Saturday Flatterday: Embrace

One thing in life is certain - there is only one you. There is no one else in this world just like you. You are your own person and you were created perfectly to fit in this one song, (Uni-verse).

Sometimes we get caught in the "rat race" and trying to "keep up with the Joneses", when we should really be embracing all that is right in front of us. Instead of focussing on what we don't have, because that only bring us more of what we don't have, we need to start focussing on what we do have. Embrace the fact that you have the choice to be joyful each moment. Embrace the fact that you are able to read this right now. Embrace everything about yourself because you are someone to be celebrated!

We can start by repeating the following affirmations for clarity on why we should embrace our overall being: I stand for something bigger than myself. I embrace my uniqueness. I am my own person. 

Have a beautiful day everyone~

Friday Tryday: Tell Me Whatcha Want

One of the many things that we all have in common is that we want success. The degree of success varies but we all strive to be successful in whatever it is we do. Whether we wish for success in parenting, teaching, learning, relationships, or career, we want to be darn good at it! So how exactly do we become successful?

Today you'll learn about a stepping stone that well help guide you on your way to success. I saw this method on Oprah, (surprise, surprise), with one of her guests, Liz Gilbert. Every day Liz asks herself what it is that she really, really, really wants. So, I pose to you this question: what do YOU really really really want? Once you figure out what exactly, and I mean exactly, it is that you want, you're one step closer to figuring out how to get it.

For instance, say you want to be rich. Why do you want to be "rich"? Maybe it's because you want to pay off student loans. Therefore, you don't really want to be rich, but you really really really want to pay off your student loans. Change your thoughts, take action, and paying off your student loans is exactly what you'll do. Remember, if there's a will, there's a way.

Your challenge today? Try and write down three things you think really really really want. Ask yourself why you want these things and you may come to find that your original three things are not what you actually want at all. Once you zero in on what exactly it is that you want, you will find exactly how to get it.

Making every day a Friday~

Thursday Yourday: J/P HRO

I first learned of J/P HRO on Oprah when she visited Haiti and the thousands of people who had lost virtually everything in the devastating 2010 earthquake. J/P HRO is a nonprofit Haitian Relief Organization that strives to make Haiti home again.

J/P HRO was founded by Sean Penn who, after hearing about the devastation, immediately took action and flew to Haiti to help. Now only two years later, more than 60,000 Haitians have been moved to stable homes. J/P HRO also offers free education to children, medical assistance, and emergency response to those in dire need. Sean Penn has far left the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to be of highest service to the Uni-verse. His efforts have personally touched governmental and nongovernmental affiliations who have donated to a truly great cause.

If you would like to get involved by donating or even volunteering, please visit www.jphro.org.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."~

Wednesday Zenday: Volunteer

There is no greater act of kindness than volunteering. When you volunteer you are not only providing others with sheer kindness, but you are ultimately lifting yourself up by being of service to others. When we serve, we are at our greatest potential. We fill a void of emptiness which we are oh too familiar with.

You do not necessarily have to take up a professional volunteer job to "volunteer". If you're a student you can volunteer in class. At work, you can volunteer to complete a task that's typically avoided by others. You can volunteer to hold the door for someone. It's these small acts that bring us one step closer to living in a kind and peaceful world. Volunteering or doing a good deed without seeking a reciprocated result will help you to add more zen to your life.

Now go out there and volunteer! You'll feel absolutely amazing when you do.

Volunteer~ing to volunteer~

Excessiveness

Many other countries consider us fortunate for the wide range of products, luxuries, food, drinks, etc. that we have to choose from. Because we have such circumstances, does that really make us fortunate? It's no coincidence that the expression "Too much of a good thing" is so well known. We live in an accumulation driven society where we can never seem to have enough. We overproduce which causes us to be overworked. We overeat so we're overweight. We overanalyze which results in overcautiousness or overprotection. Practically anything that can be done, we overdo it.

In order to center in on what the original purpose is of whatever we are overdoing, we must rid ourselves of the excess. There are people in the world with more than enough who are still not satisfied and there are people in the world who have just enough who are completely satisfied. You have everything you need. Stop wanting more and appreciate what you already have. The Uni-verse doesn't jive with greed.

