I own a yoga studio in Atlanta called Balance. When asked to describe balance I wrote the following.

“Balance, like yoga, is fluid and unique to every person.
It is an idea that reflects so much about our state of being.
Balance is that centered place that exists within- that space we wish to occupy in our lives.

It is not about having equal halves of 2 sides.
It is that space right in between.
It is an attitude.
It is a state of mind.
It is a way of being.
It is a way of living.
It is about becoming more clear.
Balance is a reflection of ourselves.”

I start here with you, as we are well on our way into this New Year. Many of us might have already stopped or perhaps never even started our new year’s resolution(s). We mark the New Year, as an opportunity to make changes, get back on path, or find a better center. As we are reminded with another pass of the sun, time does not stop, and we are more like time, always moving, and in a constant state of flux. We are not solid or permanent, something that never moves, something that never changes. Everyday we are different. We have new cells, new thoughts. Some things we can control, others we cannot. There is always a new moment in time. And what we thought was a linear life, sometimes zigs and zags and makes no sense at all…unless we are willing to look at a much bigger and fuller picture.

Our bodies and our minds seek equilibrium. Everyday the routine of our lives offers us a view, a built in benchmark if you will, of where we are and what we need to give ourselves. As we get older, and with more experience, we are able to be more honest with our selves, less judgmental, and able to execute our actions. Do we always do this? No way! And we have every excuse or rationalization in the world to explain why.

I’m supposed to be writing about Health issues, so where am I going with all of this? I’d like to offer a more holistic and comprehensive idea of health to you. Where our body, minds and even spirits interact every second of our lives and contribute to our general health and well being. I will write at times about each of these areas, or perhaps it will look more like, “physical, emotional, and psychological” elements to you. The actual categories don’t matter. What is important is to start entertaining the notion of how every piece of our humanness affects our health.

So, I’ll leave you with 3 statements that you can use everyday. They are simple and elegant, and can help you create an anchor for your day. A tone for your week.

Simply, vow to be aware.

Make sure your eyes, and heart are open and brain turned on. Don’t sleep walk or put yourself on automatic pilot. Boredom is our own choice.

Appreciate the immeasurable value of whatever arises or comes up.

Let it be. It is so easy for us to steal away any joy from ourselves, no matter how mundane or interesting our activity is. Let it be exactly what it is for that moment in time and nothing more or less. Remember pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

Anything is possible here and now, regardless of the conditions.

We all can make excuses or procrastinate. Be aware of the doors you have opened for yourself. The people we often say are successful or lucky, are the people that are more aware of the doors they have come across. They make their luck, their happiness with eyes wide open.

...