Shifting Seasons: An Autumn Perspective

Fall is my favorite season. Does anyone know of a town where it is Fall year-round? I'd like to move there. 

Sunday, my friend Laurie and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park to find Fall. 

I live in Boulder, which is at about 5k feet, so we are still a bit warm. Up in The Park, around 10k feet, is where Fall is lingering, until the final breath of warm summer exhales from the Rockies for good. I enjoyed bundling up a bit for this!

I learned the term, "leaf-peeping," this week. That's what is happening at higher elevations in Colorado. The Aspens are ablaze, the alpine tundra is even taking a rustier shade of brown. It's all so insanely beautiful to see.

Being so fortunate to see the things I get to see out here is something I try to realize everyday. Even though I am starting to yearn for movement, I am learning a new kind of patience by staying put. I am learning to shift my perspective by finding new ways to see what is all around me. If the trees just simply shed their leaves and didn't allow the process to create such vivid color and beauty..Fall would be much different. 

The colors change during the seasons, phases, processes of life. What's crazy is we don't have to force anything to change. It will do it all by itself. We must simply open ourselves up to what the process could look like, and allow ourselves be part of it. Change will incur. 

Wearing: Royal Robbins, Columbia & Vivobarefoot 
Photos by myself & Laurie Tewksbury 

Travel Essentials: A Wish List

Going from Denver to Bali last week was not my first international flight, but it was definitely the longest time I have ever had to travel, via airplane. 

I was definitely better prepared for this trip than the last international flight I took to Iceland. (We took an old, broken vintage Samsonite suitcase that kept busting open, did not have wheels, was overpacked, oh and we didn't check the weather in Iceland, so we packed clothes that were for warmer temps).

I now have a great suitcase with wheels, but it's canvas, so it's a bit flimsy. I've only used it three times and the handle at the top is already breaking. That doesn't work for me. 

My cats love my suitcase.

Also, I travel with my computer and camera. I had two separate bags for these on this trip, and that made things cumbersome to lug around, especially during layovers. 

Camera bag, computer backpack, suitcase. Need to condense a bit!

Lastly, my passport, wallet and phone were all separate. Wouldn't it be great if there was something to keep them all together?!

I know what I will need before my next big trip. It's all about learning, and I learn more every time I travel. Heck, I can pack for a 14er in 5 min now, when it used to take me an hour or so! 

Behold: My Travel Essentials Wish List!  

1. Hard-shell suitcase set w/ wheels

These are sold everywhere. I just need to get my hands on a set. 

2. Camera/Laptop/Carry-on Bag

(This is the Kelly Moore + A Beautiful Mess bag. LOVE it)

3. Passport Wallet

(This will just make life easier, because how many times do you have to whip our your Passport in the airport?)

These are the Lodis Audrey Passport Wallets w/ Ticket Flaps. Definitely would come in handy!

Do you have similar items on your travel essentials list? Tell me in the comments below!

From Denver to Bali: 20 Hours in Transit

Last Tuesday, when I left work a couple hours early to catch the bus to Denver International Airport, I had an inkling of what I was about to get into, but did not realize how much time would change for me in over the next 20 hours. Or was it 24 hours? 15? I lost count, because we hopped over the International Date Line, and launched forward, into the future!

September 9th: 
6:05 pm - Arrived at Denver International Airport.

Photo: Heather Davis

7:40pm - Bags are checked, time to get some grub while we wait for boarding time.

Photo: Heather Davis

8:25pm - On flight 1 of 3: Heading to LAX first!

(In the air, hopping a time zone or two)

10:23p - Landed in Los Angeles (oops, no pictures were taken!) 

1:25am - On flight 2 of 3: LAX to Tokyo...for 10 hours!

3:00am - (or was it 5am? 6? no clue)  Dinner is served. 

September 11th (At this point, we've crossed the International Date Line):
Sometime around 3am: Heather takes a selfie w/ someone sleeping in her row.

Photo: Heather Davis

4am - Breakfast! All Nippon really does their airplane food right..or maybe it's because it's Japanese cuisine. 

5am - We have landed in Tokyo, and are looking for bathrooms. Oh, we found some...interesting ones. 

6am - Go outside, snap a touristy photo in front of "Tokyo International Airport." 

