What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when you bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen. -Henry David Thoreau 

After a really good, sweaty, push me to the edge yoga session I stop and sit in stillness before I let myself come out of that meditative state. I stop to feel the energy surging through my body and my heartbeat pulsing in my fingertips. I stop to feel the strength, the potential, and all that is within. Then I focus on the inner voice and what it is telling me and then tears usually start to stream down my face. All that lies before me and behind me melts away as I come alive with pure prana of life, love, gratitude and possibility. Just another reason why the whole world needs more yoga & mediation. Can you imagine?!!

So the darkness shall be light, and the stillness the dancing. -T.S. Elliot 

One of my all time favorite experiences in Israel was the time I spent at Goats With The Wind, an organic goat farm and creamery in Northern Israel located between Haifa and The Sea Of Galilee. I found this amazing place while researching restaurants to eat at on our trip to Galilee. How we actually got there is a miracle. 

The roads to the farm are not exactly marked nor paved and you never know what you're going to run into when you venture off the beaten path in Israel. Could be amazing, could be kinda scary. As luck would have it, a car with two cute little snotty nosed, blonde kids climbing around the back seat pulled in front of us and lead us straight to the farm. We had an amazing lunch of flavorful eggplant & mint, tomato, and cabbage salads, 10 different incredible artisan goat cheeses made in house, and a silky shiraz wine also made in house by the family. Our waitress was a WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms) Volunteer from Chicago and had been living and working on the farm for a month and had no plans of leaving. The restaurant in itself is a magical place. Each table is set in its own secluded place either on a veranda amongst overgrowing jasmine, herbs and roses or under an enormous carob tree. Everything feels intimate and sacred. Guests sit on beautifully embroidered pillows as you connect with the earth that provides much of the meal you are eating. 

There is so much that makes this place special but the two most important aspects are the owners, Amnon and Dahlia. They settled on the land that is now Goats With The Wind 21 years ago and have laid every stone and built every building, animal pin and veranda with their own hands and the help of their family and hundreds WWOOF volunteers. The craftsmanship is rustic yet beautiful, every detail from the tiny stones that form the bathroom building to the hand painted gates an doors that adorn even the goat's milking station. These beautiful people work harder and with more humility than anyone I have ever seen. They wake at 5:30 to milk the 160+ goats by hand every morning, which is  rarely done anywhere anymore, prepare three healthy delicious meals a day for volunteers and whoever else happens to stop by, and countless other tasks necessary to keep the farm running day in day out. Farm life is not easy, but the experience it creates for those who have the chance to spend an afternoon, a month or more there is unforgettable. 

After eating lunch on the that July afternoon at the table I would soon learn was called "Lavender" because of the huge plants growing all around it. I was in love. I immediately was introduced to Dahlia as she busily prepared lunch in the open air kitchen, as scrappy little kittens scurried around her feet to catch any food that may fall, and asked when could I come back. She penciled me in for the month of September. I was so excited!

September rolled around and I packed my grungiest clothes, sun hat, and a sleeping bag and headed back to the farm this time not to eat and sip wine but to work as a volunteer for a month. Fortunately we had a much easier time finding the place this time. After the customary welcoming tea on one of the many patios, they wasted no time in putting me to work. It took a little while to figure out my role. They don't like to give you to much instruction. I think it's all part of the learning process, but it also helps you to get to know the other volunteers  really well, really fast because you need HELP! There is no training. Initiation involves being at the milking station at 5:30 a.m. and giving the udders your best squeeze. Apparently I was a natural because I was asked to come back the next morning. 

My normal schedule ended up including morning milking, cleaning the milking station, which was literally the cleanest place on the farm aside from the kitchen, breakfast, and then working in the garden or in the restaurant the rest of the day until dinner around 7 or 8 p.m. I was fortunate to also get to shepherd the crazy kid goats as they learned where and when to come and go from the fields. I also got to go to the diary several times and help prepared and pack the cheeses and yogurt for the store or to bring back to the farm. After dinner, which was usually the best meal of your life, we would make it back to our room to pass out on a thin little mattress on the floor, also the most comfortable bed you've ever laid upon. Life was simple, work was hard but the days were fulfilling and filled me with a deep sense of peace and comfort. (Well, that is... aside from the several cases of itchy relentless ringworm I got.)

