10 Amazing Facts About Me

Today I’m changing the blog post up a little bit. While I love discussing and sharing all things health; food, and wellness with you, I figured it might be fun to share a few facts about yours truly, and let you all get to know me a bit better. So here goes:

I AM A MORNING PERSON

I love the peace of the morning, the cool crisp air, the hush that surrounds my home like a snug blanket, and I definitely love a warm coffee mug nestled in my hands. But my mornings are not in vain! They are an integral part of my day, this is the time I set my mind on what matters - I plan, I rest, and I am refreshed. The days that I sleep in, missing the stillness of a sleeping household, are much like a car running out of gas. jerking forward, in the hope of making it to a gas station. There is no question of doubt, early mornings are crucial, a crucial part of me.

I AM A LATE BLOOMER

I started practicing yoga at 35, with a ZERO background relating to yoga. My first experience with yoga was when I signed up for a 30 day Mysore Ashtanga yoga Bootcamp (the word that appealed to me was bootcamp :). Not realising that Mysore is a self practice - so you can imagine how that went down. A person that has NEVER done yoga before, showing up and not having a clue what to do. The owner of the studio realised after the third day what was going on, and going forward, kept a space open for me next to her every morning. I fell in love with yoga. After completing my bootcamp, it took me 4 more years to eventually commit to a regular yoga practice. At 39 I earned my 200hr YTT in Vinyassa Flow. At 40 I earned my 200hr YTT in Hatha. At 41 I earned my 50hr YTT in Yin, 50hr in Pregnancy Yoga and 50hr in Kids Yoga.

I LOVE BEING A MOM

We adopted our son Alexi when I was 39 and my heart was lost to him, head over heels when I first held him. Being a mom is so much more than what I could have ever imagined; yes it is the most challenging thing I have ever taken on, but It's a blessing, a gift, a relationship that never ends, and a love that never dies. It's the best thing I have ever become, the greatest love I have ever felt, and the best part about being me.

I CAN BE A LAZY LEO

Don’t get me wrong, I am a self professed workaholic and will often describe myself to people as: “A person who works obsessively hard in a compulsive way”. My health paid the price with this obsessive behaviour. Now I have learned to relax, and find a balance. BUT I can be lazy, I can easily find a spot on a sofa (preferably on the outdoor sofa - we Leo’s loves the sun - and stay there the whole day)! The dishes can pile up for the day, we can have fruit and toast only for meals and I can stay in my pyjamas the whoooole day! Normally on those days, I convince myself in my yoga practice, that the body needs “child’s pose” and “savasana”, more than any other pose.

I LOVE ROCK & ROLL MUSIC

Yes, I am that person at a rock concert, in the front row, with teased hair, a black bra, and a torn pair of jeans, jumping up and down, completely lost in the music. My high school crush was Lenny Kravitz, while all my other friends were into Rob Lowe, Michael J Fox or Tom Cruise. No, I am not saying that Rock & Roll music is better than any other music, but there is no other music that gets me more motivated and moving, like Rock & Roll does. If you haven’t experienced a rock concert before, I want to encourage you to add it to your bucket list.

I LOVE SURPRISING PEOPLE

I love surprising people with thoughtful gestures and gifts. I make sure that every person on any of my retreats receive a handwritten letter to welcome them, and make them feel at home. Someone rightly said, no friendship is an accident. They are the siblings that God forgot to give us. They are the shining stars in our world of darkness. They are the most important ingredient of the recipe called LIFE.  I love to celebrate human beings with small surprises, bringing a smile to their face.

I AM EXTREMELY SHY

Do I get tongue tied at parties? Yes! Do I get tongue tied giving a presentation to 100’s of people? No! Do I get nervous chatting to the new mommy as school? Yes? Do I get anxious teaching a full class of yoga students? No. And I celebrate that everyday. I like being a bit shy and reserved, even though I am confident. I get really awkward in front of a camera, so basically, any photoshoot is a huge challenge for me.

I AM A FOOD NERD

I love to talk; eat, discuss and learn about the medicinal properties of food for body, mind and soul all the time. If you were to ask me what I am passionate about in life, besides supporting you to create the best version of yourself, I would tell you it is to prevent, cure or treat disease with food as medicine. And those close to me will vouch for it, as I am forever telling them the benefits (or non benefits) of what they are eating, and I love to have conversations about how food effects their bowel movements, skin, hair, energy and spirit.

I AM A GANGSTER AT HEART

Don’t get me wrong; I am soft, kind and nurturing to all lives, but there is a part of me that is secretly in love with shows like Queen of the South, Sopranos and Narcos. Powerful men and woman involved in a mafia or running cartels - guns, drugs and gorgeous bad boys - nobody messing with the them - makes for hours of day dreaming…..

I TRULY BELIEVE YOU CAN

The best way to believe in yourself is to take stock of the people who believe in you - and I do. You may not think you are destined for great things, but I do. I believe that you have the power within you to create a life that makes you jump out of bed in the mornings and it is so amazing and filled with life that it feels like a dream most of the time. I believe you have the power that you can truly be what you were born to be at any age, and anywhere in the world. So don’t give up on your dreams lovelies - I believe in you!