Photo: Heather Davis

7:50am - Exploring Tokyo's Haneda Airport. We only had a 5-hour layover, so staying put while we waited for our flight to Indonesia. 

9:15am - Pre-flight yoga. (We are heading to Bali for a yoga retreat; so appropriate). 

10:00am - Caught catching up on work. (I worked remotely during this trip for my job, My Yoga Online. Best job ever!)

Photo: Heather Davis

10:45am - Grabbing a quick bite before we board the plane! Soba noodles & dumplings. Sooo good.

11:25am - On flight 3 of 3! Time to take off. See you in 7 hours, Bali! 

5:00pm - Finally! We are landing in BALI!

7:25pm - Checked in to W Retreat & Spa in Seminyak, after 20+ hours of being in transit. It's time to sleep now. 

What's the longest time you've had to travel from one place to the next? How did you make it fun?

Instagram Inspiration: My Favorites

I am such an Instagram Junkie. It's my favorite social network, hands-down.

Pictures speak more than words, and there is so much story that get squeezed into one picture, rather than lengthy words that people don't take the time to read most of the time anyway.

Instagram is an insanely inspiring platform. There are people on there who speak to the world through their photos and people listen. People are moved.

So, here are a few accounts that I always look forward to seeing in my feed.

@carolinegleich

If I am ever not feeling up to going into the mountains (when is that!?) I just have to pop on over to Caroline Gleich's IG. She is always everywhere and shares her outdoor adventures along with tips of the trade. Exception inspiration, especially for us female adventurers. 

@thuglifeforevs

Emily Blincoe is the lady behind "Thug Life Forevs,." Her photos are just so incredibly captivating to look at. She arranges ordinary items by color, and then snaps a photo. I'm always so impressed with what she comes up with!

@passionpassport 

Passion Passport is a travel collective of stories, photos, wanderlust tales, and bucket lists. They always have the best travel photos, which only makes my travel list longer and longer.. 

@talia_sutra: 

Talia is a yoga instructor from NYC, and she is a huge inspiration to my own yoga practice. She also has an amazing and refreshing perspective on life, and I love reading/seeing her posts! 

@thefeedfeed

I love food & so I love this feed! There is always something yummy that they are sharing, and it always makes me hungry and inspired to get to the kitchen and make something that looks and tastes incredible. 

What accounts are you favorites to follow? Share them with me so I can check them out! 

Sorry If You're Hungry! (Food From Bali & Japan).

When I travel, finding good food is always on my list. At home, I usually stick to a pretty healthy diet of tons of raw fruits and veggies, gluten/dairy free meals, and mostly vegetarian. 

But when I travel...all routine goes out the window for the sake of a beautiful plate of local grub.

This trip had TONS of amazing food! Being in Southern Asia, you were close to all kinds of countries notoriously famous for their spice, dishes, and cooking methods. Up until this trip. Thai food was my favorite. Now, I have a new favorite: Japanese. 

Places I ate on this trip: 

W Hotel Bali Restaurants: Fire & Starfish Bloo (Seminyak)

Clear Cafe (Ubud)

Seniman Coffee Studio (Ubud)

Gelato Secrets (Seminyak)

Gusti's Garden Bungalows (Ubud)

Bollero Resto (Ubud)

Warung Ibu Oka (Ubud)

Tutmak (Ubud)

Kiyomura (Tokyo)

The Airplane (39k feet in the air)

(All Nippon Airlines, your airplane food impresses me!)

There were a couple more places, but I was too excited to eat the food, and not only forgot to take a photo, but also forgot the name of the place. 

My favorite place was Clear Cafe. The food was SO incredible; I had the seared snapper with a pineapple-coconut cream sauce the first time I went, and then a smoked tuna burger the second. 

So, sorry if you're hungry, 

but here is a nice photo post of most of the food I ate while in Bali/Tokyo:

<3

Tiffiny's Travels: Seminyak, Bali & #POSEWHENEVER

Hello, from Indonesia! 

I am wrapping up the first leg of my trip here in Bali, Indonesia. I have been at the W Hotel & Spa in Seminyak the last 4 days for a yoga retreat with Tara Stiles. 

This country is amazing. The people here are so incredibly kind and welcoming!

