How Travel helps you Grow

Travel can be blissful when you are open to receiving, but it is also filled with opportunities for growth. Anytime life brings something unfamiliar, we can chose to run and hide, or we can chose to be open to the moment in all its richness. Travel is a fast track to new experiences, where we have an opportunity to connect and learn within the unknown. It is a journey beyond our comfort zone, to seek the greater wisdom, appreciation and perspective.

Staying centered and grounded in travel isn't always easy, but it helps by maintaining a self inquiry practice. Being thrown off course is actually a gift to better know yourself. One of the most grounding things you can do is stay committed to your daily practice because this helps you maintain a bigger sense of peace and sovereignty even when things are hard.

Yes, you want to set up conditions for joy, in the body, in your mind, your relationships and your home. However, we can't always keep these conditions in total control and that is when the spiritual work supports you to a deeper, inner peace.

As cliche as it sounds, honoring the present moment is really the path to more freedom. Of course you don't have to stay anywhere that you're unhappy, but you can't learn from the experience without being in it.

When things aren't going as planned or are unfamiliar in the moment, it can be scary, ungrounding or lonely. That can lead us to find distraction or comfort in those moments. These might be calling a friend, eating sugar, instagram, television, alcohol, etc. Of course, sometimes we need to seek comfort, so it’s important that you chose something that’s truly supportive. For example, calling on a mentor when you are overwhelmed can be helpful, but calling on an ex-lover might be hurtful. Going outside for a jog or hike can be helpful to clear your head, whereas going out to party with friends might be a further distraction. 

You’re the only person who can decide what you truly need. However, a coach can support you in uncovering your desires and the wisdom you already have within and help you let go of any negative patterns.

Here’s an example of my own past negative mental spiral…
I'll open up instagram and see a photo of my friend with her boyfriend surfing in Costa Rica. Then I remember that time I went with my ex boyfriend surfing. Then I feel lonely because I don't have a boyfriend. Then, I think, 'why didn’t I stay in my past relationship a little longer and make it work. Maybe I should call that bumble guy again. Maybe I’m meant to be alone forever. Maybe I’m not capable of love.'

This is a mind triggered and left to its own devices which keeps me focused on fear rather than moving towards love. At some point, I catch myself spiraling into this negative pattern. The more self aware I am, the more quickly I catch these negative thoughts and ask what is true about them. My work is to help you uncover patterns within yourself, in the body and mind and help you ride these waves rather than getting caught in them or blocking them all together. I help uncover your triggers and deeper issues that are leading to negative feelings.

Interested in a deep dive into self inquiry and have a travel adventure, join me this March in Morocco!

How to Shift Your Reality

This universe, people, opportunities, experiences are meeting you, right now, right where you are, just as you’re showing up.

A shift in perspective is a shift in reality. 

Reality is not fixed, multitudes of possibilities exist and you have the power to change your reality. No, I don’t think you can wish for a million dollars and “manifest it” but you can heal certain parts of yourself that might be blocking your potential for growth. Through focused observation, you have the power to notice habitual thought patterns and overtime change thoughts which influence emotions, personality and your reality!

For many years, my perception was that I needed to match the energy of people around me instead of choosing for myself. I followed other peoples desires, for my career, social networks and friendships. I was never happy because I was always chasing someone’s acceptance, someone else’s happiness. As I kept growing, doing inner work, getting to know myself and I became clear about who I want to be in the world, my own desires, my own energy and boundaries. It’s crazy to think how much time I spent concerned with people who are no longer even relevant to my life. Social media can feel that way too. When constantly being watched, we can get lost in wondering how we’re being perceived.

The observed is altered by the observer. You alter everyone and all consciousness around you, including your own cells. There’s a dialogue from your body to your mind that’s ongoing. Our body’s are made of conscious energy, cells, and by communicating with care and compassion, feeling a place of abundance, peace, you can shift your health. Done regularly, these shifts will bring you closer and closer to your ideal self and desired outcomes. When you connect mental dialogue with breath and emotions, you affect the body's nervous system to heal, allow the mind to be more calm and alter the energy around you to match your state. When you feel well, you make better choices for your life, eating habits, relationships, etc. It’s all a big feedback loop.

Furthermore, the relationships you’re in affect you on a cellular level. If I’d never had loving relationships, mentors and coaches, I could never have grown to where I am today. In addition, I had to let go of negative ones. I’ve worked with many mentors and friends who see the high vibe me, my potential, allowed me to step more fully into who I am becoming.

How Truly Listening is Healing

I'm writing you from Sag Harbor where I'm finishing up an advanced training module on Yoga Therapeutics. Among all the anatomy, meridian points and mudras, we're also learning about being present so the practitioner, the student, can also be present and heal. 

There is an art of creating space for someone to be seen that allows for connection, transformation and healing. When we are too focused on "fixing" someone, we can't really help them. So in our efforts to "fix", we try to use what we know, rather than simply listening to what they need. You cannot help someone without being relaxed and listening to them. Even if you think you can offer someone advice, it won't be received if you're not connecting. Have you ever met someone who would not shut up about a point, but no-one in the room was listening? They think it's all about them showing off their knowledge, but there's two people in all communication. You have to connect to the human in front of you.

