to our health!

i came across the "holiday challenge" below in my e-mail this morning...i plan on challenging myself each and everyday, not just through the holidays...what i like about the word choice in this challenge is that it encourages me to be fully me!  i am not a fan of peer pressure or living life on autopilot, i AM a fan of realizing and embracing the power inside of us to stand up and do what is healthy, to not fall back on socially acceptable phrases like "i have no will power" or "i could never be a vegetarian (or vegan)" or "i just can't live without...," because the truth is WE CAN!  

we say and do so many things because they are EASY...we settle, we don't mess with the status quo, we don't rock the boat...not even our OWN boats!  ROCK YOUR OWN BOAT!  let's challenge ourselves to be the BEST that we can be!  let's get and stay healthy and strong to more fully enjoy our limited time on this planet, to be more available to the people around us and more present in our own lives!  a truly healthy body works to develop a healthy mind, to develop a healthy perspective on life and in relationships and regarding oneself, and a healthy body helps develop a healthy attitude as we move through difficult times in our lives...when our bodies are in crisis, whether we realize it or not, whether we admit it or not, WE are in crisis...

I don't want to make room for even a minute of living in crisis!  i want all the room in my spirit and mind and body to be brimming over with care and compassion and understanding and forgiveness and personal affirmations and FOCUS on everyone around me, whether they are just passing through or staying for a while, whether they bring peace or drama with them, i want to be a healthy place for people to be,  a healthy person to be around, that others may leave time with me feeling healthier themselves!

may we all CHALLENGE ourselves beyond where we are now, in our thinking (our world and social views), in our capacity to listen and understand others, and in our care for our own bodies!

here's to our WHOLE health!

"this year, as i celebrate the holidays and enjoy the company of my family and friends, i will make food choices that support my health.

• Eat at least one large salad every day

• Eat generous amounts of cooked green vegetables, mushrooms, and onions 

• Eat beans every day

• Eat at least three fresh fruits every day

• Avoid white flour

• Avoid sugars and artificial sweeteners

• Use oils sparingly

I will not allow peer pressure or tempting toxic foods to derail me from my health goals."