Several months later when I made the decision to leave Israel, I immediately knew I had to go back to the farm one more time before I left. Not to mention, all the mama goats had just started to give birth to a new generation of precious little knobby-kneed kids. This time I only went for a few days but it made the time all the more precious. Over those few days I was able to reflect and let the entire experience soak in. It was amazing how many laughs and stories I had to reminisce about with one of the volunteers who shared in the month I spent on the farm in September. When you have no other entertainment besides each other, the goats, sheep, cows, chickens, donkeys, turkeys, dogs and cats you learn to entertain yourselves and get excited by the smallest things, like chocolate and tee tiny glasses of wine. You laugh at everything, talk for hours and also enjoy the silence. 

One of my favorite moments on the farm was daily meal time. Not only is it because Dahlia makes the most amazing meals, but also because of how the meals are shared. Growing up I remember my parents saying that meal time was sacred. The TV was turned off, you did not answer the phone, and you sat at the table until everyone was finished eating. Looking back I am so glad this value was instilled upon me, no matter how forced it was. At the farm though they took it to the next level. Everyone on the farm, which could be anywhere from 5 to 15 people shared breakfast and dinner together. The bell was rung and then you sat and waited for everyone to trickle in from all corners of the farm. Once EVERYONE was seated (Oh, and we would wait) there was a moment of silence. I don't know if it was the spirit of the place, the people or just me, but this moment became profound. I remember the first few times it seemed ridiculously long. But I quickly grew to love it. Even on the farm those few minutes of silence to stop, reflect and be thankful are so very needed and for me made meal time sacred again. 

My first night back on the farm upon my revisit tears rolled down my face as we sat amongst the silence. It's hard to put into words what it means or what it feels like, but I think it is something so important and primal to have people sit in a circle around food prepared with love and give thanks in silence. Why do we not do this more often? Why must grace be spoken aloud? I don't know if it was the silence or if it was just the deep sense of gratitude that made the moments so beautiful. 

So what does this all mean now that I am back in Texas? To be honest I have not sat silently before a meal since I left the farm. But I want to. My soul craves it. So as I write this I am promising myself I will sit quietly before one meal a day, everyday. As I settle back into the hustle and bustle of American urban life I don't want to forget the peace and beauty that can be found in a life of simplicity, gratitude and silence. 

I know it has been a while. Too long for sure. Since I last wrote, a month ago, my life has been going through some big changes. Ultimately they will all be good changes, but they have been hard nonetheless and I truly was just not able to share and write from the heart. I want to pour good vibes and inspiration into what I write, but I also want to be honest and real about life and its ups and downs. Being on the other side of some big decisions I am now finding more clarity and peace to be able to share my heart with you. So here it is. 

Eight months ago I excitedly boarded a plane bound for Israel, to move across the world in order to share a life with my boyfriend. We had been dating long distance for about a year and a half meanwhile he lived in Afghanistan and then Israel. This was the next BIG step to see if we could actually live together and do the day in day out. I was SO excited to start this new chapter together and also for all the possibilities and adventures Israel had in store for us. Long story short, we realized it wasn't going the way we had hoped. More importantly we saw that our long term goals weren't meeting up and we weren't sure that they ever would. Not to mention, I could not legally work in Israel which left me feeling a little purposeless and stuck. I needed to do more with my life than I was capable of doing there. So with lots of tears and talks we decided it would be best for me to move back home.

I read the quote in the picture above soon after we made the decision and I keep coming back to it for its truth and inspiration. I do not know who wrote it, but whoever you are, Thank You. "Much of the pain in life comes from having a life plan that you've fallen in love with, and when it doesn't work out you become angry that you have to pursue  a new life plan. If you want to tame you inner demons, you must not become too attached to any particular life plan, and remain open to there being an even better, happier life plan." 

