I am worrier who is quick to fear. In the past I stayed well inside my comfort zone because everything else was just too plain scary. There have been a lot of things I almost didn’t try that I am thankful I did, most notably rock climbing, yoga, running, and CrossFit.

I started yoga in high school as part of an elective class. It took me a while to go to an actual studio, but once I got over not knowing anyone, and the teacher, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Now four years later I work at a yoga magazine and I do yoga on my own and in a class multiple times a week.

I used to stand on an eight food ladder and feel like I was way too far off the ground. After watching hundreds of other people climb at my gym, I decided it was time to stop being afraid and do something fun. For the first few weeks I would make it about 3/4 of the way up the wall before I wouldn’t be able to go any higher. Now I climb the highest walls at the gym, and I don’t let climbing next to a ledge or on overhangs stop me. I even look down every now and then. Next up, climbing outside.

But more than anything else, CrossFit has pushed every one of my limits. I nearly didn’t take the fundamentals class because I was afraid of not knowing how to do anything (isn’t that the point of a beginner’s class?) and not knowing anyone who would be there. I had lifted weights a bit as training for sports, but even the lingo used in CrossFit seemed confusing and impossible to me. It actually took me three months to finally sign up. I am so happy I did I cannot put it into words. I’ve never had so much confidence in myself or felt as great as I do now. I have met so many amazing people at the two gyms I train at, CrossFit Sunnyvale and CrossFit San Mateo.

Every day at CrossFit I have to get over a fear. I’ve learned to not count how much weight is on my bar and instead just try it (besides, I’m terrible at math, so it’s best if I count it all at once). The first time I ever did a lift at body weight I could not believe it. Never did I think I could move so much weight. I’m learning to not let a number scare me or stop me from trying. Even if I can’t move the bar, at least I tried and it becomes my project until I can. But there is nothing like the feeling of lifting a heavy weight or making it through a brutal workout. It makes me feel like I can do anything.

Things still scare me. Putting that extra five pounds on the bar, trying a new arm balance where the chance of failure or face-plant is high, just about every new climbing route, and running further, longer, or faster. But every time I let myself be afraid and then push past it I end up with a new experience and an irreplaceable feeling of satisfaction.

I would love to say that my quest to meditate once daily is going perfectly. The reality is that I only managed to meditate for five minutes once last week. With that admittance comes a feeling of guilt, of letting myself down, of not trying hard enough to meet my goals, but also a sort of “it is what it is” attitude.

This week I am going to try adding “meditate” to my daily to do list. I also hope to make some sort of a habit or a consistent time that I meditate, that way it begins to become automatic instead of something I wake up in the night remembering I forgot.

I am by nature a fearful and cautious person. I am a worrier, a contemplator, and most often a sideline, “I’ll hold your stuff while you try that,” kind of person. I’m also a huge fan of personal space and I’m most certainly not a big hugger or toucher. To put it simply, Acroyoga was WAY outside of my comfort zone.

I decided to try Acroyoga at this year’s Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco despite all of these things. I have always been entranced by people who do Acroyoga, and I wanted to be able to try it myself. Needless to say, I fell literally head over heals in love with it.

Before class started one of the assistants invited me to fly. It was so much fun! This is my first time ever doing Acroyoga. Photos courtesy of the amazing Jennifer Russell who kindly snapped photos of me without me even having to ask. I’m so thankful she caught this great moment for me!

The amazing instructors, Jenny Sauer-Klein and Jeremy Simon, and their helpers did a fantastic job to make everyone feel more comfortable with just how personal we were all going to get with each other. I felt completely safe bending over backwards and hanging out in the air on someone else’s feet and hands. I never thought something that looks intense and terrifying from the outside could be so relaxing and enjoyable.

This was a definitely a good reminder to me to push myself outside of my comfort zone and make someone else hold my stuff for once. I can’t wait to find new friends near me to play around with.

We all know the old adage that beauty is from the inside, but author of “Beauty Pure and Simple: the Ayurvedic approach to beautiful skin,” Kristen Ma, proves just how true this may be. Ma, an Ayurvedic practitioner and esthetician, breaks down complex Ayurvedic concepts and skin conditions into easily understandable chapters. Her solutions to problems like acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, and many other skin ailments are simple to understand and easy to follow.

Ma incorporates the whole body’s health in the belief that the skin reflects trouble brewing underneath. She also explains why conventional skin products and medication aggravate and can create many skin problems. The book details the best skincare routines for every problem or skin type without pushing products or turning into a TV “infomercial”.

This book is a must for anyone who struggles with acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, rosacea, eczema, aging, or who just want to make their skin as healthy and beautiful as possible. Ma guides readers to look internally and find what may be the true cause of their ailment and how to best reach whole body health and a healthy, radiant complexion.

I recently started CrossFit again since coming back from school, and the transition has been brutal. I’m no stranger to sore muscles after nine years of competitive basketball, swimming, and all of the other activities I’ve fallen in love with. But over the years I have accumulated quite a few tricks to prevent sore muscles or help ease them if it’s too late.

How to ease sore muscles naturally

1. Hydrate! Be sure to stay hydrated before, throughout your workout, afterwards. When I really pound back water after a workout I feel a noticeable difference in soreness than when I don’t. Coconut water is another great way to rehydrate. Throughout the day try to drink half an ounce of water per pound of bodyweight (meaning if you are 200 lbs you should drink 100 ounces). For more intense workouts, some trainers recommend drinking 3/4 ounces for every pound.

2. Warm up. Before you start working out, be sure to warm up your body gently. After you workout, keep your body warm to prevent muscles from tensing. A heating pad (you can make you own by pouring rice inside of a sock and heating it in the microwave) can also help to relieve tight muscles.

3. Stretch. Be sure to gently stretch your muscles. There are a lot of great poses or movements for specific muscles online. Just search the muscle group or area you want to stretch and carefully try a few out.

4. Magnesium. Found in many sports drinks, coconut water, and other foods, magnesium helps to release muscle tension. Calcium and magnesium work together to help your muscles move. Calcium makes the muscles contract, and magnesium makes them release. When I am really sore or my muscles feel incredibly tense I take a supplement. Just be careful, magnesium is one of the main ingredients in laxatives and it is easy to overdo it or throw off your bodies balance. Start with the smallest dose possible before finding your optimal level.

5. Rub it out. Self- massage can be a great way to release muscle soreness and tension.

6. Roll it out. My foam roller is my best friend. I foam roll before and after workouts as well as before bed. Foam rolling is essentially like massage in that it presses on the muscles and helps to release knots and tension. I also roll my calves on a 3 inch diameter PVC pipe. My trainer recommended this while I was battling shin splints, and it makes a huge difference.

7. Rest. Listen to your body. When you are sore your body is telling you it’s time to take a break and let it rebuild.

It’s no secret that we are addicted to caffeine. Energy drinks and now shots line the shelves of grocery stores, restaurants, and even board rooms. It has become completely aceptable to live off of these synthetic stimulants, and now they aren’t just being marketed to office workers who are feeling a little sluggish on the job. Commercials are constantly asking if we are “tired” have that “3:30 feeling” or “need a nap.”