Oh yeah; - and the food. I've been taking snaps of my food because I just love the presentation that is put into it! (We do plan to go to The Suckling Pig in Ubud, an Anthony Bourdain favorite!)

Of course we have been doing yoga here. I won this trip from W Hotels via the #POSEWHENEVER Instagram contest! It has been the trip of a lifetime & my first trip south of the equator and to Asia. We have an 8-hour layover in Tokyo on our trip home, and I cannot wait to explore that amazing city. 

Yoga with Tara has been a wonderful experience. Tara is an amazing human, and super down-to-earth. The energy that vibrates from here is also contagious. Lots of thinking and movement occurred within me on this trip and I'm excited about the future. Movement is happening. 

Stay tuned for another update soon! We are heading to Ubud later today and will be there the next four nights! (I will also have a HUGE photo post after I sort through everything!)

<3 Tiffiny

#ExplorerSeries for Mile High Clothing Company!

This weekend, Katie Boué (The Morning Fresh) & I had the the opportunity to head into the wildness of beautiful Colorado for Mile High Clothing Company!

Why? To kick off the new #ExplorerSeries for Mile High Clothing Company! 

Bryan from MHCCO sent us some shirts from his awesome collection to wear while we camped, climbed, and of course, explored.

The weekend was perfect. Anytime I head into nature, I always get everything I need and more. I never know what to expect; it is different each time. When you open yourself up to "whatever happens," you can find that expectations go out the window, and you get to enjoy...whatever happens.

I'm going to just let these photos speak for themselves - enjoy!

** Interested in doing a collaboration like this with me? Email me! tiffinycostello@me.com

Photo: Katie Boué

Photo: Katie Boue

Photo: Katie Boue

Photo: Katie Boue

Photo: Katie Boue

Photo: Katie Boue

 

Photo: Katie Boue

Photo: Katie Boue

I Am an Introvert & I Like It

Yes, it's true. Albeit I am pretty outgoing in nature and personality, under the sheath of my loudness and exuberance is a very, very loud mind who needs her alone time - more than not.

Do I think being an introvert is something that I need "to grow out of?" NO. It's not wrong to be an introvert and there is nothing wrong with me. (There is nothing wrong with you).

Right after high school, I really got terrible about just not communicating with people. I would be on my way to hang out with someone, then get overwhelmed with the idea of having to participate in being social, and I would start to cry or panic. So, I would just no-show. No text, call or heads-up; I just would bail. Sometimes I would bail and let them know - but with no reason.

Labeling myself as an introvert felt like I was having to accept something like a sickness. It has only been recently that I have learned it is not a sickness - it is me! Learning to understand why I get overwhelmed in social situations has helped me with communicating to people why I need to wait 4 hours before hanging out - or why I need to take my own car to parties. Often times, I have found out that they are introverts too, and they get it! 

What's funny, is if you look up "introvert," on Google, some psychology resources label it as a disorder.

It is not a disorder. There is nothing wrong with us.

Being an introvert has allowed me to live alone in Colorado the last 6 months without feeling too lonely. I am happiest when I am doing my own thing. It helps me write, create, plan, process, and live.

I still enjoy socializing - however I'm not going to meet you at a coffee shop just to talk. I'd rather go on a hike up a 14er and talk on the way. I think that is where things differ. I never want to just talk. I get nervous and my mania kicks in, and I will ramble or get awkward. Now, if we are going to be doing something + talking? I'm in...until I want to leave.

So, I encourage any of my fellow introverts to embrace it. You are not alone and there is nothing wrong with enjoying being alone. Also, communicate to people that you are an introvert - you might be surprised as you find out there are more of you our there. :)

“Do not feel lonely: the entire universe is inside you.”

This is from my Instagram account (instagram.com/tiffinyepiphany), but I want to share it here too, because it's important: 

A little off-cuff from my normal posts, but I want to be as real and raw as they come. Welcome to behind-the-scenes & out-of-the-mountains: I've been working on my spinal flexibility and today has been a break through. The power these poses give me is crucial to not only my back health but my mental health. Robin Williams' passing hit me (and all of is) rather hard. Today is the first day I haven't wept about it. It saddened me, but also frightened me. It scared me because like Sylvia Plath says, "I am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me.” I can only try to empathize with what Robin might have been dealing with. 

