Day 66 Intention ~ Reach Out

Day 66 Intention ~ Reach out (to someone you love)

It has been a crazy few weeks in my little world and I suddenly realized that I haven't spoken to my parents in weeks! So, today, I reached out and called my mom and dad. I have been so wrapped up in work and my life here, that I have literally been ignoring my family/social side of life, besides a few "likes" or comments on Facebook. 

Reconnecting with loved ones. People who know you and love you on a familial level, whether it is friends or blood relatives are so important. Talking to my mom just makes me feel grounded and supported and loved, which during these crazy weeks when I feel overloaded with work, is just what I need. 

So, call a good friend or family member you haven't spoken to in awhile. My guess is that they'll be happy to hear from you.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 65 Intention ~ Start Fresh

Day 65 Intention ~ Start Fresh

Wipe the slate clean. Now, I'm not talking about removing everything from your life, just letting today be a new day. 

When we hold onto things so tightly whether it be emotions, work, certain situations or even other people, we get stuck. We wallow in the past and that leaves us stranded...emotionally and mentally. If we do that for too long, we will also start to see physical repercussions, like back aches, tight shoulders, headaches, even laziness or overeating (or not eating enough)...the list goes on and on. 

So, remember that each day is a new day. Try to wipe the slate clean and give yourself a chance to thrive, live and love! We all deserve that chance. 

Yesterday, I was feeling physically drained, mentally stressed and overworked and just plain tired. This led to me creating a "poor me" situation in my head and feeling like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I ate a healthy meal, went to bed a decent hour and lo and behold, today is like a new dawn!

If you are feeling tired, overworked, stressed, angry, sad, lazy or negative...stop and try to see what you may be holding onto that you don't need anymore. How can you let it go? What has changed in your routine? Diet? Exercise? 

Go to a yoga class, take a run, drink water, eat something healthy and definitely try to get at least 7 hours of sleep. 

My guess is that you will feel like you've wiped the slate clean and can start the new day fresh. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 64 Intention ~ Go with the Flow

Day 64 Intention ~ Go with the Flow

Back to my African quotations calendar...today's reads: "When the drumbeat changes, the dancers must adapt." It is a Burkina Faso proverb and it seems like a good way to go. 

No matter how crazy life gets and which directions we zig and zag throughout the day, we need to learn to bend and not break. 

Just like in yoga. We have to apply strength and flexibility to go deeper into each posture or to open our minds and our hearts. It can be scary sometimes, but if we just let things fall as they may, we are hopefully flexible enough to let them happen organically and strong enough not to let it get to us. 

So, although I feel overwhelmed sometimes by everything going on around me, I just keep plugging away, knowing that it is all for a greater, bigger goal. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 62 Intention - Take a Day of Rest

Day 62 Intention - Take a Day of Rest

Today is Sunday, my only day off and I am taking the day off. After a week of not sleeping well and running myself ragged. It's time to relax, so a few naps and a couple movies later, I am feeling rejuvinated! 

Day 63 Intention ~ Accept That It's Time to Close A Door

Day 63 Intention ~ Accept that it's time to close a door. 

Change, it's not always easy. But, it is constant and necessary. I have needed to close a door in my working world for awhile now and I am accepting today that this needs to get done...today. 

For me, it's not so much that I can't let go, it's more the idea of having the conversation that worries me. It is something that has needed to happen for a long time, but I have been avoiding it because I don't like confrontation. I know that I will approach this situation in a peaceful way, because that is how I like to live my life. Hopefully it remains peaceful. 

Accepting that I cannot continue something because it isn't working for me anymore is huge...for me. I have the tendency to hang on to things way past their expiration date for fear of disappointing others. But, to truly do what is right for me and my happiness, this door needs to close. 

Wish me luck. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 61 Intention ~ Enjoy Community

Day 61 Intention ~ Enjoy Community

In yoga, a group of like-minded individuals is called a satsang. As I scanned across the room in my class this afternoon, I noticed the people. All these beautiful faces, some familiar, some new, all in that space for that 75 minutes for yoga. There were 2 new to me students today that couldn't have been more different from each other, but their smiles resonated the same joy, the same openness, the same light that made them one. Now, I can't begin to know what each of their intentions for class were or what got them to make their way to class today, but they were all there, at the same time, to practice yoga. This is one thing we were all like-minded about, hence creating our own little satsang for that moment in time. It's an amazing thing to share that energy and breath with people that are so open to what you are saying and teaching. 

This evening, I am going out to see some live music. It will be a different sort of satsang I suppose. A group of people in my community, whether I know them or not, that share a love of music, and this band or this style of music. I am hoping to embrace everyone and feel like part of this musical satsang tonight. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 60 Intention ~ Take a Walk

Day 60 Intention ~ Take A Walk

March in Cleveland. The beginning of the month starts just as cold and snowy as the rest of winter usually, but for most people, myself included, the winter doldrums have set in. Long passed are those feelings of excitement over the first snow or how pretty everything looks with the holiday lights on the houses outside. The excitement of a new year. Now, I'm dreaming of Spring and a little bit of warmth on my shoulders. 

What tends to go along with the winter doldrums is a feeling a just tiredness, stiffness, and exhaustion. Thanks to my beloved dog, George, he gets me out of the house each day (well, almost everyday) to take him on a walk. George doesn't get the winter doldrums. He loves the snow. And, as I drag my feet putting my boots back on, wrapping my scarf around my neck, getting bundled up for our journey, I let out a sigh and we go. But, as we walk outside in the brisk air, I start to perk up. I feel motivation return and my mind start to clear again. My breath deepens and I feel energized. Doing the complete opposite of how I was feeling inside has given me more energy to conquer the rest of my day! 

Amazing what a little exercise, Mother Nature and a persistent loving Lab can do to one's day.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia