Christine Lewis - 365 Positive Intentions (flipbook version w social back cover)

Day 313. Fear of Failure or of Success Fear is a funny emotion. It can drive us to do things that we would never think we would otherwise do, and we act too rationally under the influence of fear. The irony is that people fear success just as often as they fear failure. Some of us are hesitant to step into our full power and presence because we fear success. What will happen if we create the big dreams that we have had? What position will we be forced to take if we step into the role of success? The fear of failure will prevent us from making the attempt while the fear of success will sabotage any attempt we make. Letting go of fear is a process. It needs to be replaced with love and with the belief that we can create anything we put our mind to. Instead of getting caught up in the fear of success or the fear of failure, replace that with the confidence, the unconditional love, and the awareness that anything we focus our energy on will magnify and intensify. Approach our dreams with a sense of confidence and with the awareness that we can create anything so that fear never blocks us from our blessings. Remember that the fear of success is just as detrimental, if not more, as the fear of failure. The fear of failure will prevent us from making the attempt, but the fear of success will sabotage every attempt we make. Believe in ourselves and in our ability. Believe that our contribution to the universe is so profound that it is supporting our success. If the universe supports and believes in us, then we ought to believe in ourselves. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 314. Circumstances Illuminate Every circumstance in our life is ultimately teaching us a lesson. Too many people view the circumstances of their life as struggle—as though the circumstance is working against them. In actuality, however, the circumstances are helping us to identify the areas of life that we need to work on. Our circumstances are illuminating the points of weakness as well as the things that we need to focus on in order to be more well- rounded, more balanced, and more stable. The circumstances of our life might initially illuminate our issues with self-confidence. Maybe we have a skewed moral compass that needs a little direction or procrastination issues where we delay the completion of tasks, but the circumstances such as issues with co-dependence, jealousy, or envy are forcing us to address them. Every circumstance in life teaches us something about ourselves, so rather than get caught up in the circumstance itself, start to find the deeper meaning. What are we meant to learn about ourselves? The circumstances are illuminating the points of weakness so that we can improve upon them; but if we do not address them, we are doomed to repeat the same issues over and over. So how do we live a productive life? Start to be introspective. Self-actualize to find out what it is we need to work on. What is the circumstance drawing out of us? What are the people in our lives forcing us to look at within ourselves? Every circumstance and relationship is teaching us about the things we need to focus on to create more of the energy we want.

Whatever the area of improvement is, know that there will be a circumstance that comes along to highlight what needs to be improved. Do not get caught up in the circumstance. Instead, focus on the lesson because that underlying lesson will ultimately allow us to find a more authentic, more balanced, and more stable version of ourselves. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 315. The Most Important Meal We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because we are breaking a fast with our breakfast. We fast overnight while we are sleeping and it gives our body the chance to cleanse, clear, and make room for something brand new. That something brand new is our breakfast. Carefully consider what to consume first thing in the morning—not just the first thing we put into our mouth but also the first thought we put into our mind. What is the first thing we think when we wake up in the morning? How positive is the conversation that we have with ourselves when we first wake up from sleep? What are we putting into our mind as we break the fast from our dreams? What affirmations and intentions do we set for ourselves first thing in the morning? Breaking the fast isn't just about what we eat for breakfast but also the seeds we plant in our mind. Whatever it is, it will certainly grow throughout the day, so be conscious of what we are creating when we break our fast in the morning. It isn’t just breakfast but also the first thing on our mind. Wake up with our mantra, with our intentions, or with a positive affirmation that sets the foundation for everything else we will create for the entire day. Notice how we break our fast and be aware of what we are consuming for breakfast because our first thought is even more important than the first thing we eat. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 316. Sit and Soak It All In Take a moment to sit and soak it all in. Sit in stillness and feel everything that we have created in every breath before this one. Soak it in because when life moves too fast and the race to the finish seems too long, the only option is to sit in stillness and take time to reflect and rejuvenate. Careful reflection on what we have done can prepare us to create more of what we want in the future. The motivation that we gain from learning what works and what does not can reinvigorate and rejuvenate us because once we stop doing what does not work, we can focus all our energy into what works. Sit and soak it all in today. Acknowledge ourselves for all the progress we have made. Commend ourselves for all the effort we put in. Embrace progress, awareness, and the understanding that we have gained from every lesson we have learned up until now. As we sit and soak it all in, we will feel more prepared to create everything we want from this moment forward. Sit and soak it all in today and allow that reflection to rejuvenate, to invigorate, and to propel us forward towards greatness. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 317. Creature of Habit If you have ever heard that human beings are a creature of habit, it only means that we like repetition and consistency. We create patterns of behavior, we follow routines, and we have a schedule. The fact that people gravitate towards consistency means that they feel comfortable in a pattern. We should be aware that the patterns that people repeat over and over can reveal who they are. It makes sense that if we see a pattern that is contradictory to the energy we want in our space, we should be mindful and aware enough to change our pattern so that we are not negatively influenced by the pattern of someone else. Listen carefully, watch carefully, and act accordingly. If someone is telling us who they are by showing their patterns, believe them because the patterns that each person exhibits are reflections of the energy, the belief system, and the intentions with which they live their lives. The world is watching us in the same way that we are watching others, so make certain that our words, our actions, and our intentions are in alignment with the patterns that we want to create more of in our life. Patterns reveal who we are, and the more often we do something, the more likely we are to continue doing the same thing. If there is something that isn’t working for us, break the pattern. If there is someone in our life who isn’t offering the energy we deserve, break the pattern. When we watch and see what they have done, we can get a good indication of what they will continue to do. Watch, listen, and learn today. Identify patterns that are working for and against us. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 318. Happiness is an Inside Job Happiness is an inside job with external results. The more we create the energy we want inside, the more we create a sense of happiness, joy, contentment, and fulfillment. That happiness is contagious—just as contagious as a smile or laugh. It spreads like wildfire because everyone wants to feel that same energy. We all want happiness and love, but the question is, what are we actively doing right now to create that? What we allow into our minds and what we believe about ourselves are revealed in everything- in the tone of our voice, our facial expressions, and even in our body language. That energy is contagious. Happiness is an inside job, but the way we express it in everything we do has the power to change the people we touch. Be a source of inspiration for somebody today because if happiness is an inside job, then what’s inside is the beginning of everything that exists outside. What we create in here can change the world out there. All we need to do is to allow this contagious energy of happiness and love to infect the world. Allow our laugh, smile, and joy that we hold in our heart to be infectious so that our happiness becomes contagious and spreads worldwide. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 319. The Power of Prana The ancient yogic texts describe the prana—the life force and energy. The prana is the energy that we feel when we breathe in and take that deep inhale that gives us life. We must think of prana and consciousness as two poles of the same source- the self. It is our energy and it is attached to us. It is like an aura of energy that moves both within and around us. When the breath stops, the prana leaves. That magnetic force that holds the body together begins to deteriorate because it is the energy of Prana that holds us together and gives us life force. When we think about the power of the breath, the power of the Prana and life force that we bring in, we want to make use of that energy. We want to make use of our life force because once the breath leaves, our body will also cease to exist. Our soul will move on to the next adventure. Take time to make the most of this breath and put our prana to good use. Make the most of our energy and make an impact on the world because our prana is evidence of the power of our body, our mind, our spirit, and our soul, all wrapped up in oneself. Enjoy today. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 320. Preparation for Meditation For many people, meditation feels like a very complicated undertaking. We are easily stimulated by everything so that the thought of focusing on nothing makes us a little nervous. The irony is that meditation does not simply happen all at once. It requires preparation. Meditation is the goal, and there is a lot of work involved in getting there. We need to prepare ourselves for meditation. We need to think well, speak well, and live well. How could we spend time alone with ourselves in our mind and find peace if our mind is distracted by the external world, if our mind is wrapped up in judgments, criticisms, anger, frustration, stress and tension? If we hold onto these things, we block ourselves from meditation. That is why it is often challenging for some to sit alone in stillness and silence. They are confronted with the chatter and the analysis that normally inundate the mind with distractions. If meditation is the highest path and the goal, what are we doing now to work on ourselves to prepare for it? Take time today to think, speak, and live well. Know that in every positive thought, productive word, and positive action is a preparation for the bliss, the calm, and the joy that come with sitting in stillness and silence in meditation. Prepare ourselves in every way every day, and we will find that peace and calm that we have been looking for. