island life on the mainland

in winter...

Being drawn to the ocean is an innate human instinct. Saltwater can spark memories of the comforting time spent in the womb [true story], the natural surroundings naturally bring us closer to nature, and there's just something about all that fresh air...

If you are like me, you will find any excuse to get somewhere tropical, which is why I decided to turn 30 on St. John last week. It is almost laughable to watch the impatience of city folk as we try to turn of our fast-walking, fast-talking, get-it-done quick way of life for the slow and steady island pace. Even the brain is encouraged to slow down - no need to rush the incoming stream of thoughts.

We also may notice a few common things that happen to us upon arriving in these vacation havens: how tired we feel, the amount of sleep we feel we need to "catch up" on, how difficult it might feel to shift our brain out of work-mode, how "brain-dead" we might feel after separating ourselves from "reality," how we feel we need to "escape" our daily life in order to find that sense of ultimate relaxation or release.

I understand how living among and around hyper-active people like New Yorkers [whether they are actual natives or not] can keep the entire community in a cycle of over-working, moving at lightning speed in both our physical and mental practices, and make us feel like we constantly need to achieve more. This, however, does not mean that a hyper-active lifestyle is A) good for our health or B) something we can't work on softening in any environment.

So although there is so much to be appreciated about the incredibly driven, passionate people I've encountered in NYC, there are many things we can learn and adopt from island life [similar to how travelers are inspired by the European siestas, leisurely meals and Mediterranean diet].

Click here to read the full post, including tips on easy island living I took away from my recent adventure that I will try to incorporate into my Brooklyn life. I encourage you to pick ones that you feel will serve you.

What's your favorite way to channel the tropical vacation version of yourself?

Read on for a super delicious breakfast [or dessert...] recipe, great tunes, and new yoga classes in my teaching schedule. See you on the mat soon!