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Slowing Down In Rovinj, Croatia

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:00:00 GMT

As I sip on a cocktail in my hotel lobby in Venice, Italy I find myself reflecting on the most recent FloYo Travel's adventure… in Rovinj, Croatia.

Let's backtrack a bit…It is January 2023 and I have just had my first call with SoulFire Collective, a yoga studio based in Rehoboth Beach, DE and Bethesda, MD. They are dreaming of taking their dedicated community of yogi's somewhere luxurious for a retreat. We discussed Sardinia, a yacht retreat to the Croatian Islands, Dubrovnik and then ROVINJ. A tiny town of only 14,000 people perched on the edge of the Adriatic Sea, Rovinj is a surprise to most people who visit. Located in Croatia's Istria region, you feel almost as though you are in Italy as you wander the twisting cobble stone streets that make up Old Town. The region is know for their wine, olive oil, truffles and delicious pasta and seafood.

As you enter our retreat hotel, The Grand Park Rovinj, your breath is literally taken away by the view. The town looks like it is straight out of a fairy tale. The colors are earthy and vibrant and the entire city is set amidst the gorgeous turquoise Adriatic Sea. Just a 10 minute walk into town and you feel like you have been transported back in time.

We quickly discovered that the pace of life in Rovinj is much different than back home. Here there is no rush. You walk slowly and take in the views, you drink your coffee leisurely to savor every sip, you take long swims in the sea and you mingle with locals and visitors to pass the time. We quickly settled into the pace of life and appreciated the opportunity to slow down.

Rovinj also presented us with countless opportunities to let go of plans and to embrace the beauty that surrounds us. We paddled around St. Katarina Island and several brave souls cliff jumped into the sea. We embraced the autumn air and experienced a sunset batana cruise. A batana is a traditional flat bottom wooden fishing vessel, we felt as though we had transported back in time when on board this fun boat. Even on the cloudy and rainy days it was impossible not to feel the energy and beauty of this seaside village. We walked through the town in search of the perfect local swimming hole and took a refreshing dip in the sea. We biked through the Golden Cape Park and lounged at the rooftop pool at our hotel.

It is rare to find a place as special as Rovinj. Visiting in mid-October definitely added to it's charm as there were very few tourists in town. We had a true locals feel of this Croatian town and I think it is safe to say the memories we created on this retreat will stick with us for a lifetime!

Thank you, Bali!

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 09:00:00 GMT

After 3+ long years of waiting, our FloYo Travels Bali Retreat has finally taken place! We have now been home for 5 days and when people ask, “How was Bali”? It is almost impossible to answer. How do you put into a few words an experience that has changed your entire perspective of the world? Here is my best attempt:

Bali was… Impactful. Eye opening. Spiritual. Refreshing. Inspiring.

Meeting and spending time with the Balinese people restores my faith in humanity. Being surrounded by the Balinese spirit and way of life opens my eyes to a new way of living. Being on this “Island of Gods” shows me that there are so many incredible people in this world.

So, why is Bali so special? What is it about the Balinese people that set them apart? Why is this tiny island so different than anywhere else I have travelled?

I think there is a lot to uncover about the magic of Bali, but one of their guiding beliefs really stands out in my mind. “Tri Hita Karana” means living in harmony with God, among humans and with nature. The central philosophy of Balinese people are the “3 Sources of Good”. In Bali, people find gratitude for achieving balance in their life- balance between spirit, nature and community. This emphasis on finding balance is visible in every aspect of Balinese life- from their daily offerings and rituals, to the blessing ceremonies for rice fields and water sources, to how they take care of their neighbors and community (did you know there is not a single homeless person in Bali- they take care of one another and would never let someone sleep on the streets).

You cannot help but feel this sense of balance, gratitude & acceptance when you talk to any of the locals. Their joy for life and positive attitude is contagious. They do not care what religion you are, what your sexuality is, where you are from or what you believe in. They treat every single human the way they would like to be treated. People in Bali are ALWAYS smiling- they believe in Karma. And they believe karma requires that they be aware that every one of their actions produces a good or bad outcome for their future. So, if they are positive and considerate in every action and thought now, they will receive protection and blessings in the future. To make this even more impactful, they believe that their actions & thoughts are often rewarded immediately, not just some time in the distant future. They truly live in the moment. And their positive interactions with every person they meet results in a powerful unconditional happiness.