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 321. Be Light Be the light that lights up the world. Be light when everything seems clouded in darkness. Be light when people appear aggressive and angry. Be light when the world seems overwhelmed with tragedy. Be light even if we feel consumed with sadness. The only strategy to emerge from depression is to be light—light in energy, light in thought, and light in spirit—so that we are not weighed down by the heaviness of depression or sadness. We do not discourage ourselves with pessimism, and instead, we decide to be the eternal optimist. There is a light that shines in optimism; and when we are the source of positive energy for others, the light we share will inevitably illuminate the darkness. We can change the world, but it always starts with changing ourselves. Set the intention to be light today. Be light in energy, in thoughts, in words, and in action. There is nothing heavy, there is nothing weighing down—no burden to carry. We are simply a light energy that allows us to float freely through this life, brightening the lives of the people we touch. Allow our light to make the world a brighter place to be. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 322. Join the Movement What are we prepared to offer the world? How are we going to change the energy around us without changing the energy within us? Luckily, our society is filled with people pushing for positive change. When we see others standing at the forefront of positive change, it should inspire us to move in the same direction. All it takes is one moment, one person, one thought, one word, and one action to change everything. What will our contribution be to this movement of positive change that is brewing around us? Do not get left behind in the movement. We would not want to stand stagnant in the movement for positive change, right? We want to contribute. What will we choose today? How will we change the world? Start by changing ourselves. Create a vision of what we want the world to be, and then make certain that every thought, word, and action is in alignment with that vision. All it takes is one moment, one person, one thought, one word, and one action to change the world. And who better to change the world than us. Join the movement for positive change and make such a significant contribution that it inspires someone else to join the movement with us. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 323. Everyone Has Opinions It seems that everyone has an opinion and can offer advice. It does not matter how complicated the problem is, it seems everyone can easily offer a solution. If everyone has the solution to the problem, why does the problem still exist? It is often easier for us to look at a problem and offer a solution to someone else rather than acknowledging our own problem and creating a solution for ourselves. Instead of spending time critiquing, analyzing, or evaluating what others are doing, what if each of us internalizes that energy to actively improve ourselves? Think about what we need to work on, what the problems in our own lives are, and how active we are in creating a solution. The next time we are tempted to offer advice to someone else, start by taking our own advice. Similarly, when someone offers advice, look carefully and notice if they have applied that advice in their own lives. Everyone has an opinion, but how often are the opinions of others useful in improving ourselves especially if the opinion is coming from someone who has a lot of work to do on their own? Set the intention to spend more time thinking of all ways we can improve ourselves, leaving the improvements of others up to them. Once we lead by example, things will begin to change. Spending time offering opinions might just fall on deaf ears, anyway. Start to take our own advice and improve our lives so that we become the example of a solution rather than a contribution to a problem. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 324. We Do Not Own Anything Our accumulation of material things and attachment to possessions seem to distract us from a sense of security more than offer us a sense of security. Many of us believe that our possessions are providing us with security. We believe that the things we own somehow validate how hard we have worked, how much effort we have put in, and how successful we are that at some point, the possessions wind up possessing us. Possessions are temporary and material things come and go. Even though we feel a sense of ownership because of something we have purchased or received, we only give ourselves the impression that we own that thing. The irony is that it only winds up owning us. Have we ever felt stressed because we thought we lost something? We do not really lose anything because it is just misplaced. We feel a sense of loss because it isn’t in the place where we thought it was. That loss is an illusion because we never really owned it in the first place. The only thing we own are our emotions, our feelings, and our reality. We own them because we create and invest energy in them. We do not own the possessions; we are merely holding onto them for a short period of time. When we think we have lost something, we really have not lost anything—just misplaced it. As much as we might think we have security because we own something, we have to understand that the possessions are temporary, and the ownership is arbitrary.

