Late Night Thoughts

Have you ever noticed the serenity and peacefulness that is only possible early in the morning? This will sound SO cheesy, but there is something strangely magical about it. One of my favorite memories is last summer. I was at Peridio Key Beach. I distinctly remember waking up at 2:30 due to a tiny thunderstorm. I remember sitting on the balcony at 3am as the wind roared and lightening flashed in the distance. The air smelled like rain and salt and it was comfortably cool. Just over the horizon, waves thundered under the bright blue moon. I remember sitting under the stunning array of stars-- there were millions! It was truly breathtaking! The best by far, though, was the quiet. The world was asleep. Never before have I experienced such stillness. These days, there is always something going on. The air is constantly charged with energy. I've never known anything else until that night. Ever since then, I have been seeking that perfection. It made me realize that I've never really relaxed before. That night made me release a breathe I didn't even know I was holding. When the storm broke and it started to rain it was sensory overload. The soft sprinkle of rain combined with the tumbling thunder and the roaring ocean gave me goosebumps. The distant, vast ocean under the sparkling stars and glowing moon made me shiver with wonder. I could taste the freshness of the rain and I felt the tickling breeze. On a night like that, I couldn't help but feel so small. Compared to the endless ocean and the limitless sky, I was nothing. I believe in God, though I'm not that religious, but I couldn't help but feel His presence that night. I was immersed in nature-- His creation-- and I was in awe. The pensive atmosphere really put my life in perspective. My problems really aren't that big or important. Compared with bigger issues like world hunger, deforestation, and black holes, worrying about things like amount of likes and how big my collection of dresses is seems trivial and asinine. This realization may appear depressing, but I thought it was refreshing. I liked how the emptiness of the noise of civilization challenged my brain with philosophical questions and ideas. I liked how I could finally relax and not worry about a single thing. I liked how I was in my own peaceful bubble, untouchable by worldly troubles. The thing I liked the most though, was being one with nature. Appreciating it for its beauty and sharing its restorative energy.

Ever since that night, I have been pursuing that careless bliss, but I have yet to experience anything close. I hope one day I can feel that way again. I crave it, ache for it-- a real break from trivial, transient, small-minded problems. I want to connect with nature, be absorbed by its flawlessness. Maybe one day. Until then, you'll see me outside on my porch at 2, 3, 4am, chasing peace.

Kisses,

Isabelle 🌊

Yoga

So after years of looking in at yoga classes, I finally decided to try one yesterday. Oh my goodness, I am sore! While I am uncomfortable today, I am looking forward to seeing results on my body as I continue attending this class. Unlike most exercise classes I've taken, I really enjoyed this one. Spinning is hell on earth, kickboxing is exhausting, and step classes are monotonous. But yoga! It was fun. The class I took had a lot of variety, it wasn't the same thing for an hour straight. It was nice.

The class had three components: cardio/aerobics, strength, and balance. They were broken up in circuits. There were two cycles of all three components. The class was a different kind of challenging. Yoga targets your whole body. Since my core is pretty weak, I felt the most impact on my middle back and abs. However, there were quite a few moments that I had to stop and take a break because my legs were burning! In addition, yoga uses your own body weight to strengthen you. There is this one pose (I forgot the name) where you hover just above the ground in push up position. I found that pretty difficult because I have like no upper body strength. The best part about this class, though, was that depending on your skill and strength level, the difficulty can vary. For example, beginners or people who aren't as strong can alter the poses a little bit so they aren't as strenuous. Unfortunately, there aren't any modifications for the balance poses. Personally, I believe that I lack the natural equilibrium that most humans are gifted with, so I found this portion especially challenging. However, if you aren't clumsy and can walk in a straight line on flat ground without tripping, you should be alright.

I think my favorite part of the class, though, was the end. The class ended with meditation and relaxation. We laid down, the lights were turned off, and we just focused on the silence and our heartbeats and breathing. I left the gym that morning feeling better than I had in a long time. I worked hard and I felt strong, but most importantly I was happy. I felt successful, calm, stress free, and ready to take on the day. I am looking forward to going to more classes and I think you should consider trying it too! Have a great day!!

Kisses,

Isabelle 💆🏼💪🏼🙏🏻