 It's important, especially as teachers or healers, to consider stories and energy we receive every day that can block us from being unbiased wither others. Every moment is an opportunity to learn something from the people around you. Even if you don't particularly like a person, try to remove the story you have about them, and really just see them. 

Many people in our modern busy lifestyle and single households suffer from not being seen or heard. If you really want to connect with someone, just offer a kind attention for them to share. After all, isn't attention one of the biggest ways to show love?

The same is absolutely true for yourself. You can't listen and know yourself if you're always doing. You must take time to sit quietly with yourself and notice what's true for you, otherwise emotions, stories, desires will stay repressed. Stuck emotions cannot release without acknowledgement. And for those of you who feel uninspired in relationships or business, listen. Allowing yourself space to be, opens up channels for clarity. It opens up channels to self healing and love to mature.

My therapeutic work is sitting with my clients while they share and process what's making them feel blocked from peace, love, safety, connection, success, security, by really listening and working with what's present for them at the moment.

Thoughts on Vulnerability, Connection & Liberation

When was the last time you put yourself out there? Spoke up, even when it’s hard and not the popular thing to say. Moved forward with integrity, even when change was frightening! Called someone and revealed a difficult, vulnerably, raw truth from your heart? Did something your soul desired while your small mind warned you of the possible consequences.

Vulnerability!

We are all social creatures who desire connection and love. But while trying to receive love, we experience pain or disconnection from those we care about. We learn what we needed to do in order to receive love. Depending on the type of relationship {friends, family, lovers, co-workers, schoolmates} maybe you needed to be independent, codependent, perfect, happy, giving, mean, disconnected, emotionless, sweet, exciting, tough, successful, smart, rich, powerful, submissive, quiet, sexy, prudish, proper, wild, straight, religious, gay, a feminist, politically correct, liberal, or blablablabla this list can go on forever. You learn that doing certain things will get you love and certain things don’t, and this sets up programming for your behavior. 

As a child I learned to be quiet, small and helpful as my family was always under a lot of stress.

I remember I had my first Christmas dance when I was 13. Everyone is suppose to buy flower boutonniere for their dates to wear. I couldn’t bring myself to ask my mom to purchase me this simple item because I was too afraid of "bothering her.” I felt that I needed to be easy and helpful, and I could not ask for too much. I couldn’t want more than I had. So I made up some excuse to my date as to why I didn’t have the the boutonniere.

As I have embarked upon a spiritual path, as I get to know myself better, I become aware of all these patterns and practice how to let them go so I don't have any false pretense in relationships. I strive to live with authenticity, vulnerability and then trusting that path for me. Now, I do my best to share my story vulnerably with others. But that wasn't always the case, as early on I felt shame about my past.

We hold many of old patterns to protect us from shame.

Brene Brown described shame as the fear of feeling disconnection; the fear that if someone knows that one thing, they won’t like you anymore. Unfortunately, fear of shame keeps most of us hiding our authentic self. But if we want someone to love us, don't we want them to love ALL of us, just as we are, Right?! Yet I’ve found myself in the past, keeping quiet or agreeing to something, just to be accepted.

Now, I came to understand that when someone is vulnerable with me and shares an authentic story, it brings me closer to them. Feeling them open up liberates me to feel safe to open up with my own struggles, mistakes or anxieties. These healthy relationships give me more power to show up authentically in all areas of my life.

When someone shares, in a small space or in a huge event, and it's from the heart, I feel it, I resonate and it touches my heart. Heart to Heart y'all.

I have been in superficial relationships with friends where I didn’t feel that I could express my genuine truths with out being judged. I now seek out those who support me from where I am at. Holding me to my own standards while continuing to let me be who I am. That is, truly seeing someone, where they are now, both dark and light, while holding space for their continued evolution into a higher version of themselves. The truth is, when someone is judging you, they have the problem, and you should not let that change your own opinion about the matter. 

In my early 20s, I worked in fashion, I was surrounded by people who were a-lists with loads of fancy designer clothes. Simply because I worked next to them, I felt that I had to act important and wear high-fashion gear. I kept up with that persona, and I rarely shared my truth or stories of my past. But, what I realize now is that I could have lowered my guard, and been more myself without worry. The people who were superficial weren't meant to be in my life anyways. I blocked any genuine connections because I didn't feel safe enough to open up.

Have you ever had a relationship that felt superficial and no-one really talked about the genuine, deep shit?! Didn’t that feel disconnected?

That leads me to believe that we MUST be vulnerable and honest about our fears and shame to deeply connect. Therefore, connection is simply a result of vulnerable authenticity. It’s letting go of the ideas of what society or your family or your peers tells you to just be who you are. Right now, wherever you are in your journey, whatever your background or age, be ok with that.

I believe everything I've attained has been because I broke through giving my power away to someone else's opinions or fears. Over a decade ago, I moved to NYC completely alone with no clue what I'd do with myself. That was the first huge leap my soul made and it was years of painful trials in my 20s, seeking self worth outside myself, before I discovered I had to love myself first.