Wayne Dyer says it perfectly in his book, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life, that we need to know when enough is enough. This really resonated with me because in today's world we find that many entrepreneurs/newly made celebrities are always trying to acquire more, as if they want to capitalize on the world. Think of all the reality stars out there who have branched off and tried to monetize more through publishing books, spin off shows, alcoholic beverages, fitness programs, clothing lines, etc. They're not satisfied with the publicity, money, and luxuries from the reality show to begin with. They want more. We all want more. We need to stop focussing on our wants and start focussing on our needs. We have everything we need to be fulfilled. Having more of some thing is not going to fulfill us.

Another perfect example of excess is social media. Today there are tons of social media networks that provide basically the same thing. Because we weren't satisfied with MySpace, we made Facebook. Facebook wasn't good enough so we created Twitter. From Facebook to Twitter to Blogger to Pinterest, I personally have a hard time keeping up. So what's the solution? Don't. Don't try and keep up with whatever it is you're chasing, enough is enough. Let your business, personal life, or product flourish on its own because it will. The Uni-verse has your back!

We work so hard at getting more, but what's really the point? When we push ourselves to become a media mogul or build an empire, for what? The things we attain are not going to be ours forever. When our physical body passes away do we still get our things? No. They're recycled to someone else. If we identify ourselves through a label, credentials, or any thing, then we are not aligned with our true selves. We need to get back to that place of love, union, and harmony and step away from separateness, excessiveness, and imbalance.

Live simply, love freely. Know when to take action and know when to just let life flow. The only thing you should do excessively is love.

Sending love your way~

Saturday Flatterday: Intention

In yoga you are told to invite intention into your practice. What this means is that as you are increasing your physical energy, you are also increasing your formless energy. Your formless energy is your aura, vibe, or feeling you project toward others. Your formless energy is derived from your mind. So essentially how you feel about your day, your life, or your overall self is what you display to the Uni-verse, which creates your life.

Your intention is what you want out of life, possibly what you want at that particular moment, that week, that year, etc. If your intention involves attaining things and money, then that is not your true intention. Your true intention is what you were born with. As a baby your first thought was not 'I want lots and lots of money and toys!'. No, we learned to want money and toys. As your pure self you see through the eyes of love, you nurture, you show compassion and appreciation for the world around you.

Now, let's align our intention(s) with that of the Uni-verse. The following affirmations will help you get back to your true roots: I see everyone and everything through the eyes of love. I am love. I honor my intentions. I wish to be of highest service to others.

Intentionally flattering~

Friday Tryday: The Book of Awesome

There is a wonderful book out called The Book of Awesome, which is a book comprised of awesome things we encounter on a daily basis, but tend to forget. Some of those little things include a front row parking space, your favorite color M&Ms, a rainbow, one of your favorite items on sale, etc. Thinking of bits of awesome is a friendly reminder that life is still beautiful, even if we're dealt an ugly card.

The Book of Awesome really takes you back to the days when you were a kid, so much so that I actually did an activity with my first graders when I was student teaching. We made a "Wall of Awesome" which displayed awesome things the students experienced such as a snow day, their favorite snack, longer recess, etc. Even though you're no first grader, you can still make your own "Wall of Awesome" at work or home.

If a whole wall is too much for you, try and make a simple list this Friday of all the awesome things you encounter. At the end of the day, read through your list and it will bring a smile to your face. Look around, you'll be amazed at all the awesomeness we overlook.

Feel~ing awesome~

Thursday Yourday: KrispArt

Michael Hamann has dipped his toes into entrepreneurship before when he started a website called TheCollegeMinds, in which a group of Penn State students had the opportunity to blog about what was happening in the college world. I am extremely thankful and lucky to have been a part of TheCollegeMinds as the Women's Fashion writer. However, as our minds developed, so did our lives and thus we have all moved on from TheCollegeMinds, and now Mike has picked up painting.

Michael Hamann is the creator and mastermind, (you're going to love me for this), behind KrispArt, a new kind of art. Its contemporary form mixed with an abstract twist makes for a very eye catching piece of art. Less than a year of his start-up business and already he has had two public appearances to display his artwork. Go Mike!

