Blog Posts

How to Begin Practicing Yoga

Last week on Nantucket Gate Blog, we shared with you three good reasons to start practicing yoga. To continue on the theme, we’d like to give you four simple tips this week to help you start your own personal yoga practice. No matter where you are on your journey to implement yoga into your life routine, following these tips will make your experience more meaningful. Keep reading so you can start practicing yoga in or near your Tacoma, WA apartment today! Get a Mat Before anything else can happen, you’ll need to acquire your own yoga mat. Practicing without a mat is hard on your body, not to mention uncomfortable. If you go to a studio without your own mat, there are often rental options available, but the price can add up if you rent each time you go. We’re not suggesting that you go spend top dollar on a premium mat before you know if yoga is for you or not. Instead, we recommend that beginners borrow a mat from a friend or family member who has an extra one or that they search online classifieds for a cheap or free mat available somewhere in the community. Become Familiar with Basic Poses When beginning to practice yoga for the first time, a lack of knowledge on how to perform standard poses can often be a point of stress or anxiety. Instead of letting those feelings grow, spend time on YouTube getting familiar with basic yoga poses. Whether you follow along with these demonstrations or you simply watch, getting a visual idea of what standard poses like tree and dancer look like will be to your advantage as you begin to perform these poses yourself. Go to a Yoga Studio We’d like to stress this tip more than anything else: if at all possible, practice yoga at a studio. Just like any other skill, practice, or form of exercise, going to a place designated for that specific thing will bring better results. If you can’t afford to go to classes very often, look out for free community classes. In the event that there are none or that these classes are infrequent, try a yoga-specific YouTube channel; we recommend Yoga with Adriene and Yoga with Tim . Be Kind to Yourself Last but not least, don’t forget to apply a healthy dose of self-compassion as you begin practicing yoga. Rather than getting down on yourself for not being able to do a certain pose or for feeling more sore than you expected, be kind to your mind and your body. Breathe in and out while focusing on the thoughts that it’s okay to be present on the mat exactly as you are, and not as you’d like to be. Use this focused time during your yoga practice to think positively about yourself and the world around you and you’ll see positive repercussions all throughout the day. Thanks for reading our post today; we hope you have a soothing yet challenging time practicing yoga.

Reasons to Start a Yoga Practice

Have you ever considered practicing yoga? If you haven’t, our goal today at Nantucket Gate Blog is to give you a few reasons to consider doing so. While there’s a good chance that most of you have tried yoga at least once in your lifetime, there are probably a few members of our Tacoma, WA apartment community who have never even set foot on a yoga mat. Regardless of which category you fall into, take a minute today to consider the following reasons why yoga might be for you. Strengthens Your Body and Your Mind Some people view yoga as simply a form of physical exercise, while others see it as a way to develop and strengthen the power of the mind. It turns out, participating in this ancient Indian practice can help you accomplish both of these things! Modern yoga requires you to move your body in ways you likely aren’t used to, helping you to strengthen your muscles, increase your endurance, and make you more flexible. Simultaneously, cultivating the energy and focus to perform these unfamiliar poses strengthens your mind, improves your self-confidence, and clears your head. Improves Your Ability to Focus In the modern world of smartphones, streaming services, and social media, distractions are present at our every turn. Because all of these things and more have simply become a part of our reality, the ability to focus in times where focus is needed has become increasingly valuable. One of the goals of yoga is to help you declutter your mind and create room to aim your attention at one specific action, thought, emotion, or sensation. Over time, practicing yoga will help you train your mind to focus. Not only will this help you improve your ability to perform certain yoga poses, but it also will likely overflow into the rest of your day and focus on other important tasks you have to accomplish. Helps You Accept What Comes Your Way Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of yoga is the long-term shift in perspective and frame of mind. While there are plenty of positive and enjoyable moments in life — both extraordinary ones and mundane ones — there are also plenty of difficult experiences that bring unexpected pain and heartache. One of the goals of yoga is to help people accept and understand on a more significant level the place that change — both positive and difficult — has in life, and to help people be more present mentally, physically, and emotionally in whatever changes are currently happening. Need a few more reasons? We found them, along with others, on Esther Ekhart’s article about 7 great reasons to start practicing yoga , so check it out for any additional benefits yoga might have on your life. Stay tuned next week as we give you a few tips for beginning your practice!

