Mind Over Body

Sunshine Salad 
Combining fruits with greens has become something quite popular!  It reminds me of Mary Poppins happy refrain, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."  Salads used to be something I ate because it was good for me, and my taste buds were often disappointed.  This delightful salad however, is light, crisp, and refreshing.  It goes well with a white fish fillet on the side. 

5 oz. Package of Mixed Baby Greens
3 oz. Sunflower Sprouts (You can grow them yourself easily, or buy them sprouted.)
3 Cups Fresh Pineapple, Chopped
1 small Jicama, Cubed
24 oz. Mandarin Oranges, Drained (Canned in juice, not syrup. Save the juice for smoothies!)
1/2 Cup Raw Macadamia Nuts, Chopped
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shaved Coconut

Honey Poppy-seed Dressing:

1/2 Cup Canola Mayo
2 Tbs. Lemon Juice
1/3 Cup Raw Local Honey
1/4 Cup Almond Milk
1Tbs. Dijon Mustard
Blend in a Food Processor or Blender, then stir in:
1 Tbs. Poppy Seeds

You've probably noticed I'm a morning person at heart. Although there are days I begin to wonder if I really am anymore.  I've always loved the beginning of the day, when I can start anew.  Mondays are a great day for me.  It's another chance to prepare to have a great week.  This is probably why I decided I would start posting Monday mornings on the blog.  That, and it's one of the few times I have available.  I'll have to be flexible though.  It won't always be possible to stay within a planned regimen. There will always be distractions.  There will always be the outside influences of the people around us.  There will always be times when we need to put our own agenda aside to help someone else.  As I'm typing this I'm both distracted by my children, and feeling guilty that they are without a mother at the moment.

I admit, I love fortune cookies.  Every time I visit the Asian Market, there is a nice man at the counter who always gives my children a free cookie.  I usually get one too, pretending like it's because the kids want them, but really it's for myself.  It's not the cookie I'm interested in.  I know, it's superstitious, and juvenile, but I love the fortune inside.  Sometimes it just gives me something to think about.  A more appropriate name for these would probably be "advice cookies."  How often do you really get a fortune? 
There was one time in particular that it felt as if the universe was conspiring for my benefit.  What are the chances that I would open my first piece of advice to read, "Your Dreams Will Become a Reality."  Then,  the next cookie to read, "Make Your Dreams a Reality."  In that order?
What a lesson from that advice I could gain.  The things we desire don't just drop in our laps most of the time.  They usually come about by a balanced combination of perseverance, work, and flexibility.

Goal Setting

1-Dreams have deadlines.  Make your goal a reality by giving yourself an amount of time to accomplish it.

2-Write your goal down, where you can see it repeatedly.

3-Perfect one small thing at a time

4-Make it a habit by repeating the goal for 10 days in a row.

5-Make the goal a part of your lifestyle.  Something that will contribute to your very nature, your character, not something to be endured for a short duration.

6-Think of what can be eliminated to simplify your life.  Make room. Make time.

7-Expect distraction, but remain motivated to action.

8-Realize no one is perfect.  Be flexible.

9-Don't be discouraged when you fail.  Learn from your failures and move on.

10- Pray for help to accomplish the goal, discerning if the goal is truly serving you, and those around you.

 When I am teaching a yoga class, I try to have an intention outlined in my mind before we begin.  But flexibility is everything.  If I am prepared with ideas of what I would like to offer, but at the same time allow space for anything that my students might need that particular day, it always goes well.  In fact, my most favorite students are those who are flexible in their mind.  Not necessarily their bodies.  It's easy to get "all bent out of shape" by allowing yourself to think you can't.  This concept of flexibility works beautifully well off the mat, living our day to day.  Some of the most happy people I know are those who are willing to bend.  I once heard a comparison between an oak tree and a blade of grass.  In a strong wind, the oak tree branches may snap because they are so firm.  The blade of grass will bend with the wind, and therefore not break.  Wouldn't it be remarkable if we could somehow have the firm roots of an oak, but also, the flexibility of a blade of grass?  Think about that next time your in Tree Pose!