Learn to be Comfortable in Uncomfortable Situations

It is all too easy to stick within our comfort zones, but watch out because they are a trap. Comfort zones keep us from realizing our greater potential. Challenges intimidate our ego and sometimes make us feel small when we fail to rise to the occasion. We must not fear failure. By coming to value the lessons that we learn from our mistakes, we will advance as we journey through life. In addition, by learning to accept what intimidates and makes us feel uncomfortable, we develop a new level of confidence when we push ourselves to new levels of growth.

Hiking the Zion Narrows can be intimidating, but ultimately rewarding when you rise to the challenge of hiking up this river. Photography by Paul Garrett

Anytime I accept an invitation for a new group or try a new yoga studio for the first time, I feel anxious, nervous and intimidated. But, when I push through that discomfort it is almost always a great experience. When we enter the unknown we become vulnerable. Vulnerability is difficult, but is so necessary as it is the gateway of all emotions. Some people are more likely to take risks. People who have suffered trauma, particularly in early childhood, are less likely to explore and take risks. Vulnerability requires great courage because it reveals our authenticity and requires us to show our true selves by taking off the mask we so often wear to try to please others.

Sometimes my closest friends, you know the two or three who know me intimately, will ask why I do not heed my own advice. The truth is that we are all on this journey together. I do not believe that anyone is perfect. I am learning and growing everyday. Sometimes I write or post on social media the content I most need to hear. Yes, that’s right you heard it straight from the horse’s mouth! I admit wholeheartedly that there are things I need to work on and improve, but  I feel fortunate to have that awareness. Once we awaken we are able to improve. So please step out of your comfort zone. YOU are worthy of accomplishing all of your dreams. Although each of our journeys are a little different, ultimately our purpose is to become the best possible version of ourselves. We must learn how to take risks and learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

My Blogging Partner, Paul Garrett, loves to hike and explore, but standing on the edge of a cliff is totally outside of his comfort Zone.

Just as children have physical growing pains, adults too have growing pains, but usually our pains are in the form of mental and emotional anguish, frustration, and sadness. Learn to commit more to your dreams than to your comfort zone and you will soar! No one is alone. My own door is personally open all the time if anyone wants to bounce ideas off me or simply needs a listening ear. The minute we isolate ourselves we start a downward spiral. My greatest desire is for each of us to reach abundance in all areas of our lives. When we join together and help one another, we become stronger. Please feel free to message me on Instagram or comment below, and on days when you feel strong or have a little extra love please consider reaching out to someone around you to offer them support and kindness.

With Love & Courage,

Libby

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Awaken • Inspire • Empower

New Posts Every Tuesday and Saturday

Yoga as a Path to Mental Well-Being

There are a growing number of mental health concerns plaguing our country as well as places around the world including, but not limited to; addiction, anxiety, and violent aggression. Addictions include alcohol & drugs, sex, food, social media, and the biggest most common addiction that I see daily is to the phone. My biggest concern is two fold. One; people are not practicing self love and acceptance AND they are not reaching out for help when needed. Two; doctors are prescribing medications rather than exploring the root cause of the emotional triggers and reactions.

Yoga connects the body and mind through breath. Awareness begins with the physical practice on the mat and then carries into daily life. Once we are plugged into ourselves we are better able to cope with stress, anxiety, depression and other emotions rather than try to put a Bandaid over it to cover it up. Yoga centers us and raises our confidence and self esteem. When we are not centered we become extreme. When we are centered we can cope.

Photography by Paul Garrett

There is no easy fix that will work in the long run. We must stay comitted to our mental well being and revisit and reevaluate ourselves daily. We have to want to stand firm against our inner demons and to grow into the best version of ourselves. Love and truth set us free. We must face problems head on in peaceful productive ways and set firm boundries.

