While we were having breakfast before he head to work, he told me how proud he was that I really take care of my body.  This came as a little shock to me because it is such a routine I really don’t think it is anything special.

The power of a word has is often forgotten.  The words we use to communicate can totally change the meaning of a conversation and can ultimately become a reality.  What we tell ourselves can alter our mindset and change our conscious way of thinking.  I believe what we say and how we communicate to others is who we are and who we become.

Using words to elevate mood or positivity is a wonderful way to passively make your day or someone else’s day better. My four power words are:


Yes is one of the most positives words in the English dictionary.  Why not say yes to opportunities, to new adventures, new friends, or a new change.  I believe that “yes” is empowers people to become social butterflies and have better social success.  By saying yes, people are automatically drawn to you and want to be around you.  So why not, say YES.


Acknowledging others generosity by saying thank you, not only makes them feel good but also makes you feel grateful.  Saying please and thank you go a long way.  Recognizing hard work and kindness mean more than just the words you are using but making sure the kind others actions did not go unnoticed.  Society is constantly in high gear, making forgetting to say thank you very common. Take the extra two breaths and make a point to thank people.

There is always a possibility.  When you truly believe there is a possibility, anything can happen. When setting goals, the first step is realizing there is a possibility it can happen and creating the steps you need to make it a reality.  Everything is possible when you believe and work towards your goal.


Verbalize when you are feeling fortunate.  People who recognize how fortunate they are, are typically happier than those who do not.  I make sure I take time out of every day to journal about my daily life and how thankful and fortunate I am to have lived another incredible day.  Whenever I am feeling down about some I look back at everything I am fortunate to have and I realize my problems are so small compared to those around me.  Acknowledge how fortunate you are.

Do not forget how powerful words are.  

Whether you are having a conversation, thinking to yourself, or writing; words have to power to change a preexisting idea or thought.  I use words to bring positivity and happiness into the world.  How will your words affect others around you?

Namaste

Anita

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today is a day to feel thankful and grateful for everything our beautiful world has created for us to live a wonderful life. 

Today I am sure you will hear, I am thankful for this and I am thankful for that all day long, but I want to focus on how thankful I am for the things that I might complain about.  I know I have complained about laundry and how much I had to do, but I should be thankful for it.  I am thankful for the laundry because it means I have plenty of clothes to wear.




This morning I really put my head into that mindset and dug deep.  When you think about the little things that we complain about in the big picture, it seems so minuscule and petty.  I almost felt embarrassed for the little things that I take for granted that are really luxuries.

I made a list of the things I am grateful for-

• I am thankful for the dishes that I have to wash, because it means I ate and am not going hungry.
• I am thankful for my electric bill, because I have lights and heat at home.
• I am thankful for changing the sheets, because it means I have a bed to sleep in.
• I am thankful for reading and the books I want to ready, because it means I am literate.
• I am thankful I have to pay for gas and new tires, because it means that I don’t have to walk miles a day to get where I need to go.
• I am thankful for finding a parking spot in the very last row, because it means that I don’t have to park in the handicapped space because I can walk.
• I am thankful I need to clean my house, because it means that I am plenty.
• I am thankful for all the Christmas cards I need to send soon, because I have so many loving family and friends that care about our lives.
• I am thankful I need to clean the house windows, because it means I have a roof over my head.
• I am thankful I question the future and my purpose in life, because life can be cut short any day.
• I am thank full for all my yoga students, family, and friends that make my life so much more rich and fulfilling.

I have so much to be thankful for that I don’t have anything to complain about.  I am so fortunate to live such a wonderful life with my partner and friends.  This thanksgiving besides focusing on the big picture things we are thankful for, lets acknowledge the little things we are truly fortunate to have.

Happy thanksgiving,

Namaste

Anita

Being a positive person and having a positive attitude has always been very important to me.  I strive to live a life a happiness and positivity.  Everyone has a choice to be positive when they wake up and start each day.  When we allow negativity to take up the smallest amount of time, a minute, we lose 60 seconds of happiness.
I believe we have the power to consciously develop the habit of thinking positively and spreading it to those around us.  Through positive actions and thought processes, we can subconsciously teach other people how to be positive and treat others with positivity.


Here are my tips and suggestions to being a positive person and spreading the wealth to all those around.

1. Reduce the stress in your life. Being stressed allows negative energy to contaminate your mind and change the way you think.  When I am beginning to feel stressed I take a moment and give thanks for everything I have.  It is my way of reducing the source of stress and being able to see how small that source is compared to the good things.

2. Having positive friends means more positive energy.  When you are surrounded by positive people it is easy to remain positive.  I have many friends that have the same views and am so thankful every time I get together with them they bring even more positivity into my life.

