Self-Awareness

This one is a little tricky to advise on because it’s a very personal journey. Being able to look at oneself with not only understanding, but with acceptance, is a continual process. Acknowledging our human flaws, as minute or grand as they may be, and embracing them allows us to keep our downfalls from getting in the way of our success. A wise man once said to me, "Get out of your own way!"

Continually educating ourselves and climbing intellectual levels is integral to self awareness. This allows us to continually "wake up" to our current surroundings.

Another key element? Good friends or a good therapist. It’s in those long talks and hours of self-analysis and self-criticism that we often discover parts of ourselves previously unknown, feelings we didn’t know we had and an understanding of how our past plays a role in who we are today.

Being aware of oneself and our role on this earth helps clarify what’s working and what’s not, motivating us to change. Say hello to you!

Reinvent Yourself

Did you know that our bodies today are not made up of the same cells they were 30 days ago. If our bodies reinvent themselves, then our minds should be quite capable of doing the same thing, shouldn’t they?

It was the morning I woke up immobile from back pain that I knew things had to change. I had been at a corporate job, at what you would think would be an interesting gig. And it was to a certain extent, the actual job that is, minus the environment. Somehow working at a magazine where people talked to each other in hostile tones and operated at the stress level equivalent to an emergency room seemed utterly normal to me at first.

No matter how unhappy you are, there is always some comfort in what you know. That sense of security washed over me every time I entered my office, sat at my desk and turned on my computer. Morning after morning I was comforted, not only by starting each day in this same way, but in knowing that this was my success, the culmination of my professional career thus far.

It took debilitating muscle spasms in my back to kick me into action. If you pay attention to the universe, it will let you know when something isn't right for you. Are you ignoring the messages?

Wholesome Transformation

I won't apologize for missing in action (although all two of you might be angry:). I was in the process of, what I like to call, Wholesome Transformation (remember, my company name is Wholesome Evolution, so for consistency purposes...). What does that mean? Well, basically I got the hell out of dodge. That's right--Goodbye Corporate America, alpha females, off-gassing carpets, cubicles, 12-hour work days, windows that don't open, unreliable elevators, zombie commute, non-existent lunch breaks. I'll miss you cleaning staff, amazing benefits package, raises, partners in crime. Hello working in the health field, supporting a nonprofit, working from home. Stay tuned for how I went from stuck and stressed to healthy and happy. Wishing the same for you...