Another Q&A before I leave for Costa Rica! Hope you all have a lovely New Years!!! (:

What was your first yoga class experience like?  - Stef
 I honestly don't remember my first yoga class. I took yoga as my last PE elective sophomore year in high school. The experience overall was great because I decided to continue yoga for the entire year instead of just a semester. I continued yoga on and off until college. I liked some classes, and did not like a few. Overall, I liked the way it made me feel so I just kept going!

I've never done yoga and one of my New Years resolutions is to start learning yoga. Any advice on where to start for a newbie? - Melissa
Hello! That is a great New Years resolution. Check out this post about beginning yoga. It goes really in depth from clothes, classes, to yoga mats.

Other than physically, how has yoga benefited your life? (emotionally, mentally, etc) - Alexis
 I feel like yoga has helped me more emotionally, mentally, and spiritually than physically. I am a more open-hearted and loving person. I am able to let things go easily. I am not crazy attached to physical items. I have accepted who I am and how I look. I has helped me relax and calm down. And overall, yoga has kept me grounded.

Since you have been practicing yoga, what has been the greatest physical change and mental change you have noticed?   - Stef
 I answered the second part above.
I have seen a lot of physical change throughout the years of yoga. Now, I definitely feel like I have a butt. Haha. BUT I also feel more toned all over. My abs are finally showing through (just a little bit) and I can see more muscle throughout my body (my back, my arms, my legs).

My question is: do you have any tips on how to do a split?? Love your blog😃 - Laura
 Oh, I have been working on this so so much. Also, thank you! (:
The key is to stretch on a regular basis. Some stretches I do are: lizard, pigeon, reclined bound angle, pyramid, runner's lunge. Remember to go slow, breath into what is stretching. Take a step back and then stretch. Hold the pose for a few breaths. I hope this helps! It took me quite a long time to get my splits so do not get discouraged!

With all of the amazing YTT options out there, what helped you decide to go to Costa Rica? - Jillian 
 I did a lot of research and I decided that a residential program would be better for me because they are usually one month intensive rather than a few days a week for 6-9 months. I was comparing two programs, one an hour away from where I live and the other in Costa Rica. The tuition for Costa Rica was nearly $1000 less than the other so I decided that I would much rather travel and see more of the world for almost the same price. Overall, it made more sense to travel outside the country and explore more. Also, being in a tropical country while it is freezing cold in California sounded like a much better option for me. I hate the cold.

What's your favourite recipe?   - Stef
This one! Seriously, it is so good and so filling. It's my absolute favorite recipe. I make it so much that I pretty much have it memorized.

Do you eat healthy and if you do, what is your favourite "healthy food" :) And Happy New Year!!  - Siiveton
Happy New Year to you too!!!
I think "healthy" depends on the person. I think I eat healthy. I eat a mostly plant-based diet but I don't beat myself up when I slip up. I don't eat to just eat. I have an intention when I eat. I don't feel bad for eating "bad" sometimes. That being said, I still do not eat meat (minus prawns). When I leave for Costa Rica, I definitely plan on eating more vegan. My favorite healthy food is the recipe I mentioned above.

Do you have any resolutions for 2015? 😘 - Tara
Not really resolutions but I always make goals.

1. Write more blog posts for you all. I had so much fun during Blogmas, and I want to write more consistently. 
2. Teach yoga! 
3. Grow YWK into something awesome.
4. Finish my CMP certification.
5. Yoga poses: handstand. hold scorpion away from the wall, splits on the right side, king dancer.

Thank you to all my friends who sent me questions! (:

So many of you asked for it. Here is my complete packing list for my Costa Rica trip.
Some things to remember when reading this list:

• I am crazy organized and I like to color code and put things into categories
• Know that many of the items on this list is specifically for yoga teacher training
• The flights I am going on have crazy baggage restrictions. I am already going over the limit for one of my flights (30 lb weight limit + size restriction).
• I am going to Costa Rica in January meaning weather is pretty beautiful. Which is why I only have one pair of pants. Also, I am very aware I am bringing an unusual amount of jackets. I get really cold on planes.

To access the PDF version of this list, click the image below or click here. 

I am leaving for Costa Rica super soon for my yoga teacher training. We were asked to set our intentions during the last new moon, which also happened to be the winter solstice.

