What is Happiness?

Is Elmo Happiness?  It is interesting what kids latch on to, I met a friend a a kids hangout at the Century City Mall, it was cute, but so much over stimulation.  My kids are in school all day, but once they get home, it seems they still need to unwind.  I needed to meet my friend, and she has a little girl so I figured we would make it fun for the kids so we could talk.

My kids were probably over exhausted on the way home, super whiny, nothing was satisfying them.  I always want to take them places and have them experience new things, honestly I would rather just be writing me blog or be on Facebook sometimes, but I want to make the effort.

So for me who is making an extra effort, when it is not appreciated by anyone is quite frustrating.  I believe real happiness is when you are appreciated and respected, without that what is the point?  Of course it is important to love yourself, that is a whole different subject.  However, life is about relationships of all types, and these interactions make life full or make us crazy :) or a little bit of both!

Today we were stuck, I had an important dentist appointment, and my husband had work far away.  Luckily my mother in law was available to be with the baby.  Little did I know my appointment would be 4 hours long, and my husband would be gone late into the day.

Was it bad planning on our part? Maybe, but I honestly thought that my appointments would be all broken up into at most 1 1/2 hour blocks, I had no idea I would be there all day.  Not much else got done, I went to meet my friend with the kids, was so looking forward to getting home, putting them all to bed, and just having quiet time.

Oh what drama, everyone was so grouchy, I think there is too much over stimulation.  All our kids need is for us to be with them when they are having fun, and want to make us proud.

As adults we also want to make people proud, with our efforts, with our hard work, with our results, with our energy, and when it goes unnoticed, unappreciated, disrespected.  It Really Sucks.

I guess all we can do is wallow a little, then get on with stuff that fulfils us, makes us happy, and after all life goes on, tomorrow is a new day, the craziness passes, moods shift - such is life - the ups and downs flow, and I guess what we need to focus on is that the ups will come.  I guess that is the positive view of life, feel it, acknowledge it, and then just move on.  It can only get better.

Feeling better,
Coach Yulia

Do you feel it in your throat?

I always talk about the gut, luckily I am very in touch with when something feels right or wrong.  Another sign for me is my throat, that is my weak spot, when it starts getting sore or dry, I need to tend to it right away.  It is my body telling me I have not drank enough, or it might be the beginning of getting sick and I should take a break and take care of me. 

Another thing that happens is when I am tired I start losing my voice, it becomes super raspy, and throughout my life if I overused it, it is really my weakest spot in my body.

So one of my friends asked me the other day if I was getting sick because my voice is definitely cracking.  I started laughing and told her since I got back from my vacation with no kids, I have stopped sleeping and started yelling (lovingly of course) at my kids.  So I feel great, but as soon as I got back, I jumped right into my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way, LOL.

So when my throat starts feeling off, I start drinking tea, tons of water, Ricola is great to keep it lubricated.  I am also drinking my Herbalife Green Tea Concentrate every day, it is so potent because it is in a concentrated form full of whole leaves, I only use half a teaspoon.  It helps boost my immune system with antioxidants, gives me natural energy, and the best part, activates the metabolism to burn 80 calories per cup - YEAH!

I try everything in my power to heal, so it does not get me sick, because I love to be busy, I need energy for my kids, I need my work to recharge.  But one of my favorite quotes is:

"If you don't make time for rest and recreation, you eventually have to make time for illness."

Since I got back from my trip, it is so amazing, that everything that I have thought that I really want to happen has happened.  What I am specifically talking about is my schedule.  For instance last week when my mom was here, clients were also conveniently out of town.  This week I had a few appointments that last minute were reschedule, so it freed me up for things that had to get done.  Today is a free day, and my husband and I are taking the baby and running some important errands.  Also appointments and classes that I have needed to take for checkups and re-certifications, every 2 years I have to do continued education for my yoga and personal training certifications, as well as renew my CPR.  So classes just became available at the perfect time.  I had the most amazing Prenatal Yoga class yesterday, so nice to get pregnant women together to feel good and talk about things that they can share in this setting, and learn from each other.

My girl is getting so big, now fully in underwear, and now to find her a big girl bed, she will be three in a month, unbelievable.

So as I am running around, I am going to try not to use my voice, save it for my three classes tonight.  When I used to work on Cruise Ships, my job was to talk all the time to the passengers, and of course I talked all the time to my fellow crew members.  There were times where it was really on the brink, kind of scary.  The funny thing is my mom is a trained musician and singer, and I have no clue how to use my vocal muscles correctly.  Luckily I have now found a career path that suits my voice, Yoga is perfect to talk soft, no strain, its just magic.

