​What happens when you either put junky gas in your tank or you forget to re-fuel?  The car doesn’t have the proper energy to get you where you need and want to go.  Food works the same way for our bodies.  You can fill-up on foods that fool your system or you can enjoy food that truly fuels you.  Consider one or all of the following when evaluating your daily nutritional choices:
 
Coffee – rich in antioxidants and in moderation it gives us a bit of energy.  Dilute it with cream, sugar, syrups and you have a liquid that only momentarily satisfies our thirst and boosts our drive.
 
Breakfast – skip it and you will crash.  Create a protein dominant morning option and you’ll be fully charged throughout the a.m.  Think eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, or whole grains topped with seeds and fruits.
 
Lunch – fast food fixes us momentarily, but that feeling is fleeting.  Make a noontime meal that has an abundance of vegetables, fruit and protein to power you through the better part of the afternoon.  Think sandwiches, wraps, salads, bowls or soup..
 
Snack – fool yourself at the vending machine or fuel yourself with a paired snack. Consider an apple with nut butter, hummus or bean dip with veggies or a healthy portioned trail mix.
 
Dinner – creamy, heavy food that weighs you down or a lighter meal that keeps you stay alert and satisfied.
 
Dessert- the bigger the better, the bigger the high and the sooner the crash will come.  Enjoy a sweet ending to the day with a square of dark chocolate, A warm fresh baked cookie, frozen banana yogurt  or a piece of seasonal fruit.
 
 
It’s your choice, will you fool or fuel yourself?

Do you have a to do list?  What’s on it? What merits getting on “the list”?
Are you on your list?   You deserve to be, but to do that you might have to start a new list – a to don’t list.  Here are a few things to consider putting on your to don’t list:
 
- Say yes too quickly and too often
- Skimp on sleep
- Skip packing healthy snacks and meals for yourself
- Stress out about those things that you have no control over
- Save stuff for someday
- Survey a situation over and over again
- Shrink from your true passions
- Stuff your feelings down
- Suggest that you are not deserving
 
Next time something comes up, evaluate if it is “list worthy” and for which list…........
​to do or to don’t.  You, your body, mind and spirit are worth that and so much more.

​What is one area of your life that you want to go big on?  Yes, just ONE, but one that you really, really, really care about.  What one BIG focus will have the most impact in your life?  It might scare you, make you a bit dizzy, sad and or sweaty when you think about it, but in your heart you know it’s the right BIG move for you. What will it be?
 
Your health?

• Moving more?
• Stressing less?
• Sleeping better?

Your family?

• Communicating consistently?
• Spending quality time together?
• Aligning responsibilities?

Your finances?

• Creating a plan?
• Spending wisely?
• Donating to causes you care about?

Your relationships?

• Expressing your feelings?
• Creating boundaries?
• Identifying what you really want, need & deserve?

 
Decide, today and then GO BIG.  Make a plan on how you will make this area a priority.  Keep it real, realize that you might have setbacks, but commit to going big and big results will be your reward.
 

For many, the new year represents a clean slate, a time for making promises and for trying a new approach.  All are great concepts, but what ONE thing can you do at this point in the year that will make your life healthier?  Consider ONE of the following:
 

• ONE word.  What’s the one word that will help guide you this year.  You can call it a mantra or just “your” word.  Find a word that gives you perspective, purpose and puts you in the direction you want to go.

 

• ONE at a time.  Make your food choices one meal at a time.  After a crappy dinner, make breakfast the next day a meal that sets you on a healthy foundation.

 

• ONE thing.  Focus on one thing a day that you need to get done and do it.  By doing that thing, your day will be a success.

 

• ONE accomplishment.  Identify one accomplishment you are proud of each day.  Make it about YOUR accomplishment, not others.

 

• ONE moment.  Take a moment and pause, reflect, pray, find gratitude or whatever works for you. 

 
Remember it’s only about ONE thing at a time.  May this year be the ONE that you feel and live the life you need, want & deserve.
 

​Music improves language skills, listening skills and social skills.  It can even teach us to better detect emotions in others and to be more empathetic.  Music can make us happier, causing our brain to release dopamine, cortisone and oxytocin – it’s a powerful therapy for the soul.  Try tuning into one or any of the following to amp up your well being:
 
Identify a personal anthem for the day.  Listen to the words and feel the beat and note how you feel.  Re-visit your song selection throughout the day.
 