If you would like to contact Michael Hamann about purchasing some of his artwork, please do so by visiting the following link: www.KrispArt.com. You can also "like" his fan page on Facebook under KrispArt - A Michael Anthony Collection.

Wishing you a stroke of luck Michael~

Wednesday Zenday: Sign, Seal, Deliver

Writing has been known to contribute a great deal to healing, relaxing, and overall relieving of any stress. When you free write it's almost as if you're seeing a therapist minus the cost. You can vent, let out all of your feelings, including the not so nice ones, and the only person who gets to see it is you.

One of the many things Gabby Bernstein has taught me, is that if you feel hostility or resentment toward an individual, the best way to rid yourself of those negative feelings is through writing to them. Yes, writing to them. Just because you write to them does not mean you have to give it to them. You can write a letter to them letting go of whatever it is that needs to be, and then sign it "With love".

I've done this several times. After making a compassion list of all the people who I felt any sort of discomfort with, I have written them letters expressing my anger, frustration, and resentment. On the last line of the letter I would say "I forgive you and I release you. With love, Brittany". It sounds silly, but it works. If you continue to have the "forgive and release" mentality, you will live with zen. Start by writing letters to those you can't seem to let go of something you feel they've done to you.

In a way writing these letters is an agreement to yourself, because after all you are the only person who feels this way, the odds of the other person feeling upset about what he/she did are slim. Since you wrote out all of your feelings toward a particular person/people, you agree to never go back to those old ways and from now on see them with only love. You wrote the letter of how that person "wronged" you, you forgave him/her, and you released him/her. Simple, easy, and affective.

Signed, sealed, delivered...with love~

Expectations

In our society we are expected to have, and follow, certain expectations. In school we are expected to get good grades, our parents expect us to bring home a nice young man or lady, our teachers expect us to be on our best behavior. When we say thank you, we expect the proper response: you're welcome. Paradoxically, we're told to "expect the unexpected". However, if we remove prior expectations, we are able to just be, which is the ultimate life style. Now, removing expectations does not merit laziness or low standards by any means; but if you try your best, while expecting nothing, you will encounter everything.

Everyone operates differently and one person's expectations may vary from another person's. Don't be discouraged if you don't get the job. Don't think you couldn't live up to the employer's expectations. There is an even better opportunity right around the corner. The only thing you should expect is a miracle. As A Course in Miracles says, "Miracles are natural. When they don't occur, something has gone wrong". Expect nothing, but at the same time expect everything. Expect for everything to fall into its place, because whether you like it or not, it will, it always does. 

Every time a holiday or birthday rolls around I try and make it a point to make a personal text my close friends. I've done this almost consecutively for a year or so. For the most part people have texted back accordingly. Though, there are a few who don't respond for a day or so, and even a few who never respond. I brought this to my Mom's attention and she gave me the following advice: "If you do something to expect something in return, you're not doing it for the right reasons. When you do things because you want to do them and it truly makes you feel good then you're doing them for the right reasons." How I interpreted this was that as long as you try, and you feel good about whatever it is you're doing, then you will have the mere satisfaction from just doing it, versus only feeling satisfied when an external result appears. For a while I would do things for a nice pat on the back, and when I completed the task, whatever it was, I would only feel totally satisfied when I was told what a great job I did, or how nice I was, etc. If this sounds familiar with something you're doing in your life right now, you're driven by your ego. You're not coming from a pure place, and you will not receive the benefits you would if you were in a place of pure love, free from expecting. 

Have the expectation that things are going to work out just as they should. Give away love and joy in enormous amounts. Give everything, yet expect nothing. Once you learn to drop any preconceived notion that you should receive what you give, that is when you will receive all that you give. 

Expecting nothing, receiving everything~

Saturday Flatterday: Limiting Beliefs

The reason we often don't chase are dreams is because we don't think we can. We have "dreams" simply because we don't think of them as becoming reality. I'm here to tell you that they can become reality, and in fact, for many people, their dream is their reality.

We have limiting beliefs about ourselves and what we can achieve. We think things like 'Oh I could never do that. I'm not fast enough. I'm not strong enough. I'm not smart enough.' Well, yes you are! People were not born with effortless talent in the area where they succeed. The reason they are so successful is because they have limitless beliefs about themselves mixed with the willingness to do whatever it takes. They put forth some effort, whether it be an hour here, 10 minutes there to get to their goal, dream, passion, etc.

