"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." -Buddha

Good afternoon lovelies!

How about some food for thought?

I don't know about you but I'm feeling some great energy today. It could be because of the sunshine outside or possibly because of the energizing breakfast I whipped up this morning. By the way, it was just a quick omelet - 1/2 cup egg whites, 1 cup spinach, & 1/2 cup turkey. I used a dab of coconut oil in my pan :)

Speaking of breakfast, you may or may not be able to tell that this is my favorite meal of the day. It's so important! It's what fuels you. Without it, your body and day will be slow. There's a major chance that you'll start to overindulge during other meals...perhaps snacking on things that are full of processed ingredients. Sound familiar? If this has happened to you on more than one occasion, try my motto:

"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper."

While living by this statement, also try and eat your last meal by 7 pm so your body has enough time to digest before hitting the sack. Drink enough water during the day and have at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Sounds pretty easy, right? 

In Buddhism, one of the deities is the tiger. One of the qualities of the tiger is discipline. So, in order to live a healthy lifestyle and apply certain mottos like the one above, we must create and maintain discipline.

Another deity in Buddhism is the snow lion. One of the snow lion's qualities is discernment. Discernment and discipline go hand in hand. Discipline is telling yourself what it is that you want to do or change. Discernment is what you actually "do" rather than simply "say."

Transform your life a little bit each day. Let's start now. Today, apply this motto: "I will apply discipline and discernment in whatever it is that I would like to positively change within myself."

Take as little as 10 minutes or as long as a few hours to decompress and listen to your inner self. What is it that is making you uncomfortable or unhappy? How can I take the steps to make it right?

My advice: location, location, location. Find a space where you can sit by yourself where there are no disruptions. Meditate if necessary. Whatever thoughts that float into your mind become useless. Acknowledge them as neither good nor bad; simply thoughts...then come back to your breath. Temporarily forget that "to-do" list...or even the fact that your best friend snap chatted you the most hilarious picture that you need to respond to. Apply discipline and discernment to your practice. This special time is for you.

<3