You could say I was madly in love with my previous life plan. I was holding on to that plan with fists so tight it took me a while to release my grip, open my hands and trust in the process. I slowly began to let go and detach myself from the idea of the life I had imagined. The life I was so sure to be my destiny. I boarded the plane one last time and flew home to explore what other better, happier life plans are in store for me.  

I have been home just over a week and have gone through the full range of emotions from being super excited to reunite with all my friends and family, to totally distraught about what just happened and where I am headed now. Most notably I have been blown away by all the opportunity and kindness abounding all around me as I aim to approach life with open hands and an open heart. 

My friends and family have poured out so much love and generosity in helping me pave my new path and get back on my feet. It has been really humbling to allow myself to receive help from friends and even mere acquaintances who are happy and willing to do what they can. I think this is a feeling we are not very accustomed to in our modern self-sufficient society. There is so much pride in being independent and able to manage life on your own. I used to pride myself in saying I was all of those things. So although I can not wait to get a job, a house, a vehicle and start rebuilding my life, the mental and emotional process is really healing and beautiful. 

Last night, as I danced ecstatically with new friends, at a new place, I found myself loving the feeling of opening my hands, reaching my arms to the sky and down to the earth, to give and receive, hold and release, moving without care to whatever I was "supposed to be doing." It was a dance from my soul. I felt the flame of potential that burns inside all of us begin to grow and give me strength. 

Although the past few months have been hard and I am just beginning to heal, I would not change a thing. I would still pack my bags, board that plane and pour all of my heart and soul into giving it my best shot. I think there are many paths in our lives that we go down and then for one reason or another decide or are even forced to diverge from. It does not mean they were wrong or bad; they played a part in making you who you are, teaching you something, developing understanding and knowledge that you may have not otherwise had. I've learned that no matter where you are in life you can not become complacent. You have to continually check in with yourself, meditate, pray or sit quietly and listen. Don't let life pass you by. Listen to the whisper in you back of your head, the bottom of your heart and the depths of your gut. And no matter what happens always remain present and open to there being an even better, happier life plan.

This post was originally titled something about New Year's Resolutions and how to keep them, but since it's January 3rd and my brother's birthday (Happy Birthday Meady Boy!) I have officially decided to just start writing and see what happens. Here we go!

Confession #1 For the past three years I have resolved to brush my teeth before bed and yet I still struggle to get the toothbrush in my mouth. Gross, I know! But this is me being vulnerable with you.  I hate brushing my teeth, especially at night. Fortunately Scott usually reminds me, but if left to my own devices the teeth can wait until morning. I always brush in the morning, I promise.

I have been hesitating writing this post. So much so even my brother called me out on it. "You haven't posted anything since Dec 22." Everyone else has already written about their holiday feasting and New Years Resolutions. I am behind the curve. So where was I? Well... since we are being honest, Confession #2  I probably had my hand in the enormous bag of El Rey Gran Saman Chocolate I keep only for gluten free baking, of course. (Insert sarcasm here.) 

Our cleanse ended December 21st. I know I bragged that we were going to go strong all the way to New Years, but that just didn't happen. We did the prescribed 3 weeks and it was amazing. We felt and looked pretty great too. I was proud of us. Confession #3 Midnight on the 21st came and I suddenly remembered where I had hidden the chocolate from myself for the past three weeks. And Scott, whose vice is gummy candy, somehow unearthed a bag of jelly beans... which he had stollen from our roommate. And thus the flood gates opened and the feasting began for the next 4 days, literally.

You might be wondering why am I confessing all this on my nutrition, health and wellness blog? 
Shouldn't I tell you how I made it through the holidays without a single sugar sweet baked morsel touching my lips, and that I am resolving to quit sugar for the rest of the year and start fasting intermittently? Why yes, I probably should. But the reason I have been hesitating writing is because I didn't want to write about what I SHOULD write about. I want to write about real life about the amazing highs AND the difficult lows, the victories AND the losses, the what I did rights AND the what I did wrongs, the stuff that makes you and me human for better or worse. We see and hear a lot of the things we are proud to tell the world about, but we don't get a lot of what people's real struggles are. So here it goes. I'm turning a new leaf for Wild Acorn.