The following affirmations will help you in your quest to go from limiting to limitless beliefs: My efforts are limitless. I have unlimited power to create. My dreams will become reality. I can do anything. 


Flatter yourself, you are worth it~

Friday Tryday: Leap List

We've all heard of a "bucket list". Some of us may have even created one. But why create a list that is rather morbid and fill it with such lively activities?

As I was out on probably the most inspirational, empowering, and overall interesting dinner date I have ever been on, this woman, by the name of Jess Weiner, had told me that every year she creates a "leap list".  Of course this intrigued me so I begged her to go on. She told me she called it such since a "bucket list" reminded her of dying, and yeah, why wouldn't it? It is a list of things to do before you die! Naturally, I leaped, (hehe), into this idea of a "leap list".

A "leap list" is an annual list comprised of things you would like to do but are afraid to do. Basically it's a list of things to do that will help you to face your fears. I thought it was a pretty cool concept so I figured I'd share it with you. Leap from your fear into confidence by making your very own "leap list" today!

Happy leaping everyone~

Thursday Yourday: Wayne Dyer

After just finishing, Every Day A Friday, by Joel Osteen, I have picked up yet another book called Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life, by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. This is not the first Wayne Dyer book I have read, but it is the first book that I have seen make a public appearance on TV during one of Oprah's Super Soul Sunday episodes. Wayne Dyer is an insightful, mindful, and all around enlightened individual who has written countless New York Times Bestsellers.

Wayne has experienced the darkness, and through the darkness he has come to see the light. His father abandoned his family when Wayne was at a young age, which caused him years of resentment, anger, and animosity. After his father passed, and through intense self-discovery, Wayne realized the only way he could truly rid himself of suffering was through forgiveness...and so he did. He changed his thoughts, forgave anyone and everyone who ever "wronged" him, and his life began to change for the better on so many levels. He currently spends much of his time, if not all of his time, living the mysterious yet perfect way of the Uni-verse in sunny Florida in his dream home with his wife and kids.

Without revealing too much, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life is Wayne's personal interpretation of the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching is an ancient Chinese philosophy written by arguably one of the most enlightened people to have ever walked the planet, Lao Tzu. The Tao is a way of life, in which it invites you to embark on the paradoxical mysteries that surround us every day. After only arriving at Verse 2 of the Tao I have noticed that the common theme is to just be. Do not label, do not judge, do not analyze, just be. Observe things as they are, yet identify the urge to change them, or desire difference. It is quite intriguing thus far and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to discover a harmonious way of living. If you're looking for a truly inspiring, life changing book pick up any of Wayne Dyer and you will not be disappointed.

Happy Thursday everyone~

Wednesday Zenday: Rearrange

Last Wednesday we discussed that by cleaning your physical and mental space, you make way for positive change. This Wednesday, I invite you to rearrange what is left from you cleanse.

Physically, you can feng shui your space so that is inviting to positive energy. By adding round shapes to the area you incorporate heaven. By adding square shapes, you include earth. Why not combine the two so you receive heaven on earth? Rearrange round shapes near square shapes for a harmonious balance. Natural light is another biggie. Nothing is more pure, innocent, and serene than natural light entering a space. Move furniture, curtains, electronic devices, etc. away from the windows to let in as much natural light as possible. Lastly, add specific splashes of color. I found that everyone has a "feng shui birth element". This represents an element and animal that you may base your color scheme on. For instance, my element is earth and my animal is a dragon. This means that I could go for shades of green and blue with metallic accents. (Author's side note: I find this extremely intriguing as I am enamored by turquoise and silver.)

Now we can move on to rearrange the thoughts in our minds. Have the "gratitude attitude" and think of all the things you have to be grateful for before you think of what you don't have. Rearrange your thoughts so that all things negative are pushed so far back, it's impossible for them to exist. I've mentioned this before but a "gratitude list" is an awesome way to remind yourself of all you have to be grateful for. If you read over it each morning before you do anything, your mind will already be programmed to the right channel. Pour in affirmations that boost your self-esteem. I am worthy of all that the world has to offer. Today is going to be a great day. I am surrounded by love. I am confident. I am talented. Rearrange your mind to focus on what's right in your life. Once you do that, you will see a whole lot more of it.