To me, these people are what make Bali so special. Of course the beautiful beaches, incredible waterfalls, breathtaking rice terraces and ancient temples all add to the appeal, but the people and their way of life are what make the trek to Bali so impactful.

The next big adventure!

Tue, 18 May 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Coming this September….

You know that FloYo and FloYo Travels is all about adventures and I am so excited to announce my biggest adventure yet….the journey to motherhood! Justin and I are expecting a baby girl in late September 2021!

I wanted you, my FloYo Travels Crew, to be the first to know about this exciting news! We are over the moon excited to welcome a little girl to our FloYo Family. If you plan to join any of the 2022 FloYo Retreats, get excited to have a baby joining the experience! She will be traveling to Cuba, Bali, Santorini and Kenya in her first year of life (yes, please help me pray for a very good, easy going baby!).

This summer you will find me teaching FloYo at all of our B'More SUP locations as well as at the Dewey Beach Hyatt…I look forward to sharing more about my journey to motherhood on my @CulturallyFit IG page in the months to come.

See you on the water soon!

A Standup Paddle boarders Gift Guide

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 09:00:00 GMT

Gift-giving isn't always easy, but we are hoping to make it a bit less stressful for you this year! If you have some stand up paddle enthusiasts on your list- look no further than our holiday gift guide! Here we share our top 5 picks for paddlers this holiday season.

Yolo Paddle

A good quality paddle can enhance the paddling experience immensely! A good paddle is often more important than a super high end board. What makes a good paddle? The construction and the weight! Just a few ounces lighter in weight can make a huge difference for the back and shoulders as you are paddling. This Yolo carbon fiber paddle is our favorite!

Dry Bag

Every paddler needs a dry bag. We all take out our phones and sometimes other essentials for time on the water. Our favorite dry bag is the self-sealing magnetic GoBag! You won't even need to take your phone out of the bag to take photos with this great option. We sell these bags for just $20- contact us if you'd like one!

Anchor Kit

Does your paddler love to practice yoga and do fitness classes on their board? If so, they likely will need an anchor kit! We love this “Perfect Anchor” because it comes with the rope and buoy already attached!

FloYo Hat

Yes! Finally, the perfect hat to keep the sun off your face! We have 4 new styles of this hat- check the FloYo Instagram to see the other color combo's!

Yolo Inflatable Board

Looking for an entry-level inflatable at an unbeatable price? Look no further: the YOLO Seahorse Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard has arrived! Inflatable YOLO SUPs are easy to store in your closet or check at the airport for your next adventure. The Seahorse inflatable SUP is super stable in flat water and small waves, making it a great all-around choice for paddlers of any skill level. Constructed from ultra-durable marine-grade PVC this board package includes board, fin, hand pump, patch kit, and travel bag. Plus, we currently have them for sale for only $600!!

Finding Freedom Through Releasing Fear

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 09:00:00 GMT

We all face fear every single day. And I am not necessarily talking about the fear that might first pop into your mind when you think of the word fear. Sure, maybe you have a fear of sharks or fear of heights. Those fears may be significant but they also may not show up every day in your presence in your way of being.

The fear I want to focus on today may be something smaller, may be something that is easier to mask and push aside.

Perhaps this fear shows up as anxiety. Anxiety about disappointing your clients, anxiety about speaking up for yourself at work for what you believe you deserve.

Maybe it's a fear of failure- failure as a parent, as a spouse, as a business owner.

Maybe it's a fear of being alone, maybe its simply a fear of traveling alone- eating at a restaurant alone, going to a new yoga class alone. We've all had these fears at one point or another.

For me, the fear that keeps resurfacing is the fear of not being good enough. Not being fit enough, not being successful enough and the list goes on.

Living in fear is like living in some sort of trance. When we live in this trance-like state, fearful thoughts and emotions take over and obscure the larger truth of our life. We get so consumed by the fear that we forget about all the love we have in our lives, we forget about the beauty of the world that we live in, we forget the goodness that exists deep down inside each and every one of us. When we live in fear, we come to expect trouble and bad things to happen and we are unable to live in the present moment. We are so worried about what will happen if…DOT DOT DOT that we forget to live in this moment right here, right now.

