We are one month in, how is your year going so far?  Are you frustrated over a ridiculous resolution you set for yourself or are you on track to make gradual changes throughout the year?  What do you really want? In our pursuit of a deeper sense of life fulfillment, we often gloss over the everyday joys.  These come from doing more of what you value,  allowing you to notice the small pleasures already in your days.  Consider adding one or all of these questions to your morning ritual:
 
1) How can I connect with others today?
            - Reaching out to our friends, family, planning something special for someone or any way we can nurture our relationships can brings us a deep sense of joy.  Remember, it doesn’t have to be a big deal, the small stuff often creates deeper meaning.
 
2) What will give me a sense of purpose today?
            - Hold a door open for someone, truly thank someone, listen(really listen) to your  partner or child, mentor a co-worker, donate something, cook extra and share it with a neighbor, send a card.  Doing one small thing of value is an instant boost.
 
3) What will make me feel healthy today?

• A walk, stretching before bed, sipping green tea, packing a snack, moisturizing, dressing well, pausing?  What ever it is, just do it – make it and yourself a priority.

 
Start your day by setting yourself up for personal success, meaning and fulfillment.  It is as simple as 1, 2, 3

​Raise your glass, or your mug and drink for better health.  Water rules when it comes to hydrating, but the choices below have some extra benefits and flavor.  Consider adding one, some or all to sip smarter and healthier:
 
Tart Cherry Juice – it’s rich in melatonin, the same hormone that tells your body when it’s time to go to sleep.  Sip some in the morning and before bed and you may just sleep longer and more soundly.
 
Milk – sure the mustache is fun, but the vitamin D packed beverage might play a role in fighting type 2 diabetes by helping your cells absorb glucose better, keeping your blood sugar in check.  Sip some milk, slightly warmed with a pinch of cinnamon and a bit of honey before bed or go old school & enjoy dunking a cookie in some cold milk
 
Coffee- it’s a magic elixir for many when consumed simply and in moderation. Coffee is linked with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, heart disease & some cancers.  Sip some in the morning to get your day and your system revved and ready for the day.
 
Maple Water – it’s the new coconut water.  Some research shows Maple water may have a few health benefits, due to maple syrup containing more than 50 different phytonutrients, including polyphenols and lignans. Some of these compounds have been shown to have anti-cancer properties in lab studies.  Sip some soon and see if you will join the trend.
 
Green Tea- go green! It contains l-theanine, an amino acid that can help with brain health.  Sip some in a quiet place for a sense of relaxation.
 
Sip, sip hooray. Cheers to you and your health!

It’s the time of year that we might be thinking about health benefits.  What do we want, need or deserve?  What can we expect?  As you ponder the benefits you have experienced this year, here are a few more to consider.  Focus on one, some or all and the healthy benefits you get in return will certainly be a bonus:
 
Fruit with Benefits:
Apples – Full of antioxidants named flavonoids, which may lower the risk of developing diabetes or asthma
Bananas- Potassium rich which helps fight cramps & may help lower blood pressure
Grapes - Contain resveratrol, an antioxidant that may help prevent heart disease by reducing blood pressure levels and lowering the risk of blood clots.
 
Fun with Benefits:
Go ahead, do something silly or maybe even a bit crazy.  Stretching our comfort zone when it comes to having fun provides us with a sense of wonder, adventure and maybe even a bit of an adrenaline boost.
 
Flavor with Benefits:
Tumeric – contains curcumin, an antioxidant that research suggests may help relieve joint pain by fighting inflammation
Cayenne Pepper – capsaicin, found in whole or ground red chile peppers, may help fight cholesterol.  It also encourages blood vessels to loosen up and relax, which in turn lowers blood pressure.
Parsley – packed with vitamin K, which is a must for healthy bones
 
Friends with Benefits (no, not that kind or maybe that kind):
Connecting with others prevents loneliness and has been proven to contribute to longevity.  Spending time with positive people promotes positivity in your life.  Find friends that you share healthy interests with and it’s another bonus!
 
Enjoy your benefits – you deserve them and so much more.

​Our lives are filled with lots of activities, actions and accomplishments.  We stuff our schedules, often leaving no time for ourselves.  At this time of the year, we challenge you to stuff your schedule with things that nurture you, your body, your mind and your spirit.  Consider any or all of the following personal stuffing “recipes”:
 
 
Rest – Give yourself a break.  Schedule it in your calendar.
 
Reflection – Pause and think about the positives in your life.
 
Reading – Even a page or two counts.
 
