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So many people lately have been noticing my laid back attitude and my zen mood.  Sure, it's probably since I now have a place of my own but it's also because I've been making a conscious effort to meditate and be more aware of everything in my life. 

1\\ I Enjoy Quiet
There are plenty of little spaces in my home where I can go to have peace and quiet and just reflect on my thoughts.   Sometimes I go on the screened-in porch to enjoy the sounds of nature.  Other times I will go into my "get ready room" and just stare at the ceiling.   Either way, I allow myself safe spaces in my home to just be.  

2\\ I Take In Everything Around Me
Whenever I'm stuck in traffic or waiting in line at the store, I will take a deep breathe and start observing the world around me.  I take in everything other people do, and find cute "aww" moments when I can.  I try to be present that way rather than just get on my phone or text whenever I have to wait.


3\\ I Take Zen Energy Everywhere I Go
I've also been embracing more peaceful jewelry.  The above is my Peace & Balancing Love Mala from House of Jaguar.  It has Rhodochrosite which balances and enhances love on all levels.  It calms excessive passions and brings balance and clarity by eliminating inner conflict and promoting compassion and intuition.  

I just love the attention to detail.   House of Jaguar Jewelry represents elements of spirituality and ancientness that inspire and combine ancient wisdom, modern spirituality, and empirical beauty.  It's a great way to express yourself and keep a reminder with you at all times of what your mindset should be.  Their jewelry is created to celebrate the ancient cultures around the world and their indigenous wisdom.  The beads, pendants, and amulets are hand made in remote villages in Thailand, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Nepal, and Tibet.  The jewelry is assembled by hand in Nepture Beach, Florida.   The reason I love 108 beaded Malas so much is because they are a set of beads that has been historically used by Buddhists and Hindus.  They are used for keeping count while reciting a mantra from the ancient Sanskrit language.  And each mala comes with a piece of paper that has information about it's healing properties and the suggested mantra to use with it.  They use specific healing stones and positive energy in them.  My mantra was Om Mani Padme Hum which contains the essence of Buddhist teaching and it's said that reciting it will not only benefit me but all living creatures.  House of Jaguar also has bracelets.  No matter what you choose I promise this will help energize you deep inside if you let it!

What ways do you stay calm and focused in this crazy world?

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How To Get Your $h!t Together in 2015

We say it EVERY YEAR, that we are going to get our crap together and be better, healthier, stronger, and happier in the new year.   But of course it's easier said than done.  So I put together a list of things that everyone can choose to work on to make not only a better world around you, but a better person inside and out.


//Be More Active
[]Whether you start running a mile each day or you just take 10 flights of stairs every morning and evening at work, start being more active than you already are. 
[]Go out and shop for some workout clothing so you look forward to everything more. 
[]Start scheduling your days and weeks out so that you write down what you want to do and when.  
[] Use a fitness journal to track all of your activities. It helps hold you accountable and it makes you feel so accomplished! You can buy an actual fitness journal at the store, or just start keeping a log in a notebook you already own. Write down what you did, when, for how long, and how it made you feel before during and after. 
[] Go out and get the equipment you need to stay active like a bike, weights, or rubberbands.  You can't be more active if you don't have the supplies you need.  I find that using a jumprope makes me enjoy fitness more so I made sure to go buy one from the store. 

//Be Healthier
[]Start logging what you eat in a food journal.  Write down what you ate, how much, when you ate it, and how you felt that day.  This also helps you notice patterns in your life. 
[] Stop buying preserved foods that are loaded with icky things.  Stay away from boxed and frozen foods and either buy fresh or learn to cook so you can eat things in the purest form.
[]Take multivitamins. Seriously. 
[] Stop washing your hair everyday and take more vitamins to help it grow. Also, stop using heat on it all the time. Even I do it, and I blogged about how I run daily and keep a minimum hairwash routine. 
[]Work on cutting back on any unhealthy habit like smoking or drinking excessively.

