Namaste

I first went back to yoga earlier this year to try and ease myself into the exercise regime. After 15 years, I found yoga has now evolved from what I first learnt. There are so many different types of yoga you can learn now with different benefits and results. When I first started, I was dismayed to find out how inflexible and weak I was. Seeing all the other more advanced students in the class and their capabilities made me want to push myself harder to be able to get where they were faster.

Then one day, I met a lady who has been practising chi gong for years. As we talked, I told her that I was in the midst of getting into yoga and she started asking me how I felt during yoga and after. How did I feel I had benefitted from it? Do I feel the energy when I am doing my poses?

Since then, I've learnt in my classes not to pay attention to others but myself. To listen to my body, push it to reasonable limits, feel the energy through my body and concentrate on my movements and breathing. It worked! Soon I was able to do the crow pose, headstand, chaturanga dandasana, wheel pose...even if only for a short while but at least better than nothing.


*chaturanga dandasana*

*wheel pose*

*crow pose*

I feel healthier, fitter, sleep better, am more aware of what I eat and feel calmer. Dont sweat the little things in life. Choose to take anything negative that happens in life as an experience rather than a regret. As long as you're happy and feel good about yourself, this will be noticed by others.



Thanks for reading my rantings (if you made it this far!).

NAMASTE

Flying On a Jet Plane

I love travelling...as you can tell from my recent posts but this year all my trips have been wedding-related even if its for work or to just chill with mates. Always some wedding element in there. Kinda takes the adventure out of my trips and shopping ends up being tedious plus I get fatter cos of all the food I do not restrict myself from gorging on during these trips.

For the first month this year, in an attempt to save money and all that malarky, I'm not flying anywhere (or even shopping...*faint*) this month. RBA just had to advertise their $150 ticket to S'pore to try and tempt me recently (doesnt help that Dr A can now offer me free accommodation in S'pore). I shall stand firm. Instead The Boy and I are going for a pre-wedding trip to KK next month. In the meantime, my credit cards get a rest while I try to come up with the guest list for my wedding (its scary I tell ya).

My hen night's (weekend) in October....I cant wait!!

Bali Retreat

Another destination I forgot to post up is Bali (even if I do go there for my honeymoon). There is a site offering a plethora of retreats in Bali which have totally caught my eye. By next year, I hope to be in good enough shape to be able to keep up with one of these classes and doing Bali in the atmosphere like below....I think you just cant beat it.

Bitten by the Travel Bug

This year, I wanted to go to a couple of places but time, budget and wedding stuff has hampered me. As H and I discussed options for honeymoon destinations, my "places to visit" list also lengthened.

The initial proposal was NZ and Sydney but when we realised that if we wanted to visit Brisbane and Adelaide in Dec...we also realised our sisters wouldnt be around at that time so we'll probably go next year. Despite my preference for more 'adventurous' destinations like Morocco, South Africa or Turkey, I knew The Boy was more of a city type so HK + Taiwan came to mind. When we decided that we would be spending CNY in Taiwan next year with another couple, we came to the conclusion that the best honeymoon for us after a stressful wedding would be somewhere relaxing. I shall write about that another time but in the meantime, these are my "must" holiday destinations for next year before I have kids and blow up into a big balloon (if I should be so lucky)

Firstly, Taiwan....planning to spend a week here during CNY basically just pigging out. Cant wait!




Secondly, Australia namely Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney....wine, good food, (good potential of) free accommodation, fun company....looking forward to it. Planning to do this when my sis comes back from UK for summer hols.

Brisbane


Adelaide


Sydney (as if you wouldnt know from the Opera House *wink*



I've had my eye on seeing Angkor Wat since last year when LM went with her posse and after I had visited the splendid Borobudur. I've heard so many good things...I dont want to put it off any longer!


So that's my intended travel plans for next year. I cant wait!!

Boiiing!!

I'm still here :)

Blogging and scrapping hav taken a backseat for now while wedding plans and health plans roll into play....oh not to mention all the travelling.

Since March, I've been to KK, Singapore, KL, Hong Kong and next week KL. Enough!! So tiring...actually more expensive...all this travelling. I love it but time to save for the wedding!! The next thing u know i'll be on a plane again...hehe.


Contracts have been signed at work...meetings in and out, crazy fun times with new and old colleagues and friends. If you have my facebook, you'll know what I've been up to. Its been fun.


Healthwise this new job has been good for me too. Less stressful, shorter working hours, more time for exercise (together) and destressing. In addition to yoga, I now go hiking once or twice a week with colleagues


As for wedding plans...well, they're chugging along. I'm just happy to have the major issues such as venue, photographer, photoshoot, dress, shoes, make up artist, hair stylist, decor, flowers, etc out of the way. We take our pre-weds next week and I hope it can turn out as nice as this

(I'm a sucker for sunsets)

Thankfully my cheongsam is done and I've just bought a gorgeous white gown in HK. My mum is willing to lend me her 'qua' which is great money-saving news. One of our suppliers is gonna help sort out my close toe shoes (cos we're supposed to wear close toe shoes when we leave our house).

The next big headache will come in the form of the guest list and arguing with my mother over how traditional we're going to be for the wedding. Oh plus room renovation *groan*

Oh my 2 sisters are back from UK and Oz and by Friday, my bro will be back from Shanghai. A rare occasion it is when the whole family is back together again even if for a short time. Hopefully we'll squeeze in a family photoshoot before I go off to KL!

I'm Alive!!

Its been so long and I still havent scrapped. I've realised the wedding is now only 6 months away *gulp* and I take one of my first steps to feeling like a bride when I check out which gowns to wear this weekend to use for my photoshoot in July. Will be great having some girlfriends commenting and helping me choose.

I've been leaving the country about once a month since February....personal trips or getaways. There have been and will be more new things in store for me in 2009. I'm still at my (now not so) new job. Not tempted to go back to private practice for the moment.

I'd like to share with u all what has been keeping me zen tho....





FYI these are not me and the only pose I can do so far without help is the 1st one. I feel fitter than I have in ages and healthier. Even considering attending some yoga workshops....but first....wedding is 6 mths away...YIKES!!

Yesterday....

.....was our 3 year anniversary.....

we both forgot :P