Make it a Great Day

"Have a great day"...... we hear and say this phrase a lot. Sometimes it has become an automatic greeting or a place holder to an awkward silence. However, my dear friend sent me a message the other day, correcting herself in this common phrase. She wrote, "actually, I meant to say, make it a great day. That way no one else or something else can dictate your day. It is all up to you."
 I sat with this for a few minutes and let this message reach down into my core. She was so right. There are so many times when I allow others to affect the way my day progresses and the way I feel. I get caught up in other peoples emotions, or get upset if something may not go the way I had wanted it to. And then I let other things go by me without much notice. Missing many valuable, happy, profound, subtle, lessons I am sure. Only because I am so caught up with what someone did or did not do or how something did or did not play out.
I want to offer you the idea of making your day the way you want it to and not to let yourself get distracted by others. Sure, be gentle, be kind and be supportive, honor what others may be feeling or projecting. But don't let it alter your mood. Don't let it alter the way you envisioned your day. Hold space and then move forward, reminding yourself that other peoples emotions have nothing to do with you and that what you continue to give out into this world, will keep coming full circle (karma). Meaning, the more positive, happy, joyful feelings you put forward, the more great things and people will keep being placed in your life.
So go on, move forward, make it GREAT!

Sync Up With Your Body's Internal Clock

Ayurveda looks at diet, lifestyle, seasons and time, to help heal the body, mind and spirit. One main way of healing ourselves in this day and age is to de-stress, reduce anxiety and use the hours of the day to our advantage.

Looking at the day and dividing it into 3 sections (6-10am/pm, 10-2pm/am 2-6pm/am), can help support the body in what it naturally is programmed to do.

• ·      6am – 10am this is the best time for working out to overcome the heaviness of sleep and to re-set the metabolism. Your brain power is strong.
• ·      10am – 2pm your digestive fire is the strongest, between 11 and 1pm so this is the best time to eat your largest meal of the day, lunch! A 15 -20 minute rest after lunch helps the body focus on digestion and assimilation.
• ·      2pm – 6pm, this is second wind time, where your brain power is able to sustain before winding down for the evening.
• ·      6pm – 10pm your start to get heavy and your body starts to slow down. It is time for a light dinner (between 5-7pm) and then you should start tapering off your activity. Bed time between 9-10pm.
• ·      10pm – 2am your body is in deep sleep and is detoxifying and resetting for the next day.
• ·      2am – 6am – movement starts to happen between 4am – 6am you should wake in order to make the most of your brain stimulation. It is the “magical” time of the day, great for meditation and yoga.

   See what happens if you get up a little earlier in order to start your day with meditation. It may just set you off to a great start! Or try getting to bed a little earlier and see if that effects your energy level the next day.