A life-changing mindset shift

Moving beyond your daily gratitude list

We have all heard about the life-changing effects of gratitude, but is it possible to take this practice beyond your gratitude journal? How can you practice gratitude throughout your day. In real life?

During our Sunny Sunday Yoga class yesterday, I shared one of my favorite mindset shifts with the class. It is actually a gratitude practice that is hidden in a subtle shift of language

Shifting from the mindset of “I have to“, to “I get to. There are so many tasks and mundane to-dos throughout the day and if you observe your language, you are most likely saying things like, “I have to go to the store”. Or, “Oh, I can’t meet for coffee this afternoon, I have to pick up the kids from school”. “I have to take time off of work today because I have to go to a doctor’s appointment”. 

What if you shifted your mindset, and even your verbal language to say, “I get to pick up my kids this afternoon!” Do you feel the shift? Sure, it is another thing on your list for the day, but you know what?

There are many people in the world, and probably in your own circle and community, who are praying to “get to” do the things that you feel you “have to” do. 

Having children, your job, access to medical care, the ability to go grocery shopping… these are all privileges. These are actually things for which we can be feeling, and expressing, gratitude. 

So give it a try this week. Start by observing your thoughts and your language and notice when you might be sitting in an energy of obligation and frustration with your to-do list. Is there any opportunity to shift your mindset into a space of gratitude? Are you able to take a step back today and recognize how blessed you truly are?

Start out with the little things and then move onto some of the more challenging moments of your day. An argument with your partner? You get to take some time to reflect and learn more about yourself, your needs, and the needs of your partner. You get to improve your communication to help alleviate some of this tension in the future and improve your relationship. A conflict at work? You get to stand up for yourself, honor your boundaries and remind yourself of your worth. 

So, you see, your gratitude practice can go beyond listing five things you are grateful for at the end of the day. It can be a constant practice and reminder throughout your day. A constant opportunity to check in and reevaluate your mindset and choose to make this simple, life-changing shift.

Let me know how it goes!

xo,
Jennison

Creative Christmas shopping ideas in Valencia, Spain

A Local Gift Guide

Checking off your Christmas gift list can feel like a chore, and sometimes a bore. With these creative Christmas shopping ideas for your loved ones, you are bound to feel inspired with your gift-giving this holiday season. From funky and quirky, to feminine or modern, to cozy or even tasty, enjoy this list of local gifts ideas in Valencia, Spain.

All of the brick and mortar shops below are located in Ruzafa, which makes for a fun afternoon of shopping local in Valencia. If you are looking for shops outside of the Ruzafa neighborhood, check out the Christmas markets in Plaza de la Reina, Mercado de Tapineria, and the City of Arts and Sciences.

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There is more than one way

How my coaching journey began Part 2


There were a couple of things that drove me in the direction of coaching. The more I stepped into my most authentic self and aligned my teaching in the same way, the more motivated I became to help others to do the same.

The more authentic my practice and teaching became, the more I was frustrated by the things I was seeing within the wellness industry- on social media and beyond. I saw many professionals in the wellness industry struggling with the messages they were seeing and the pressure to show up online, and on the mat, in a way that wasn’t authentic to their personality, nor their values.

Social Media can be an incredible space to connect and create community. In the wellness field, it can feel overwhelming, disturbing and even inappropriate.

The pressure to “show up” as sexy and perfectly posed and poised, began to drive me crazy. I found myself frustrated and unfollowing accounts left and right. Yoga is so much more than a beautifully sculpted body, standing on your hands, or twisting the body into nearly-impossible contortions.

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“So, you help your competitors?!”

coaching for wellness professionals

How my coaching journey began. Part 1

I was having a conversation with a few women the other day who wanted to know more about the “Authentically You” coaching programs. After explaining a bit about the program, one of the women asked, “So you help your competitors?!” My response? “YES!” And here’s why. 

When I first began offering yoga classes in Valencia, my “niche” was teaching yoga in English. There weren’t many other teachers offering classes in English, but there were quite a few students who wanted to practice yoga in a language they felt more comfortable with. As the immigrant and expat communities grew in Valencia, so did my classes.

But soon enough, more and more English-speaking yoga teachers began to move here as well. I remember a couple of them early on, advertising their classes “Yoga in English in the Park”. They wanted to meet with me for a coffee to learn how to grow their English-speaking yoga business in the Valencia

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How establishing a morning routine pulled me out of a deep depression

morning yoga routine

“Underneath all we are taught, there is a voice that calls to us beyond what is reasonable, and in listening to that flicker of spirit, we often find deep healing. This is the voice of embodiment calling us to live our lives like sheet music played, and it often speaks to us briefly in moments of deep crisis. Sometimes it is so faint we mistake its whisper for wind through leaves. But taking it into the heart of our pain, it can often open the paralysis of our lives.”

– Excerpt from Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening

About 10 years ago, I went through one of the darkest times of my life. I was doing all the right things, but somehow none of it felt “right”. Everything in my life was good on paper, but in my heart I knew it wasn’t for me. I walked away from what I thought was the path I was supposed to follow. Get a good job. Establish myself in a career. Get married. Have babies. Live happily ever after. The end. 

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Four surprising ways to attract abundance into your life

affirmations for abundance

We have all heard about the “woo hoo” practice of manifestation and how it can change our lives. Turn our dreams into reality. Attract love, abundance, health and all of our deepest desires. It seems so far-fetched and out there that sometimes we don’t even really try to manifest anything at all. But you know what? We are constantly manifesting, whether we like it or not. Our energy is either repelling or attracting in every moment, of every day.

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DO THESE THREE THINGS BEFORE YOU POUR YOUR COFFEE

yoga in valencia

Wake up with mindfulness!

 

“Mindfulness” has been quite the buzzword over the past decade and to be honest, it has got me buzzing! 

I have experienced the amazing benefits of mindfulness in my own life, from simple daily changes to more integrated practices in my life and relationships. The idea of changing our lives can be quite intimidating. However, if we can focus on changing some of our daily habits instead, these habits can in turn… change your life. Think about it, if you do something mindful once a day, every day, your life is bound to be impacted by this change.

 

 

So, here are three mindful things you can do before you pour your coffee.

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Why I started describing the times of COVID-19 as “interesting”

yoga in valencia

I went from describing this time as “challenging” to describing it as “interesting”.

I noticed that whenever I was talking about, or writing about the current times I was describing it as “challenging”.

“How are you holding up during this challenging time?”

“Sending you lots of love during this challenging time.”

“Oh gosh, what a challenging time…”

I know that our experiences are a reflection of our own perceptions. I also know that we function at our best when our vibration is aligned with the universe, and to be honest, I didn’t like the vibration of the word, “challenging”. Goodness knows, I definitely wasn’t interested in inviting any more challenge into my life. 

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THE LUCKY ONES

yoga with jennison

The lucky ones.

When this pandemic began, I panicked. My work was centered around human touch and travel. What now? My husband had just moved to a new job, only one month prior. What was going to happen? No school for Luca? How will we manage? A dog we recently adopted who would now be confined to the indoors? How?

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HOW ONE WORD CAN CHANGE YOUR LOCKDOWN EXPERIENCE

Have you ever considered how your language can shift your perspective and in turn, change the way you experience your life?

For those of you sheltering in place, in quarantine, or on lockdown with children…. who is the happiest human in the house? I am confident that most of you would answer, your child(ren). Children have a beautiful way of viewing life and a precious perspective on their experience, even during challenging times.

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