Monday Mantra: 10...9...8...

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Every day is a new beginning

10...
9...
8...

The world was supposed to end, several times now. It hasn't.

I'm here.

You're here.

We're all in this together.

Every day the sun rises, the sun sets. We wake, we eat, we work, we sleep. We spend time on things- good things, bad things, wasteful and unimportant things. On things that make us happy. Things that make us sad. We revolve, we change, we stop in our tracks. We look ahead and we look behind, and we forget that "right now" counts just as much as "then" and "soon".

7...
6...
5...

We're all in this together. One decision you make, I make, someone we've never met makes, one decision can change everything. We can move back, long for the past, wish we'd done things differently. We can stand still, stop moving, freeze up in fear of the next unknown. Or we can move forward, find ourselves, find our purpose, find a new direction.

4...

Imagine your life like a set of domino's, neatly lined up. The first one, the one that sets the rest into motion, is the most important. It's the one that will change everything. The one that leads to a chain reaction. The one that will make the biggest difference.

3...

Find your first domino. It could be anything...maybe you need to move to a new place, to find a new job, to find a new life, and a new love. Maybe you need to talk to someone, to get help with something, to get ideas that will move you forward. Maybe you need to tell someone you care about them, tell them they matter, tell them to free yourself from the worry, the doubt, the what-if's.

2...

Determine that first step, that first domino, and knock it over. Don't believe in should've, could've, would've. Believe in this, in now, in you and me and life. In doing the things that scare you, that push you, that force you out of your comfort zone. Believe in change and that we, all of us, are changing for the better.

1...

One moment.

What will you change? What will you do to make you, to make your life, to make the world a better place? What will you change now that will change the rest of your life forever?

What will be your new beginning?


Happy New Year! Happy New You! Whatever your goals, your resolutions, your dreams- go forward and make them happen.
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Monday Mantra: Be Original

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Be original- be yourself

For many, many, many years I refused to read any of the Twilight books. I didn't know much about them, I just knew there was some kind of crazy phenomena going on with people being called this horrible name, Twihards, and I wasn't going to be a part of it. However, when the first movie came out I was intrigued and decided to go see it. Sparkly vampires, no fangs, never sleeps, plays baseball when it's storming- what was going on in the world of vampires? I was confused...and completely addicted.

I went home and read book by book, until I eventually got sucked in and became one of the millions of fans, one of the Twihards. I was taken over by the uniqueness of it all. Sure, vampire love stories had been done time and time again, but no vampires had ever been like this before. My entire monster mindframe was shattered with Stephenie Meyer's books.

But why did she make her characters so unique? Why so unusual? A journalist had asked her this question once and her answer was that she'd never seen a monster movie, never read a monster book. Vampires were an unknown for the most part to her. That's the beautiful thing about this- she didn't have anything to compare to or try and live up to. And that - her being herself and believing in what she thought they were, thought they should be like - that is what changed everything for her, for everyone who picked up her book.

Most of us don't have that opportunity in life. To go out and not have any knowledge of how to be, act, look, feel, think. We're told from a young age what to do and how to do it. It's harder in many cases for us to be originals because we live in a world of copy cats. That's just the way it is, not for the better and not for the worst, it just is. It's not necessarily a bad thing, either, but it can prevent someone from being the very best one-of-a-kind version of themselves.

So, friends, next time you have some kind of an idea or thought or notion on something at all and it doesn't fit with the mainstream world- do it anyway. You might just be the person to start a new thought process that will make a difference. You might just change the world.

P.S. Still need a last minute Christmas present for someone on your list? How about a membership to a CSA (Community Service Agriculture) program? It's good for everyone, especially you right now- no waiting for delivery in the mail and no parking lot madness. You can order a service online and write what their gift is in a card. With the service, your friend would get delicious organic food delivered right to their door. I have Nature's Garden Delivered, here in AZ, but if you do a Google for CSA's near you I'm sure you'll find one.

Happy Holidays!