No, I am not going to turn this into a downer fest, because that 's not my style either. But I do want to be a little more real here, to profess to the world that Confession #4 I love sweets and I had pizza and pancakes on Christmas! I AM a health freak, who is studying to be a nutritionist, writes about how to be healthy and yet man-oh-man I gotta get me some of that chocolate cake. 

All of this to say I am not sorry for those four days of gluttony. Oh, and did I mention we did it again for New Years? Maybe I did go a bit overboard, but I enjoyed every bite, especially the portobello ravioli and coconut ice cream. If you're gonna go BIG you better enjoy it and not regret a single calorie. Seriously! Do the healthy thing, make food your medicine, eat clean 95% of the time, but every once in a while you gotta let lose and not feel bad about it.  I'm not saying make this an every-other-day kind of thing, but every once in a while you deserve to celebrate. And for me that means with food. Confession #5 This should be an obvious one, but I LOVE FOOD. Let it be whole and real and nourishing to give you the health and energy to enjoy this amazing life we have been given to live fully. And so sometimes that means a decadent cheese platter and a nice glass of wine for dinner.

Last but not least, even though I said I wasn't going to do this, and I am way late per industry standards to be posting a New Years Resolutions list, here it is. Confession #6 I love resolutions. I love setting goals and having something to learn, do and look forward to. I keep a list of my resolutions and goals in my phone so that I can check in on them and see how I am doing and what I can work on. I ALWAYS make too many resolutions and I ALWAYS leave a few left undone. Let's see, last year I DID NOT learn how to play chess and nor did I learn to sew. Oh well, maybe I'll do it this year! I DID however invest more time connecting with family which I think is far more important. One point for me! I also got better at brushing my teeth before bed, but you know I always like to leave a little room for improvement :)

I know these are pretty basic resolutions, nothing you've never read before. But they are good. They will make you healthier, happier, a better citizen of the world and a better whatever you want to be. So I stopped trying to think of fancy new fandangled resolutions and just stuck to the basics, many of which have been on my list for years. But hey, at least I'm still going for it. 

1. Eat Healthier Get rid of everything processed in your pantry, fridge and freezer. That includes cereals, crackers, cookies, chips, sodas, frozen meals, dressings, pop tarts, etc. Anything that has ingredients that your grandparents and great grandparents wouldn't recognize is probably no good. Throw it out and don't buy it again for the year, or ever! This super easy step will make a huge difference in how you eat and feel. 
2. Spend more time with family Start with calling them on a regular basis. I put an alarm on my phone every Sunday to call home. 
3. Be on Time This was also on my list last year. 
4. Start practicing Yoga & Meditation
5. Do something to Give Back Donate your time or money to a cause you believe in
6. Give yourself a little love by honoring the Four Agreements: Be Impeccable With Your Word; Don't Make Assumptions; Don't Take Anything Personally; Always Do Your Best
7. Learn to Cook and eat healthy Home Cooked Meals 5 nights a week, preferably shared with friends or family.
8. Sweat Once a Day. However and wherever you want to do it. Get your heart a pumpin'. I've taken up swimming recently. I can't feel I'm sweating but my sore legs and arms tell me I'm doing something right. 
9. Learn Something New salsa dancing; to speak a foreign language; to sew; to play chess; to play an instrument; to use Photoshop; to do a handstand... 
10. Detox or Do A Cleanse See ours.

If you made it this far into reading you get my final Confession #7 I am totally addicted to watching Scandal, and Kerry Washington takes my breath away. A little behind the curve on this television hit, yet again, but I have watched 7 episodes in the past 48 hours. Too much? Yeah I know. The real confession is I've started looking for a job back in the states. But I have to save that story for another post. Scandal is just me procrastinating.  Happy New Year!!! 

