Riding the Wave of life, Everything's a Vinyasa.

Two weeks ago today, a crew of 15 amazing humans came together for the first full day of IGNITE, a new years retreat that I host alongside my friends Josh + Brian of Startup Island.

We spent a week in The Dominican Republic, first reflecting on the past decade and then setting intentions for the one ahead. Workshops, discussions, adventures into the town of Cabarete and local waterfalls, meditation, yoga, joyflow, fitness, beach time, chill time.

Just like every other retreat I’ve hosted or been apart of, the days felt like weeks and the week in its entirety flashed by in a heart beat. Over one full week, 15 strangers became family. Cheesy perhaps - and true nonetheless. 🤷‍♀️

Today marks one full week back from IGNITE, integrated into my day-to-day here in Boston.

And man, it’s been a week.

I write this today to not only help me process, but to share how I process in the spirit of helping you next time you find yourself smack in the midst of a week. Or even, a day. You know the ones…

First, a quick backstory.

Way back in 2019 😏😏, I (finally) completed my yoga teacher training. It’s something that has been on my mind / in my heart since 2012 and by the grace of g̶o̶d̶ Odesza, I found Gina Caputo on the beach of Mexico in March 2019.

Now more than ever, I am confident that music and movement and breath can save the world. Thank you @yoginiontheloose, thank you @sundarafest, thank you @odesza. 10AM beach yoga to the music that brings me most inside/outside my body all at the same time, with the creators of that music about 10 feet away, alongside hundreds of humans alllll being encouraged to let out their inner most unique self, laughing, moving, dancing, being. Absolute magic. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 #sundara #buildthelifeyoucrave (mom, I didn't get another one - this is temporary, you can breathe now!!)

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One thing that really stuck with me from teacher training is the notion that everything is a vinyasa…a flow, a wave, a narrative. Like a storyline, everything has a beginning, a middle, an end.

Whether you zoom way out to an entire lifetime, or scope way in to one singular moment, you will find that beginning, middle, and end: a starting point, a climb, a peak, a comedown, a settlement.

And at every settlement, an opportunity to begin again.

When reflecting back on this past week, the week of what we call “reintegration” from retreat, what a wave it’s been. I’d like to share my wave of a week with you as an example, in hopes that you might find it helpful as you surf through your next wave…because whether you’ve realized it or not, you’re surfin’ baby. Right this minute! Mahalo. 🌊🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🤙

beginning of vinyasa / low energy

IGNITE ended on Friday and I flew back to JFK. I spent the night in New York and drove back to Boston on Saturday morning - I actually ended up having a low fever Saturday night, what I took as just my body finally slowing down after a week of travel and co-leading a group through workshops, reflection, movement, etc. Through Sunday evening, I felt physically unwell and rested. The beginning of my vinyasa, low energy.

ascent + peak of vinyasa / growing, high energy

I woke up Monday morning feeling wonderful and so grateful for that. And thus, began my climb to the peak of my vinyasa. Along that climb was a great new morning routine, newfound community, launch of a new coaching program, solidification of a third location for [b]club, first official yoga class taught in Boston, and catchup with a few friends. Amongst it all, meditation, time to dance, workout, cook my own meals at home, read, write. ALL THE THINGS! I was #peaking. Everything set in stone on IGNITE falling into place in the most natural yet intentional of ways.

On Tuesday, I posted the following on Instagram.

The first week of 2020 has been really great for me. Overall, I feel aligned, grounded, focused, and...happy? joyous? playful? all at once. I was just reflecting and remembered that... The first week of 2019, I was stressed af about money. The first week of 2018, I was dealing with a health issue. The first week of 2017, I was crying my eyes out because my ~4 year relationship was ending. So just wanted to pop in to remind you that we're all on different paths and moving through different experiences at different times. And that wherever you are, I see you and I feel you and I'm here for you. If it feels shitty, trust it will get better. If it feels great, embrace that shit!! Spread it to those who need it. 💕💗👏🙏🙌 Much love to you my friends! Xoxoxo muah *~sAraH~* (what do we think of this sign off? Lame or cool?) photo @sparkbylindsayhite makeup by @demiche 💕 #buildthelifeyoucrave #shitgetshard #itgetsbetter #iloveu

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There was a smile pretty much plastered across my face and in my eyes, and I just wanted to scream from the rooftops, YES WORLD LFG, I LOVE YOU! I very well may have actually done that from my own rooftop in Allston.

