down and actually slowing down.

Every minute that I was there I made a conscious effort to be present. And on top of being present, I made a conscious effort to have fun. Sometimes when I am with my family I can fall into a mood where I am not necessarily having fun — I’m just kind of there, and obsessing about all the other things I have to do. (Ugh, how annoying??)

So I knew this time around that I did NOT want to be that way. It never leaves me feeling fulfilled, recharged or proud of the way I’ve acted. If anything, it makes me feel sort of guilty and sad when I look back on it.

This time around I took every opportunity to be in the present moment, put my phone away, disconnect from work, and do the things that would make me happiest and have the most fun.

We adventured all over Big Sur, explored cute coffee shops in Carmel, I got to see my dad’s old lot where he used to have a house (I am still beyond depressed that he sold it TOO SOON!!), and I said “no” (politely) to Black Friday shopping with the ladies in my fam in favor of a long-ass beach walk and some yoga in my hotel room to reconnect.

Because at the end of the day, why spend time doing anything that is not going to make us feel fully alive and present? I learned long ago not to force myself through any situation… and now I know what to do with myself instead of just dragging myself along in situations where I KNOW I will not be fully present or enjoyable to be around.

Lil’ Adventures in Carmel by the Sea

One of my absolute favorite moments on this trip was exploring little nooks and crannies of downtown Carmel with my dad.

My dad is my hero — the most kind, generous, selfless, hilarious, and giving person that I know. My mom is the one who everyone knows I am close with because she is my best friend and we do everything together… but my dad is that awesome person in the background who I really bond with in a few ways: by exploring together, taking photos together (a new passion of his, and obvi a longtime passion of mine!), and being outside together for long, long walks where he gives the best business and life advice ever.

So on our last evening in Carmel we set out on a little photoshoot adventure together that resulted in all of the photos in this post!

I was bundled up from head to toe in my cozy, cozy clothes from Express. This faux rabbit jacket saved my life from the excessive coldness that was my entire experience in Carmel!

Per usual, I did not pack enough warm clothes (I am such a So Cal freak who literally does not understand cold weather climates even though I grew up in Nor Cal)… so this Express outfit was my warmest, most weather-appropriate outfit that I brought on the trip.

Otherwise, I stole my mom’s clothes every day. *WHOOPS*

And I’ll be honest… it was my mom’s idea for me to get the tights — lol. Thank god she thought of it, because even the thought of my bare legs in the chilly-chilly, drizzly nights in Carmel freaks me out to think about!!

This is also for sure my new favorite dress… it’s so comfy, and so versatile. I dressed it up with these black booties and the jacket, but I can also dress it down with flats and my hair in my signature lil’ top knot for errands around town.

Anyway, my dad and I hit up all of our favorite Carmel spots while taking these photos. We took them by the cozy fireplace at our hotel, on our walk into town outside all of our favorite little haunts, and at my number one fave coffee shop on earth… Carmel Roasting Co.

Then we had to run (literally, sprint) back to our hotel to meet our fam to walk to our final dinner in town… we got so caught up in what we were doing, hours passed without us hardly realizing it!

Taking pics with my dad is a fun new tradition we’ve gotten into over the years… now that he finally understands blogging and appreciates what I do for a living!

I am so grateful for the little Nor Cal mountain towns I get to visit and my amazing family for reminding me to slow down — our lives are so precious, and rushing through life gets us NOWHERE.

I am super dedicated to continue exploring this notion of slowing down as we move into the end of the year and 2017… it is my top goal — to be present, slow down and enjoy every little adventure that life presents me with.

Also, you can shop my looks from Carmel below! How was everyone else’s Thanksgiving? Would love to hear your fam traditions and what you were all up to! XO

Actually, I can remember the first Lululemon outfit I ever bought (or that my parents bought for me, let’s be real – I was young). I was about fourteen years old, had just started getting into yoga, and stumbled into a Lulu store at Fashion Island in Newport Beach with my family.

