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It’s been a while since I posted, so I wanted to update you as why I haven’t been posting as often. Well, for the past 2 weeks, I’ve been waking up at 5:30AM and hauling my butt out of bed to attend a new yoga studio that just opened down the road in Crescent Springs called Moksha Yoga & Athletica. I know what you’re probably thinking right now… are u kidding me… Yoga.

Well, I gotta tell you that this is no ordinary yoga. Moksha Yoga is form of hot yoga—which means that they heat the room to around 100 degrees—and their series of postures works to stretch, strengthen and tone the muscles while detoxifying the body and calming the mind. Their philosophy, I have learned, is “to attain enlightenment - a state of being that brings understanding of our true nature as sentient beings, opens a sense of deep liberation, and frees us from the suffering of everyday life”. During the class, they teach you get in touch with your breathing and the present moment—not focusing on anything other than the pose at hand. And I tell you what, I’ve never done anything in my life that’s made me sweat as much as this hot yoga. And when the class is over, around 7:30 AM, I feel cleansed and alive. It’s a pretty amazing feeling! They claim that hot yoga has many health benefits including de-stressing, weight loss, preventing insomnia and even anti-depression to name a few… to learn more about the benefits click here.

The other thing that I’ve noticed is that I sustain this energy throughout the day… it’s not like a workout at the gym where I’m dead tired the rest of the day. I actually have more focus and concentration while I’m working and have been a little calmer around the house with the kids (still a work in progress). The other awesome thing is that it’s helping me to wake up earlier (much earlier), so I have some time just for myself in my day… no kids yelling, no dog barking, no wife asking me to do something (sorry Jess), nothing but 1 1/2 hrs of alone time in peace and solitude. And this has started to carry over into the days that I don’t practice, which adds some nice time to do whatever I want to do in the morning before everyone gets up. So, I’m starting to notice almost immediate benefits in my daily life.

Also, I want to send a big THANK YOU out to Rebecca, Leah, and Michael for making me feel comfortable and welcome in this new environment. You guys are awesome!

If you live in the N. Kentucky/Cincinnati area and you are interested in trying something new in terms of fitness or personal development, you might want to give Moksha Yoga a try. In the brief time that I’ve been practicing, I’ve definitely noticed a big difference in my day, so maybe you can too!

Today I read a post on ZenHabits.net that really hit home for me… it was regarding taking more personal responsibility in our lives and not blaming others. It’s a theme that I’ve been addressing for the past year, and this post was a good reminder to me that I still need to have awareness in this department.

The post rang true for me in a couple of different areas. First, when I take on the role of the “little-helper” around the house, I end up being very passive as a parent & husband instead of being active and present, being a true co-parent and spouse. Second, this is a message that I’ve been trying to instill in my children… that instead of blaming the other person, you need to own up to your part in the situation.

I have taken some positive steps in the right direction with my personal responsibilities, but there’s alway room for growth! The most important thing I took out of the post was this: By stopping blaming others for your failures, you take responsibility for your own destiny. And if you start taking control of your destiny, and stop letting others control it, you will get to the life you want! Read the entire ZenHabit’s post on How You Can Take More Personal Responsibility.

The following is one of the best posts I’ve read on ZenHabits… a wonderful piece written by a Dad to his Son. The message and advice is great for children, but for any of us taking this journey in this world. As a Dad myself, it is my hope that I can be an example and instill these values in my children. Thanks Leo!

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This post from ZenHabits.net is ideal for anyone interested in Getting Things Done (more on GTD) – or just being productive and organized, for that matter — to be able to quickly add things to your to-do lists without interrupting your work; to be able to see what you need to do right now, without worrying about everything else; to be able to organize stuff without too much work. SIGN ME UP! I’m going to check out a couple of these apps and report back on which one I prefer. Click here to read the full article at ZenHabits.net.

My favorite blog to read right now is called ZenHabits by Leo Babauta. He writes about ways to simplify your life, find inspiration and motivation, and simple life changing practices that I like to call LifeHacks. In his infinite wisdom, he has uncopyrighted his work, allowing all to freely share as long as proper credit is given. So with that being said, I would like to share with you a recent post about keeping your online life simple.

Being an internet professional, I frequently get completely distracted by what’s going on in my e-mail, browser and other applications, and end up feeling completely stressed out sitting in front of the computer by the end of the day. In Leo’s article titled “The Zen of Tech: 12 Powerful Ways to Keep Your Online Life Simple and Peaceful” he lists 12 practical, simple steps to calm things down while you’re working online. Here’s a snippet:

“I think that’s the true challenge of technology: how to get the most out of it without letting it overwhelm us. How to keep things simple but powerful. How to master technology without letting it become our master (to paraphrase Stephen Covey).”

Click here to enjoy the full post.