Meet Met On The Mat: Stay Kind
Happy Monday guys! I hope you had such a nice weekend. :)We're at the start of what could (and will) be another great week, so before you rush into work, a meeting, or begin laying out your checklist for the days ahead, let's get mindful. This week's Meet Me On The Mat mantra will be worth your time.Before I hand over those two powerful words, here's a look back at my weekend:FRIDAY was extra chill. For some reason, Sam and I both had what felt like really long work weeks, so we had already decided mid-week that our Friday was going to be lazy and loungy;) (<-- made-up word.)
We picked up food from one of favorite spots, Casa Bianca Pizza Pie (restaurant feature here), and watched Dave Chapelle's new Netflix special (hilarious!). I also tried Kona's Hanalei IPA for the first time, which was mighty tasty. Just a chill night of TV, pizza, and beer. Nothin' wrong with that if you ask me!SATURDAY must have stolen some of the chill factor from my Friday night, because I was craving a slower, more mindful type of workout. I had already taken three crazy cardio dance classes last week, so my body definitely needed a break.When I checked out my yoga studio's schedule and noticed they were offering a "CHILL" class nearby, I signed up and hit the road with my mat.
I had remembered the instructor, Janine, from a class a couple months ago and was excited to try a new class with her again. Her teaching style is just what I like—calming, nurturing, and centered around mindfulness. Even though the class was "CHILL," there were definitely challenging elements tucked into certain balancing moves.I took away a really important message from Janine: she related our bodies and minds to the fluidity of water. When we're feeling tense, try imagining we're like water flowing effortless and calmly. Feel this sensation in your mind and through your body. This really helped me to relax in class and I was so grateful for this class being part of my weekend. <3Following class, I found some super cute stuff at Owl Talk (more on thrifting here)—one of my favorite resale shops—like an oversized aztec print shirt, cactus choker, greeting card, and hippie skirt for summer! Grand Total: $22. Can't beat it!
Our Saturday night plans changed when we learned Eric Clapton had to reschedule his concert because of bronchitis. (Feel better, Eric, but I reallllllly wanted to see you play.) Oh well, September, it is!We ended up grabbing food at The Famous and trying a new spot in Glendale called Pacific Plate Taproom for a flight of some of their beers. It was a cool, relaxing spot and our favorite of the bunch was their Horchata Stout.SUNDAY was a whole lot of wedding planning—stamping/addressing invitations, choosing songs, and figuring out more small details. We are getting so close, only a little over two months away. So cray!We also checked out the grand opening of Eggslut for their infamous egg sandwiches and grabbed some Philz coffee while we waited in their long long (it's still Grand Opening week). And later, I took a 75-minute yoga class—this time, one called "Flowdown." Super relaxing at the end!What was the best part of your weekend?
MEET ME ON THE MAT: Stay KindThis week's mantra—"Stay Kind"—is almost too simple to explain.Being kind never goes unnoticed, especially in a world that's so fast-moving and often chaotic.Here's a quick story of kindness for you that really made my day last week:Our landlord had just added locks to our apartment gates and this change had added some frustrations and complications to our usual mail deliveries, since the post office hadn't been given keys to into our gated residence yet.With our wedding around the corner, we've been getting more gifts/deliveries than usual and we just so happened to miss a couple of them. However last Wednesday, in the mail man's third attempt to deliver a large gift from MA, he decided to call me and let me know the situation. He explained he would be happy to swing by again when I was home from work so he could give me the package because it seemed "important."So at 6:30pm, well past this man's work day, he tooted the horn as he came down the street and hand-delivered me the box. Truly an act of kindness in this loud and busy city where sometimes people seem too busy to help out. I was touched. His kindness didn't go unnoticed as he told me he's been married now for 11 years and wished us all the best with the wedding.It's in moments like these that I'm reminded of how kind-hearted many people are. They are wiling to really make a difference and someone's day, to go above and beyond just because...Stay kind when you're meeting people. Treat others with a gentleness a friend or family member would show you. Even if kindness isn't always reciprocated (someone doesn't hold the door and say thank you), keep going as you would. The universe has your back and good things will always make their way to you.With that said, have a killer week!Stay kind,Ari
Other “Meet Me On The Mat” posts:- Meet Me On The Mat: Be Fearless– Meet Me On The Mat: Wake Up With Purpose– Meet Me On The Mat: Write Your Story– Meet Me On The Mat: Self-Worth– Meet Me On The Mat: Release– Meet Me On The Mat: Show Up– Meet Me On The Mat: Excitement