Life throughout our years is in a constant state of change.
Whether it happens subtly over time or abruptly,
when we wake to the reality of the present,
it can be a shock, even if the situation is positive.

How did I end up here?
What decisions led me to this point?

In just a few days, we go from 2012 to 2013,
what can be thought of as a fresh start.
We are taking the great leap to whatever lies ahead.

The pose pictured above is one of my favorites (found on Pinterest, of course).
This very flexible yogi is in Hanumanasana.
The pose reflects Hanuman's great leap from south India to Sri Lanka. 

His story is one of inspiration, regardless of what your beliefs are.
Know that you can take the leap and accomplish anything.

Take your personal great leap. I'm in the process of doing it myself. :)


"When in doubt, make a fool of yourself.
There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative
and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth.
So what the hell,
leap."
Cynthia Heimel


(I'm no expert at Hindu beliefs, I recommend seeing this link if you are interested in learning more about Hanuman!)
 

"Joy is what happens to us
when we allow ourselves to recognize
how good things really are."
                -Marianne Williamson

It's the time of year when families and friends come together.
Holiday parties and hot cocoa combat the bitter coldness of winter,
        while the spirit of giving can be seen everywhere.
It's the time of year when we are extra thankful for what we have,
        and give to others that are less fortunate.
It seems that gratitude runs in abundance in the month of December.
        
        Why not keep it up?

Another Christmas has come and gone, 
        setting the stage for the coming year.
As we prepare for 2013, let us be grateful for what we have.

If we can truly find a way to be grateful for all the little things,
        and embrace what is given to us,
                    there are no limits to our happiness.

My number one resolution? Start each day with a grateful heart.
                                            While there will always be needs and wants, I do not want a greedy mind.
                                            Lovingly accepting and being grateful for every moment of every day may
                                            be humanly impossible to do, but being mindful of the power in positivity 
                                            and gratitude is a step in the right direction. 
                                            
                                            Just like the presents under the tree on Christmas morning, 
                                            each moment,
                                            each conversation,
                                            each non-assuming interaction with everyone you meet
                                            is a gift. 

                                            Be grateful and see how fast things start looking up.

Perspective is a desision.
We decide how we view our individual worlds.

To a child, the world is a playground.
The future holds potential for dreams,
        and every day is a new adventure.

Somewhere along the way,
we tend to forget that this is still true.
Days go by faster than we can realize,
partially because we are so focused on everything else- 
       everything but that particular moment.

Take a step back, 
        look at the world through a child's eyes.

Isn't it beautiful?

My mantra today: I will view the world with new eyes.

We are all human. We all get angry from time to time.
There is no use in denying it.

Buddhism philosophy can teach us a thing or two about anger.
Anger is considered one of three poisons,
    the other two being ignorance and greed.

We can never expect ourselves to stay in a constant state of bliss.
Eventually, we will experience anger.
We must learn to handle the anger with a new perspective 
    in order to overcome its poisonous power.

First, we must admit that we are angry. When someone asks you "Are you upset?" there is no use in denying it. Be with your emotions in order to let them go.

Next, look at yourself. You create the anger in your mind, regardless of any outer happenings.
You made a concious (or subconscious) decision to get heated.
Ask yourself why.
Why?

The ego loves anger. It helps you to justify those feelings, and even helps feed the fire to grow those feelings.
We must learn how to tame the ego.
Let those angry thoughts flow right out of your mind, rather than chasing after them.

Give yourself time to tame the anger.
Practice self-awareness, and pay attention to your triggers.

My mantra today:
I will pay attention to my emotions. I will react patiently and lovingly.

The elements of our lives can wear us down.
Sometimes, it feels like we're drowning in sorrow.
At other times, anger burns a hole in clarity.
The most common exposure, however,
        is the daily weathering of our energy.

Long term stress does physical damage to the entire body. 
We may not be able to control the stressors that come into our lives,
        but we can learn how to better manage them in our minds. 

In times of stress, it's good to have a source to turn to.
Why not make it nature?
Take some advice from a tree.
After all, a tree has experience weathering a few storms.

Fate. Karma. Destiny.
Call it what you may.
Sometimes things are just out of our control.
The harder you swim against the current, the more difficult life becomes.

You are where you are for a reason,
even if it's hard to recognize those reasons in this moment.