Fear is a natural and necessary part of being alive. We are genetically programmed to keep ourselves alive and free from harm, but the problem arises when we allow fear to work over time. When we allow fear to be present when it doesn't need to be. When we live in fear we miss out on moments of our life that could have been spent full of love, creativity and presence.

The good news is that we can all bring more presence to our lives and when we get present we recognize the fear, we acknowledge the fear and we can then face that fear with courage and kindness. We can face it in order to find freedom.

As we wrap up the official first week of spring and we continue to see changes around us- in nature with greener grass, flowers beginning to bloom, longer days filled with more sunshine- it is also an amazing time to make some changes inside of ourselves.

If you can bring more mindfulness into your daily life, you will be able to get out of that fear trance. When you get present and live more mindfully you become aware of the stories you are telling yourself and the feelings and sensations that are happening in your body. Meditation helps to bring more mindfulness to your day. So, today I hope you can take 5 minutes at some point to listen to this guided meditation.

Even if you don't necessarily think of yourself as a fearful person, there may be signs of fear creeping into your body. Physical contraction sometimes surfaces as a result of fear. When you stay trapped in fear you begin to feel tight and guarded….you may notice your shoulders get knotted and raised, your back hunched, your belly tight. Your body becomes rigid instead of relaxed.

Fear can also trap the mind in these rigid patterns. Your mind might start obsessing over what could go wrong- the mind may start to produce endless stories that get replayed over and over again.

In addition to the physical armoring and mental obsession- your behavior might also be a result of fear. Some of you may run from fear and that running shows up by busying yourself with lots of extra tasks and responsibilities maybe you find yourself judging others critically to give yourself an ego boost. We all handle fear differently and most of the time we don't even realize it is the fear that is making us behave the way we are.

So this week, as you move through your daily tasks and responsibilities take a moment to slow down, get present and become aware of what fears might be holding you back from seeing the beauty in your life.

Spring Cleaning For The Mind

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 09:00:00 GMT

As we continue with our March theme of Mindfulness, this week's Monday Morning Meditation is focused on clearing the clutter from our minds. But, isn't that the basic concept of meditation…clearing out all the mental junk? Yes, and no! Meditation teaches us to be present, meditation also helps us become less anxious and more self aware. The goal is not always to completely clear the mind, but today we will focus on specific thoughts and ideas that we no longer need and we will consciously get rid of them from our mind.

Since today is the first day of Spring it seemed like the perfect day to do some internal spring cleaning. We live in a society where we are constantly being told that more is better. Be more, do more, have more. But this week, I encourage you to take some time each day to consider how you can design a life with fewer distractions. What can you eliminate from your life in order to make more time for the things you want more of in your life? Its about saying no to everything that gets in the way, so that you can say yes to what's right for you, to what brings you happiness and joy.

It means having more of some things, like more time, more energy, more space, more peace of mind. And it means having less of others things; less distractions, less negativity, less frustration.

Just think about cleaning out your closet. When you get rid of the old clothes you gain more space, more appreciation for what you do have. So aside from clearing out your house or your closet, it is imperative that you take some time to clear out the mental clutter. The thoughts that are no longer serving you sometimes need to be consciously cleared out so you can make room for new ideas, perspectives, intentions, and desires.

This week's Monday Meditation is designed to do exactly that, to clear out the mental clutter to make room for new, intentional thoughts. I hope you enjoy!

Meditation Monday #1

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 09:00:00 GMT

As noted in my last post about our mindfulness theme, this month I will be sharing 4 five-minute meditations. The idea is to start your week on a mindful note, so I hope you will listen to our first one tomorrow morning.

In addition to adding more mindfulness to my daily routine this month, I have also decided to do a week-long digital detox. Beginning this evening, I will be deleting FB, IG, SnapChat, etc. from my phone and saying goodbye to all forms of social media for the next week. Being a business owner, I cannot completely cut social media out long term, but I do think it will be healthy to take a brief hiatus from the daily (sometimes hourly) checks and updates.

Maybe you are wondering what has spurred this sudden parting from all things social….well, it's not so sudden at all. For a while now I have been tracking my moods, my feelings, my anxieties and my thought patterns and I have noticed that more time I spend on social media- Facebook specifically- the more drastic the shifts in my energy and mood seem to be. Social media is extremely powerful, and that power can be both good and bad. I enjoy Instagram because I have more control over what content I see, I can choose to search for specific things and only follow/look at the stories and posts that are inspiring and positive in nature. But sometimes when I log in to Facebook I get sucked into this negative thought pattern and downward spiral. I get excited to see updates from friends that I haven't seen recently and then the next second I am feeling sad and sorry for myself for silly and unreasonable things- like not hitting certain life milestone's yet. I know I am not alone in this, but I believe that for me personally, I will benefit from disconnecting for a bit…even if only for a week! :)

Additionally, I recently read a March “Energy Forecast”…not something I usually follow but it was very interesting!!