Here is a great list to get ANYONE started living a happier healthier lifestyle. Make these small changes TODAY and your mind, body and spirit will thank you later! 

I don't subscribe to any one specific "dietary philosophy" but I like to pull bits of wisdom from several (gluten free, Paleo, Whole30) that ring true to me. This list is based on several of the principals from Weston A. Price and the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. 

1.  Eat a Variety of Locally-Grown Organic Fruits & Vegetables
Find a local farmer's market (HERE), grab your backpack and a friend, and make a morning of it! They are usually loads of fun and stocked with more than just fruits and veggies. I especially like Hope Farmer's Market in Austin because they usually have grass fed meat, artisan crafts and live music too.

2.  Cut Out All Packaged & Processed Foods
Within reason, of course... I love my coconut and almond butters. I mean the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheetos and Little Debbie's cakes. Even the packaged rice cakes, granola bars and other "health foods" that tout how healthy they are... cut them out too.  Clean out your fridge and pantry tonight! 

3.  Eliminate All Refined Sweeteners
These should go out when you cut out all processed foods. 
Examples: Sugar, Agave, Dextrose, Fructose, High Fructose Corn Syrup
Replace in small quantities with:  Raw Local Honey, Grade A Pure Maple Syrup, or Stevia
Sugar cravings are the result of excess sweets, not enough quality saturated fats, inadequate animal proteins, mineral deficiencies (see #8 for bone broth recipe), and additives like MSG & artificial sweeteners in the diet.  

4.  Make Your Own Salad Dressing & Sauces 
Here's a super easy recipe: In a jar mix 4 parts olive oil to 1 part apple cider or balsamic vinegar. Flavor with stone ground or dijon mustard, garlic, herbs & spices, blue cheese, raw honey, ginger, cilantro, parsley or lemon… get creative! This is also a good marinade for meat and chicken.
My Green Goddess Dressing Recipe. 

5.  Switch To Coconut Oil, Grass Fed Butter, and Ghee
Hydrogenated oils (i.e. margarine), trans fats & vegetable oils are all highly processed and extremely damaging to your health. Saturated fats, like butter and coconut oil are essential to maintaining healthy cellular communication, brain function, strong immunity, hormonal balance, managing blood sugar, and inflammation. Trans fats interfere with every function in the body and promote cancer and heart disease. Read my post, Making Sense of Cooking Oils. 

6.  Eat Good Fats 
Make sure your diet contains sufficient high quality, organic grass-fed animal products and some raw organic dairy. Animal proteins are the only proteins that contain the vital activators Vitamins A and D.  Good fat does not make you fat! Examples: avocado, nuts & seeds, coconut, WILD caught fish like salmon, olive oil

7.  Read the Ingredients Label. Forget the "Nutrition Facts"
Nutrition facts are totally subjective and often misleading. Just because it has a lot of fat does not mean it is unhealthy. And vice versa, just because it is low in calories doesn't mean it is healthy. Read the ingredients! If there is more than 5 ingredients you should beware. General rule of thumb, if your grandmother wouldn't recognize all the ingredients it's probably suspicious. Stick to the basics. 

8.  Learn to Make Bone Broth
Good broth will resurrect the dead; fish broth will cure anything. Utilize properly prepared broths liberally as an excellent mineral source. Bone broth recipe and more info from Weston A. Price HERE. 

9.  Put Lacto-Fermentation to Work for You
No, sorry that doesn't mean head out for a 6 pack of your favorite brewsky. Lacto-fermented foods, like dill pickles, sauerkraut and kimchi, are essential for digestive health and immunity. Check out my recipe for fermented probiotic drinks, kombucha and water kefir, HERE.  

10.  Eliminate Toxic Metals, Chemicals & Additives 
Examples: Household cleaners, prescription medications & antibiotics, nonstick cookware, antiperspirants, antacids, canned foods, bleached white flour, fluoridated toothpaste and dental treatments, cigarettes, silver dental fillings, vaccinations, large fish (sword/tuna), aspartame, synthetic supplements, pesticides, birth control pills, IUD, hydrogenated oils, commercial peanut butter, imitation dairy (Coffee Mate Creamer), and last but not least MSG
Instead: Check out the cooking, cleaning & beauty products in the Wild Acorn Wellness Store. 

