Randi Wiley’s Go-to Inner Beauty Secrets

I’m a yoga teacher, a registered nurse, a mother of two (6- and 8-year-old boys), and a wife. We have lived all

over the country and recently relocated to Corpus Christi from Anchorage, Alaska. My family loves and celebrates the outdoors and nature, and Corpus Christi offers that lifestyle on the water. For me, beauty and self-care mean several things. 

First: Get up, move, and be active. Practicing yoga, SUP (stand up paddle boarding), surfing, and hiking are a huge part of my life. Movement is the most important thing we can do as we age to prevent arthritis and keep mobility and durability in the spine and joints.

Second: How we fuel our bodies. I eat a primarily plant-based diet, which is actually quite easy here because we can grow just about anything. The bounty of produce coming from South Texas seems endless after living in Alaska, where you consume root vegetables for the majority of the year. We are so lucky here!

Third: Find the courage to embrace the natural process of aging in a society that tells us not to. I try to surrender to the grace of age by being comfortable in my own skin and spirituality; embodying the passion to explore the meaning of my life and exemplify it through an unselfish willingness to share honesty, wisdom, knowledge, love, and compassion.

And finally: Simply practice kindness, especially when you least want to do so. Kindness includes these acts of compassion and selflessness, which can in turn lead to feelings of happiness for both the giver and receiver. It’s been said we currently live in an age of anger, so replacing that anger with kindness even when you feel it’s not deserved is a way to make you and the world around you a more beautiful space.

B Yoga Mat

This is my favorite yoga mat. It’s ecofriendly and durable – my last one lasted 3 years. It has a thickness that is forgiving on the knees. It’s exceptionally grippy so you don’t slide around when you sweat. It’s THE perfect yoga mat. While many yoga studios offer yoga mats to rent, I highly recommend buying your own. Your mat will start to become your sacred space and represents your “you time.” Your mat holds your energy and memories. I have sweated, rested, laughed deep belly laughs, and cried tears of both joy and sadness on my mat. I take I with me everywhere. It’s been from Alaska to Cuba and back again. Find one and make it your own.

Do your heart a favor and read this daily! I cannot explain how this book has impacted my life in so many ways. It has 365 short daily reflections and readings, and I always close my yoga classes with the reading of the day. It is healing, insightful, and full of wisdom. Almost every class, I have a student approach me asking about this book. It speaks and relates to everyone concerning whatever journey, path, or experience they are on. 
Product available online at Amazon.com $9.

Perfectly Imperfect by Baron Baptiste

This book was written by my yoga teacher, Baron Baptiste. It is a transformational book that goes into the specifics of the body and mind AFTER you get into a yoga pose, because that is where the growth occurs. Baron emphasizes that how you show up on your mat is also how you show up in your life. I’ve found this to be true time and time again. He writes, “Every pose is a new opportunity, each and every time. All the work you’ve done up until now has been to lead you to this precise moment, to face precisely what you’ve been facing.”

Dr. Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt Therapeutic Soak

For tired or sore muscles, loosening stiff joints, and reducing swelling in the legs, I recommend a soak in the bathtub with Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt. It’s made with one ingredient: Magnesium Sulfate. It’s my go-to after a long day on my feet at the hospital or the yoga studio.
Product available at H-E-B $5

Mala beads are used for prayer or meditation. Each bead is used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a prayer or mantra. All of my malas represent an event or memory in my life. The mala necklaces were bought at a fundraiser in Houston put on by one of my favorite yoga teachers, Marcy, who passed away after a long battle with uterine cancer several years ago.

 
The yellow bracelet is made of citrine beads. Citrine is a joyful stone with bright sun energy that brings comfort, healing, and positivity. The black bracelet is made of gold sheen obsidian beads. Gold sheen obsidian is used to clear, absorb, and shield negative energies. Obsidian is helpful in providing direction and aids in achieving goals. I received both of these mala bracelets during my yoga training in Sedona, Arizona. 
Product available online at namubaru.com $45

Get up early, take a walk on the beach, and watch the sunrise. Corpus Christi offers some of the most beautiful sunrises. It’s the perfect chance to really get present without the distractions of technology. We have a Sunday night tradition with my family to do a sunset beach stroll. It’s great chance to reflect in gratitude on the past week. Also, make a commitment to go technology-free for part of your day. In a yoga class once, I was asked, “What does showing up fully in your life look like to you?” For me, it meant being a present mother and wife. Present more than just physically being somewhere, but mindfully present and listening generously. Much of our lives, we are only half listening while scrolling on our phones. So I made a commitment to my family to not be on my phone for at least 3 hours in the evening, so I can connect fully with them. 
This product is available to everyone. Free