We, humans, are capable of intense emotions and they can carry us away. Elated, joyous ecstasy, or despairing, dark, sinister depression. I've had my share of depression, mania, etc., and still do, but my sobriety, meditation and calmness has been key to making sure it all stay in balance. When I have a day where I physically can't get out of bed, I don't think it's the end of the world anymore; I acknowledge it and know it will pass. Our brains are insane, by the way. Mine is crazy. I feel the moon phases. I feel the seasons shift. The planets orbit. I feel it all. I cry when I see a happy dog, because I am so happy he is happy! I feel e v e r y t h i n g, mostly since moving to Colorado. I am not trying to define it, I am just witnessing it and seeing where it takes me. 

Everyone should live and express themselves. If you don’t have something you can use for expression - bodily, mentally, spiritually - find it. I have yoga (and maybe ballet soon), and it’s incredible how I have forged a connection between my body, mind and spirit. “Do not feel lonely: the entire universe is inside you.” 

Snaps: 8/9-8/10

If you are friends with me on Facebook, you have already seen these photos, but I want to start regularly posting some kind of content here on my neglected little blog.

So, I present: "Snaps."

Just snaps from my life. I am diving back into photography, and want to start posting photo essays, so, "Snaps," is a great way to start.

Enjoy!

Shot with: iPhone 5S, Canon t3, GoPro Hero 3+

My New Favorite Shoes: VIvobarefoot Trail Freaks

After 5 months of being in Boulder, I have finally started running again. It's taken me quite awhile to adjust to the altitude here. 

The awesome folks at Vivobarefoot sent me a pair of their Trail Freaks to have fun with. I LOVE them! (They're already been up 14k feet with me, too). 

One difference in these shoes and my normal running shoes is that they are minimalist shoes, and so I feel different when I run. Specifically, my calves get an insane workout, because of the impact on the heel. I was in pain after the first time I ran in these, but my knees were happy. With all the hiking I do, I will take calf-pain over knee pain. I do not want to have to have any kind of knee surgery. I'm learning how important good shoes with good arch-support are. 

 I have worn barefoot shoes before, (Vibram FiveFingers), and I have to say these take the cake. The toe box gives my toes plenty of room to spread out, which is glorious for me, especially since I cram them into climbing shoes a few times a week. 

So far, I don't have any cons to these shoes. I really like everything about them. I guess if I could change one thing, it would be laces. I like laces more than bungee cord, but that's not a deal-killer!

I'm about to head out the door to go hike the last of the Boulder Mountain peaks I have not yet bagged - Green Mountain, and my Trail Freaks are joining me!

A Quick Update, Bali, and Life!

Hello!

I just wanted to send out a quick update to anyone who reads this.

In the past month:

- I have paused my #SummerOf14ers project to rest; I overexerted myself by doing 4 14ers in 24 hours earlier this month, and since then, there have been some issues. Almost better, but in the meantime, I am working on training at the climbing gym so I can get ready for ice-climbing this season. Keeping up with my #mountaineerdreaming! Hopefully, I can be back on the 14ers in a week or so!

- I am going to BALI! Tara Stiles and W Hotels picked one Instagrammer who used their hashtag, #POSEWHENEVER, and that person was me! I will be heading to Bali in September to enjoy a yoga retreat with Tara at the W Hotel & Spa in Bali. SO EXCITED!

- After 5 years at Apple, I will be leaving the company next week to start with GaiamTV/MyYogaOnline as their social media coordinator. I cannot even express how insanely happy I am about this position! It is everything I love to do, all in one job. :)

I think things will continue to keep blazing forward, especially with starting a new job, working on my startup (more to come: I am going to start freelancing as a social media consultant/promotion for the travel/toursim industry, musicians, and more. If you or your business is interested, drop me a line: tiffinycostello@me.com).

From Flatlander to Mountaineer: Part I

I wrote an article for Outdoor Women's Alliance about my journey into learning how to become a mountaineer.

Read about it, here: http://www.outdoorwomensalliance.com/2014/05/how-to-start-mountaineering.html

A Note of Encouragement To...Anyone.

I originally was going to write a note of encouragement to those who are battling addiction and fighting to stay sober, but I decided that addition and substance abuse is not the only ailment out there needing encouragement.

We all do.
We are all at battle with ourselves.