Support groups such as AA, Al-Anon, and Co-Dependency all suggest following the 12 steps. I have had clients ask if I had been through one of these programs because they said what I spoke of and taught in class was so similar. I was curious for a long time so I finally attended both AA and Al-Anon groups to understand both perspectives. I was thrilled to learn that many long term treatment centers for addiction use Yoga as therapy. I then ordered The Big Book and Al-Anon Works to deepen my understanding of the twelve steps. Although the twelve steps are similar to the 8 Limbs of Yoga, there are some differences. After much reflection I combined what I found most helpful from both and created my own steps for the Foundations for Living the Best Life. I am starting a Meetup group here in Cincinnati, and I hope that it spreads to create a community of people who want to better themselves through discussions, volunteer work, and outdoor activities, including yoga. My study will continue in December when I take a weekend course for Yoga and addiction and trauma therapy. I look forward to continuing to learn, grow and help others.

The truth is that we all face obstacles in life and at any given moment we cannot know what others are truly facing. Many times we keep our biggest struggles to ourselves. No matter how happy or confident someone may appear we all have days when we feel we are falling apart. Sometimes we are cracked open to allow our light to shine and to keep pushing forward. We are never alone, but sometimes we need to take responsibility, reach out, ask for help, and tell someone we are not Ok in that moment. You are not a mess and life does not end when we fall down. We need to have the courage and strength to stand up, shake it off and face our insecurities. It is important to pause, breathe, and respond with respect to both yourself and others. Yoga teaches us awareness, acceptance and forgiveness. For me personally I have become more patient, confident, and focused. This does not mean I never have bad days, but rather that I am more equipped to handle those days with grace and love. When I feel down or unsure, the first thing I do is get on my mat. If I have low energy I may only move a little, but it always brings me back home, grounds me, and brings great clarity.

I hope that when you face the next obstacle in your life that you will reach out. Ask a friend to try yoga with you, visit a support group, or read and try my Foundations for Living the Best Life. We all deserve to be happy and to have abundance in our lives. We all have a divine spark within. So be your authentic self and shine bright. You never know who you may help by sharing your story or even asking someone how they are doing. When we accept our differences and learn from each other, we grow stronger as a community.

Mindfully Yours, 

Libby

P.S. Please register for our newsletter and if you leave a positive comment below or private message us on social media you will be entered into a drawing to win 2 tickets for Wanderlust 108 Cincinnati!  

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Awaken • Inspire • Empower

New Posts Every Tuesday and Saturday

Follow Your Arrow

Congratulations to those who know your purpose and path in life, you are the minority. My suggestion for the rest of us is to first declare what and where we ultimately want to go in life. Now, visualize a map with your starting point in the bottom left corner and your dream destination for life in the top right corner. We must know where we want to go in order to start traveling toward our ultimate goal. Hard work, practice, and perseverance are our “gas cards” so to speak. Knowing that we must spiral upward to achieve our greatest dreams. There will be some obstacles, maybe even road blocks along the way, but at least we are headed toward our destination now rather than feeling lost. 

Elli Yokochi - Photography by Paul Garrett

For those few people who have already started your Total Soulful Journey, it can still a slippery slope. There are speed traps and cliffs along the way. We must be careful not to fall too deeply into life’s potholes by repeating mistakes or feeling stuck, but instead continuing forward momentum. We must all try to visualize the shortest path to get to where we want to go, and be careful not to walk in circles. 

Be mindful of time. Be mindful of actions. Each choice we make can pull us back or launch us forward. We all need to re-evaluate our mission from time to time. It is ok to change directions or take side trips, it is even ok to turn the “car” around and go back. 

Elli Yokochi - Photography by Paul Garrett

My daughter, Morgan, just started undergraduate school at The University of Kentucky this fall. Morgan has wanted to be a Veterinarian since she was three years old. Choosing which school to attend was a big decision, the first in starting on the map toward success. But she has pulled her arrow and begun the process with positive momentum. As her parent, I accept that she too may need to re-evaluate and make adjustments along the way. I feel my role as a parent, this is all brand new to me, is to be aware of her direction, allow her to make her own decisions and comfort and encourage her. It is never easy all the time for any of us. But, I recognize my path as well as hers and ultimately I know our side trips together will always remain precious. We each have to learn to “do me” and let others “do them”. 