Celebrate Pi Day

Some Star Trek fans may fondly recall how Mr. Spock stopped an evil entity that had taken over the Enterprise’s computer system, ordering it to “compute to the last digit the value of Pi.” We are pretty sure the crew must have celebrated the victory by enjoying a slice of pie! So as not to be outdone by a fictional crew, Nantucket Gate invites our residents to celebrate Pi Day on the 14th with a slice of pie. Pi Day Background If you’re not certain what all of the fuss is about, the Pi Day website has plenty of information about the number π — which is a mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.14159, which goes on to infinity and beyond. We take the first three digits, 3.14, and read them as a date: Pi Day, March 14th. Pie Recipes Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie . What’s not to like? This blend of sweet and tart is a great way to enjoy pie. Bonus: there is no milk in the recipe, so it can be served to people who are lactose intolerant. Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie . This recipe offers step-by-step directions for making the crust, filling, and topping, and it’s full of cinnamon apple goodness. We recommend serving it with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream. Banana Cream Pie . This creation from Bon Appetit is the perfect pie to complete your Pi Day celebration. Filled with creamy richness and a hint of chocolate and piled on top with whipped cream, this pie will be a hit. Peanut Butter Cup Pie You get the best of every sweet world with this peanut butter cup pie. The vanilla wafer crust is a new way to experience a homemade crust. The ganache and peanut butter cup layers are just the tip of the iceberg to this scrumptious pie. Once you dip your fork or spoon into the finished product and the melted chocolate and peanut butter cups ooze out, you’ll be smitten! Of course, if you don’t have the time or the inclination to make a pie, head on out to your favorite Tacoma, WA area bakery or grocery store and pick up a pie to enjoy or share with someone! What is your favorite kind of pie? Share your recipes in the comments so we can all enjoy the goodness. Happy Pi Day, everyone!

Ways to Support Women

We hope you’ve been having a great start to March. This month is Women’s History Month, and we here at Nantucket Gate feel it is appropriate to share with you a few ways you can support women around you — whether they’re your friends, neighbors, family members, or strangers — to enact positive change, in or out of your apartment community in Tacoma, WA. Support women in local government. Women of all political opinions and backgrounds are campaigning to influence societal and political change as we speak. Start paying attention to what current and potential local leaders are doing by staying updated through news articles and campaign information about women running. You don’t have to unreasonably compromise on any personal stances to support women, but you can look for, support, and find ways to understand and learn from them in local government to enact change in real and lasting ways. Listen. Women have voices equally as valid as men, but they’re not always heard or taken seriously, either in general society or by the people they know and love. If someone is speaking up about their experiences, listen without getting defensive or offended. Look for ways to improve your outlook so you can live in a way that encourages and empowers people around you. You may not think you make that big a difference by listening, but you do. It can be a powerful way to ensure your influence is an inclusive one as you learn. Speak up. Everyone needs an ally. Maybe someone is harassed, online or in person. Maybe someone is trying to use their voice but they aren’t being heard. Voicing your support for the women around you is a good way to show that you care. Showing empathy helps people feel appreciated and noticed, and it can help you band together to accomplish more than you may have thought possible. There is strength in numbers, and your voice can help amplify someone else’s. Use your privilege for good this month! What other ideas would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments so we can all benefit. Thanks for reading. We hope these ideas add fulfillment and positivity to your life and the lives of women this month and the rest of the year.

Get Ready for Spring

The cold weather is here, but spring is just around the corner! The warmer weather is going to roll in slowly, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare yourself to enjoy being outside again! In this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog, we've got a few ways you can prepare for the change in season. Spring Cleaning For some reason, winter can have a peculiar effect on your home by making it feel more cluttered and disorganized. Take the time this month to deep clean your home! This type of cleaning is more than just wiping down surfaces, rather, it’s identifying furniture, clothing, and other items that can be donated or removed from your home, cleaning the deep recesses, and even rearranging your home to give yourself a change. Recommit to Your Resolutions February is a hard month, especially since the enthusiasm of the new year can die down. Don’t give up on the resolutions you’ve made! Recommit to them and formulate a plan so you can achieve them. Once you get past the first couple of months, it’ll become a habit that is a lot easier to fulfill on! The change of season means that summer is just around the corner, and if your resolutions involve a healthier lifestyle, you’ll be glad you recommitted this month! Make Vacation Plans It’s early in the year, and you’re coming off of a long vacation in December, but it’s never too early to prepare and make plans for another vacation. Making vacation plans will give you something to look forward to! It also gives you time to save up for it. You’ll be glad you started early, so start soon! What do you do to prepare for the change of season from winter to spring? Share your thoughts with our Tacoma, WA apartment community by leaving a comment for us! We’d love to hear from you.

Celebrate President’s Day

This month, February 20th is President’s Day. This day is an opportunity to celebrate our past leaders. Technically, the day was George Washington’s birthday. According to Wikipedia, “Washington's Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States, who was born on February 22, 1732. It can occur on the 15th through the 21st of February inclusive.” This holiday is set apart to honor all presidents. Our country’s 16th President was Abraham Lincoln. History.com describes Lincoln as “a self-taught Illinois lawyer and legislator with a reputation as an eloquent opponent of slavery, shocked many when he overcame several more prominent contenders to win the Republican Party’s nomination for president in 1860.” One of our favorite quotes attributed to him says “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses”. This quote is a great reminder to be positive in any situation in life. Lincoln was an inspirational leader. In commemoration of Lincoln, we think this sweet treat from The Cake Blog is the perfect touch. Technically this treat is meant for St. Patrick’s Day, but with some slight variations, they make the perfect Lincoln’s top hat. One founding father of our country is Thomas Jefferson. He was our third president. Whitehouse.gov describes him as “a spokesman for democracy, was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809).” Jefferson once said, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” This quote admonishes that through our actions we become who we truly are. Keep these profound quotes from inspirational leaders in mind this month. Thanks for reading Nantucket Gate Blog! We hope you have a great month at your apartment here in Tacoma, WA!