Wishing everyone a magical day,
Coach Yulia

I am a mom first

Took my kids to California Scence Cente, it was amazing, they all had a blast, they have a whole aquariaum room

In different times of our lives our identities change.  In our childhood we are our parents children, and then as we begin to "find" ourselves, we create new personas.  Whether its musical, creative, smart, athletic, etc.  Then we begin to delve into our career path, we start travelling, or start partying, everyone is so different.

Fitness has been my life for over 10 years, but before that I enjoyed being active, but in no way was in the gym, played very little sports, just more of a social butterfly.  Luckily my parents passed down some healthy and fit genes, so with healthy eating habits, I didn't have to work too hard to look and feel good.

After babies it all changed, and luckily I had found fitness before that and enjoyed it.  My metabolism slowed down, and it wasn't as easy to just get rid of a few pounds.  I am also grateful for Herbalife for making me aware of Nutrition being 80% and Exercise 20%.  That really was a game changer for me, I felt so free not to have to go work out, but instead focus on finding my own way to include plenty of protein in my day, and find exercises that were something that I would do just for fun.

Here are things that identify me, it is an interesting thing to list, maybe do it for yourself.

1 Female, First Born, Daughter
2.Born in Russia
3 Parents moved to America for Freedom of Religion, left everything behind for my brother and I
4.In Russia Judaism was considered my Nationality, and I feel it is my culture and heritage
5.Sister, Cousin, Grand Daughter
6.Love to Travel, Love Different Languages and Cultures
7.Love Exotic, Alternative, Unique, Creative Extroverts, and Love To Be One :)
8.Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, Worked on Cruise Ships - Good Times
9.Free Spirit, Risk Taker, Thrill Seeker
10. Yoga Instructor (as well as Bodypump, Mat Pilates, Nutrition Coach)
11. Personal Trainer
12. Performance Artist
13. Wife
14. Mother
15. Prenatal Yoga Instructor and Doula
16. Focusing on spreading the energy of health, wellness, success, and happiness

At different times of my life, some of the descriptions you see above were my one and only, it was who I was at the time.  Now I love to keep adding to my well of knowledge, and sharing energy, networking, and just working together with my fellow health and wellness colleagues to bring awareness and education to everyone around us.

I feel so blessed that my kids are in school so I can work, but when they were on a break the last few days, I dropped everything, rescheduled everything, cancelled everything to give them all of me.  The best part is that things just happened that way, I didn't have to lift a finger, most of my classes didn't happen for various reasons, which was perfect.  I feel like I put it out into the universe that I would prefer not to work.  On the other hand, since I have been back from my vacation, the work has been pouring in, now that I do not feel pressure to be one thing.

I LOVE TO BE EVERYTHING, LOL!

I always say take care of mama, but I finally really feel like a mama, it took me a while, jumping into married life when the timing was just right, jumping into a family one after the other, I was in it, but it didn't sink in.

It finally has,
I am a mom first,
I feel blessed,
Even when it's a challenge,
It is a way to work on ourselves, grow, be patient, be a better listener,
Children really make us take a good hard look at ourselves,
Thank God,
Coach Yulia


 

Back to the Grind

Oh how I love to be busy, to have a million things going on, to juggle, to get things done, always go go go, to have fun, to be excited, to keep the kids busy and use up all of that non stop energy!

Today they are off of school, we are meeting a good friend and her kids later at the California Science Museum, and I just made an appointment with the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics for an assessment.  Ziona Sofia turns 3 in March, and they have a program where I can send both of them together.  From my recent seminars about the benefits of exercising up and down against gravity, I am so excited for them to do something for fun, as well as for their health, balance, and coordination.  Thank you Safta, my husband's mother, offered to send them for extracurricular activities, and it is perfect timing.

My side of the family is hopefully coming to visit a few months, I am so excited, my brother, wife, and his kids have never been all together here.  My kids really love their cousins and have such a great time.  Love planning fun, events, and family get togethers.  That is what life is about.

So this is my grind, and yes vacation was great, and yes sometimes the kids drive me  nuts, but I would not change it for the world.  I am so grateful that today is a free day so I can have fun with them.  At this moment I indulged them to watch a show they like, baby is napping, and I am squeezing this in before we go to the museum.  Tonight I have three Yoga privates in a row, all really close in my neck of the woods.  My work is my recharge, I need you as much as you need me.

Life is Good,
We have our perfect Hollywood weather,
Cool with a warm sun,
Grateful,
Thankful,
Blessed,
Sending all my happy energy out to all of you,
Coach Yulia

 

Chocolate Everyday

Yes we are definitely back home and back in our routine, maybe a little off because the kids are off of school for a few days.  But overall little things are starting to get on our nerves again, that recharge from our trip is slowly wearing off as we are back to the grind. 

