So if you're reading this, then you have recovered from the long Thanksgiving weekend. Two thumbs up if you're also celebrating Hanukkah. ( we do both in my house ). And depending on your personal choice, maybe that just wasn't enough holiday for you and you went and bought your Christmas Tree and started decking the halls. Whatever the case, holiday season is here. And with all the parties and get togethers, the ones you want to go to and the ones you're obliged to attend, let's face it - it can be pretty stressful and the true spirit of the holiday season can sometimes get lost.

This is typically my FAVORITE time of year, but I must admit, I'm feeling a little stressed out. One of the ways I like to de-stress is through hot yoga. It is my way of escaping the hustle and bustle of my regular life, but also renewing my body and my spirit. I know what you're thinking . . . "Uh Oh, Meg's about to get all holistic and spiritual on us". But I'm really not :)

I used to be totally down on yoga and reluctantly tried it. And I must admit, the first few times, I  didn't like it. I only tried it because someone suggested I do it to calm my head when I was going through a very stressful time in my life. Truth be told, I found it more stressful because I just couldn't relax and I found my mind wandering and thinking about all the stuff I had to do. But I stuck with it and I'm glad I did because I can't imagine life without it. My mat is my saving grace.  Yoga can be many different things and you might be drawn to it for various reasons. The most important thing is finding what works for you and connecting to THAT!

For those of you who know me, you know I LOVE music, I love to dance and I very rarely sit still. So imagine my joy when I was introduced to hot yoga done to AWESOME music! Yoga and tunes! Who knew something like this could even exist? (Well apparently a lot of people, because the studio I've been practicing at religiously for over a year and a half is ALWAYS packed. ) So you're probably wondering " Where is this awesome studio? " Guess what? I'm not telling. One of the reasons why I love my weekly yoga sweat sessions is because nobody there knows what I do professionally. So it is truly my sanctuary. I go in, nobody knows me, I do my thing on the mat and then I walk out refreshed and feeling awesome. O.K. and really really sweaty because its 115 degrees in the studio. Don't worry, not all yoga is like that. That's just my choice.

Alright so what does all this have to do with Motivation Monday? Well- A LOT!!  Sometimes the most peaceful things can be quite motivating. Sometimes motivation can be found in doing something completely new!! I feel re-energized and motivated after every yoga class I take. And it's one of the reasons why I decided to take classes to further my own teachings and studies in yoga. I incorporate yoga into my client's workouts and even use it in my bootcamps and other group fitness classes. And this month I'm challenging YOU to give it a try. Go try something new! Go to a yoga studio and check out a class. Or if you're already familiar with yoga, try some of the sequences below. Why not do both? And please educate yourself too on the history of yoga. I love learning new things and you might be surprised at what you learn.

And don't forget to download the TUNES FOR TUESDAY playlist tomorrow. It is yoga inspired. Turn it up and go get lost on your mat!

**Side-note /shameless promotion alert - Once I realized that yoga could be fun and that it could live in the same space as music, I developed my own hybrid class that I teach weekly at the local technical school in my town. I call it CORE FUSION. It's a glorious mix of yoga sequences, bodyweight exercises and more.