Mindful March

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 09:00:00 GMT

My theme for March is mindfulness.

Although its roots go back to Buddhist meditation, mindfulness has made its way into American mainstream in the last several years. Thanks to countless studies, which have documented the physical and mental benefits of mindfulness, schools, prisons, hospitals and more have now adapted mindfulness programs into their offerings.

Although you may have heard the term a thousand times, do you really understand what it means to be mindful and how to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life? Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. It means living a life filled with intention where you are present in each moment and not judging or placing labels on yourself or your experiences.

Maybe you already knew what mindfulness means, but do you know how to incorporate it into your daily life? Being mindful does not mean you have to sit in lotus pose in a silent meditation for 30 minutes everyday. You can cultivate mindfulness in your regular daily routine by simply being present and tuning in to the sensations, the thoughts, the feelings and truly living life like it matters, each and every moment.

So, this month, I encourage you to focus on being more present in each of your daily tasks. Maybe it is a task as simple as brushing your teeth. I challenge you to notice —really notice— what you're sensing in those few moments when you are standing in your bathroom brushing your teeth; the sights, sounds, and smells that ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness.

I am also going to be releasing a weekly 5 minute paddle meditation. For me, when I am paddling and practicing FloYo I am fully present— I am practicing mindful movements. I am focused on the moment, on the movement of my blade through the water, the placement of my body in each pose on the board. This is the reason I fell in love with SUP Yoga- unlike in a yoga studio where my mind could wander, when I was on a paddleboard I was forced to be mindful, to be present because when I wasn't I would fall in the water!

I have put together a series of mindfulness meditations which are accompanied by paddle scenes. These 4 meditations will be released each Monday in March. I encourage you to try starting your week with these 5 minute meditations. And rest assured, I am not saying that you have to meditate every day to achieve mindfulness; however, I do think that incorporating a bit of meditation will help you discover what it feels like to use these mindfulness techniques to cope with the daily onslaught and the stress that comes with living in an extremely fast-paced, multi-tasking world. For me, the ultimate goal of practicing mindfulness is simply to give your attention fully to what you're doing. You can work mindfully, parent mindfully, learn mindfully…heck, you can even exercise, eat and travel mindfully.

Adventures in SUP Surfing…Down Under

Sun, 26 Feb 2017 09:00:00 GMT

I've always wanted to be a surfer.

And, I've travelled to some of the most amazing surf locations in the world.

But guess what? I've never surfed….until now!

I remember when I decided to study abroad at Sydney University in 2008. I thought, “This is my chance! I will be living just minutes from Bondi Beach, I WILL learn to surf.” But I never got on a board the entire 5 months I was there. Then in 2010 I went backpacking through South American and S.E. Asia. When I arrived in a tiny little surf town in Chile the first people I met at my hostel were a group of Aussie surfers. I thought, “This is my chance! I have absolutely nothing else I have to do this next week in Chile, I will get these Aussie's to teach me how to surf.” But the week went by and I spent hours watching the Aussies surf, but I never got on a board. A few months later I arrived in Bali, Indonesia, a surfers paradise. I stayed at a surf hostel and was literally the only person there without a surfboard. The first day I thought, “This is my chance! I will go down to the local surf shop and rent a board and surely one of these nice backpackers will teach me how to surf.” But I got the long board carried it down to the beach everyday, but never got ON the board. Fast forward to 2015, I decide to move to Nicaragua for the winter to launch FloYo at Rancho Santana. I thought, “THIS is my chance, I am 29 years old, I will be in Nicaragua for 6 months with unlimited access to surf boards, world class waves AND I am a confident paddler now so I GOT THIS!” But guess what….I never got on a board.