//Be Financially Healthy
[] Get on a Budget. Remember, budgets aren't for broke people, they are for smart people that manage their money and control where every dollar goes. 
[] Use a cash envelope system. You are much more likely to spend impulsively when you use cash versus a debit card.  Also, you can make mini savings funds for different things like a car envelope where you put $20 in the envelope each paycheck.  It all adds up overtime. 
[] Track your spending so you know where everything goes and you can quickly see what can be cut back. 
[] Embrace the idea that less is more and you don't need tons of "stuff" to make you happy. Try embracing events rather than items.  A concert will leave great memories behind, for example. 

//Start Living[]Create a Bucket List.  I have a 30 Before 30 List.  It doesn't have to be crazy or anything but just things you'd like to get done in life, like take a vacation somewhere, learn to meditate, spend more time with friends, etc. 
[] Learn to meditate.  You don't have to do anything formal, just learn to sit and clear your mind.  You know when you catch yourself staring at something and zoning out?  Well, start doing that more often, intentionally.   Lay on your bed in silence and just stare at the ceiling and try to keep your mind calm.  When a thought comes through imagine yourself just waving it away. 
[] Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Not only are these good karma, but it makes the world a better place.  Pay for the person's coffee behind you in line, leave a 100% tip on your next bill, shovel someones driveway that you know struggles to do it on their own. Don't be afraid to share your random acts of kindness on social media either, it often helps motivate others to do the same!
[] Be more positive and less critical.  Look at the good in each situation.  So what, your alarm didn't go off but hey you got an extra hour of sleep.  
[] Work on keeping an open mind and let things go. Instead of getting all worked up in a traffic jam, realize that it is completely beyond your control, so just take advantage of the extra time to phone a friend and chat, or jam out to a song on the radio. 

//Get Organized
[] Make a list of different rooms to purge and dedicate a day or evening to each one (bedroom, bathroom, Kitchen).
[] Make 3 piles every time you purge - Keep, pitch, donate.
[] Get an agenda and write down all of the daily tasks you need to do as well as planning for down time and fitness.
[] Embrace minimalism when you purge books, DVDs, CDs, and clothing. Not only will your home look better with clearer spaces but you won't feel so overwhelmed with all that stuff. 
[] Keep things in clear plastic bins with labels on them.  This way, you can see where things are and what they are.  It's also easier to store plastic bins, even tiny ones, when you are putting them in a closet.  
[] Arrange your closet in an organized fashion.  Use small thing velvet hangers and enforce the One in One out rule.  You can only put a new item in if you are willing to get rid of something old. 


I hope you have a fantastic New Years and make sure you share some of the things you want to work on in 2015 below!

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Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry Review & *Giveaway* Ends 11/1

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Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry is an artisan mala company. The mala artist is Jacqueline Medalye who designs each piece herself. She takes so much attention to the details and quality craftsmanship. Mala Beads are used during meditation and each mala has a different intention. I have been meditating on a regular basis and it has been important for me to find the appropriate mala for my life. To use mala beads, you sit in a cross legged position and close your eyes and just focus on your breathing and your mantra. You hang the first mala bead on your middle or ring finger of your right hand and then place your thumb on the guru bead which is the bead at the base of each mala, near the tassel. Then you begin reciting your mantra. At the end of the mantra you push the mala bead away with your thumb and you go onto the next bead. The energy of mala beads in actually influenced by the process of making them so Jacqueline ensures each piece is made with love only during a peaceful state of mind. The studio is in Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. It's actually on top of a large quartz rock and as legend goes, quartz is a source of healing energy and intuition in the community. Jacqueline has practiced yoga for 10 years and has been making beaded jewelry for even longer. I received a Daisy Mala from Jacqueline at Salt Spring Malas & Yoga Jewelry. This mala is gorgeous and so amazing to me. It's made from 108 white quartz and apatite mala beads and has a gorgeous one of a kind artisan crafted pendant by Creative Flow. These beads are ideal for purification, protection, and uplifting moods. The quartz is said to improve sprituality and it's energy is protective. When I meditate with this gorgeous mala I feel very happy, in fact I have never felt as happy and uplifted inside while meditating until the first time I used this right after it came in the mail!! I love the beautiful daisy flower design on the pendant. The deep blue is vibrant and the flower is beautifully detailed. I wrap this and wear it as a bracelet a day or two during the week.

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