​Originally from South Louisiana, I was the first born of 4 in a middle-class family with working parents that took good care of us. We grew up in a very small town and attended a very small school (I graduated with 91 other students). We lived in a friendly rural-ish neighborhood where we spent a lot of time outdoors with neighbors. My parents hosted frequent craw fish boils & cookouts, we had an above ground pool, basketball net, dirt bikes, outdoor pets, and a pool table (with a chilled beer keg for the adults). There was always something going on at the Johnson's house on Joan Drive.  In high-school I stayed busy with extra-curricular activities, working at Po-Boy's Food Mart (our town grocery store) and hanging out with friends.  From a young age, I was naturally self-motivated, optimistic, and driven. I was very responsible for my age too.

After graduating from LSU, I married my boyfriend that I dated for most of high-school and all of college (about 7 years). He was an awesome guy that treated me great, we had fun and we never fought.  My family and friends loved him too. ​ About the time we got married, I was getting more and more interested in personal development and strengthening my faith. I read inspirational books, attended church, listened to sermons, wrote down goals, and had really big dreams. I even went to an Anthony Robbins live event in Chicago, which was an incredible experience that strengthened my belief that you really can have it all.

Well, ONLY three years into our marriage, I decided that long range, we probably weren't a fit. I didn't know that for sure though, because we already had a stable life and were on track to start having kids and build a traditional family life.   We had been together since I was 15 years old and I was terrified that I was making a mistake.  This was a serious crossroad and a decision that I could regret for the rest of my life and I was well aware of it!

But I did it.  Through the fear, embarrassment, and guilt I followed my heart. I stood strong in my faith and believed that I could create an exciting and fulfilling life that might suit my fiery soul better.  And I was right.  I eventually found it in South Alabama..... 

I've owned quite a few but these are 3 of my favorites. ​

​All 3 of them are thinner travel style mats.  I like them because they are lightweight and compact and they work great for outdoor community classes and yoga studio classes too.
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• The mat on the far left is actually my very first (good) yoga mat and it's still my #1 favorite.  This Jade mat has lasted the test of time- it is durable.  Yes, it's visibly worn and breaking down from use, but it's totally still usable and I think that just gives it character.  The surface of Jade mat's is a rough/grippy texture which is great to prevent slipping even in a sweaty class. Plus it is compact and easy to roll up and store.  It's hard to clean though, so I have to hose it down and let it air dry pretty often.  My friend Theresia bought me that mat in 2013, I love this mat and I love her. I'm going to write a blog about our wild fitness adventures together!!

 

• The mat on the far right is my newest mat, but it's about 2 years old. It's a Lululemon travel mat. They make thicker LuLu mats but like I said, I'm not a thick mat girl. You will just have to experiment to see if the extra cushy feel is worth the bulkiness/weight though because many people prefer thick. The surface texture off Lulu mats is smooth which feels really good to me and my favorite part is that it's extra easy to wipe down and clean a smooth mat.  Lulu mats have a slightly sticky texture too that helps with grip. It's my experience though that the the grip goes away and they get too slick over time. 

There are so many brands of yoga mats but here are two more that I'm very familiar with:
​Gaiam is a inexpensive and common brand you can find at Target or Walmart.  They work just fine! They are light, have a rough texture to help prevent slip, and come in tons of colors and designs.
Manduka mats are high-end and are extra thick and comfy. They also have a lifetime warranty, for real! They say they get better over time. People really love Manduka mats!! But I owned one and used it a few months and sold it to a friend (who loves it). It was way waaay too heavy and cumbersome for this girl on the go!!!! ​

When I woke up this morning wanting to be more focused and productive than I've been the last weeks,  I knew I had to get back to a solid morning routine .. it always delivers!!  The most grounded and inspired chapters of my life 100% correlate with the quality of my devotional life, prayer time, & self-care (which are all part of my morning routine).  Not sure why, but I have totally backslid on this uber important success tool. 

But I'm back at it!! (Fall off the wagon, get back on with even more determination!)
So I hopped out of bed and went straight to my cozy quiet spot and prayed for divine guidance then chose some random passages to study from a couple different devotionals.  Sometimes I read one but today I wanted MORE. And as expected, they were perfectly on point!   In total awe, I re-read them again, did a little journaling, flipped through my personal home-made inspiration book,  and ended with a brief meditation (1-2 minutes) to let all that good ju-ju integrate.  It took about 30 minutes total, but today was my jump start and I felt like some extra motivation! 

Here's a summary of my readings today. Maybe somebody else needs to hear the same message .....