What are you proud of that makes you original?
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Monday Mantra: Be Mindful

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Be mindful of your words, your actions, your thoughts

Sometimes I get stuck on a thought, a moment, a memory that just keeps playing itself over and over again. Sometimes it's important, like wishing I had said or done something the opposite of what I did. Sometimes it's not, like when I debate over what the How I Met Your Mother preview of Robin and Barney getting married might mean. Regardless, what it always ends up being is a waste of time...a waste of thought processes replaying the moment, the event, the thing that I can't let go of in my head.

There are other times, when my mind isn't looping, when I'm not in the present moment with the people I'm with. I'm somewhere else- at work, going over my to-do list, planning out my next trip. Those are also wasted moments. Times when I'm letting myself disconnect from the people right in front of me. 

I try to keep myself in check and be mindful of the things I say, do, think, but I'm only human. I mess up a lot. I forget. I get tired and busy and I let the Mindless Thieves in the front door of my home to steal away my happiness.

While I don't necessarily believe in resolutions of the year long variety, I do believe in goals. So the personal goal I've set for myself right now is to not let these thieves in during my holiday season. I will be present. I will pay attention. I will focus on the right things and I will not let them make a home in my mind. I will be mindful of myself.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the founder of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society. He created the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course, which teaches attendees how to deal with pretty much every situation in life with meditation, yoga, and awareness in the moment. He is credited as being the one who brought meditation into the mainstream medical practice as a way to heal one's self. He is, in my mind, this generations master of mindfulness.

Being mindful helps you to understand why you say the things you say, do the things you do, feel the way you feel. It's the answer to almost everything because it requires so much acuteness to the moment you're in. It requires you to be present. To be here- right now. It helps you to understand that your thoughts are just thoughts, no action required on them. That they do not make you who you are, that they do not rule you. Mindfulness teaches you to pick and choose what you're focusing on and why. It makes the smallest, most insignificant things in life, like driving a car or eating a grape, the most amazing acts you've ever done. You see things in a new light. You see everything as a miracle.

This season, when you're running around finishing your Christmas shopping, trying to get everything done in two weeks that you meant to accomplish in the whole year, take some time to stop and focus. Take time to pay attention to the loved ones around you. To the real reason of this season. To the things that really matter.

Breathe. Focus. Relax.

Repeat.

For more info on Mr. Kabat-Zinn, and to see some of his great works, click here.

When life is stressing you out, what do you do to center yourself? To stop the world from spinning?
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Monday Mantra: A Healthy Holiday Gift Guide

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: I will give my friends and family the gift of health this year

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year. Hot chocolate, caroling, snowball fights, lights...and insanity in the form of mad dashes to the stores for last minutes gifts, large electric bills from your Griswold like decorations, and a lot of delicious and not so healthy treats. While I can't help you with your electric bill, I can give you some suggestions for the healthy treats and eats and even a little bit of the present shopping.

I'm sure you've heard that it's not safe to cook with those Teflon coated pans, but you also hate using anything else because the eggs/sauces/everything-cooking-related sticks to the pan and you have to soak it or scrub it or kill yourself cleaning it for twice the amount of time it took you to make it. 

I have good news.

Toss those other horrible pans out the window and give yourself the gift of these super awesome ceramic cooking pans: WearEver Pure Living Nonstick Scratch Resistant Ceramic Coating PTFE-Free and PFOA-Free Dishwasher Safe Cookware Set

I just got these babies recently and they are A-MAZE-ING. Each one is dishwasher safe, non-toxic, cooks up a mean storm, and is the easiest thing to clean I've ever owned. They're safe and efficient, free of all of those awful chemicals that have given cooking pans a bad rap. The best part is...they're very cost friendly! I purchased the set you see above for only $60 and have used it non-stop ever since. Get this, you can even put them in the broiler and they're recyclable! I repeat: A-MAZE-ING!