Renewing – Do whatever makes you feel like you. 
 
Reaching Out – Don’t think too much about it, just call that someone.
 
Remembering – Give yourself permission to remember someone or an experience and take the inspiration of the memory into the present.
 
Writing – Pick up an actual pen and write something or someone.  It’s old school, but the words may flow in a way that surprise and delight you.
 
 
Individualize your stuffing recipe for what you need, want & deserve right now.
 

Three down and 1 to go.  Are you winning or getting walloped?  Do you even know your score?   We are entering the last quarter of 2017, it’s not too late to finish the year strong.  Take a few minutes to ask yourself any or all of the following questions:
 
What have I accomplished so far this year?
 
How did I do against the intentions/goals/resolutions I set for myself 9 months ago?
 
What do I still want, need and deserve to do for myself in 2017?
 
What do I want more of?
 
What do I want to devote more energy or time to the next 3 months?
 
What do I want to let go of?
 
There’s still time.  Make this quarter count and finish the year aware, accountable, and aligned with your best self. 

It’s back to school time.  As adults we have an opportunity to put a unique twist to this time of year. Make this year’s back to school a back to you time. Try the assignment below, it can serve you well and no test will follow. Grab a notebook, a pencil, pen or marker and answer the following questions:
 
What have been your accomplishments, achievements and wins – big and small- from this year so far?  
 
What would you like to add to these by year-end?
 
What could benefit from some extra time, energy and focus? 
 
What, if anything do you want to let go of?
 
 
Now you have your answers, it’s back to you and time to decide how you would like this year to end.

It’s summer.  We crave the many benefits of this season, but in reality it’s hot, humid and sticky.  To best enjoy all that this season has to bring us, consider incorporating one or all of the following tips into your healthy summer lifestyle:
 
 
Stay away from the stove – that’s right, step away from the stove.  Summer is not the time to whip up a piping hot casserole or roast chicken. Instead, enjoy cool, room-temperature dishes (salads are clutch) to avoid generating any more heat in the house.
 
Exercise with a splash – everybody in the pool!  Jump, swim, walk, stretch or just have fun moving in the cool, refreshing water.
 
Cheers – drink plenty of water. Hydration helps your body move blood to the surface more efficiently, and it allows you to sweat.  
 
Sleep like a hibernating bear- or at least make your bedroom feel like a cave.  Keep it cool (high 60’s to low 70’s), dark and comfortable.
 
Look like a movie star – don’t leave the house without a hat or sunglasses.  Try a movie-star-esque hat with a wide brim. The CDC recommends 3 inches or wider to safely shield your face and neck.  Protect your eyes with a pair of cool shades.
 
Chill out – take it easy.  Relax in a hammock, read a book in the shade, play a board game, listen to music, be in the moment and feel the stress and heat melt away.
 
 
This summer stay cool and be cool.

​We tend to celebrate the big moments in our lives.  Birthdays, graduations, weddings, awards  and anniversaries.  We stop and take time to recognize the occasion and mark it in a unique way.  What about celebrating ourselves on a more regular and micro level?  Consider one or all of the following to acknowledge your personal success, progress and or simply being:
 

• Cheers – Raise a glass of water and toast something you have done today
• Hat – Wear a hat, any hat, and as you take it off, think hats off to me!
• Card – Write yourself a little note, ok a post-it note is fine, and remind yourself of something you love.  I  heart _________________
• Dress Up – Wear your favorite color or shirt or jeans or sneakers or whatever.  When we feel good, we look good
• Sing- Belt it out (in the shower, in your car, in your house or in the middle of a big crowd) a song that could be your personal mantra

 
Any day can be a celebration-you are worth it! Congratulations,

​We all have our imperfections.   This isn’t the same as being broken or enduring a Humpty Dumpty moment, unable to put ourselves’ back together according to Donald Altman, author of One Minute Mindfulness. It also doesn’t mean that we are weak or incapable.  When we accept that we each have our individual limitations, we can progress beyond perfection. Today more than ever, we need humility and understanding to help restore harmony and to find sustainable ways of living in peace, love and health.  Consider the following practice:
 
Forget trying to do it all, to be perfect and become present to the way you are and the way things are – imperfections and all. 
 
Take a moment to let some light shine through something that is not perfect in your life.  This could mean that you let go of selfish or selfless behavior in some way or that you think differently about how to consume or how to act toward another. 
 
With this greater sensitivity and clarity,  you can acknowledge your cracks and imperfections and your world truly a better, deeper real place.
 
Lets’ all be perfectly imperfect.