11.  Reduce Stresses to the Physical Body
Do this by minimizing your exposure to/use of caffeine, microwaves (Use the oven! It takes a little longer but it's worth it.), drugs, fluorescent lighting, cell phones (I know, I know. At least try!), high heels, destructive relationships and negative people. A little yoga will also help to reduce stress. 

12.  Practice Forgiveness
We are made up of a physical, spiritual, and emotional body. Focusing on what we want and where we are going from a positive and joyful perspective is key to our health.  There is no greater healer to the physical body than the offering of love to yourself and others. Read my blog, How Have a Better Day, Everyday. 

We've all heard the relationship advice "don't go to bed angry." And for the majority of my life I always thought these to be good words of wisdom, to stay up talking until you work things out, no matter what.  After a recent disagreement and subsequent resolution I have formed a new opinion. SLEEP ON IT. Here's why & what to do instead...

1. HEIGHTENED EMOTIONS : When a disagreement or argument arrises our emotional attachment to it also flares up. Emotions tend to blow situations out of proportion because the influx of anger, frustration, or whatever intense emotion you are feeling can psychologically cloud rational thinking. They are legitimate feelings that you can acknowledge but often not act upon or respond to until you have had time to calm down. 
   
2. IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS: You're emotional brain has taken over and you will be unable to rationally discuss and come to an accord. 
   
3. REGRETFUL WORDS: You're probably going to say something hurtful that you wish you could take back. Hold your tongue so you don't have double trouble when you finally are able to resolve the issue. 
4. STAND-STILL: When the argument has gone on continuously without resolution you may just be beating a dead horse. You're not going to get anywhere going round and round, exhausted, emotionally charged, and all wound up. Get some sleep and come back to the issue AFTER you have taken some time to calm down, eat something, journal about it, and SLEEP ON IT. Do whatever you need to do for you to be able to process the real issue at hand have a calm rational discussion.  

Not only has scientific study proven the correlation between emotions, anger and brain function, but I can also personally affirm that when I let my emotions into the mix things can get a little messy. I don't like to admit it but I'm only human and well, life happens! I go into fight or flight mode and can let my thoughts and emotions run wild. Fortunately I am aware of this fact and know how to hit pause, reflect and think more clearly.  Often times this means waiting 24 hours and doing some yoga before I return to the topic. When I take this time to calm down and wait before I react I find much more peace and ease in coming to a resolution. 

This quote from by Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment gives great advice on how to pause and reflect when strong emotions arise:
“Focus attention on the feeling inside you. Know that it is the pain-body. Accept that it is there. Don't think about it - don't let the feeling turn into thinking. Don't judge or analyze. Don't make an identity for yourself out of it. Stay present, and continue to be the observer of what is happening inside you. Become aware not only of the emotional pain but also of "the one who observes," the silent watcher. This is the power of the Now, the power of your own conscious presence. Then see what happens.”  

Focus on Gratitude
No matter how bad your day, week, or even year has been there is always something to be grateful for. I often am reminded of how thankful I should be for my family, my health, all the amazing experiences I have had in life, and simply for the sun on my face. Focusing on just the smallest thing will help you to forget about all those other things you need not worry about.

Love Yourself
If you don't nobody will! Loving yourself does not have to be conceited or egoistic. Loving yourself can mean taking care of yourself mind, body, and soul. Exercising. Eating for health. Taking time out to feed you soul. Learning something new. Listening to your heart. Treating yourself like someone you respect and admire. You are awesome and it's OK to think so!

Forgive
Just let it go. Holding on to anger and resentment does nobody any good, especially yourself. Forgiveness is a tool for you to let go of the negative feelings and associations that are holding you back from your BEST life. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to let that person back into your good graces, but by forgiving others you free yourself from all that negative weight. 