Hoping you have an eZENtful day~

Visualization

On a daily basis, our brain processes around 50,000 thoughts. Many of those thoughts evoke somewhat of a sixth sense: visualization.  The power of visualization is quintessential when it comes to creating the life you lead. How you see yourself and the world around you is how you will respond. Your response is the sole reason you see the specific results you do. If you see yourself as working in poor conditions surrounded by low quality employees, you will then only receive work in poor conditions with low quality employees. On the flip side, if you see yourself working in a positive, abundant environment with high quality employees, you will receive opportunities to work in a positive, abundant environment with high quality employees. Do you see the correlation? What we visualize we inevitably become.

A lot of times we hear the expression "Can you imagine?!" and the respondent usually replies "No!" No?!? Well, no wonder you're stuck living the life you are because you can't imagine. In order to live the life we desire, we must, must, MUST be able to imagine what it's like. Imagine what it's like to drive that car. Picture what it's like to live in that house. See yourself on that show. You'll be able to really see it once you believe it. Paradoxically, you'll only be able to believe it when you see it. If you see yourself doing what you want to do, saying what you want to say, and living how you wish to live, it will come to pass.


A perfect example of this was when Wayne Dyer was on his quest to get the word out about his first book. He describes a situation of visualizing himself on one of his favorite talk shows, being interviewed by his favorite talk show host, when he was just a young boy. "By chance", years later, he was in the area where the show was produced, and at the last minute got a call asking for him to guest on the show. Wayne's visualization came to life and it didn't stop there. Wayne never stopped visualizing. He has gone on to become one of America's top selling authors living exactly the life he planned.

Another example is of funny guy Jim Carrey. Before Jim "made it big", he made a pretend $1,000,000 check and stuck it above his bed so every time he looked up, it'd be staring him right in the face. After his smashing debut in Dumb & Dumber, Jim received the real $1,000,000 check and it wasn't the last time he'd see a check like that.


Now the question is how can we get to where Wayne Dyer and Jim Carrey are? You can start by creating a Vision Board. Vision Boards are great for setting your sights on what exactly it is that you want. Whether it is a specific house, car, body size, amount of children, etc. When you are constantly reminded of the things you wish to have, you begin to feel as if you've already attained them. Think of your vision board as a "To Do" list. The whole point of a "To Do" is to do it! The only downside to a Vision Board is that your ego may interrupt and start asking you how you're going to get that house, drive that car, own that business. Stop focussing on the hows and start focussing on the feeling of already having it.

You don't sit and think, 'Wow, how am I going to do the laundry today?' You just do it! The same applies to your Vision Board, don't think of how you're going to achieve it, just think of it as already achieved. If you continue in your day to day activities as usual, you will receive subtle "random happenstances" here and there that will lead you directly to your vision.

Seeing is believing and believing is seeing~

Saturday Flatterday: Communication

Communication is key. Ain't that the truth! So often we second guess ourselves with what we did or did not say. 'Should I have said that?', 'Did that come out right?', 'Could I have worded that differently?' Stop over-analyzing yourself and your decisions. If you have something honest to say, there will always be someone who will honestly listen.

This is strongly related to the issue of being validated. Do people really hear me when I communicate? Make what you say matter by communicating effectively. If what you say comes from deep within, there is no need to fret. When your inner guide speaks, that's when you are authentic. That's when people will want to listen to you.

If you are facing an issue, communicate how you feel and the solution will soon follow. No one can fault you for saying how you feel. You are worthy of having a powerful conversation. You can communicate in an efficient manner, regardless of what anyone has told you in the past.


Flatter yourself this Saturday by repeating the following flattermations: I communicate with honest intentions. I communicate clearly and freely. What I say and how I feel matters. 

Happy Saturday~

Friday Tryday: Judgement Free

Just as we've been trained to think negative thoughts about ourselves, we have been trained to think negatively about others. If someone is the slightest bit different than us, our mind jumps right to judgement. Thoughts such as, 'Why is he wearing that?', 'Why would she do that?', 'They are so weird' run through our mind as we pass judgement on people we barely know.