Here are some of my goals for yoga teacher training:

1. Connection - connection to myself, my yoga practice, and my new classmates
2. Community - create community within our little yoga class
3. Passion & love - spread joy and love for all to hear (can you tell I've been watching Elf? haha)
4. Openness - be open to new ideas and learn new things
5. Take risks - go on adventures and do things I normally would not do

So these are just some of my goals for teacher training.
I cannot wait to go; I am leaving so so soon! Yays!

As some of you know, I am leaving for Costa Rica for yoga teacher training in January. Since I will be gone pretty much right away, I don't really have the time to reflect on my year. So here is the highlights of my year in Instagram pictures.

1. I started getting really serious about learning more about yoga. Here I am on Valentines day reading the many different yoga sutras. 
2. I got my first logo done! Thank you to my talented friend, Bernadette! It looks amazing and I love it so much! I recently changed my Etsy shop to Karelsells just so I can use this logo. Yay! 
3. I started my yoga instagram. Look at the baby. I've grown so much in the span of 8 months.
4. I graduated in December 2013 but I had the ceremony in May. This is my super glittered cap. I got super crafty that week. 
5. I went through a break up that made me stronger. I truly used my yoga practice to get through the hard times.
6. I took this adorable picture of baby Ziggy. I went downstairs and realized that he wasn't at his cage! After freaking out for a good thirty seconds, he sneezed and I found him like this. 
7. Scorpion pose, oh my! 
8. On June 26, I launched my yoga website (this one, haha).
9. I got the keys to my yoga studio and started as their first intern.

1. I went to Wanderlust with some amazing yogis! I had such an incredible time.
2. The Nigh Circus is my book of the year. It's made it to my favorite book list. It is so cleverly written. I totally got sucked in. I loved it! 
3. I touched my toes to my forehead. This transformation was in a span of four months. I am so surprised with what my body is able to do with yoga.
4. I started to play with my yoga practice. Here is my fun one handed handstand. It was a lot harder than I imagined. 
5. Practice makes practice. I was finally able to get my king pigeon pose. 
6. I had the best Disney family vacation. My adorable little sister was able to bring us to the parks for free and we also stayed at the Grand Californian at a great deal. It was definitely a vacation to remember.

1. I reached 10 THOUSAND followers on Tumblr! I am still so amazed and grateful for all my followers. You are all amazing. <3
2. I finally got my splits pose, or monkey pose. After many months of hip openers, I was finally able to get it. The best part is that it came as a surprise when the teacher told us to go for it in a class. I was so confused that I was able to get it. It was a great feeling.
3. I chopped all my hair off. It used to go down to my belly button and I decided one day that I wanted to cut it. I sent it to Pantene to make wigs. I did it in the honor of my aunt. 
4. My friends and I celebrated my sister's 21st birthday at Disneyland. It was hands down the greatest Disney trip I have ever experienced. We managed to go on around 16 rides and the longest line we waited in was about 15 minutes. It is great to have connections, friends. (; 
5. I took this picture and it is now my favorite. It was before a stressful day at work and I decided to have a nice, relaxing yoga practice first thing in the morning.
6. I received this beautiful note by one of my favorite first graders at work. She nearly made me cry. I love her so much and I truly cherish that she appreciates me.
7. I fell in love with restorative yoga. 
8. I am on the road to be a Certified Metaphysical Practitioner. I just finished the lunar section and I am in love with the new crystals I got! 
9. My lovely friend and I decided to give acro yoga a go. Needless to say, we definitely enjoyed it. 

 And finally, I am so proud and excited that I actually blogged every single day today! Whoohoo! I hope you all enjoyed just as much as I did. It was definitely a challenge but I am so happy I did it.

Comment below and tell me your favorite Blogmas post! (: 

Thanks for visiting Yoga With Karel! (:  Check out all the posts for Blogmas.
Missed yesterday's post? See it here.    

I am sure I am not the only one that have existential crises (is that a word?). My aunt recently passed away and I had such a beautiful and open conversation about death with my dad. It went along the lines of the quote "Your body isn't you, your soul is you." Even though we miss her so much, she is always with us. Although her body is no longer on this physical earth, her soul lives on.