We are all addicts, depressed, coping with anger problems, battling eating disorders, acting out of control, gluttonous, materialistic, greedy, etc. The list is long, and more then likely, we are all more than one of these.

Photo: Recii Davis

We are all also beautiful, happy, encouraging, delightful, graceful, thankful, hopeful, extraordinary, loving, caring, and helpful creatures.

“You are not IN the universe, you ARE the universe, an intrinsic part of it. Ultimately you are not a person, but a focal point where the universe is becoming conscious of itself. What an amazing miracle.”

 - Eckhart Tolle

We are all connected and so chances are, what you struggle with, someone close to you also does. Sharing your stories of triumph as well as grief are important for overcoming. 

I have been over a year sober now, and have stopped counting the days, weeks, and even months. If you ask me "how long," I have to stop and think about it. Up until my 1 year, I knew how many weeks I had been sober. I've moved on from anything that has to do with alcohol, even an emphasis on sobriety.

I have filled my life with other things, and being sober has become who I am now; I don't even have to think about it. 

Many people move on from the act of drinking, abusing a substance, abusing others or themselves, but the thought remains with them every minute of every day, and so there is still a sense of imprisonment to the previous habit. (In yoga/Hindu culture, these impressions are known as "samskaras", i.e. karma from a past life). There is still imbalance, because even though you have quit drinking, you are now so focused on your sobriety that it can make you insane. For a bit of time after I quit drinking, I got a little out of control with the thought of staying sober. "Will I? Will I? Will I?" Those though patterns are maddening! This time, I have been fortunate enough to have learned how to become neutral to alcohol and sobriety. I find balance between the two by simply living in the moment.

Letting go of drinking, and then letting go of obsessing about staying sober has created the space I need.

So, whatever you are battling with, the magic is in letting go and making space in your life for you. You are an incredible creature and deserve the love you are capable of giving yourself. 

Peakbagging Tales: #SummerOf14ers & My First 14ers! Gray's & Torrey's

It finally happened!

After months of knowing I wanted to hike all the Colorado 14ers, I finally bagged my first two yesterday! 

My friend, Jake, and I met up in Boulder at 5am, grabbed coffee and then headed towards Gray's and Torrey's Peaks off I-70 in Southern part of the Colorado Front Range. 

In the trip reports, I read about the road to the trailhead being drivable by 4WD and high-clearance vehicles. I drive a Mazda 3. I decided to test her out. Nope, not happening. We ended up parking half way up the road, which is made up of loose gravel, peppered with horribly deep rivets and potholes, and just in rough condition. If you are planning to hike these two 14ers from the trailhead, make sure you have a high-clearance vehicle! 

After parking the car, we walked 1.4 miles to the trailhead and then began our ascent! 

The Ascent: 

Gray's Peak is 14,278 feet and Torrey's is 14,276 feet. To summit both peaks, you need about 6-7 hours for the total 8.5 miles you'll be hiking. 

The views on this trail we by far some of the prettiest I have seen in Colorado so far. There are tons of mountain life: foliage, flowers, marmots, pikas, mountain goats, a stream to hike next to...this trail is gorgeous! 

This hike is rated a Class 2. It is definitely fun and not the hardest I have hiked. The most taxing parts are at the top, above 13k feet. Being a Texan for 28 years and a Coloradian for 4 months, I learned that I still have some altitude adjusting to do! (I currently still have a migraine after getting home to Boulder, which sits at about 5k feet. Any suggestions?)

The Summit: 

We hiked to Gray's first, then crossed the saddle to summit Torrey's. I loved the view from Torrey's the most, because you can see forever. You can see the ski resorts, the Higher Rockies, valleys, streams -- sunrise or sunset on this peak would be incredible. 

I could not locate the marker on Gray's, but on Torrey's, you can sign the log and laugh at the others' comments who have signed it. We were the 14th & 15th to summit Torrey's yesterday. 

The Descent: 

Get ready for a little bit of sketchy snow on top of a small cornice. You have a couple options right now (until the snow melts): you can hike back over the saddle, back up to the trail near the peak on Gray's or cross the snow over the front side of the saddle, which looks really scary. It was kind of scary, mostly because there is a cornice overhanging near Torreys, and you can only think of what might happen. 

