25 Things - 2014

When I first did a 25 Things list last year, it took me much longer than anticipated. MUCH. This year I started compiling my list months ago so I wouldn't have to wrack my brain in the late-December-post-holiday-haze to come up with all of them, and would you believe it still took more time than I thought? Perhaps that's because it's hard to look at your everyday life and see those moments as "accomplishments," or maybe the days just string together so quickly that it's hard to keep track of what exactly was the last week/month/year and their various goings-on. No matter the challenge, I am again grateful to have this list now that it is complete. 25 Things is a way for me to reflect and remember, and most of all, to celebrate that I get to participate as the world spins madly on (song reference, anyone?).

25 Things in 2014
1. Signed up for a 200 hr. intensive yoga teacher training!
2. Completed my 200 hr. iytt!
3. Began teaching yoga - at two different places!
4. Shared my hardest story ever. Whoosah.
5. Un-gave up drinking caffeinated coffee. Best decision ever. I may have spent a small fortune on McDonald's coffee since doing so.
6. Read 47 books. More than last year! Actually, that's if I finish my last novel before the ball drops at midnight. I have high hopes that it will happen!
7. Began my prenatal yoga certification process. P.S. Prenatal Yoga coming at avani in Feb. 2015 - tell your pregnant friends!
8. Tried - and loved - and consumed a fair amount of - sushi.
9. Sustained breastfeeding while being out of town for a whole month by pumping morning, noon, and night for four weeks. Whoa.
10. Worked on opening my heart and my hips (an emotional center within the physical body) as well as walking away from that which no longer serves me.
11. Completed 108 sun salutations. In a row! Twice! (summer and winter solstices)
12. Made strides in getting my poor sleep back in line. Lots of positive thought. Lots of deep breaths. Lots of counting my deep breaths at night!
13. Kept my cool when my oldest required five (five!) staples in his head.
14. Kept my cool when my oldest turned five (five!) this summer!
15. Taught three classes at CCC over the course of the year - all new texts, all new prep. That's a lot for someone who is "part-time."
16. Continued with Freezer Swap (participated in at least three exchanges throughout 2014) and did two major sets of my own - one in June and one in December. Crazy in the moment - awesome in weeks that follow.
17. Got three new tattoos - in one day!
18. Quit wearing antiperspirant in August and now go with just a natural deodorant. Several friends asked me if I crossed any more hippy dippy lines after yoga training; this would be one example of Yes!
19. Was fitted for and started sleeping with a mouth guard (yes, mouth guard) to keep from grinding my teeth/hurting my jaw at night. Love it, yes I do.
20. Survived my first root canal (my mouth had an interesting 2014).
21. Learned that using (and even paying $10 a month for) Spotify saves me a lot of iTunes purchases and still gives me amazing music fixes.
22. Edited another book. Still not my own. ;)
23. Did my first Upward Facing Bow. Smile City!
24. Finally got a sewing machine of my very own. And I used it! To great success!
25. Wrote 93 blog posts this year. Holy Moly Cow! Thanks, as always, for reading along!

Your turn! Take some time - perhaps more than you anticipate - and make your own list of 25 Things for 2014. Big or small, silly or serious....what made your year yours?

With much love, peace out 2014! Namaste!