It’s funny - on Wednesday I had the thought “ah everything is so great right now! …… hm, I’m bound to come down from this soon.” 😅I think I even said it aloud to a friend. It’s something I’ve caught myself thinking when I find myself in the midst of “things being great.” Yep, even me...your positive, rainbows and butterflies, sunshine of a friend* is guilty of self sabotaging by fearing that good things fall apart.

What’s even funnier is that every time I think that - it happens! Which now prompts me to commit to changing that inner narrative to see what happens…talking back to the negative voice in my head that’s screaming with fear.

*These are titles people often give me, which I love and appreciate. I want to make a point that, of course, it’s not always that way. For anyone who is often titled similarly, there can be a pressure to uphold that image. Know that you are a human with human emotions, not a walking rainbow, and it’s ok to say so. If you struggle with this pressure, hmu I’m here to help. More on this below 💕

descent + end of vinyasa / drained energy

Thursday, my energy started to dip. I had reached the top of my vinyasa peak and now the descent was occurring. I noticed it first thing in the morning, feeling tired in my eyes as my morning meditation was coming to a close. The day went, my energy slowly being drained from my body like squeezing tooth paste out of the bottle.

Friday came along and, fuck man - what a day. Physically, I did actually very little. I left my house in the morning to walk and get a coffee. I had one video meeting. I went to a 4PM yoga class. Somewhere in between my one meeting and yoga class, I had an emotional conversation with a friend that had been pending for 6 months. Which meant the topic had been lingering in my mind and in my body for 6 months. That conversation squeezed the last bit of toothpaste out of me. The descent of my vinyasa picked up speed in what felt like a quick steep crash down into the ground.

*takes deep breath*

I saw two friends at different points throughout the day yesterday and when they asked me how I was, I wasn’t shy to tell them that my energy was wildly low and that today had been a day.

Both of their reactions were something to the effect of, “You?! When are you ever the one with low energy?!”

Sure, I’m usually bursting with high, positive energy. And I’m highly in tune with when I’m starting to dip and in turn, not afraid to cancel plans when I know I’m not going to show up fully for me or the person I’m supposed to meet.

On social media, I try my best to share my low points as regularly as I share my high points - because you can’t have one without the other. Life is simply a collection of opposites and as my boy Jason Mraz sings, that’s why life is wonderful.

As someone who preaches positivity, enjoyment of life, and building the life you crave, I would be remiss to not share the dips in the vinyasa. It would be un-human and untruthful of me. Because the dips are inevitable. Without the dips, the vinyasa would cease to exist.

preparation to ascend again

What’s important is knowing that after the dip, begins the ascent back up.

What’s critical is having the tools to not get stuck in the dip. For me, those tools are meditation, movement, journaling, and conversation. Do you know yours? Knowing what’s inside your toolbox is essential to your wellbeing.

The more you sharpen your tools, the quicker the climb back up becomes and the more enjoyable you’ll find it along the way. It’s as if you’re climbing a mountain and with your sharpened tools, you have the ability to climb a little higher, just a little quicker than the past. As you reach new heights on the mountain, you get to take in more of the trees, flowers, birds, and sights down below, up above, and all around you.

With your sharpened tools, you gather the ability to stop, to breathe deep, and see your breath form in front of you with the excitement you might have had the first time you ever saw your breath on a brisk winter morning as a kid.

With your sharpened tools, you’re able to look down at your starting point, up at your end point, and know with newfound knowledge what you might do next time to ascend and descend with a bit more ease.

It’s a mountain, it’s a wave, it’s me, it’s you. It’s all the same, it’s all nature.

Every moment a vinyasa, every moment an opportunity to begin again. After a week of a vinyasa, I’m choosing to see myself at the bottom of the mountain, ready to begin my ascent back up and find what awaits me along the way.

Have an easy weekend, my friends, be well 💕

With joy,

Sarah