The truth is, what someone else is doing, saying, or wearing is none of our concern. That is the other person's choice, not ours. The more we try to change people, the more they will resist. The only person you can truly change is yourself. You can be influenced, sure, but when it comes down to it, you do things the way you want to do things.

With that said, we've all heard the expression, "Don't judge a book by its cover", yet we continue to accept only the books with the prettiest covers. The pretty covers vary from monetary wealth, to good looks, to a "picture perfect" home life. When really the person who doesn't meet our physical stereotype could be an angel in disguise.

For one day, try to live judge-free. As Gabby Bernstein says, focus on the content of the picture rather than the frame. We may not know why someone does something, but we make it easier on ourselves and them if we would stop wondering.

To loving more and judging less~

Thursday Yourday: Help The Children

One of the most valuable lessons we can learn is that we are only truly fulfilled when we are fulfilling others. This means that when you meet your potential you have done so by helping someone else. An organization that I recently came across does just that.

Help The Children is a nonprofit organization that aids children from all over the world, providing them with things we take for granted such as food, disaster relief, dental care, annual checkups, and prescription medicine. It is imperative that we are aware of situations such as these. While we enjoy our "simple" luxuries, there are children around the world being deprived of them. If you wish to see change in the world, you must be the change.

Visit www.HelpTheChildren.org to donate or become involved in a truly great cause. 

Love, light, & HEALTH to you all~

Wednesday Zenday: Get Up, Get Out

One of life's greatest treasures is that of mother nature. Without costing a thing, mother nature not only provides us with the essentials, (i.e. air, food, water, etc.), but she provides us with pure, untainted, natural beauty. There's no need to go to an art gallery or museum when you have your own museum in your backyard, literally!

Whether it be a bike ride, a walk, or lounging on a porch or in the grass, get outside! When we are outside breathing in the freshness and beauty that surrounds us, natural endorphins are released causing us to feel giddy, peaceful, and just all around happy. There is a connectedness that forms between us and the earth, in which we feel complete and serene.

So get up and get out! There's nothing more zen-like than admiring nature and all of its intricacies.

Hoping you too enjoy the outdoors as much as I do~

Validated

To be validated one must be seen, heard, and understood. Our whole lives we search for someone who loves us just as we are, picks us up when we're down, and sees things from our point of view. That someone can vary from a life partner, to a parent, friend, co-worker, etc. As we get older we seek quality over quantity, which can sometimes be hard to find. If we start to work together in validating one another, that quality aspect will be more exposed. And who wouldn't want to live in a more quality filled world? 

Everyone has a story. It is through listening to their stories that we come to know them, and sometimes ourselves, better than before. Society portrays this longing for story telling and validation in several ways from talk shows, to newspaper/magazine articles, and even music. Sometimes we get so caught up in telling our own story that we forget to listen to others'... 

There is a woman who calls my work almost daily asking what's in the prepared food's case. I tell her, and after about 15 minutes of talking with her she comes in to buy something. Then, she'll call the next day with either a complaint or compliment about her purchase, usually a complaint. Now, the complaint is not about the quality of the food, it is about her personal preference as to how she thinks the food should be prepared. The key word there is personal. She complains in hopes to be validated, that someone sees her point of view, that what she says matters so much so that we "fix it" for next time. It is a strictly personal matter that I have come to understand. 

From 15 minutes of talking with her daily for almost a year, I know her story, which helps me to know her. She lives alone, so she has a tendency to talk for a while when she gets the chance. She doesn't get along with her siblings, so she complains often because she's holding on to anger and resentment. She was a school counselor, so she asks a lot of questions. This is all part of her story, her need to feel validated in this world. Maybe there is a similar person in your life seeking validation. Take the time to listen and you will end up learning something.  

One of the greatest compliments I can receive is when someone tells me I'm easy to talk to or I'm a good listener, (ask my mom and she'll tell you something different!). To me, that means I am doing my job at being of highest service to others. When you really listen and validate other people, that is when you will find that others will want to listen and validate you. 

Give people room to speak, let them take the stage for a bit. Even if they come off as "shy", they will open up if you give them the chance. It is usually the "shy" ones who need to be heard the most. They are the ones who are fearful of not being understood or who have encountered a situation in their lives where they felt invalid. You could be the one to release them. You could be the person who brightens their day, even their life. By just listening, you give that person hope that they are being heard. And as mentioned before, we all want to be heard. 

Validating each and every day~

Saturday Flatterday: Focus

It's easy to focus on what's wrong in your life. The challenge comes when you are asked what's right in your life. So, what is right in your life...? Are you healthy? Do you have a significant other? Are you single? Can you use all 5 of your senses? Do you have a family?

These questions will get you thinking about all the wonderful things right in your life. Many of us are so quick to complain about what we don't have instead of focussing on what we do have. I don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend. I'm not skinny enough. I'm not smart enough. The truth is if you're single, you're independent, you're ok by yourself, and when the time comes Mr. or Mrs. Right will come along. If you think you're not skinny enough, there are starving people in the world who would give anything to trade places with you and have a meal like yours. And, if you don't think of yourself as smart, that's just crazy because you're reading these words right now! It takes a smart person to read and write. You are smart enough.

Change your focus to the good in your life and you will receive more of it. Here are a few affirmations to get you started: I am blessed for living another beautiful day. I continue to grow stronger and healthier. I am fun to be around. I support myself and those around me. Love is present in every aspect of my life. 


Hocus focus~

Friday Tryday: Music

One thing every single person on this planet has in common is music. We all love music, which is probably why the Uni-verse is named such, (Uni-verse = "one song"). The type of music may differ, but there is not one person who does not like or listen to some sort of music. With that said, you may have more in common with people than you think by trying out their taste in music.

This Friday I urge you to try a new type of music that you normally wouldn't listen to. It may turn out to be a new favorite genre. This actually happened to me when I entered college life, (which you will experience way more things than just new music). I had my heart set on listening to music I knew I liked, which consisted of hip-hop, rap, R&B, and some golden oldies here and there.

Then one day, one of my dear friends, Lauren, volunteered, (I'm sure she'll tell you otherwise), to slap some of her kind of music on my iPod. Ever since I've been hooked to a genre called Indie, which led to the liking of Folk, Electronica, and Dubstep. Below I have provided you with a few of my favorite songs and artists from a wide variety of genres which I hope you enjoy.

Electronica
Music Sounds Better With You - Stardust
Levels - Avicii
Cry (Just A Little) - Bingo Players
One More Time - Daft Punk
Call On Me - Eric Prydz

Indie/Folk/Blues
I Would Do Anything For You - Foster the People
I Still Care For You - Ray LaMontagne
Sleepyhead - Passion Pit
Walking On A Dream - Empire of the Sun
Rattlesnake Charm - Sean Hayes
Money Grabber - Fitz & the Tantrums
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding

Pop/Rock
Golden Years - David Bowie
Summertime - Mungo Jerry
You Get What You Give - New Radicals
Beachside - Kings of Leon
Got To Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
Strawberry Swing - Coldplay

Hip-Hop/R&B
Pretty Please - Estelle
Sabotage - Wale
Climax - Usher
End of Time - Beyonce
Sure Thing - Miguel
I Need A Girl - Trey Songz
Frontin - Pharrell

Happy listening~

Thursday Yourday: No Meat Athlete

When you feel good about yourself mentally, you start to take better care of yourself physically. By that I mean you begin to cherish the temple in which your soul rests, aka your body. You only have one body so why not make the best of what you have and treat it right...?

I recently hopped on the "healthy bandwagon" and started to treat my body better by first sporadic running, then weekly yoga classes, and now, in addition to those other things, I'm really watching what I use as fuel for my body. Upon my recent discovery that feeling right turns to eating right, my beautiful cousin, Melissa, suggested I check out this website called "No Meat Athlete". I have control on many things in my life but when it comes to food, I have none. I see something sweet and delicious and it needs to be in my mouth, right then and there. 

"No Meat Athlete" offers a wide variety of healthy tips and tricks for running, eating, and properly fueling your body without eating meat. Of course you can still eat meat, but this site is awesome for healthy alternatives that will provide your body with the nourishment it needs. Check out www.NoMeatAthlete.com for the full scoop! Enjoy!

Satisfy your hunger for life~