Mid-Week Intermission Friend Edition: Gustavo Padron
This week’s Mid-Week Intermission comes from our friend Gustavo — get ready to jump-start your positivity, rediscover your journaling pens, and find your center. Check out what keeps him going!
Hi friends!
My name is Gustavo Padron. I’m a yoga and meditation instructor as well as a wellness coach and content creator. I relocated to the beautiful city of Austin, Texas in 2008 to attend UT Austin and pursue my dream of becoming a Doctor (more on this in one of my own blog posts later). I remember meeting Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long at a scholarship award ceremony my first year of college; their kindness and fervor for philanthropy and community was captivating and inspiring. And ever since, I’ve been a fan of the Long Center.
I can recall a few unforgettable nights at the Austin Symphony Orchestra and Trailer Food Tuesdays, especially. The Long Center is an iconic venue that will always hold a very special place in my heart. Here’s to hoping that we can gather in community and experience the magic that is always created at the Long Center very soon!
Like all of you, the Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the way I live and operate. This time at home has given me the space to do more of the things I love and never made time for. Here’s how I’m spending my off-time when I’m not teaching yoga, coaching clients, or writing and creating content.
5 Things Gustavo Has Rediscovered
MEDITATION & JOURNALING
I have always had a consistent meditation and journaling practice, but I always felt rushed and it felt more like a chore than ritual. Spending more time at home has allowed me to devote the first 30 minutes of every morning to feeling grounded so I can be more present throughout the day.
My mornings now consist of drinking 1 liter of water when I wake up, meditating for 10 minutes, brewing some coffee, and writing in my gratitude journal. I’m loving all the wonderful guided meditations from teachers at yogaglo, and I also recorded a short meditation you can access for free.
OUTDOOR RUNNING
I used to run a ton when I was in my teens and early twenties — this is actually how I discovered yoga, and you can hear more about my story on this podcast with 365 Things Austin.
I’ve always found joy in being outdoors and moving my body, and I guess life got busy and I forgot how good I feel when I am one with nature. Having more free time has allowed me to rekindle my relationship with running. You don’t have to be a”runner” to run — start small and move your body in ways that feel good to you. If you need a little motivation, this playlist always gets me going.
PUZZLES
I truly forgot how much I enjoyed building puzzles. Growing up, I was never the sporty kid or the video game kid — I was fascinated with puzzles. I remember my mom and I would spend a few hours every evening working on cute picturesque puzzles. This is a memory I will forever cherish and something I’ll continue to devote time to and, maybe one day, do this with my own children. So far, I’ve done three 5000 piece puzzles.
CRYSTALS & STONES
This is so hippie of me but I am a firm believer in crystals. It’s something I was introduced to in my teens when my parents and I hiked Big Bend National Park. Anytime we found a cute little rock, crystal, or stone, they would be in awe. So I’ve been doing some research and visited Crystal Works Austin. I got an Obsidian (for grounding purposes) and an Apatite Madagascar (to enhance creativity and help with manifesting). I truly do not know if crystals work, but I believe they do, and maybe that’s what keeps me optimistic and hopeful even through these trying times.
BAKING
I have the biggest sweet tooth ever, so naturally baking sweet treats has been the highlight of spending time at home. I am currently obsessed with this Olive Oil Zucchini Bread that my friend Dree McCarrel turned me onto. Get the recipe via NY Times Cooking.
Thank you for reading along! We are all learning to navigate this thing called life and now more than ever, it is so important that we prioritize our self-care and rediscover what brings us joy. It is my hope that this little blog post inspires you to reconnect with your own passions and interests. Here’s to making the best of life and trusting that we will come out of this pandemic with a greater appreciation for life and learning how to make the everyday, ordinary things feel more extraordinary.
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