Luckily, the trail on the snow had already been hiked on several times that day, and we had not yet seen anyone slide down the bowl. So, I put my micro-spikes on and used my trekking poles to anchor myself with each step. Yes, I used my other trekking pole to document this feat with my GoPro. 

The thrill I felt here was incredible. This is why I climb mountains and why I am working my way towards learning to mountaineer. I felt connected to the mountain and knew she wouldn't pull any fast ones on us, at least for today. Respecting and trusting nature, the mountains animals - I think there is something to be said about that. 

The hike down took about 1.5 hours, making a total trip of around 8 hours, from the trailhead. 

This hike was fantastic and I cannot wait to bag more 14ers this summer!

If you are on Instagram, find me: @tiffinyepiphany and follow my 14er hiking adventures this summer: #SummerOf14ers and my mountaineer journey: #mountaineerdreaming. 

Photos by: myself or Jake Valencour. 

Gear of choice: Teton Sports, GoPro, LifeStraw, Columbia, Kahtoola Spikes, Buff USA, LTD Optics, Clif Bar

Run out of water? No worries. Take your filter (I use LifeStraw) and fill up in the mountain stream!

Reflection: Guiding My First Yoga Class

Photo: Jenn Calaway

Saturday morning, I woke up at 6am, sat up in my bed and just stared.

I do not want to do this; but here goes nothing. 

Rolling out of bed, I decided not to make coffee. I wanted to be calm, not wired.

The books I was poring over the night before were still open on my bed and so I went back to them, double-checking what I had written down. The queues I needed to call out. The muscles and nerves that would begin to feel better.

Time to teach my first yoga class.

I'm big on inspirational quotes. There are some overused ones, and so I always look for hidden gems to make somebody stop and think, even for just a second in their busy day.

The theme of my class was self-love. I needed a good opening and closing thought/quote. 

"Do your thing and don't care if they like it," - Tina Fey. 

Too cute and short, but I like it. It's just not right fro today. maybe for another day.

"Self-care is never a selfish act. It is simply good stewardship of the only gift I was put on Earth to offer to others." - Parker Palmer

Also good, but maybe not exactly what I'm looking for.

"What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

That's a good one. 

Let today be the day you love yourself enough to no longer just dream of a better life; let today be the day you act upon it." - Steve Maraboli 

Perfect. 

 I think words are important, and so finding the right one to share with yoga classes is going to be a new activity I enjoy. 

I packed up, hopped in my car, and headed out to yoga. Riding my bike wasn't going to happen this time, because I'm still too wimpy for the hills out here in Boulder. 

Arriving at Chautauqua Park, I suddenly felt calmness melting over me, and I found myself not worried about who, when, where, why -- not worried about anything. I realized I was truly being present. My mind was here with me, and that was it. Ego wasn't whispering anything to get a rise out of me, Ego was also with me. I was being fully supported and led by myself, in union with The Universe. 

Photo: Jenn Calaway

A couple people with yoga mats walked up, and since the park we were at is popular for trail-running, and not early morning yoga class, I knew they were looking for me. 

Seven people and a photographer showed up to my class. My new roommate, my old roommate, and people from Instagram and Facebook. 

Photo: Jenn Calaway

At 7:35, we hiked up a little ways to a grassy area in Chautauqua Park, with the perfect view of The Flatirons. 

I instructed everyone to get into a circle. I feel like I might always want to guide my yoga classes in a circle, if the space allows, because I feel like the experience has equal input and output from everyone involved. 

We opened with introductions: names, how long you've lived in Boulder, and why you do yoga. I loved hearing what everyone had to say about their reason for allowing yoga to be in their lives. 

"The union of my mind, body and spirit." 

"The calmness it gives me." 

"Stretching feels so good." 

Photo: Jenn Calaway

Photo: Jenn Calaway

As a yoga teacher, it's going to be important for me to remember that everyone has different reasons for choosing to do yoga, and so I cannot force any one way or structure on them. I am here to create the community and safely and calmly guide them through their asana practice. 

The practice lasted about an hour, and then it was time for savasana. I did not participate because I walked around giving a forehead massage, but the  in the tall, cool grass looked amazing! 

Photo: Jenn Calaway

Photo: Jenn Calaway

Photo: Jenn Calaway

I am so incredibly grateful for the people who allowed me to guide them during my first class. Now that I have lead my first class, I feel so much more calm and ready to lead endless classes! 