I stayed in a relationship past it’s expiration date because I was afraid of losing my best friend, being uprooted from security and comfort.

I stayed at a safe jobs so I could keep up with 'perceived' security and status.

I continued to spend time in social circles where I was not being fully seen.

Then one day, I woke up. I saw this relationship wasn’t serving, that my career was not a passion but sacrificing my life, and that many of the people close to me didn’t know the real me. My aspirations of healing myself and others really ignited me. I answered the call to leave all these things in NY, to travel, teach and look within myself. Now, I feel much more aligned. But I continue to listen. I started singing in Thailand because my heart was called. I started coaching this year because I had to share what I know. I’m writing this because it’s my truth.

The fear of being fake needs to trump the fear of being disliked, especially when it comes to how you live your life.

Even now in the yoga world, I wonder if some people feel they need to look a certain way or wear a certain brand or know a certain someone. It’s a two way street.

In order for people to feel safe and show up authentically, we need to mirror non-judgement and include those who might not feel safe to express themselves.

Everyone is shaped by an uncontrollable, outside environment, so who are we to judge anyone for where they are on their path. Who are we to judge someone's past? How can we connect and help uplift someone if we are judging them?

We must also be vigilant about continuing to share our truth (even if it’s not always pretty), to liberate others to share theirs.

My wish is for you to feel worthy, accepted and loved with all your past imperfections and unique gifts. I truly believe what makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful. I love when people are willing to put themselves out there, speak their mind and share their story. Even when you have no idea how someone will respond, doesn't it feel better to share your authentic truth? I think so! I feel so liberated. But i’ll admit, It’s one of the hardest things to do, especially with those we love because we fear their judgement the most. But i’ve found that it’s often the part of you that's hidden which is the most enchanting.

Now that I’m awake to this, I can witness when my gut wrenches at the idea of sharing anything that’s scary or vulnerable. My gut tells me that, Yep, there is FEAR of being SEEN. Fear of letting my truth out. For me now, there is more fear of NOT being seen than there is of being seen. That is the huge shift that happened for me a few years ago when I started to share my story regularly. I recognized that I was disconnected from so many people because I was afraid of being my authentic self. So I wasn’t attracting or connecting those who would see me, the real me, and I was also feeling disconnected in other relationships where many people were being superficial. I feel it’s so important to say what you feel. Speaking up first, whether it's "I love you!” or "you’re really hurting my feelings” Or “we need to change this situation"

There are no guarantees a person will respond how you want them to anyways, so why not always tell the truth. 

So I show up for myself each and every day, with my practice, I listen into ... who am I being this day? is this right for me today? Is this still my path? am I being honest with myself and others?

If you are not looking within, how can you know if you’re reflecting your true self to others, right?!

Being vulnerable, even in shame, might break you open to deeper connection, liberation and ultimately freedom.

love,

Diana

Let's Ban Plastic Straws

“8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans, and that figure could increase by ten-fold over the next 10 years if actions are not taken. One metric ton equals 2,205 pounds.) ”

— Time Magazine

Last weekend, I went to a dance party at the PS1 WarmUp at the MOMA museum in Queens for some Reggae dance vibes. Always a good time dancing up there! 

In prep for the festivities, I tossed a small glass jar and metal straw in my handbag, Because I keep hearing how devastating plastic is to our planet. I'm not perfect but I want to make a positive impact every day. Every little thing you do makes an impact as the domino affect happens and more people wake up.

Most plastic is NOT recycled. Americans discard 33 million tons of plastic each year, but only 6.5 % of it is recycled & 7.7 % is combusted for electricity. The rest is clogging landfills and our ocean. It takes 10 lifetimes decompose. 😲
Unless you are at a sustainable cafe that composts all their dining wear, it's plastic! Shout to those sustainable Restos like @sweetgreen and @ocafenyc for Using all compostable dining wear.

Quote from: http://time.com/3707112/plastic-in-the-ocean/ 

$7.99 $15.99

Pic: Sipping lemonade at the @momaps1 with my reusable gear I had tossed in my bag. Say no to plastic straws. Use these cute metals one's like this one. 

Other ways to help our environment:

• Don't buy plastic water bottles. Instead reuse a metal or glass water bottle.
• Use sustainable, reusable or compostable materials
• Compost all food waste
• Recycle or reuse anything that isn't reusable or compostable especially plastic bags
• Try and have a Zero Waste policy for your home
• Replace paper towels with reusable cotton wash cloths
• Purchase less and opt for used items when possible. Try to buy, re-sell or donate old items
• Buy digital or used books or visit the Library
• Carry reusable mugs, straws and cutlery when necessary
• Avoid chemicals and toxic cleaning materials and dispose properly

This website has all the best detailed tips on how to recycle, compost and live more sustainably!

let's be good to earth! start bringing a reusable metal straw, a glass mason jar or reusable water bottle. Or ask for washable Dish wear if you're dining in.

Be a voice!! Be the change! 😘✌🏼🌱  Be cool to the planet y'all 🌱🌏 ✌🏼 

-- D