Why not embrace uncertainty?
Embrace your life.
No one will walk the exact same path as you.


My mantra for today:
I accept each moment with love and peace.
I value each moment for the vastness it holds.

Bad things are bound to happen. Rather than dwell, take the opportunity to do good.

"Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
as long as you ever can."

In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary this morning,
do something good for someone.

Spread kindness, love, and peace in your own corner of the world.
Share positivity, and send the good vibes their way.

Mantra for today: My time is valuable and I will use it accordingly.

Do you ever have one of those days (or weeks) where you wake up in just a crappy mood?

Of course you do. Everyone does at some point. In order to find happiness, we must first look at our thoughts. The power of our minds to effect our behavior is astounding. It's easy to get caught in a negative rut- all it takes is running with one thought.

Whenever I catch myself falling into one of those "negative Nancy" kind of moods, I go on a quote reading binge until something speaks to me. Once I find a magical verse, it becomes my mantra. On one of these occasions, I discovered I had found a gem:

I had an "Aha!" moment. In fact, every time I read this, I have one. Really read each part and ponder on your thoughts. It's so easy to reminisce on the past fondly when something particularly stressful is currently going on. But are those memories clouded by your emotions? Are you leaving out the negative parts on purpose? Probably. After all, it makes the memories a little nicer.

And what about your life right at this moment? Common thoughts may begin with "I'll be happy when..." or "I need...". When stressed, it can be difficult to be grateful for what you have when you're busy focusing on what you need. You're alive, and life is short. Is it really that bad?

The future, if anything, is uncertain. A life-changing moment can be contained in a split second. This can be a scary thought, but only if you let it be. It all comes back to your thoughts! Uncertainty only means there are limitless possibilities. Think to your past, and those life-changing moments that you've experienced. You lived through every one of them, and came out stronger, with more insight to add to your life. What a blessing each experience is, whether it was painful or full of joy.

Getting caught up in certain thoughts is a dangerous habit that can break down your spirit. Instead, find your own thought "gems." Repeat them, write them where you can see them every day, and remember them in those moments of need. In this little way, you can find happiness now!

This year, my green thumb has gone MIA.

With a backyard the size of a bedroom, and just a few various potted plants, I assumed the summer of 2012 would be a piece of cake. More specifically, a no-bake strawberry chocolate cheesecake. Mmm.
I've recently realized the slight challenge that has been put in front of me- the only means to water the backyard is with my handy 2-gallon watering can and my kitchen sink. Oh joy!
At first, it seemed like there was no hope. With the grass already fried before we moved here, I was fighting an uphill battle. Watering can after watering can, grass seeds laid out before rainstorms... and I felt like my effort had gone to waste. Where was the green grass?!

With the house to myself and the morning still young, I went out to water once again today. Little sprouts of green grass poked out amidst the flattened sadness of grass past it's prime.

Growth of any kind takes time. We can't expect to yeild results instantly. This is a society built upon instant gratification, yet how can we grow when this is the case? True progress takes two things: time and effort. Through consistency, change occurs over time.

When beginning a yoga practice, many hope to achieve perfect, "advanced" postures within a week of practicing. Such high demands, for the majority, can only bring feelings of failure. One of the most important things to remember when working towards progress? Begin where you are.

In the beginning, the amount of time and effort put into something can feel like a bitter pill. Where is the fun in, say, watering that dead grass outside? If green grass was what you wanted, going to the park for a fix seems much easier. Have you set a goal to wake up earlier? Getting out of bed can feel like the most difficult thing in the world before 8:00 sometimes. It feels much better to press snooze a few times.

We must watch out for what is sweet in the beginning, because often it will bring bitterness in the end. Coming back home from the park will leave that same yearning for green grass. Rolling out of bed, another morning late, will leave feelings of doubt in your own ability to achieve your goal.

However, what is bitter in the beginning, often becomes sweet in the end. There is no greater feeling than setting a difficult goal for yourself, and then reaching it. It will take effort dug deep from within, and it will take time away from other, more desirable "instant" fixes. Looking back to see how far you've come from the beginning is only more motivation to keep moving forward.   

Just ask yourself this simple question: Do you want to live?

Then get out there. Set your mind to something, and achieve it.

Green grass, here we come!

(This lesson I learned from Andrejs, such a great teacher.)