**If you want me to come guide a free/donation yoga class, please email me at tiffinycostello@me.com.  Currently, I live in Boulder, CO, but I will be traveling and teaching yoga in the future, and need to find out where there is a demand.  

Advlo: Adventure with the Locals not the Agencies

Since moving to Colorado, there has been a glorious bombardment of new adventures I have added to me "to-do" list. I've gone climbing, hiking, bouldering, biking, and skiing since moving here in March. Future plans include hiking all the Colorado 14ers, learning to climb well enough to try ice-climbing in Ouray later this year, and learning to ski-mountaineer. Colorado is the perfect place to try these sort of things out.

Took a mini-adventure trip to the Great Sand Dunes.

 There are plenty of schools out here where I can take some classes and get some formal training. Right now, I don't have the cash to do that. I know that I want to get my WFR certification and a couple others, but for the adventure experiences, I have simply found someone local to the area and gone out with them. I go climbing with someone who has the gear and the know-how, hiking with a partner who can keep up and wants to hike the crazy stuff I want to hike, etc.

My new hiking friend, Tara, knows the trails around here better than I do.

Solo adventuring is still my favorite. ;)

There are also tons of adventure agencies here in the area who have guides who can be hired to take you up to a couple popular peaks in the area - for $150. Or, take you climbing up the Flatirons in Boulder - starting at $160-$250.  While I am sure the quality is excellent, and the gear is provided, I personally do not have that cash to doll out on adventures (I am currently saving up to exit the anchored home-life and begin road-life..but that's another story). Plus, I like going out with the locals.

My friend/colleague from Outdoor Women's Alliance, Laurie, works for an excellent new startup in Denver: Advlo.

Their approach is simple: go on adventures with the locals.

Why? Because "locals make for the best adventures."

Advlo lets you choose your guide and also allows you to sign up as a guide.


Advlo - Adventure Local from Advlo on Vimeo.

When I went to Iceland in 2012, my friend and I went on a guided tour to see the geysers, waterfalls, and sights of the beautiful Golden Circle.


It was a super fun tour, but going with a local definitely would have been cooler, cheaper, and more fun. Plus, I'm all about avoiding the tourist traps. I think adventures are more fun and you get more out of them and yourself when you don't have a set plan (or tour bus), to keep track of.

Right now, the startup is working on getting some funding by the end of summer. There are some excellent perks up for grabs and also the opportunity to win a trip!

Besides the prizes, Advlo has the right idea! If you're on Instagram, you can follow them @advlo, and also, tag your photos with #adventurelocal!

And Sometimes...You Bail.

Yesterday, two of my friends, James and Tara, and I went trekking into Boulder Canyon for some sport climbing. I was going to try and lead my first sport climb, James was planning on on-sighting some routes, and Tara was going to get on some rock for the first time in quite awhile. 

The weather here in Colorado has been pretty wet lately, and so we had a feeling the looming clouds over the canyon might eventually dump on us. 

We were heading towards Animal World, a climbing area in the canyon, but quickly got on the wrong path.  We ended up almost to the top of the canyon, before turning around to re-route and get on the right path. 

When we finally arrived at the crag, the aforementioned looming clouds decided to dump on us. First rain, and then hail. Thank goodness for climbing helmets! 

Since the rain was heavy, hail was falling, and lightning was blasting nearby, we bailed. The rock was going to be too wet anyway. 

Hiking back down the canyon was almost harder than hiking up because of the hail pelting our hands and bouncing off our helmets. Once we got back to the car, we hid under the back door for a bit before deciding to continue our climbing adventure - indoors. 

I climb at Movement in Boulder, and so we ended up going there for the rest of the afternoon. Our day ended up being a relaxing one, and we still got an adventure we will always remember, which is what this is all about anyways, right?

Learning not to get upset when things don't go as planned is an art. I still have yet to even come close to living outside of expectation. Only recently have I began to be aware of staying present vs. attaching myself to the outcome. The outcome lives in the future, which does not exist, so getting excited or fearful of what could happen is wasted when you could remain present, and find so much to enjoy. Meditation, breathing and yoga help me train my brain, but I struggle everyday with staying present. 