In my life I try my best to stay present, it is not always easy as everything around us is happening and sometimes in the negative direction.  I am very energy sensitive, and today for some reason am really feeling not happy energy come my way from other people, and it is coming directly at me.  All I do in those situations is just move on, but part of me wants to let the monster out and tell someone off, I feel it start to burn inside.  Yes I may be a calm Yoga teacher when I am teaching, but I am ready to jump to my own defense in the blink of an eye, LOL.  It's as if I am saying "please do not let me leave my happy place, you better not!!!"

So this morning I got the kids ready and we went to Santa Monica Fit Club, I had a few clients to meet, it was an absolutely gorgeous Los Angeles day, 70 degrees by 10am, left the baby at home with my husband, wanted to give all my energy and have fun to the kids.  They really weren't intersted in breakfast this morning, but they are always interested in the Herbalife Chocolate Healthy Meal Kids Shake, DONE!  They were satisfied until snack time, and had a ball at the beach and later at the park.  I threw some strawberries into my chocolate shake this morning, YUM!

Above, Fit Club happening behind kids, we brought sand toys and shared
Below, a few of my fellow coaches striking a pose after Fit Club

I also met a good friend and passed on some baby stuff to her, I am so happy to start getting rid of stuff, it will be such a big deal to get rid of our Pack N' Play, it has been the crib for all of our babies, and we put all the kids in their own bed by the time they are walking.  My motivation is always, TAKE CARE OF MAMA, I would rather keep sleeping and stay in bed, if they need me they come to me :)

If you don't take care of yourself who is going to do it for you?
Would you like to eat or drink chocolate everyday?
Then I definitely have a Nutrition Program for YOU :)
Yes we have other flavors, but for me there is nothing like CHOCOLATE!
Coach Yulia



 

Loving My Routine and Freedom

Shavua Tov - This is the greeting that is used at the end of Shabbat, wishing everyone a good week.  We had such a wonderful "Day of Rest," there was a big celebration at our synagogue, the kids had a great time, and the food was delicious.  I saw so many people I haven't seen in a while, and met a few new friends.  Socialization is what I love, and the best part is that what I do is exactly what my community needs.  I love to talk to moms, and people from all walks of life, my kids play, the baby naps, and I get to dress up, look pretty, and have my social hour :) or few hours.

My husband likes to take a nap when we get home, he fell asleep with the baby.  I actually have been sleeping quite good since we got back from our trip, I feel much better physically, my sinuses are gone so I could breathe, Thank God.  Everyone I have talked to that got hit hard with whatever has been going around, has had a similar super sinus pressure headache, and they said they never experienced anything like it before.  Thank God I have never had a migrane, but it was quite unbearable, and then on the descent in the airplane when we landed in Miami, OY VEY, it really was some of the worst pain I had ever experienced in my life.  My blog that day was "worse than labor," and I am not kidding, it really was, I would have taken an epidural for that - LOL!

So while my husband and baby were resting, I attempted to keep the kids entertained and as quiet as possible, they are just super dosed up with energy, so my daughter as usual screamed ran out of their room, and I really think startled the baby so much he woke up screaming from a deep sleep.  My husband was so upset, but luckily he is so amazing with the baby, he calmed him down, and he slept some more.

So I just put my older two to sleep, since we came back the baby has been with us in our bed, so I am attempting to put him to sleep in his bed.  We are thinking of getting my daughter her own bed, and eventually he can sleep in the bottom bunk under my son.

Right before bedtime, everyone is hanging out and having fun on our bed

Tomorrow taking my older two to Santa Monica Fit Club on the beach, I have some clients to meet and they will play in the sand, baby will be with my husband.  So happy to be able to just flow with the kids and with my schedule.

I Love Freedom.

I am working on the concept that Financial Freedom is the ultimate Freedom.

I have Freedom in my Religion and Spirituality.
I have Freedom how I want to raise my children.
I have Freedom to choose the career path that I want with a flexible schedule and doing what I love.

I think all of these Freedoms are equally important, so I got one more to go.

Coach Yulia

Withdrawal :)

I tell you, this vacation totally spoiled me, the napping, no diapers, and no whining and crying really is the way to go. LOL - My body literally feels like it wants to nap, and turn in when night time comes, but duty calls.

It's like a got a fix, and now am going through physical withdrawal, whereas before I was on auto pilot, go go go.

The past few days have been a blast, the kids are on their winter break from their Jewish school, had a great time at an amazing museum yesterday.  Today we have fun visiting their Safta, my husband's mother, its the Hebrew word for Grandma.  We went to a park near her house, and just enjoyed our beautiful LA weather, so happy its back!

Just got home a little while ago, ready to just enjoy Shabbat with my family again.  There is nothing like it, it really is my recharge and reconnect.

Shabbat Shalom,
Coach Yulia