Posts tagged choice

emotions are like a cup of tea…

Lately I’ve been making a conscious effort to drop everything that’s weighing me down and simply find the freedom that lies in happiness. I’ve found that the more I notice and take joy in the little things (the sun beaming through my window, a beautiful surprise message from a friend), the more happiness seems to surround me.

Emotions are a lot like a cup of tea, really - the more you let them steep, the stronger and more potent they become. This goes for happiness, sadness, anger, guilt, you name it. So the question is: what type of tea will you choose to drink today? Because every morning you wake up, you have a choice as to how you want to approach life that day. Not only do your experience shape you, but you have the power to shape your experiences. Remember this.

(via julialeeyoga)

Taking Care of Ourselves

There is clearly nothing more important than our health.  Without it, we can not fully experience and enjoy all the beauty life offers.  That is why it never ceases to amaze me how low a priority we make taking care of ourselves. 

The most common excuses are time, energy and money.  We don’t have time to cook ourselves a meal or pack a lunch.  Our days are long and stressful, so we don’t get out and move.  It costs too much money to pay for exercise options or the more healthy food options available to us.  The sad reality, though, is that we are simply transferring the time, energy and money from staying healthy to healing our sickness and disease. 

I understand how hard it is, and for me, it takes a daily commitment and consistent effort to make more healthful choices.  It’s not about denying ourselves pleasures; Lord knows I love to indulge in margaritas and chips & guacamole.  Our indulgences should just be recognized as such and then balanced with a healthy choice.  Eat that piece of fruit instead of the sweet, go on a walk during your lunch break, take the stairs instead of the elevator.  The little choices add up, and before we know it, we’re making more choices that take care of ourselves. 

Yoga is a gift of health that I give to myself.  I did not do yoga for several years because of the cost, and then I shifted my perspective away from what it took from me to what I was getting in return.  It is challenging to take the 90 minutes for a class out of a long day, but I know how much better I feel mentally and emotionally, as well as physically, with a regular yoga practice.  Your gift of health may not be yoga, but whatever it is, it is necessary.  Give yourself something that celebrates the gift of your body, for it is the ultimate source of the joy you receive from life.