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything - anger, anxiety, or possessions - we cannot be free.” - Thich Nhat Hanh  

Milestones: Yoga Teacher Training Graduation!

This past week and weekend, I traveled to Texas to finish up my Hatha Yoga teacher training at Namah Shivaya Yoga in Dallas. 

As of May 18, 2014, I finally became a certified Yoga Adhyapak: Teacher of Yoga.

My teachers, myself and another graduate: Scott, Me, Kasey, Tej, Melissa and Thom were all a huge part of my graduation day and my yoga journey. Many thanks and love to everyone who I met along the way. I cannot wait to cross paths again with these incredible humans.

I started the training in August of 2013, and have been attending classes for 8 hours a day on the weekends every month. Each time I return, I learn something new about myself and about the world. I never leave with anything but love and peace. I feel like many of the answers I have come to over the last few months have happened in the two rooms where I trained at Namah Shivaya.

I experienced my first true meditation experience in the subtle body, and have learned to take the practice home with me. I could go on and on about how much I have learned and how badly I thirst for the knowledge and enlightenment that the philosophy and metaphysics of Hatha & Kundalini Yoga has already given me.

My graduation buddy, Kasey. I love this girl so much and am so happy to have shared our day together! <3

Two of the greatest things I learned during this training was:
1. Not everyone is on my path. Even though this training changed my life for the better and realigned me with the Divine Light of the Universe, other people have different paths they are on that will also lead them to themselves. This also gracefully casts down my plan to "only teach the traditional 8-limbed path of yoga." Some people of other cultures or spiritual backgrounds may not respond to this path, and so what harm is it for me to form to what they will respond well to? If you help lead them to the light and truth within themselves, you have done good. 

“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” - Dalai Lama XIV

2. Intention is everything. I recently read an article where the writer was blasting white women in America jumping on the Yoga bandwagon. There was another article that slammed the trend of people becoming yoga teachers and then knowing nothing. The people writing these articles were yoga teachers or people who had practiced yoga many, many years. It was discouraging, but I gave the fear of what other think away and found that my intention for becoming a yoga teacher is what matters. I do not have to explain myself to anyone and when someone challenges my intention, it is ok. Responding with compassion and love will be key to remaining fearless from others' opinions.

So, now that I am back in Boulder I am settling back into my, "routine." Being able to take yoga off the mat and into my routine is where I put my practice into practice. The calmness I feel about what will happen next is peaceful. 

“We are not going to change the whole world, but we can change ourselves and feel free as birds. We can be serene even in the midst of calamities and, by our serenity, make others more tranquil. Serenity is contagious. If we smile at someone, he or she will smile back. And a smile costs nothing. We should plague everyone with joy. If we are to die in a minute, why not die happily, laughing?” - Swami Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras. 

After a post-yoga-graduation outing with my boyfriend last night in Fort Worth. So happy here. :)

Peakbagging Tales: The Estes Cone Peak Trail

Yesterday, my fellow peak bagger, Tara, and I hiked the Estes Cone Peak Trail.

This peak in part of the cluster of peaks near the mother herself, Longs. This area is wonderful for all kinds of hiking; I highly recommend it!

This hike was a bit strenuous, but the grade changed multiple times. We started around 10am, hit the summit around 2pm and were back to our cars at 5pm.  I wonder where these trip reports who claim the hike takes 4 hours round trip are from, because I need their stamina & speed!

Most of the trail was very steep over loose snowpack. It levels out, here and there, and also takes you through a beautiful mountain meadow, then stays fairly easy until you get into the alpine forest, which then changes into the boulder field, aka “Mountain Stair-master.”

The area just below tree-line was probably the hardest part of the climb because of the steep grade, boulders, and the trail was hard to keep track of. Thankfully, fellow hikers before us had built cairns, which we kept a lookout for, and thus stayed (mostly) on-trail.

I had to take my socks and boots off at the top to dry out because of the loose snowpack on the way up. My poor boots are probably destroyed because water got inside of them! Note to self: get some gaiters.

We also met a few birds, who ate almonds out of our hands! Can anyone classify this little guy?

Friendly RMNP Birds

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Overall, this trail was very fun and very tiring. I slept pretty well last night, and was planning to hike Mt. Elbert today, but did not feel like I got enough sleep for that mountain. Soon!