Overtime, especially since I have taken up a yoga practice, death seemed not as dark and awful as people think. To me, my body is my vehicle to do good on this physical Earth. I think I have always thought this throughout my life without actually knowing it. Growing up, I didn't have body issues or low self esteem that many girls my age would have gone through. I feel like it is because of this thought. The thought that this body isn't mine to keep. I move on after my physical life. Of course, sometimes I wish my body was different in some way but it usually doesn't last too long.

This thinking has helped my existential crises. Our bodies are our vehicles. Work on your soul, do good, love everyone. People will remember how nice you are to them.

Thanks for visiting Yoga With Karel! (:  Come back tomorrow for another post for Blogmas.
Missed yesterday's post? See it here.  






Courtesy of Fox.

Hello friends! Yesterday, I posted what I am bringing to Costa Rica that is in my luggage. It was all the basic things you would bring on a trip. Today, I am going to list all the items I am bringing in my backpack and other random items I specifically need for yoga teacher training.

FUN

• Kindle + charger - loaded with a few books for entertainment
• phone + charger
• camera + charger
• yoga mat - I was originally going to bring my Manduka ProLite but since it is so bulky, I decided to go get the Manduka eKO SuperLite. It folds down and I am stuffing that in my carry on. I can easily put this on top of the mat that the program will provide.
• yoga mat cleaning wipes  - I got about 25 individually wrapped yoga mat wipes to clean my mat with.
• headphones
• notebook - for notes
• planner - I decided to give bullet journaling a try for the past three months so I had it down before my trip. I really love it so I have a Moleskin with all the things I need. If you want to know what is inside my planner, leave a comment below! 
• pencil case - pens, pencil, whiteout, highlighters, sticky notes, colored pens, binder clips, bookmarks - usual items for taking notes
• crystals - This may seem unusual but I am bringing three small crystals to aid me and protect me in my journey. I am for sure bringing a quartz and my orange calcite. I haven't decided on the third one.
• Dakine backpack - this is for random days out hiking. I honestly don't know if I am going to use this but it is smaller than a backpack. 

BACKPACK
My dad gave me my Christmas present early. I got the Osprey Tempest 20 in pink, of course. I am obsessed. I love the color, it's super light, it has many compartments, and the part that touches your back has a system that ventilates it so your sweat doesn't touch it.

•  waterbottle - empty for the airport
• snacks - must have! 
• travel pillow
• sleep mask & ear plugs
• thank you cards
• pain medication
• epi pen and Benadryll - hoping I will not need to use this. 
• kleenex
• first aid kit
• sunscreen and bug repellent
• essential oils - peppermint oil (for headaches and stomach aches), lavender (for bruises and cuts), lemon (for hydration and cleaning), tea tree (for cleaning and bug repellant), citronella (for bug repellant). 
• flashlight
• beach towel
• peppermint tea
• fuzzy socks - for the plane
• 1 set of clothes - just in case
• documents - cards, passport, itinerary 
• small pack of toiletries
• power batter (for my phone and Kindle if there's no nearby plug

Thanks for visiting Yoga With Karel! (:  Come back tomorrow for another post for Blogmas.
Missed yesterday's post? See it here. 

I am leaving for Costa Rica so so soon! I started packing a few weeks ago. I normally do not pack so soon but since I am staying there for a month, didn't want to do any laundry while I am there, and I am traveling by myself, I decided to start early to make sure I do not forget anything.

Now, this post would be extremely long so I am breaking it up in two posts. This post will be items in my luggage and my next post will be what I am carrying in my backpack.

Clothes
I am packing all my clothes rolled up by outfits. So every morning, I just need to pick one bundle and grab undies and a bra. No thinking about what combinations! 

• dresses, shorts, & shirts - for days out. I love dresses because they are so easy to pack and perfect for the Costa Rican weather! 
• jeans - I'm only bringing one. This is just in case because this will be my only pear of long pants (other than leggings)
• swimwear - I brought all of mine, I only have 5 but I think that's plenty.
• flannel - I know it's warm in Costa Rica but I am always cold. I plan on putting these on top of basically all my clothes when I need the extra warmth. 
• yoga clothes - I am bringing probably 95% of the yoga clothes I own. The reason is because laundry costs $12 a load to wash and dry. I would be wasting money since I don't dry any of my yoga clothes. Anyway, I made a pdf of all the clothes I brought so I can easily see the different combinations without thinking to hard about it. 
• undies - It's really sad but I have enough undies to last me at least two or three months without doing laundry. So you know I am bringing like 40 pairs, ha! 
• bras, socks, sleepwear - duh. 
• fleece - I get cold. This is mostly for the airport and when I get into the States because it's so dang cold here! 
• raincoat - I read that Costa Rica gets light rain so I brought the one that can go down into a small bag. 
• scarf - I bought the Lululemon Vinysa Scarf just for this trip. It is an infinity scarf that is versatile. I'll probably use it as a light cover up when I get cold or as a mini blanket in the plane.
• laundry bag

