Opening Up, Following Your Gut and Enjoying Everyday Life: The October Wrap-up

10 Daily Habits That Keep Me Healthy and Sane.

Life can be fast, chaotic, stressful and beautiful all at once. Here are some things I do to stay grounded– it’s all about progress, not perfection!

Hi-five cosmic excellence. I try to remember all of the things I’m grateful for in my life (and not in my life), especially when I’m having a poor me moment or feeling all around crappy. Gratitude works like an inner fire extinguisher that can douse even the worst of depression flare ups. Being thankful is a powerful equalizer. More…

Opening Up: 3 Paths To Liberation. {And How I Survived Heartbreak.}

I went through a really bad breakup a few years ago. Everyone experiences heart break at some point in their life and this one was a doozy. We were engaged, we lived together, we were planning for a future, and then all of a sudden…we weren’t. It was not pretty–there were lots of tears and hard conversations and promises to myself of ‘never again!’ It was an experience that ushered me into a new space: closed off and numb. More…

The Warts of Worry. {And How You Can Avoid Them.}

I have a confession to make: I am a recovered worrier. I used to fret about things I couldn’t control, things I could control, even things that didn’t concern me. Can you relate?

Then one day in college, I missed half of a HUGE presentation for my senior project: I overslept my alarm (hello worst scenario, ever!) I arrived in the classroom a panicked and disheveled mess thinking: how will I ever fix this? It turns out over-sleeping the presentation inspired my group members to get creative, and in the end we got an A- for the project and our improvisational skills. More…

How To Follow Your Gut Instincts. {What Cues Are You Listening To?}

Gut instincts: we all have them. But do we always let them guide us? Call it a spidey sense or women’s intuition, following your gut is a great barometer for making decisions.

Last year around May, I started feeling a little strange: I was shaky when I got up in the morning, I felt foggy and I was always tired. I had talked to my doctor before about always feeling run-down and we chalked it up to my active lifestyle.

So when these new symptoms popped up, I got a full blood work up to see what was going on. When she ordered the normal blood tests, I’m not sure why, but I asked her to test my thyroid. I had no history of thyroid issues, neither did anyone in my family (it’s often hereditary) but something in me wanted to dig a little deeper, so I just went with it. More…

Enjoying Everyday Life. {Even When There’s Laundry To Do.}

I was catching up with a dear friend on the phone the other day, and after running through the latest news in each of our lives, I asked her again, “So how are you, really?“ She took a deep breath and replied, “I have so many wonderful things going on in my life, but sometimes I’m just going through the motions and not even experiencing the moment. I want to enjoy everything, but I’m so tired.”

Although our lives are on different tracks right now, I understood completely–she has a house to run, a business to help, kids to raise–the list goes on. They’re all amazing blessings, but understandably, she’s overwhelmed. More…

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The Warts of Worry. {And How You Can Avoid Them.}

I have a confession to make: I am a recovered worrier. I used to fret about things I couldn’t control, things I could control, even things that didn’t concern me. Can you relate?

I realized that the stuff I worried about? It rarely happened. And when it did come to pass? It always seemed to work out, especially with options I never even considered. So why was I worrying when it was getting me nowhere?These are some of the thoughts that now keep me off worry control and help me move forward:

:: Don’t make worrying a sport; it’s often such a familiar and habitual behavior that we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Consider other options: If you are always in the worst-possible-scenario mindset, you can’t be open to the other great possibilities that could arise.

:: That projection of what might happen holds you emotionally hostage. You’re not a better friend, partner or parent if you worry more. Are you feeling concerned about someone? Worry dissipates when we give attention and love to the situation. Let them know, send them good vibes, come up with helpful solutions. Churning over ‘what if’ scenarios isn’t helpful to anyone. Take action to improve the situation.

:: Pay attention to what is happening in your life. Worrying can be a place to escape–check in with yourself and claim responsibility for what you’re avoiding. The fallacy of worry is that it’s productive, but all it does is rob us of peace. Make an effort to move forward by leaving the past and future where they are.

:: Having faith can provide great relief from worry. Nature, God, Buddha, whatever your dharma is, know that you are being divinely guided.

Action cures worry.

Next time you start wringing those hands and your mind begins to race with possible harrowing scenarios, make a choice to either do something to quell your anxiety or let go of what you can’t control. Understand that these fluctuations are just the ebb and flow of this beautiful life. How can you ride the wave?

That senior project cemented for me that worrying was a waste of time because we can’t possibly know or understand all of the outcomes that are possible. And I’m thankful for that.

What would your life be like if you worried less and acted more?

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