Try a new station.  Be daring and try a new Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Prime or Apple music station.  You might just be surprised that when you try it, you’ll like it.
 
Go to a concert.  Hearing music live can invigorate our senses as well as connect us with others in the venue.  It’s a win-win.
 
Sing! Belt it our in the shower, while driving or break into a verse with a friend or family member.  Don’t worry about how you sound or even if you know the words, just let it out.
 
Set the Tone. Music can prep us for success.  Playing relaxing music while getting ready for bed, upbeat melodies while cooking and heart-pumping beats while working out all get us in the mood.
 
 
You can be a dancin' or singin' or movin' to the groovin' when you play your music to get out of a funk or to simply fill your soul.

​This is the month for giving thanks.  But what does that really mean to you? So many of us are able to give thanks to others, yet we often forget about recognizing ourselves.  We have so much to be thankful for, but too often overlook ourselves when expressing our gratitude. Here are a few areas to consider giving yourself  some recognition for:
 
 
Contribution – We tend to give so much of our time, energy and resources to our work, family, community and friends.  Pause next time you are contributing to the well being of someone or something and give yourself a moment of recognition.
 
Dedication – You put your heart into many things and that dedication enriches the lives of others.  Now it’s your turn to give yourself some dedicated recognition.
 
Generosity – Give, give, give it’s just what you do.  Be generous and give yourself some recognition for those efforts.  You might be amazed with what you take away.
 
Loyalty – Standing beside someone is what you do.  You’ve got their back and they know it.  Be loyal to yourself, follow your instincts and recognize what you need, want & deserve.
 
Honesty – It’s what we crave from others and it’s what we tend to give to everyone we interact with.  Be honest with yourself and recognize all that you are.
 
 
Thank you for being you.  You are appreciated and now recognized.

Think about what brings you joy.   You know those things guaranteed to get your heart racing and a huge smile across your face. Maximizing your life is about knowing what you want and need and going after it without hesitation, without judgement.  Consider doing any of the following to make “It” happen:
 

• Pause and ask yourself “What do I want?”
• Understand your Why? (Why do I need/want this?)
• Write it down, no matter how silly it may seem
• Post a reminder to yourself
• Listen to your gut
• Set a daily intention that honors your goal
• Share “it “with those closest to you
• Seek help if you are stuck
• Celebrate the small daily victories
• Remember every day is a new opportunity

 
 
It’s time for you to take the reins of your life.  You don’t need permission.  You just need to know that you deserve to have and find joy and fulfillment.

​When Jerry and the band toured, they brought people together.  Deadheads formed a community filled with love, laughter and lots of tie-dye.   If we really take a step back and look at some of what the Grateful Dead accomplished, it was to spread a ton of gratitude…towards one another, towards the band, towards the venue and towards living a life filled with appreciation. That might feel like a stretch, yet when we look at how being grateful can make you happier it all adds up.  Consider the following:

• Expressing gratitude to others makes us resilient
• Feeling grateful can bolster your patience
• Showing our gratitude connects us with others
• Keeping a record of our gratitude cultivates optimism
• Writing to someone to thank them builds stronger bonds

 
Whether you’re a Deadhead or a Partidge Family fan, let’s all come on and get happy by being grateful.

More and more research is being conducted on the benefits of friends, (not to be confused with friends with benefits).  The social, emotional and physical upside to spending quality time with our friends has been proven to improve the quality and length of our lives. Maybe you already knew that.  And if you did, are you following through and making the time for friends?  And if you haven’t made it a priority, now is the time.  Consider doing any of the following:
 
Call a friend and make plans right now
 
Send a hand written note to someone who you think about, but rarely connect with
 
Invite people over and don’t worry about what you serve or how clean your house is
 
Attend something new and ask a friend to join you
 
Go away with a group of friends, and maybe even make it a regular event
 
Seek out opportunities to extend your friend network
 
Introduce one group of friends to another and see what happens
 
Walk with a friend (a personal favorite)
 
Try a new restaurant with a friend or two
 
 
Friends, they’re good for your health, so let’s all reach out, connect and live a little more.