I am forced to face something that I’ve avoided admitting for some time: I am deeply burnt out. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It's characterized by feelings of overwhelming fatigue, cynicism, detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness or lack of accomplishment.

If there’s one word I do not like to hear in my yoga class, it’s the “p” word—perfect.

I am a recovering perfectionist. Hearing that I’m supposed to do it perfectly every time is a recipe for absolute disaster.

One of the habits I resolved to give up a few years ago was looking at my phone first thing in the morning.

Inevitably, there was usually a text, email, or communication that would inspire me to become immediately crabby upon waking.

I started to notice how this behavior could spiral into a whole morning, or even full day, of aggravation—not good.

Ever wake up feeling like your body played a game of 'pin the pain on the random body part' while you slept? 🤔"

Bodies are like mischievous little gremlins sometimes, causing all sorts of unexpected aches and discomfort. One morning you're feeling like a well-oiled machine, and the next, you've got a thumb that's staging a protest.

Get ready to dive into:

Melissa's unique approach to teaching yoga

The power of "it depends" when understanding the human body

How pain can be trauma surfacing in the body

I haven’t done this in a while (that may or may not be true 😂), but this weekend I binged a new Netflix show called Beef.

It was 💯 percent binge worthy TV. It starred Ali Wong and was the perfect combination of should I laugh or cry right now.

This week’s episode of the Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast is about going with the flow. In the episode, I discuss how going with the flow is a way to greet life on life’s terms. Flow is the absence of resistance. When I am not in resistance, I am more open to my Higher Power’s will for me. 🧘‍♀️🌿

Wooooooooooof, I was exhausted by the end of that day.

That's when I turned to my trusty stress-buster, Yoga Nidra.

It's like a magical reset button that helps me find my inner calm after a day of kindergarten chaos.

In this week's episode of the Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast, I sat down with Durga Leela, the creator of Yoga of Recovery, to discuss the unique and transformative power of combining Ayurveda with the twelve steps in her new book also called Yoga of Recovery.

In this practice, you’re invited to slow down and ground down like a tree.

It’s a grounding practice, almost a standing meditation.

This could be a great little practice to start or end the day. Or maybe a way to break up a work block, and get out of your chair.

Sometimes, when I get confused about what I’m doing with my life, I dive into a deep state of reaction and fear. It’s possible that confusion can be a tool for letting me know when it’s not time to act. Confusion can be a guidepost that more will be revealed later.

Water is a valuable teacher. Its malleability and ability to adapt to its surroundings can teach you important lessons about being open to change, finding your own path, and taking care of yourself.

In this unique interview with Amy Porterfield we discuss her new book Two Week's Notice and how it relates to recovery and starting your own business. This interview is jam packed with recovery wisdom, and sage advice about leaving the job you do not love to start your online dream business. Amy is the host of the popular podcast Online Marketing Made Easy.

A tizzy comes with an entire set of physical, mental, and emotional reactions. Over the course of time, in getting to know myself better, I’ve learned to identify a tizzy when it’s happening in my body. Yoga is a power greater than me that can restore me to sanity.

The wisdom to know the difference is a reminder that our thoughts and emotions are not always accurate reflections of reality. It's important to acknowledge our thoughts and emotions, but also to recognize when they are clouded by fear, anger, or frustration.

Using a chair in your yoga practice can provide a stable base for balancing poses, allowing you to focus on your breath and alignment rather than wobbling around. The chair can provide a comfortable and supportive seat for your hips and lower back. This sequence can be done at work or at home.

My podcast interview with Nikki Myers, the creator of Yoga of 12 Step Recovery, affectionately known as Y12SR. Y12SR is a 12-step based discussion and yoga practice open to anyone and everyone dealing with their own addictive behavior or affected by the addictive behavior of others.

Integrating others into the growth process creates opportunity for us all. Asking for help and support creates space for people to give and generate an offering. Integration is an invitation to create yourself as whole. One way I like to envision integration is through the imagery of an open hand.

Having the courage to change the things I can, means I get to look at my life now and ask who and how I want to be in the world. I get to change my story based on new data and information.