Embrace Your Destiny: Enjoy the Success

Sister Penni at Sunset

YEAH! I did good. All my hard work in the gym, and at hot yoga, plus massage, physical therapy, acupuncture, and regular juicing and bone broth in my diet have paid big dividends! I got along better than expected on my solo trip to meet my sister and her group in La Jolla, California. I was anxious, especially about my walking, but it was great. My energy was excellent too. Over all, I felt very good. I did have a headache one day that persisted and wouldn't go away. Penni had one too so maybe it was normal jet-lag.


I think it's very hard to stay feeling good when traveling, especially when doing multiple time zones. I tried to keep on a regular schedule as much as possible. The first day is always the hardest and very long with the 3 hours time difference. First night away, I usually don't sleep as well. The strange bed and surroundings always takes getting use to. Penni has to do this a lot. She tries to stay on her usual schedule too. We took a very pleasant walk on the sidewalk along the ocean.  The Harbor Seals were putting on a show, and there were some early morning swimmers going for a swim in that cold water! 

One of my goals for this trip was to practice yoga as often as possible. I had Googled the options in La Jolla and knew there was one studio in town. Dede Litke had heard good things about hot yoga practice and said she would like to try it. The best option for our schedule that first day was a 9:00 a.m. Vinyasa class. I had not done one of these classes so I figured it would be good for me and a nice introduction to the hot room for Dede since it was only 60 minutes class.

Jenna, me, Coleen

The owners of  FuZn Yoga were a mother daughter team. Jenna, the daughter taught the Vinyasa class we took that day. The class was great, but I struggled with keeping my towel organized and moving into and out of the postures. Dede said the heat bothered her.

The next day we did a regular Bikram style yoga they call Hot 26 +2. Coleen the mother was our teacher for this class. Coleen was very impressive talking us through the postures while also doing the postures. This seems to me to be very challenging! 

Dede was a trouper. I'm not sure she was sold on the heat and length of 90 minutes. Regardless, she did great. Since she couldn't go with me on the last day, sister Penni went with me. Penni had been with me before to my studio in Brevard. I think she has a love/hate relationship with the Bikram practice. Whereas, I know mastery of any posture is not in my future, she has high expectations of what she should be able to do. So, she gets frustrated for the same reasons I am liberated. The philosophy of yoga practice and Bikram in particular works for me. This philosophy is to just do the best you can and give 100% effort. That is perfect. Some days my balance is terrible. Other days I feel more like the "tin man". But in the end, I always feel the mind body connection and never regret going to class. 

Going to yoga and going to the San Diego Zoo were the highlights of my trip. I was pleased to have the leg strength to do the zoo after going to yoga in the morning. That would have been really hard to do a year ago. What's different is the strength training I've been doing regularly for four months. My legs were tired at the end, but I kept up with the group with only an arm support from one of the ladies. My energy was good too. Dede called me the "energizer bunny" because one day I went to the gym after yoga. My friend Robyn who remembers how I got along in Chicago the last time I met with this group said she was amazed at the difference in my walking. She said, "Whatever you have been doing, keep doing it! You are moving significantly better than last time I saw you." That kind of feedback feels so good. I can thrive a long time on that! 

Dede Litke with me

Penni and me