As for the treats, how about the gift of deliciousness and health via these two amazing cookbooks:

The Garden of Eating and The Ice Dream Cookbook

I've known Chef Rachel for several years now, taken all of her cuisine classes, and spent countless hours in my own kitchen cooking from her books. I am never disappointed by her recipes. Never. In fact, I often feel like a whole new, healthier person after I've eaten one of her meals in class or made something at home from her book. The recipes truly improve the way you feel- inside and out. Her recipes are always my go-to ones for parties, family get together's, dinner, lunch, breakfast, dessert, fourth meal...you get the idea. 

The Garden of Eating has recipes for every single one of those meals, plus tips and tricks for healthier eating, how to store your fruits and veggies, and what to look for when grocery shopping. The Ice Dream Cookbook not only has a gazillion recipes for delicious home made ice cream, but it has recipes for cookies, brownies (the chocolate chip blondies are my favorite), graham crackers, etc. And all of them - in both cookbooks - are gluten free! Woo to the hoo, my friends. Woo to the hoo!

Here's the one and only downside...no pictures. For those of you visual people like me, pictures are helpful. Please don't let this stop you from trying out these cookbooks. I guarantee you will love them as much as I do.

Need some other ideas? How about gift cards for those health nut friends of yours to their favorite food stores, like Whole Foods or Sprouts? I, personally, could spend an entire day at Whole Foods looking around. I guarantee you they'll love them. 

This year, give the gift of health. To your loved ones and yourself. You all deserve to be your best and these items will help get you on your way to just that- being the best, healthiest you.

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Monday Mantra: Do Not Fear the Sadness

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Do not fear the sadness

I've been watching a lot of Lord of the Rings lately. I always cry at the scene where Theoden buries his son and says, "No parent should have to bury their child." I cry, not because of the movie, but because my own grandfather once said those words to me at the funeral of his own child, the last of his children, both of which he outlived.

Sometimes I feel silly crying at that. It's just a movie, after all. But it's not. It's a memory. An emotion. It's energy releasing itself and freeing me from the moment. 

I try to be a happy, upbeat person and I forget that, at times, it's fine for me to fail in that task. It's fine for me to be sad, to think back, to remember, and to let go of joy for a moment or two. I forget that it's fine to be human- frail, broken, weak at times. It's in those moments that I am reminded of my humanity. 

Do not fear the sadness in life- yours or someone else's. It is through the dark moments that we remember the light, that we appreciate the stars in the dark night sky, that we remember how wonderful the warm sun feels in the cold snow. It's those reminders that keep us in check, that keep us in an awareness of gratitude for what we do have. 

Like friends to cry with, that take you in and wrap you up in their warmth.

Like memories of good times, when moments were filled with laughter.

Like Aragorn, a hot and mysterious cloaked man, who I get to watch on the big screen every so often...it's important to be thankful for everything, that's all I'm saying.

Do not fear the sadness. Let it guide you back to happier moments. Let it free you from the pain. Let it be the knife that releases the ties that bind you.

What's your favorite feel good movie?

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Once Upon a Time...

Since several people told me they about died laughing at my recent Craigslist ad, I thought I would share. This is a true, sad, and somewhat pathetic story of my life. I did, however, find out today that at least one of my friends believed in me and my vampire slaying dream. *tear* Bless her heart.

The bag has now sold and is going to a group of young girls whose dreams are still alive and well.

**Everlast 80lb Leather Punching Bag For Sale** - $60

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Date: 2012-11-30, 2:11PM MST

Reply to: your anonymous craigslist address will appear here

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Once upon a time I wanted to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer. To help aid me in this task, I thought I should get a punching bag to practice all my amazing karate chops and kicks and punches. You know what happens to dreams, though? Sometimes they die, especially when your friends and family inform you that you will never, not ever, be a vampire slayer. Also, the one and only time I tried to punch the darn thing it hurt my hand like a mother.

Therefore, without further adieu, I give you a practically brand spanking new punching bag. One hit, that's all it ever took. The good news is- it's in great shape. The bad news is- I don't have any idea where the chain it came with went. It probably died with my dreams.

Offers accepted.