Well, it’s July, which means it’s time for hot weather, swimming, barbecues, evenings on the patio with friends, and much more depending on what you enjoy this time of year. This month is one in which people tend to slow down, with longer days, the end of school, and vacations.

That’s why I made this month’s theme SAVOR. Be sure to take time to savor your experiences this month. Savor the cool starry nights. Savor the warm sun on your skin (but safely of course!). Savor the foods of the season - juicy watermelon, sweet peaches, the snap of a grilled hot dog. Savor the sound of the waves at the beach. Savor the present moment.

This month I’m offering four live classes with the theme of savoring. Each one encourages you to savor a different aspect, each with the goal of strengthening the mind/body connection. Also, for this month the cost of my themed classes is PAY WHAT YOU CAN. I want to make yoga as accessible as possible!

• Savor Rest – Wednesday, 7/6 at 6:30pm EST
• Savor the Moment – Wednesday, 7/13 at 6:30pm EST
• Savor Silence – Wednesday, 7/20 at 6:30pm EST
• Savor the Breath – Wednesday, 7/27 at 6:30pm EST

If live classes aren’t your thing, don’t dismay! I’m going to be adding more on-demand classes to my website. I already have some there, but I’m finding people enjoy those more than live classes. Hey, I totally get it – that’s how I found yoga! I’ll be putting more up all the time, so keep an eye out and check back regularly.

I think July is also a good time for another important discussion – how we feel about our bodies. Nothing brings out body shame like bathing suits, shorts, and tank tops. Women have been taught from an early age that thin = good, and therefore fat = bad. Even if they weren’t told that from home, the media sure drilled it in our minds. And it doesn’t stop as we age. It just continues to sink further into our minds until we believe it as truth.

Here's the thing – none of this is true. This idea that being thin is better is actually rooted deeply in racism. Long important story short, Black bodies were feared and their unique characteristics were therefore seen as bad. So of course, white people decided that being thin must be better, so thanks to media and the patriarchy, that view has been perpetuated ever since. I’ll share more another time on this, but if you want to learn more now, check out the book Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings.

I’m sure there are some of you saying, “But being fat is unhealthy.” This, my friends, is also untrue. I can give you study after study that shows that weight is not an accurate indicator of health and that being fat is not automatically correlated with illness.

But even if you aren’t quite ready to give up hope for a thin body (I know, it’s not easy), that doesn’t mean you have to shame your body in the meantime. You can respect it exactly as it is NOW, enjoy it as it is NOW, and continue living your life.

• Instead of covering up in a t-shirt at the pool, wear that bright pink bikini.
• Instead of covering up your thighs in hot jean shorts, wear those shorter ones that let your body breathe.

Savor the present moment in your body, no matter how it looks or how you feel about it. Life is short, so live it to the fullest. I promise you won't be disappointed.