Abide by the Four Agreements:
Be Impeccable With Your Word |  Your words are powerful. Use them to speak love and truth not only to others, but also to yourself. I use this agreement to remind myself to “talk nice” to myself and not beat myself up over little and big things. Remember that all we say and all we are is a result of how we think and talk to ourselves.
Don't take anything personally | What others do and say has nothing to do with you. Thinking so is wrong and will make you suffer. Their words and actions are only a reflection of their reality. Don’t let it affect your reality. Don't fret about people’s perceptions or actions towards you. The way people treat you has very little to do with you but everything to do with them, their minds and lives.
Don't Make Assumptions | Communicate clearly and truthfully and ask questions. By not saying anything and only assuming you may create conflict. Ask and know the truth to avoid misunderstanding. Don’t jump to conclusions. Always ask questions to make sure you truly know what’s going on so as to not create unnecessary conflict.
Always Do Your Best | In order to do things with joy and love you must always do your best. Your best, however will not always be the same depending on your health, mood or situation. If you can always say “I did my best” you will not regret or end up abusing yourself. Put forth your best effort in all aspects of life: job, family, friendship, finances, and health in doing so you won’t have regrets later.

Exercise Your Mind-Body Connection
Clear your head by exercising your body! That runners high or yogi glow ain't no lie y'all. Moving your body gets you out of your head and helps clear the cobwebs you've been weaving up there all day. Regular exercise produces those feel good endorphins and in turn leads to mental health and clarity. 

Breathe 
Find a moment. Stop. And Breathe. Deeply. 

The idea and philosophy of a Wild Acorn came to me over two years ago while at the yoga and music festival Wanderlust in Stratton, Vermont. Yoga had become a regular part of my life and helped bring me back to life spiritually post breaking up with Christianity and so when I heard of the festival it was one of those "I have to do this" moments.

I had been in a slump of sorts for a while. I had recently returned from serving as a Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador (Going In Peace) and was struggling to find where I would fit back in to the "real world". I wasn't where I wanted to be personally, professionally or spiritually and it didn't feel like life was conspiring to help me out much. I was 28 and living in Austin with my cousin who had graciously given me a job as a live-in nanny for her two sweet babies.  It was a great gig to get me started but in no way was I fulfilling my full potential. Dozens of resumes sent out with little to no reply and an ego frustrated and ready to give up. I had no money for a vacation but I had to go to Wanderlust.

With a little luck I managed a free ticket to the festival and then booked my flight immediately. I went alone staying with a group of people I met through Pravassa Wellness Travel. This could be risky but it was a risk I was willing to take. Sounded like an adventure to me! To make a long story short, the festival was incredible. I practiced yoga with awesome instructors like Seane Corn, Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman, Ana Forrest, John Friend, Siri Peterson and Schyler Grant. I was pushed physically, emotionally and spiritually and I began to feel the light within me glow again.

So back to how Wild Acorn came about. On the second day of the festival I went to a class with Seane Corn. Before she began teaching she talked about potential within us all. She gave the analogy of the tiny little acorn and its potential to grow into a big and mighty oak tree. This imagery resonated so deep within me. I knew I had so much power, creativity and energy trapped within within me that I wasn't fully nurturing and letting grow. I had to tap into that power and start growing. The conversion was not instant but it happened slowly but surely. I came home and began practicing yoga more diligently and decided to finally take the jump to go through yoga teacher training. I began learning about health and nutrition and started taking better care of myself. I healed the wounded relationship with my dad. I moved out of my cousins house and into my own place. And I GOT A JOB!

Since then life has not been a straight and easy road but I have never forgotten the wild and crazy power within me and each and every one of us that when tapped into can not only accomplish great things, but also bring healing and peace to your soul. Wild Acorn will be a collection of my ideas and thoughts on whole health, holistic nutrition, yoga, emotional and spiritual well being, love and life. I am honored and humbled that you would want to read, learn and grow along with me. It's going to be an adventure!