A

ALWAYS

Always Do What Is Right For You

Doing what is right for you results in being in control, setting boundaries, acting from the heart, and living well. By doing what is right for you there should be no regrets, for many times it's not the things that you do in your life that cause regrets, it's the things you don't do maybe because of fear or failure. Always check your motive by asking yourself if your actions are being done with good intentions, and act in the best interest of bringing goodness into this world. Even if you don't like the outcome of what you acted upon, there is a lesson to be learned. Try to find the lesson at hand.

Be true to yourself and trust your intuition. Act on your inner voice, all answers are within you. Once while driving to the university library, which is a 35-mile ride, I was traveling in heavy rain and strong winds. My inner voice told me to turn around and go home. I desperately needed to do research that day, and thinking that my inner voice was telling me not to go because of a traffic or road safety issue, I took a different route and drove slowly. When I arrived at the library I found that all of the computers were down and I could not do my research. I had not listened to my inner voice and wound up on the road back home. I could have spent that travel time doing other things, but it was worth the experience. From then on I began to listen to my inner voice.

You can begin to use your inner voice by once a day asking a question and listening to a message from within. Develop practice using your inner voice and as you experience the outcomes, you will begin to trust and have confidence in it. Practice makes perfect.

To practice positive holistic living, you need to address the body, mind, and spirit. For your body, live well with good nutrition and exercise. Learn when to say "yes" and don't be afraid to take a stand and honestly say "no" as integrity is one of your most important characteristics. Again, be true to yourself and also address situations immediately with words such as "I prefer you to," instead of "You shouldn't have done that." "I appreciate your offer but now is not a good time." "Thanks for having faith in me, but my plate is full."

For your emotional well-being, stop comparing yourself to others. Know that there will always be those with less than you have, and those with more than you have. People will always be thinner, richer, or more educated. Realize that you are unique and have special gifts to offer the world. Just be the best that you can be and treat yourself and others with kindness and respect. Listen to positive uplifting music, surround yourself with beauty and things of nature, walk outdoors, accept compliments graciously, and meditate daily.

To help you be in control, you need to set boundaries. Setting boundaries on what you give or take from others is an important step in a positive way. You must realize that you have choices and should take responsibility for the choices you make. You need to make healthy choices for yourself by changing old habits and taking charge of your life. You can do this by not trying to please others and learning to please yourself. This makes you better able to help others because you are no longer trying to fulfill their needs; you are investing in yourself. For your spiritual growth, remember that you are responsible for your thoughts and actions. You can choose faith, hope, and love; and you can choose to let go of others' negativity toward you.

Assignment:

Set three goals in each area that for the next year will help you do what is best for you.

Physically

1. ____________________________________

2. ____________________________________

3. ____________________________________

Emotionally

1. ____________________________________

2. ____________________________________

3. ____________________________________

Spiritually

1. ____________________________________

2. ____________________________________

3. ____________________________________

B

BALANCE

Find a Balance in Your Life

A balanced life is rich with rewards of good health, positive thoughts, and stress-free living. It is about less material things and more gifts from within. For example, it is about showing gratitude and making choices that are important to your holistic well-being, that of body, mind, and spirit as opposed to your material well-being. The quality of your life comes from peace of mind, high self-esteem, and relationships with others. If you focus on your inner growth, you can discover the diminished importance of material things, as material things come and go, styles change, and objects wear out. But health, happiness, and peace of mind are lifelong gifts to you.

To maintain order and make room for the new, begin to clear clutter from your home, closets, and cupboards, as cluttered homes mean cluttered minds. Dispose of anything that has not been used or worn in the past two years by giving away, selling, or bringing to charitable organizations. Discard items from the fridge and then attack the garage and your office. Develop a file system for your bills and begin to pay off debt. Debt causes stress and worry so change your spending habits by eliminating impulse buying with credit cards and pay cash for what you need. Charge only for emergencies. By freeing up your debt you will be freeing up your mind. Put a freeze on spending by keeping your credit cards in the freezer.

Keep your wardrobe simple and choose colors that coordinate well. Buy a few basic pieces such as slacks or a suit, and alternate with different tops and accessories.

Eat three meals a day having a portion of protein at each meal, and eat more whole foods and less processed foods. Use less fat in your diet, resulting in fewer calories, and think of what you can have to eat rather than what you can't have. Otherwise, you may...