3. My partner is anotheer source of my positivity.  Love has a funny way of making people do irrational things, he completes me and makes me so happy.  Finding love, whether from a significant other, family, friends, is an additive supplement to living a positive life.

4. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective of the world.  Being able to see the big picture helps identify solutions to negative situations.  Negative people only see the world through a pin hole that focuses on the problems.  Being positive and open to new experiences aids in personal growth and knowledge.

5. Positive thoughts make better, more productive work habits.  When I am in a good mood I am able to get a lot done compared to it I am in a bad mood.  Productivity has been proven to increase with a positive attitude and a happy life.

There is no reason not to be positive and see the world with an open heart.  Take time out of every day to be thankful and focus on bringing positivity into the world.

Namaste.

It is easy to make goals but when it comes down to it, getting motivated is the hardest part. It is really easy to procrastinate and avoid situations that will take a long time or be challenging.  Motivation, the emotion, technically doesn't exist.  It is just a combination of emotions like desire, fear, and hope.

When beginning a journey to reach a new goal or dream, motivation is key to success.



Here are 10 steps I use to get motivated-

1. Get positive.  I can’t remember a time I got anything done when I was in a bad mood.  Positivism is the ingredient to a happy, healthy, and productive life.

2. Have a plan of attack.  I find it very useful to define each step along the way to get to the ultimate goal.  When I know where I am going and have to do, it is easy to plan ahead knowing I am one step closer.

3. Kick start your day.  I think that planning is so important.  When you know what to expect the next day it is easy to build momentum to carry through the days to come.  Feel motivated the moment you open your eyes in the morning.

4. Find a mantra that fits the goal.  Find a few words or statements that drive you in life and towards your goal.  It can be anything.  I like, “do everything you can today, tomorrow isn’t a guarantee.”


5. Make working towards your goal fun.  Doing something that you think is “fun” has so much more of a positive stigma that doing something just to do it.  The second I decide to make something fun, I automatically am more positive and motivated.

6. Find something or someone who inspires you.  I like using quotes to motivate me to do better and work harder.  I write my favorite quotes in my journal so that every time I open it to write, I see them.  I also look for inspiration in people.

7. Reward yourself when making progress.  I always make sure when I accomplish a milestone along the way I reward myself with something that will continue to motivate me.  Treating myself is one of my favorite ways to stay motivated. :)

8. Positive peer pressure makes me stay on track to reach my goals.  My partner is my best peer pressure.  When we commit to doing something, he always makes sure that I follow through and stay motivated.  I do the same for him.  I suggest finding friends that want the similar thing and motivate each other.

9. Don’t let one setback be the end of it.  It is easy to get discouraged when on a long path to a goal.  It is so important not to let one step back dampen your motivation.  I look at steps back as a chance to get better and have more confidence.



10. Take personal pride in what you are doing.  When I really commit to something, it is so much easier to stay motivated.  When I know of what the end result is going to be I focus on that, and all the negativity and procrastination get overruled by the positivism.

Believing you can is the best motivation.  “I think I can, I think I can” is not just something the little train said, it has meaning and can help stay motivated.  Developing a desire, confidence, staying focused, and maintaining motivation are all the key components to successfully reach your goal.

Namaste.

A few weeks ago I went to a yoga training course and the topic of theming classes came up in conversation.  Theming classes has never been my main emphasis is classes but I do theme them subconsciously.



To me theming classes consists of the way I speak, the words I choose to use, the pose sequences, and adjustments all make each one of my classes unique to my style.  Compassion, grace, perseverance, and courage are all themes I consider when I am teaching a traditional class as my authentic self.

Although, I often let my subconscious guide the way the theme of the class goes, I sometimes intentionally set a theme for class.  I do this by creating a playlist by choosing a word or a holiday and searching for songs to base it off of.  Sometimes I chose a value or word and focus on that intention through the entire class.  I also sometimes pick an experience that will benefit my students.

Here is a list of some idea’s I have come up with to create a class theme-

• Holiday playlists

• Experiences-
o Exploring the feeling of being still- even while moving
o Seeing the body from every angle and every muscle
o Every action has an equal and opposite reaction- Newton’s Third law of Motion

• Focus on each part of the body and how it feels in a single pose
• Keeping drishti on the third eye throughout class

• Inspiring quotes
o “Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.” –Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk
o “Life is beautiful because of you.”
o “The highest spiritual practice is self-observation without judgment.” –Swami Kripalu


It is not important that my students realize that there is a theme to the class; but that the intention and energy are subconsciously expressed through movement and emotion.  I don’t put a huge emphasis on theming but it will always happen regardless if I do it intentionally or not.

Yoga is about the subconscious benefits.

Namaste.