I tried on all the fun, bright prints and wound up going with a rockin’ dark grey short-short (I mean as SHORT as short comes!) with a hot pink waistband and hot pink drawstrings, and a matching low-cut dark grey top with hot pink trimming.

Don’t you love the things we can get away with when we’re fourteen and barely have any semblance of hips + curves?

I also got a white splatter-painted kind of tank with black and hot pink tie-dye on it. Like I said, it was rockin’. I felt stylish AF rolling up to yoga, also decked out with all the best mats + Yogi Toes on the market, because I was young & impressionable and very much believed there was no other way to yoga!

Here was said splatter-paint top, at Wanderlust yoga + music festival

BEFORE Wanderlust was the cool kid place to be, with my sissy Lisa!

The really awesome thing was, I felt good about myself when I wore those clothes. I felt like I legit yogi, even though truth be told, I hardly knew what I was doing at all back then.

Over the years, I started cultivating more Lululemon pieces. I got more and more into yoga, did several teacher trainings, dove headfirst into the yogi life, and the only thing that made SENSE for any family member to buy me (then AND now) was Lululemon.

Oh, and for the record, the dark grey + hot pink short shorts and matching top stayed in my wardrobe for a good 7 years before I finally said au revoir and replaced them with some newer, more age-appropriate (and hip-having, curve-having appropriate) looks.

Reglardless, Lulu is still MY JAM. The Lululemon store in Brentwood is one of my homes away from home… right down the street from me, and each and every girl and guy who works in there has become a close friend. I love that they are community oriented, always support what I’m up to and plan lots of fun events for our wellness-minded neighborhood to get together and sweat. (And lots of them were in Monterey with me this weekend!)

My Current Fave Lululemon Outfit //

So! After saying bye-bye to some of my very early-day Lululemon looks, I still have a closet full of their clothes. Some super current, and some pants I have legit had for over a decade. At least we know they last for a long time! The fabric is so comfy and durable and moisture-wicking and truly like no other.

Something I love about my most current Lulu pieces — showcased in this post — is that they are perfect for this WEIRD transition period between Fall and Winter!

Fall in LA is basically just like Summer, and then Winter comes on and we’re like wait… it’s sort of getting cold out. I kind of need to leave the house with a jacket today, I think.

And boom — my perfect Define Jacket does the trick! It’s light enough that I am not overly hot and uncomfortable putting it on after a sweaty yoga class, but keeps me warm when the weather starts to cool off.

Specifically being in MONTEREY all weekend, where these photos were taken (SO FREAKING GORGEOUS THERE) — I really needed something light-ish but thick enough to keep me warm!

I was lucky enough to teach a little outdoor yoga sesh to my girlfriends on the beach AT SUNSET in Monterey. If you could have heard the ocean waves crashing, you’d know why it makes me smile to even type about the thought of this situation.

It was epic, to say the least.

These high-waisted Like Nothing 7/8 Tights feel like WEARING NOTHING in the best way. They are so soft, thin, and barely feel like they’re there! So obvi they leave room for optimal movement and flow.

Fun fact: I also taught my first yoga class at So Cal Hot Yoga in Brentwood last night IN these pants!! So yeah, I really love them.

Also, the sports bra I had on underneath was also da coolest, but it was too chilly to take off my layers for the photos!

And this grey racerback tank is my all-time favorite for yoga and for running… you can wear whatever supportive bra you’d like underneath, so it works for all bodies + bust sizes, unlike some other tank top styles.

To shop my Lululemon looks (and some other similar pieces that I also own + wear the crap out of + love), you can directly shop the post below! Hope you enjoyyyy.

What are your fave workout brands + styles you go for?! Are you a Lulu girl too? Also… sunsets in Monterey are literally unbeatable. 

I thought I was going to spend the month settling into my new place, getting back into my routine and getting my bloggy bloggin’ on every day, but… such as life, new things pop up with every day that passes. Exciting new things of course.

Like… A trip to Chicago to speak at the awesome conference for women in the digital space Create + Cultivate, where I am speaking on using the digital space for good via blogging, commerce, content and more. The conference is on August 15th and I would LOVE, love, love to have you there if you live anywhere nearby. I attended the conference this last year in LA and learned so much I could burst (my recap of the experience here), plus got to meet so many cool & inspiring people. I would highly recommend it.

After Chicago, I am going to Palm Springs for my cousin’s bachelorette party  (woo!), and then straight to Seattle for an Eddie Bauer brand summit and week of outdoor adventure. Ummm, sweet? YEAH. More travel than I planned on this month? Yeah. The new apartment decor can wait.

So, back to the title of this post.

I’m rambling, I know, and it’s because I am excited to update you guys on everything that’s going on over here. OH, and for those of you who are subscribed to my newsletter, I didn’t send one out this Sunday and will be hitting you with a double whammy this coming Sunday. Don’t worry, your email did not glitch!

No wait, now really back to the title of this post.

Okay, so, you guys may have noticed me posting some Instagrams with the links & tags “@LIKEtoKNOWit” and “LIKEtoKNOW.it,” and you may have been like, “Uhhh, what is Jordan doing cluttering up her caption box like that when she is usually such a psycho about having a really conversational, generally semi-concise caption?”

Or at least that’s what I thought when I saw bloggers like Gal Meets Glam & Pink Peonies using it far earlier than I did. Then I started working with rewardStyle and came to learn that the Like to Know It feature is actually the coolest thing ever — because it connects us from blogger to reader/follower, and allows US as bloggers to basically do the shopping for you.

Because of the nature of what I do, there are two main things I strive for with blogging: 1) to entertain and inspire you, 2) to make your life easier. (Maybe that’s 3 things? #whatever)! Like to Know It actually serves all three… especially the last one. It allows me to share my favorite outfits, home goods, etc. with you, and all you need to do is “like” my photo on Instagram (yes, double tap it, so easy) and you will get all outfit or product details delivered straight to your email inbox.

For example, I am about to post the below on my Instagram with the LiketoKnow.it widget. ALL you need to do is sign up for LiketoKnow.it (takes two secs and it’s way free), go to the photo on my Instagram, double tap it, and then you have all of these outfit details. Boom done, your shopping for the day/month is donezo. Because you’re a busy person and you don’t have time to peruse & browse around until you’ve found the hottest new fitness clothes!

No, that doesn’t mean that you automatically get charged for a purchase. Once you get the link sent to your inbox, you just go to the respective website and order it. You still get to pick your size, details, and/or change your mind about the purchase entirely, BUT the hard part is done. I have done the shopping for you. And with the extreme abundance of killer fitness clothes I have access to because of what I do, with “Like to Know It” you will be some of the first to discover some rockin’ new brands and styles.

Look, I told you I wear a lot of workout clothes…

Annddd a lot of other clothes too I suppose (lots of stripes! And PJs!):

Basically, I just want to help you guys live easier, more fit & active anndd stylish lives. Because when you feel good about what you’re wearing, your confidence increases tenfold. That’s what I want for all of you. Happy, healthy lives bursting with confidence, joy and a whole lot of fun. And yoga and running and late night lounging in comfy workout clothes and all that good stuff.

So, in conclusion: sign up for LiketoKNOW.it, double tap my outfit photos that have the link, and get the clothing info sent straight to your inbox. And if you’re not an Instagram person, that’s cool too. There’s always the bloggy, and I have included this handy dandy “Shop the Post” widget below in case you liked any of the clothing in this post!

And as always, if you have any questions just EMAIL ME and I am happy to answer them & help you out. I have a new email address, thanks to my boy Ty, and you can now reach me at jordan@truthbalancevirtue.com… it’s way more legitimate than the pretty unprofessional gmail account I’ve been using for years, and it suits us in our TBV Apparel expansion just swimmingly.

Thoughts?! Did you ever wonder what LIKEtoKNOW.it was?! Now ya know, and you can shop, shop, shop away! Any suggestions for the next few LiketoKNOW.it posts I should do for ya?!