PSA: Just a heads up that the YBC Mantra Subscription Boxes are still selling and are going quickly! Get yours now while you can! Also, if you've signed up for tomorrow's arm balance workshop in Hartford, CT, it's been cancelled due to injury (check your email).
Well hello from my couch. If you've been following along on instagram, you know I had an eventful weekend. I went into New York City for a number of fun yoga related events, psyched for a chance to really start working on my spring goals, one of which is to deepen my personal practice. But, as we know, the best laid plans...
Hotel Giraffe
Hotel Giraffe
So it started out just great. I stayed at Hotel Giraffe, a beautiful little boutique hotel with ample space considering it is NYC. The staff was so kind (more on that later), and I appreciated the complimentary breakfasts and the teas available all day long.
Up and at 'em with Gaiam and Kohl's #MakeYourMove campaign
Wearing: gaiam pants, shirt, and my other bag.
The next morning, I woke up bright and early to head down to the High Line in Chelsea for a yoga class with Gaiam and Kohl as part of Kohl's #MakeYourMove campaign. It was so cold, but we made it through, and there were even appearances by Vanessa Hudgens and Tracy Anderson.
Wearing: Muchi nail polish
After the class, I went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the day catching up on work since I had just returned from our Costa Rica yoga retreat (recap coming soon).
Mmmmm bone broth
The thing I love about New York is that pretty much anything you could ever want is right at your fingertips. For example, I was really craving a broth (#weirdo) and remembered Brodo, New York's little spot for various bone broths. They sell 'em right out of this little walk-up window and while they're expensive (uh, it's NYC), it was such a treat to get a quality broth.
Kathryn Budig at Yoga Journal Conference in NYC
The next day I headed over to the Hilton in Midtown where I took an all day Yoga Journal Live intensive called Aim True with the lovely Kathryn Budig. Kathryn is one of those rockstar yoga teachers that just seems to be everywhere these days, but I'll tell you something: all the exposure hasn't gone to her head. Girlfriend is as sweet and funny and kind and real as she comes across online. I love that. She started and ended her class right on time, the content was extremely well thought out and well planned. I learned so much and walked away feeling so inspired. It was the total opposite of this experience. If you have the opportunity to study with Kathryn, do it. You will not regret it, promise.
Yoga Journal Event - YBC was in the program, woop!
Anyway, back to the weekend. I left her class and headed to a PR event where I met with some amazing brands I'm excited to share here on the blog and in the subscription box program in the future. Side note: networking is so awkward, isn't it?! Am I crazy or is it actually really hard? It's like learning how to talk yourself up without sounded like a jerk. It's not easy, and I feel super socially awkward, but I did meet some cool people so fingers crossed it works out and they weren't just humoring me!
It was a beautiful day, and I decided I'd walk the 30 mins back to my hotel. I had my headphones on, just feeling so happy and grateful for such a great weekend and I came to a crosswalk. When the light turned, I stepped off the curb onto an uneven part of the road and my rolled my ankle so badly I fell down. I tried to catch myself and continue crossing the road but I fell from the pain in my foot and somehow scooted to the side of the road before the light turned again.
This sweet older woman came up to me and asked if I was okay. She helped me sit down on a nearby stoop and elevate my leg as she went to hail me a cab. Let's all send her good vibes because trying to get a cab at 5pm in midtown is nearly impossible. It took her about fifteen minutes and finally she got one and I hobbled over and tumbled in.
When I got to the hotel, the guys at the door helped me in and brought me a bag of ice. I got back to my room, elevated my leg and burst into tears. It was the most excruciating pain and I could feel that not only had my ankle begun to swell, but a pool of blood was forming on the bottom of the foot at the heel, making any weight bearing nearly impossible. My husband Greg drove into the city that night to pick me up and the weekend was cut short - so disappointing.
Mentally, I was in a huge funk. I felt so defeated, and so sad because I had been looking forward to a weekend of learning from the big name teachers I've followed for ages. I also had to cancel my beginner arm balance workshop in Hartford, which was a huge disappointment as well. And of course, I'm supposed to go to Greece next week and lead two yoga retreats followed by a third in Morocco. All I want to do since I've regained my health with Lyme and the aftermath of the Lyme meds is go-go-go. And I know maybe this is the universe telling me I need to chill out and relax for a bit, but man, I would've appreciated maybe a cold or something. I could've taken the hint that way! :)
Outside to combat cabin fever
Wearing: Lululemon sweats (similar)
I shared a little on twitter and instagram, and the response was incredible. I got so many emails (shout out to the ER nurse from Austria!) and offers for help since my health insurance doesn't kick in until May 1st. One of the women who reached out to me is a former sports therapist and she made a house call today to evaluate me. How kind is that?! I am blown away by the kindness and support from the YBC Community. You guys are the best and I am so thankful for you.
And, in case you're curious, she said it looks like a grade two sprain and gave me a bunch of exercises to do and predicts the swelling will go down dramatically in the next few days and thinks I should be feeling much better in a few weeks.