Life is a beautiful journey. Sometimes we laugh and sometimes we cry. Sometimes we are pulled back and then move forward. It is all ok. Just know everything happens exactly the way it is meant. Accept each moment as it is and have faith in what will be as you "follow your arrow wherever you go."

Happy Journeys,

Libby

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Awaken • Inspire • Empower

New Posts Every Tuesday and Saturday

Live the Life You Love

What holds us back from accomplishing all of our dreams? In most cases it is simply the confines of our own minds, which are too often ruled by fear. There is the fear of failure and the fear of getting hurt, but the biggest innate one for us subconciously is the fear of death. Let's face it, fear of the unknown comes with the thought of death. Where will our spirit go? Will we go to heaven or hell? What is heaven really like anyway? Have you ever found yourself asking these or similar questions? Death is truly a part of life. After all the only thing that we know for certain is that someday we will die. 

Photography By Libby McAvoy

As I sit on my airplane looking out the window at the fluffy beautiful clouds I am reminded of wondering as a child what it would be like to hop playfully from one cloud to the next. I clearly remember pondering how much I would sink in or if I would fall through the bottom of the clouds. These inquisitive thoughts are symbollic because I pictured myself going to heaven after death on earth. I thought that is what it would be like; I woud just live “up there.” As an adult I realize that clouds are impervious or unaffected by us. I have even driven right through them in the mountains of Tennessee. So, what does that mean? I guess I will never get to bounce on them, they have no soft fluffy texture that I once thought. 

The mind is powerful. Things are not always as they seem. The most important thing we can do is to think positively and attract positive outcomes. When we live in fear we are not making the most of this beautiful life we have been given. Yes, we will die someday, but many of us are never fully living to begin with because of fears that hold us back. Go after your dreams, believe that you deserve happiness because you do. Make the most of everyday and ask yourself the folloing questions:

1. Who am I? (try to avoid titles and think deeply)
2. What do I really control?
3. What can I say no to to make more time for things I want to try?
4. What do I desire most?

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Photography by Libby McAvoy

I am currently reading "The Daily Stoic Journal", which encourages daily journaling. Each day the book poses a new question and I am guided to focus my awareness on that particular thought and then write about it. It is amazing how much clarity this process is bringing me. It is helping me understand myself better. We are each unique beings, but at our core we are all the same meaning we are divine beings, yes all of us. No one is bad we just make poor decisions sometimes, some more than others. So I no longer believe in heaven or hell. I do not know where our souls go when our bodies perish, but I am letting go of fear. I am changing the direction of my thoughts to start living each day. I am letting go.

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Feeling like a road warrior (warrior two pose) in Kentucky.

Let go and simply live, love and laugh. Yes, we might get hurt, but we might not. We never know unless we try. So, have faith and stick with positive thoughts! As Paul so eloquently wrote about dealing with uncertainties in life in his last blog, embrace those uncertainties and allow life to bring you beautiful surprises. 

Peace and Light,

Libby

P.S. - If you enjoyed this blog, please click on the "Likes" button or leave a comment below. We love hearing from you! You can also connect with us on Instagram; @libbymcavoy @thepaulgarrett @totalsoulfuljourney

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Awaken • Inspire • Empower

New Posts Every Tuesday and Saturday

Ahh The Tastes of Summer

Summer is the perfect time for fresh local produce. We all have our favorite summer seasonal treats such as ripe tasty tomatoes, refreshingly sweet watermelon, crisp corn on the cob, popsicles & ice cream, and sipping lemonade from your neighborhood lemonade stand. But let's go a little deeper. We tend to crave certain foods in the summer and there is a very logical reason for that. 