Toiletries

• toothbrush/toothpaste - this is actually going in my backpack because I have a long flight with two layovers. I got the dry toothy tabs from LUSH. It is perfect since it's not liquid. I found this out from a friend who went to YTT last year!
• floss/tongue scraper
• deodorant - I use Primal Pit Paste, it's seriously the best stuff ever. 
• hair stuff - I have curly hair that can't be tamed. ha.
• hair ties/headbands - to keep the hair away from my face during yoga
• soap - I have one that doubles up as a laundry soap so I can just hand wash my clothes if I need it. 
• shampoo/conditioner - I have a bar shampoo from LUSH. Unfortunately, I didn't find a conditioner that is dry that I like so I am just going to put it in a container. 
• argan, jojoba & coconut oil - super versatile. Using both for my essential oils, my hair, as sunscreen, more my face, makeup remover... gosh, I can't live without these oils.
• facewash & towel
• chapstick - at least 4 tubes, knowing me, I will lose 3. 
• contacts/case/solution/extra pair of glasses - I need a back up for my back up. If I can't see, it's over. ha. 
• nail file/nail clipper - I break nails too often.
• makeup - I am bringing very minimal makeup because I honestly don't use it as much and plus it will probably melt right off my face while I'm there. I'm only bringing mascara, eyeliner, face powder, tinted chapstick, and eye brow pencil. 
• nail polish/remover - I know. So unnecessary but if I don't have my nails painting, I feel so naked. I have a travel size for top coat, base coat and remover. I'm only bringing two colors for my nails. I am doing my toes before I leave because those last forever.
• clothpads/to go kit/cup - womanly stuff. And bringing stuff to wash them with. I don't plan wearing my cup during yoga since going upside down with a cup is the worst but it is perfect for when I want to go in the ocean at the beach or something.
• perfume - only two roll on ones. 
• q-tips
• razor - checked in my bag

So there you go, these are some of the basic items I am planning to bring. Check out tomorrow for part 2 of this post!

Thanks for visiting Yoga With Karel! (:  Come back tomorrow for another post for Blogmas.
Missed yesterday's post? See it here. 

I used to have the messiest purses you could ever imagine. I would have papers and receipts and random wrappers at the bottom of my bag. Finally, after many years of trying different methods, I have found a way to keep things a little bit neater in my handbag. I only use this method in my medium to larger size bags.



I carry a kit of my essentials that I could possibly need in an emergency or in a day to day basis, which I reference as my Everyday Purse Kit (EDPK).

•  Orla Kiely Zipped Pouch - I can't seem to find it on the Target website anymore but I got it at target. I love it because it has three sections, two on the sizes with a zipped part and an organized part. There is also a zipped section in the center. It keeps everything neat and organized. I usually have the entire pouch zipped up with the zippers centered on top so when I open my handbag and need to grab something quickly and know where it is, I don't have to shuffle around and find the zippers. 

Organized Side

• Kleenex travel tissues
• Organic peppermint essential oil - I do not carry Tylenol anymore. I found that one drop on my finger and rubbing it on my forehead and temples does the trick. This is also perfect if I am tired or need to focus. The smell just instantly perks you up!
• Travel bandaids - you never know when you start bleeding

Zipped Side

• cloth pad - I don't use disposables anymore. I might go into this in a future post. But I have one in a pad wrapper. 
• $20 - just in case
• Benadryl - this is the only emergency drug I need. I have some food allergies and it is definitely good to be prepared. 
• Conair travel brush and mirror - I have had this since I was in middle school and never really used it. It's so compact and fits perfectly in the compartment
• Contacts - maybe my glasses break, maybe I lost a contact. you never know... 
• elastic headband - I always wear a headband because of my flyaways. I hate when I forget one so now I never have to worry. 
• Mini sewing kit - this one came with one of my American Eagle jackets. It was just the pouch with string and a button. I added a needle, some extra thread and a few safety pins. 
• Contact lens case - I'm sure this has many functions. The reason why it is in my bag is because sometimes I don't feel like wearing my rings or my earrings start irritating my skin and I want a safe place to keep them. So that is where I keep them. 

