2010 Has Come to An End

This time last year my sole resolution was to make 2009 the best year I could make it. I decided to live every day to its fullest (trite, yet effective), and all in all I had a wonderful year...  

• I started a blog, inspired by the awesomeness of a great blog a friend shared with me.
• I was able to let go of some things in my past, and find a peace within myself that I hadn't had in a long time.
• I started new relationships with positive, astounding people, who have already taught me so much.
• My yoga practice grew exponentially, changing me in too many ways to list.
• I grew spiritually.
• Literally every day I learned something new about life, love, other people, spirituality, yoga.

So, it's time to make some resolutions for next year. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging. But some things are just better not posted on the Internet for all to see. With that considered, I'll share some of my resolutions for the coming year, which I will also blog about as the days pass...

• I resolve to have more compassion, empathy, and love for others.
• I heard on a podcast last week (by Tara Brach) a suggestion of committing to meditate at least 15 minutes per day for 30 days, and see how my mind changes. This is my first resolution.
• I resolve to watch even less television than I did in 2009 (another last-minute resolution from ending-'08), and to not start watching a new show that I don't already record to my DVR. TV is great, but in 2010 I want to be a more productive member of society, and not know the names of all of the characters from NBC's new hit shows.
• For years I've made physical resolutions for myself that were nearly unobtainable (to have a six pack within so many months, etc). This year I am going to choose 10 yoga poses that I struggle with, and plan to (hopefully) master them by year end. More blogging on this to come.
• I resolve to rid the clutter in my life, including in my home, in my relationships, in my mind, and in my activities.

Thank you for reading my blog. As I've said before, my intentions for this blog are to to share with others information I've learned or found to be helpful in my own life, and also to communicate and build relationships with like-minded people who follow my blog and would like to connect. This still stands true. I hope that in 2009 you enjoyed the start of this blog, and will continue to read my blog in 2010, as well.

Do you have any suggestions for what you'd like for me to blog about? (Fitness, Nutrition, Vegan Living, Recipes, Yoga?) I look forward to 2010, and trust that it will be a great year for growth, new friendships, and for focusing on the meaningful moments in life. Shouldn't each moment mean something?

Words to Live By

"Laugh when your eyes are burning
Smile when your heart is filled with pain
Sigh as you brush away your sorrow
Make a vow, that it's not gonna happen again"

- Paul McCartney

So what is considered a "good carb?"

Carbs. Our bodies all crave them from time to time, and much to the dismay of carb-cutting weight loss trends, carbohydrates are actually a vital part of our diets. When most of us think of "carbs," bread is probably the first thing to pop into our minds. Did you know that fruits and vegetables are also a good source of carbohydrates? True story.

I came across a great article about carbohydrates published by Harvard School of Public Health that I think is well worded and worth sharing with you on my blog:

"The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.

"Five Quick Tips for Adding Good Carbs to Your Diet:

1. Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like old-fashioned oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.

2. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks.

3. Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner.

4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice.

5. Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein."

So yes, if you're trying to watch your waistline, personally I wouldn't recommend loading up on the buttery, cholesterol-laden dinner rolls that come to your table at some fancy restaurants. But loading up on good carbs is a smart idea. By simply trading out good carbs for the processed, sugary, white bread in your diet, you'll feel leaner, be healthier, still enjoy the taste, and have more energy.

Words to Live By

"You know quite well, deep within you, that there is only a single magic, a single power, a single salvation...and that is called loving. Well, then, love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. It is your aversion that hurts, nothing else."

- Hermann Hesse

Chiseling away at the non-essentials.

2010 is almost upon us. Most people I know (including myself) will make some sort of resolutions for the new year. It's a new year, clean slate, a chance to make one's self better in some way.

I like to start each day this way, not just in the new year. Don't get me wrong -- I've set some resolutions for myself in 2010, too. But it's important that I remind myself that each new day is a chance to make myself a better person; to learn from the mistakes I've made in the past, and try to not repeat them again by changing my mindset and behavior. It's also important that I remind myself to take these changes a step at a time, a day at a time. It's like the saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day."

In light of the time of new year resolutions, I wanted to share something I read this morning, written by Bruce Lee:

"In building a statue, a sculptor doesn't keep adding clay to his subject. Actually, he keeps chiseling away at the non-essentials until the truth of his creation is revealed without obstruction."

Many of us in this world set high goals for ourselves, and push ourselves way too hard, trying to achieve perfection. This unrealistic mindset can be true for many behaviors: in our professional lives, in keeping our houses clean, in trying to lose weight or achieve the "perfect" body, in our relationships.

This year, try to meet your goals and tackle resolutions one day at a time, having patience with yourself, and without self-judgement. To me, the coming of a new year can be great, when people worldwide have a mindset to positively change themselves in one way or another. As Bruce Lee so eloquently put it, just keep chiseling away at the non-essentials until your true self is revealed, without obstruction.