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Take time to enjoy outdoor activities like SUP yoga during the summer. Photography by Morgan Mcavoy

The heat of summer affects our hypothalamus, which regulates our tempreature as well as our appetite. When we are hot,  the body and the brain prioritize and choose to regulate our temperature and therefore our appetite is a bit suppressed. My son’s favorite summer food is pizza. For me personally, I like meals like gazpacho (recipe at bottom of page), tarator (which is a cold Bulgarian cucumber soup), grilled anything... lol, fresh sliced tomatoes with basil and either blue cheese or mozzarella with basamic vinegar, and of course peach cobbler (recipe at bottom of page) for dessert or just a bowl of fresh berries. 

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Fresh and yummy gazpascho. Photography by Libby Mcavoy

Ayurveda is the five thousand year old Vedic “science of life”, which is the traditional natural healing system of India (Ayurveda and the Mind, Dr. David Frawley). Today Ayurveda is often referred to as mind body medicine. In Ayurveda it is explained that each of us have a body type or Dosha, and the three constitutional types are Pitta, Kapha, Vata. In addition, each of body type  requires certain foods to achieve maximum health. It is fairly involved, but logical. Each season also has a preferred type. For example; summer is a Pitta Dosha, fire element, which requires cooling foods such as cucumber and watermelons. We naturally crave what our bodies want and need and these needs change throughout the year.

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Checkout my blog post on Juicing for more recipes. Photography by Libby Mcavoy

There are exceptions to every rule of course, but it's important to tune into your body and listen to your intuition. If you are feeling dehydrated or thirsty, try drinking water with sliced lemon and cucumber. Also avoid spicy foods if you are feeling overheated. And I highly urge you to visit your local farmers markets during the summer. Talk to the vendors and ask about foods you are not familiar with. I recently discovered purple daikon radishes. You might discover new foods or new uses for foods you might not otherwise know about. Usually the farmers are up early in the morning picking and cleaning the produce for your purchase that very same day. It does not get much fresher or better than that! 

There's nothing kayaking on a hot summer day. Photography by Libby Mcavoy

Enjoy these long days as they pass by quickly! If you are not a fan of the heat try, dipping in a pool or a run through the sprinkler. Let your inner child come out to play. Fall will be here before we know it and it will be apple picking and pumpkin carving season. But, for now, stay in the moment, make the best of the dog days of summer and feed yourself refreshing, cooling seasonal foods. We want to fuel our bodies so that we can enjoy the outdoor activities that summer entices us with such as paddle boarding, swimming, kayak or canoeing, and walking after dinner or first thing in the morning.

Bon Appetit,

Libby

P.S. - Below are two of my favorite recipes for summer. Please share your favorite summer foods in the comment box below or on my Instagram @libbymcavoy.

The Best Gazpacho

4 cans of tomato juice, chilled

1 sm sweet onion (finely minced)

2 cans rotel, drained & chopped 

1 green pepper, finely minced

1 cucumber, finely minced

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1 heaping tsp. of local honey

2 T Red wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried basil

Dash of cumin

Dash of tabasco

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients & chill. 

*note: the green chilis in the rotel give this quite a spicy bite so feel free to use mild if you prefer non spicy.

Submitted by Libby McAvoy

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Easy Peach Cobbler

 3/4 cup flour

Pinch of salt

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups of fresh peaches, sliced 

2 cup blueberries (blueberries are optional, but I like both)

Pre heat oven to 350. 

Place melted butter in a 8x8 (or similar size) baking dish. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add 1/2 cup sugar slowly and stir in the milk to make a batter. Pour the batter over the butter (do not mix together). 

Mix the fruit with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and then carefully spoon over batter. 

Bake 1 hour 

Submitted by Libby McAvoy

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Awaken • Inspire • Empower

New Posts Every Tuesday and Saturday