2014: All the Best!

From the best movie ever: "UP"

We're 21 days into 2014, having fun? Still feeling motivated to make changes? Or are you still stuck in 2013? Every year sounds the same, "All the best!" Well it's been said that the best things in life are free, therefore health, happiness, and love lead the list. But these days, "the best" needs some light.Health?! Let's talk about health for a sec. Fact: If you're stressed 80% of the day, your health is in the gutter. I won't even get into the sidekicks - diet and exercise because if you eat well and work out regularly, but are stressed, you're really not that healthy. Your body probably looks great, but your nervous system is crumbling. Solution: Sloooow down! There's one thing that's certain, your work will always be there (laundry, ironing, cleaning, groceries, car pool, deadlines); it never goes away. Stop more often.  Listen to your breath. Remind yourself to stay present. Be still, bask in nothingness. Your health can change in one MRI, or phone call. Being healthy means managing your stress right now.
Happiness! I love this one! We're the product of a culture that's never satisfied with the status quo. We always want more, better, faster. Yet we all look for ways to be happy. I think everyone really craves happiness over anything else. When we're feeling happy, we're in the flow. Our brain releases happy chemicals (endorphins) and we're feeling bliss. So what makes you happy? I used to base my happiness on the size of my shoe, scarf, purse, and denim collection. Boy has that ever changed (thank God!). Something really simple makes me happy today, it's sharing. It might sound cheezy, but I get such a dose of joy after I've helped someone feel better. I love to share intelligence, advice, tips or my personal experiences that can help others. Teaching yoga and even writing my blog gives me a sense of validation. But sharing is so underrated. I guess some people don't see much importance in sharing their stories. Sometimes hearing a sad story can humble us, just like a funny experience can remind us to stop taking life so seriously. Share your wise quotes, your secret recipes, your helpless situation, your sadness. When you share what you know, you'd be surprised at how many people you could inspire.
L-O-V-E......the four letter word that begins with 'I' (not a typo). Love starts with "I". "I" need to love myself unconditionally before it can be shared. Many, many, many of us struggle to accept ourselves for who we are. We're made up of good shit, and bulls***. The good is always there, the bull manifests throughout our lifetime. It's a collection of our darkness, our trials, our upsets. But we have a habit of giving the bulls*** so much power. We get tangled in these self-conceived labels - "not good enough", "lazy", "unreliable", "selfish", "weak", "dumb", "mean". So what follows "I" is influential, as it can become your truth, your belief. Make "all the best" mean your 'best Self '. It's never too late to declare 2014 as your 'best Self' year whereby your love for yourself is your priority. Love - bulls***= happiness.  Wish you 'All of your Best Self'!