Unbelievable, right? So many opportunities, but what was holding me back? It was fear- fear of the ocean, fear of being under water, fear of getting hurt, fear of failing. You would think as the owner of SUP school and SUP Yoga brand I would have no issues with the Ocean, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

But for some reason, when I turned 30 in August I decided that enough was enough. I was going to get out in the ocean and at the very least attempt to surf. Well, I am happy to report, that it took me 30 years, but I can now proudly say that I have surfed! I took one lesson at Rancho Santana this past November with the Mantra Fit retreat crew. That lesson was what I needed to let go of all the fears and gain confidence in myself. Then, when I went in Australia in January I was determined to gain some SUP surfing skills. So, I packed my Yolo Inflatable and surfed for 4 days straight on the Gold Coast and absolutely loved it.

So, what made me flip the switch and finally get out in the ocean? I started reversing my focus from a negative thought process to positive thoughts. Rather than thinking “What if I get barreled by a huge wave and held under the water for too long” I started to think about how amazing it would feel to ride a wave all the way in to the beach. I thought about how much fun it would be to simply be out on the water, even if I wasn't catching huge waves. Taking one negative thought at a time and changing it to a positive thought ultimately made me realize that the positive thoughts outweighed the negative ones on a massive scale. The first day I stepped into the ocean on the Gold Coast a dolphin swam up to my board. That dolphin stayed with me for a good 20 minutes. I took that as a sign that I was where I was meant to be, the dolphin was there to show me that life is too short to let fear hold me back from jumping into that great big ocean!

What negative thought can you switch to a positive thought today, right now? Share in the comments below!

Drop Fear.

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 09:00:00 GMT

“We all have both light & dark inside us, what matters is the part we choose to act on that's who we really are”.

~Sirius Black

I have practiced yoga since I was eighteen but if you asked me then if I would be where I am today [teaching land, air & sea yoga!] I probably would have laughed.

For most of my life, I had an insurmountable fear of the water and that which lurked beneath. Darkness was something that I was never willing to embrace, I am a lover of light. Physically I enjoy being in the sunshine and mentally I use humor and laughter to lighten the mood. As I grew up and had children, I realized that you could face the darkness and shine even brighter. Having three girls pushed me into the unknown and fueled my passion for discovery. That discovery came through my yoga practice, I became aware of what I was holding on to and what I was learning to let go of.

Over the years, fears had crept in and seeped deep down into my body, they made me tense and gasp for air. My yoga practice was where I found air, where I could fully breathe. During this transition of becoming a parent I wanted to show my girls the importance of taking in, breathing in, and ultimately savoring every aspect of life. I did not want them to ever feel restricted by fears or limitations they placed on themselves.

This meant I knew it was time to face one of my biggest fears, the fear of water. I wanted to try paddleboard yoga and in order to do so I had to face my fear of the water head on. I knew it was in me and knew that if I simply continued to breathe I could get over any fear, no matter how big. It wasn't easy those first few times I was on a board floating on the deep waters below. And even to this day, every time I step on a board those fears try to resurface but I simply breathe in and paddle out.

Paddling further away from doubt and closer into the heart, for the love of myself, my practice, and my life. Now I gladly travel to different waters, maybe even make a splash trying something new and bravely get out there as the fierce warrior I know I am. I now live to show my girls that they are capable of anything and to share this with my students. So, as I prepare to teach the upcoming indoor FloYo classes, I encourage you to acknowledge the dark, get free, be light! See you on the water!

Be sure to check out our upcoming indoor FloYo classes being offered at the Community College of Baltimore County- Dundalk- on Monday evenings, January 30-March 13th. More details and registration information to come!

FloYo Goes Down Under!

Wed, 04 Jan 2017 09:00:00 GMT

10 years ago, almost to the day, I made a promise to myself to return to Australia by the time I was 30. I not only wanted to return but I wanted to come back and live here.

You see, I had been studying abroad at Sydney Uni for 6 months and there was something about the culture, lifestyle and attitude that I experienced in Australia that made me realize that THIS was the way I wanted to live my life. I did not know in what capacity I would return, but now 10 years later I know.

Tomorrow I head back to Sydney to lead a FloYo Teacher Training and to teach several FloYo Workshops and classes. I do not know what the future will hold, but I am open to the possibility of bringing FloYo to Australia in a much bigger way. If you are interested in getting FloYo Certified and joining our FloYo Family teaching our branded SUP Yoga classes, see a list of all of our certifications here!

Let the adventure begin…

I will be sharing my travels and adventures with you via Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to follow along!