Center Zipped Pouch

• VerMints - They are just mints
• hand lotion
• face moisturizer - I have dry skin so sometimes I need the mid day moisture or just forget to put it on in the morning.
• deodorant - I can't even tell you how many times I have forgotten to put on deodorant in the morning and this has saved me. Also great if I need to reapply but ever since I switched to this kind of deodorant, I find that I never ever ever have to reapply.
• cough drops - I was sick a while back and now I have this in here.
• tea - just in case I needed a pick me up at work or if I was out and didn't want to pay for a drink... because hot water is free
• floss
• hair tie and bobby pins - my hair tie isn't in this picture because I actually used it! I can't even tell you how many times this kit saved me.
• roll on perfume
• glasses cleaner cloth 
• Fiddlebumps healing salve - I am pretty sure this was in a previous favorites. If it isn't, it should be. I use this for EVERYTHING: rashes, bug bits, cuts, burns, bruises, dry skin... There are so many uses for this and I love it. Plus it smells delicious.
• Travel nail clipper - this is a must half. I got this when I was in 3rd grade and I still have it. I am so happy I do because now I never walk around with a bothersome hangnail or a broken nail. Instant fix!

I love this kit because it is all my essentials and I can easily move it from purse to purse. Each person have different needs, so my EDPK will be different from yours. What do you have in your kit? Comment below of some of your purse essentials.

Thanks for visiting Yoga With Karel! (:  Come back tomorrow for another post for Blogmas.
Missed yesterday's post? See it here.

To my amazing friends and followers (across all my social media),

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to you all. After much thought about not wanting to publish this because it dives deep into my personal life, you all (here on the internet and in real life), has been there for me. I decided to just go for it and share with you my thoughts. Many of you know that this year has been a tough year for me in general. I personally feel that if I did not have yoga and meditation and the never ending support from you all, I would not have been able to handle the many situations as good as I have.

In this love letter to my friends and followers, I wanted to talk about one specific event this year. The  Breakup. I am not going to go into the details of what happened and why it happened, but all that matters is that we are both happy and it was the best decision for both of us. Overall, it was such a learning experience and I am so happy and grateful for it. (: This letter is long overdue but I wanted to let you all know how much I truly appreciate your presence in my life.

The biggest thing that came out of this and that still makes me emotional is the amount of support and love I received. I cannot even tell you how many people have been there for me. I just wanted to reach out to a few all of you and thank you for your love and hugs.

• Alex - thank you for texting me when I needed to keep my thumbs busy. Thank you for letting me word vomit for a few nights in a row. And thank you for giving me some puppy therapy. 
• Vithya - thank you for going to yoga with me almost every single day for a month. You kept me busy and I love making yummy vegan food with you. 
• Mikey - thank you for driving me to work for nearly two weeks. Thank you for helping me pack, and thank you for just talking to me while I was still living up there.
• Amanda - thank you. thank you. thank you. You listened to me for hours on end. You told me  the advice I needed to hear. You let me talk it out. You already know how much I appreciate your friendship but again, I cherish your friendship so much. I love you!
• Michael - thank you for being so open and kind in the not-so-great situation. You talked with me and knew exactly what I was going through because you were too. I am so happy we don't hate each other and that we still share a friendship that still continues. 
• To all my personal friends - thank you for coming near and far to give me your hugs and love. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. <3
• my Tumblr and Instagram family. Your support was the most surprising. THANK YOU. Every time someone sent me a message, I would cry because I love you all. (Below are only some of the messages you sent me.) 

I love you all. The amount of love and support you give me is incredible. I am so lucky and grateful to be part of this amazing community. Thank you for loving me. I hope you all realize how much you have made a difference in my life. I love you!







All pictures and usernames of people who have sent me messages have been blurred out to keep their privacy. 

Thanks for visiting Yoga With Karel! (:  Come back tomorrow for another post for Blogmas.
Missed yesterday's post? See it here.