Hi friends! Throughout the month of December, I want to invite you into my world a bit I recently did a fun portrait shoot with Alexis Foust Photography (thank you, Alexis!). I love how she captured my personality in these images.

My intention for this shoot was to bring light to my own creative journey and to share my passion for writing, publishing and self-expression.

If you’re a follower here on Alive in the Fire, you’ve heard a lot about my yoga journey over the past 10+ years. I’m also passionate about my creative pursuits and have blossomed greatly over the last few years as a writer and editor.

Fun fact: over the last 3 years, I’ve self-published 5 books and 3 journals and have helped authors from all over the world with their own book projects. I also did a ghostwriting project (a memoir). And currently I’m working on a series of essays about healing my relationship to my body.

These experiences have led me to have some unique beliefs about publishing:

I feel strongly that anyone who wants to can publish a book.
I believe the process of publishing can be enjoyable and fun– and it’s 100x easier when you have the support of a community around you.
I think most writers need support in letting go of maladaptive perfectionism that has told them for years they’re ‘not good enough’ and that their story doesn’t matter. I finally asked myself, who taught me that and why did I listen? And that has unlocked a lot for me. I’m no longer the person standing in my own way when it comes to sharing my art.
It's never too late to let your voice be heard.

My creative journey has been not just about the books and the writing. It's also been a deep dive into finding my voice, embracing it, and learning to trust it. I've felt firsthand how empowering it is to tap into my own creative confidence.

That same confidence connects directly to my experiences as a yoga teacher, too!

I also have some unique beliefs about yoga and being a yoga teacher:

I think most yoga teachers need more support after teacher training. I for one felt overwhelmed, confused, and a bit lost as I started teaching classes. I was putting way too much pressure on myself and wanted to be perfect instead of being real.
I think yoga teachers are some of the coolest people out there and I respect and admire what they do, how much they give to their communities.
I think a lot of people find yoga but then lose their practice and aren’t sure how to come back. I’ve experienced this at different times in my life— the way my practice looks different during different seasons, and that’s ok. I hope more people learn to love their practice and accept that it looks differently at different life stages and ages.
People who are new to yoga deserve a positive experience. As teachers, it’s on us to do everything we can to create an inclusive, safe experience. We can break down barriers, meet people where they are, accept them, see them and invite them back for their next class.
It makes me sad that western culture has sexualized yoga, made it about commercialization and profit, created an Instagram and TikTok culture that’s surface level, and alienated a lot of people from the practice.
I’m aware of my own participation in those trends^^ and know my awareness is part of my own healing journey. I’m committed to doing better and to recognizing when I’m contributing to the problems.
Yoga as a healing practice can help anyone who wants to feel better in their body, release pain, know themselves better, and find wellness on many levels (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual). Yoga is a powerful tool and everyone deserves to have access to the practice.

There’s lots more to add to this list, but I wanted to share these to get us started. :)

What fuels my soul? Self-expression, freedom, courage, kindness, and peace. These values are a part of everything I do. I am deeply passionate about writing, practicing and teaching yoga, sobriety, mental health, authenticity, body awareness, energetic empowerment, and living life as a woman and highly sensitive person who knows herself and cares for herself.

Stay tuned for more “me” moments throughout December, and different ways you can connect with me. Thanks, as always, for being here! I love and appreciate you guys and thank you for following my journey. It means a lot.

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