365 Positive Intentions We never really own any material thing. All we ever own is our energy. The next time we are focused on material possessions and accumulating material things, try to detach from them and realize that we do not own anything, but we do own every emotion and energy. Ultimately, the energy is the most valuable currency, the most valuable gift, and the most valuable possession we will ever own. Enjoy the day. Be free from ownership of things and decide to own our feelings, energy, and reality. Create everything we want right now. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 325. More Packaging Than Product At some point, we have invested in something, only to realize that there was more packaging than the actual product. Maybe we bought an item and when we opened the packaging, we realized that there is very little of the product and way too much packaging. It often happens with food items—potato chips, for instance. We usually think that the bag is full because of the air inside, but when we open the product, it is only a quarter full—much more packaging than the product. Ironically enough, people are often the same way. They present themselves very well. They look put together, organized, efficient, but they are not quite as productive as their packaging would make them appear. Much more packaging than product. If it looks great on the outside, get to know what is inside. Often, the packaging can be misleading that when we get down to the product, it really isn’t as valuable or useful as we thought it was. Part of our work is to live up to our presentation and to follow through with our actions so that we do not wind up being one of those people who are more packaging than product. Make certain that what is inside lives up to the presentation outside. In that way, everything we present to the world is authentically living, speaking, and being what we present. What is the point of having more packaging than the product if the substance isn't there? What is the point of the packaging if what is inside does not add value to the world? Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 326. Wisdom Wisdom is our awareness and understanding of everything that exists in our space. However, it will not help us repair a car or a computer. It will help us navigate down an unfamiliar road. Wisdom is based on a reference frame of experiences that we have accumulated over time, so even though wisdom won't help us repair a car, it will give us access to a higher awareness and understanding of ourselves. Through wisdom, we can navigate through our relationships, set a course and direction for our lives, and repair our belief systems and consciousness. Wisdom will help us repair our relationship because with it, we have a broader perception of the world. We get an understanding and awareness about energy and emotions, and although someone can teach us how to repair a car, no one can teach us how to repair a relationship because that requires an awareness and understanding to access another person's perspective. Wisdom is rooted in empathy and compassion, in intuition and instinct, and although it cannot help us repair a car, it can help us repair ourselves. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 327. Greatness in Every Attempt When setting intentions, realize that goals are not just one stop along our life's journey. Greatness isn't just one stop. There is a persistent pursuit of greatness, of our goals, and of success because it is measured on many different levels. What if greatness was just defined as doing something exceptional for someone just today? It does not matter what happened yesterday and we absolutely do not want to wait for tomorrow. Set our standards of greatness and success to be achievable in every moment every day with every action. Set the intention to leave something positive behind when we interact with others—that’s already great. Offer a gem of wisdom or insight when we see someone who is struggling through a problem which we have solved before. Greatness should not be the end-all of an action. It should be woven into every aspect of the action. Strive for a sense of greatness in everything so that in every intention, we find ways to be exceptional and to achieve greatness in everything. Greatness is not the end result. In fact, it is ingrained in everything. Greatness becomes a part of everything that we attempt, and not so much something that we achieve. Allow ourselves to access greatness in everything today so that greatness isn’t simply our end result. Greatness is inherent in the action. Enjoy the day and be great today in everything we do. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 328. Conscious or Unconscious Patterns Today is the perfect day to check in with patterns that we are creating for ourselves. Objectively observe whether these patterns are working for or against us. We have all created a pattern either unconsciously by going along through the motions of what others have dictated for us, or consciously by being in complete control of what we are creating in every moment and every breath. Most of us follow a program that has been dictated to us by someone else. Society has suggestions about how we should live our lives, and many of us just blindly follow along with those suggestions without questioning them at all. The question that should be asked is how happy are we in this pattern? How is following the program creating what we really want in our lives? If society tells us what to do—go to school, find a job, get married, have kids, retire, find time to relax and enjoy life—it seems like much of life would have passed us by without ever really living. If we just follow along with what is presented, then we aren’t really tuning into our passion. We aren’t allowing it to fuel our dreams. Check in with the patterns that we are creating and make sure that we are creating conscious ones. We want to be consciously aware of what we create so that we are more in control of the outcome. Be aware of the patterns and live in a conscious state of awareness. Live consciously and create a pattern that is guiding us to where we want our life to go. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 329. Turn Things Around Sometimes, we need to turn things around in order to get clarity and to make sense of it all. It helps if we put ourselves in the position of someone else and change our perspective of the circumstance a little so that we can see things from another perspective. When we turn things around to get clarity and shift our perception of what is going on, we are not just stuck in our own frame of reference. Instead, we can look at the circumstance from all sides and gain more awareness and understanding about it. When we broaden our focus, we are able to connect with each other more. Step out of our comfort zone today and think of how someone else might be viewing the same circumstance. Try to use our ability to turn things upside down, to empathize, to understand, and to connect deeper, especially with people who might have a very different perception of the circumstance from ours. To create understanding, all we need is to allow for a little empathy and awareness of how someone else might feel. If we step into the shoes of someone else, we get a greater understanding. We have a better awareness and a better opportunity to connect on a deeper level. Don’t be afraid to turn things upside down. Look at things from a different perspective because that will give us a broader perception and a better awareness of the world. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 330. Improve Our Behavior It's funny when someone apologizes for behavior that they continue to repeat. Apologies should not be reserved just for the victim of the wrongdoing. The person apologizing should use the apology as a reminder to improve their behavior in the future so that the wrongdoing will not be repeated. After all, what good is an apology if the same behavior continues? It is very easy for people to say sorry to merely pacify and appease the person they are apologizing to for the moment, but what good does that do if the person apologizing continues the same behavior? Today, if we are attempting to apologize, make certain that we are offering that apology not so much for the person we are apologizing to, but for the improvement of our own behavior so that we will not fall back into the same pattern and repeat the same wrongdoing over and over. The apology should be a reminder to correct the behavior in the first place. It should have more significance than simply making someone else feel better about our actions. The apology should be a pivotal moment of change and improvement. When our behavior improves because of the apology, it makes the apology much more meaningful. Blessings. Blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 331. Pleasure at a Price In our consumer-driven society, it is obvious that people are trying to purchase happiness. Advertising can convince us that a material thing will give us happiness—driving a nice car, wearing nice clothes, or having access to the latest technology. We are even more likely to believe that those things will bring us happiness if we often watch the television. The funny thing is that people can sell us pleasure, and we can purchase a pleasurable experience, but pleasure is a temporary sensation. No one can sell us happiness. Pleasure is an external sensation while happiness is an internal reality. The next time we think that happiness can be found in a material thing, remember that material things might give us a significant amount of pleasure that is only temporary. The work is to find something that will create consistent happiness. That happiness can only be found inside. Luckily, happiness is free and abundant, but it takes a lot of work, mental focus, and consistently positive thoughts to get access to that happiness—and it does not come at a discount! We will not find it on sale or even online. We will only find it in here. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 332. Taste the Sweetness The tantra philosophies in yoga are focused on allowing us to tune into our true nature and find our true selves. There is an analogy in tantra that refers to how bees create honey. The bees do not debate; they do not doubt it. They just follow this instinct and create this sweetness. Tantra suggests that the honey is already in our mouths; it's already on our tongue. However, we are searching for that sweetness outside of ourselves. The work through our meditation and yoga practice, through the cleansing and clearing of our mind and body, is to enhance our awareness enough to taste the sweetness that we already have. The sweetness is already in our mouth and lingering on our tongue. All we need is the awareness to taste it. We already have this powerful energy that exists inside, so all we need is the awareness to put this energy to work for us. Tune in and check in today. Create an awareness of all the subtleties and the simplicities of life and of how easy it is to create happiness, love, joy, and bliss. We actively create it for ourselves inside instead of searching for it outside. All we need is the awareness to taste the sweetness that already exists in life. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessing, blessing, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 333. Emotional Decisions When we are in an emotional state, it is almost impossible to make a rational decision because the emotions are skewing our view of the solution. We cannot make a rational decision while we are hurting or while in pain, so it is best not to make a decision at all. Decisions that are driven by emotion often lead us into the extremes because the emotions are often in an extreme place while we are making the decision. Coming back into a place of balance and stability, into the breath, and into calming the mind, allows ourselves to have a rational perspective of the problem so that we can create a focused and calculated solution. Avoid making decisions based on emotions. It is better to delay the decision than to decide based on a temporary emotion that might only leave us living in the extremes. Be easy today. Do not feel rushed to make a decision. Allow the emotions to come back into balance before we decide to do anything at all. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 334. Discipline and Self Control There is a balance between discipline and self-control. Discipline requires us to be consistent and persistent in our efforts. Being consistent about maintaining a regular yoga practice, going to the gym to work out, or being mindful of our eating habits while making certain they are nutritionally balanced—all those things require discipline. Self-control is the ability to find balance while maintaining discipline. If we think of exercise as requiring discipline in order to maintain 30 minutes or an hour of consistent exercise, discipline is one thing; but self-control is the ability to not give up before we get enough workout. Self-control also comes in the ability to not excessively exercise, so we see that there is a balance between discipline and self-control— discipline is what it takes to show up while self-control is what it takes to complete the task in a way that is beneficial to us. Many of us beat ourselves up thinking we either lack discipline or self-control, creating this fight within ourselves. If we are judgmental or critical, we will wind up creating a battle within ourselves because a part of us wants to maintain discipline while the other part wants to break it. We almost have a split personality when it comes to discipline and self-control, and we create this internal struggle and battle about it. Discipline ourselves when it comes to reinforcing how we want to feel, who we want to be, and what we want to create in the world

so that the discipline comes in consistency with our action, our words, and our thoughts while self-control maintains that discipline in the face of whatever external circumstances might confront us. Finding the balance between discipline and self-control is a good way to find the balance in life. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 335. The State of Stuck Have you ever felt stuck—like things are not supporting the vision you have for yourself? Like you are stagnant, almost like you are wading through mud in trying to make progress? It is often helpful to think about the exact areas of our lives where we feel we aren’t moving forward. Maybe we have been in the same job, have played the same role, and have done the same thing for so many years that we just accept it as part of our routine. Frankly, it is only when we allow ourselves to be stuck that we get stuck doing something, but when we focus on progress, we can also make progress in different areas of our lives. Changing the routine is the best way to get unstuck, and the simple changing of the daily routine is already enough to change everything. Often, we need something new to stimulate us. We feel stuck in a routine because it is repetitive or there is nothing new. That is why when we go to a new place, when we try a new food, or when we meet a new person, our energy is invigorated. We feel rejuvenated. The best way to feel unstuck is to go somewhere brand new. Introduce ourselves to a stranger or try something we might never have thought we would have tried before. Change up the routine. Think about the areas of our life where we feel like we are not moving forward or making progress, and then do something drastic to change the routine and see if that can shift us out of a state of stuck and into a brand new state of being. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 336. Into the Unknown Have the courage to be imperfect and make mistakes. Have the courage to be vulnerable and to jump into our dreams. The only way to find out something new about ourselves and to improve and get stronger is to have the courage to step out of the comfort zone and into the unknown. The comfort zone is familiar and easy, but the unknown is full of infinite possibilities if we allow for it. Set the intention to step out of the comfort zone and into the unknown because all it takes is the courage to step out and tune in. Releasing the familiar and allowing for new experiences and new opportunities can be a little scary, but the best way to combat fear is by reinforcing the power that we have inside—by believing in ourselves. And that requires courage, so have the courage to step out of the comfort zone and to step into something brand new because infinite opportunity is awaiting us in the unknown. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings. Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 337. How Honest We Are It goes without saying that we expect honesty in our relationships. We expect people to be open, forthcoming, and truthful about the way they feel and the things they have done. Too often however, we are not honest with ourselves. Many of us fall in line with what other people expect us to do rather than just following our own passion and interests in creating the life we want. It is too easy for most of us to compromise or sacrifice in the interest of a vision someone else has for us, but how honest are we about what we really want for our lives? Most of us just want happiness, fulfillment, and contentment. We want enough to just sustain ourselves and our families, yet we create this sense of urgency to acquire excess that causes us stress. When we think we need too much in the external, it distracts us from ourselves. We often feel empty in the internal when we put too much energy into trying to conform into what others think we should be. We neglect ourselves, and it’s almost like having a dishonest relationship with ourselves. Take time to think about what we really want today. Know that often, we must go deep in order to figure out what we really want because it can be difficult to identify. We think we know, but many of us wind up in the later stages of life wishing we had done things differently. If we want to do something different, there is no better time to change things up than now. Be honest with ourselves today.

Honestly think about what it is we want, how we want to feel, and what we want to leave behind in the world. Be honest enough in our relationship with ourselves in order to honor our truth and live our passion. That is the way to offer the best of ourselves to the world. Enjoy the day. Be honest with ourselves today. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 338. Moments and Memories Most of us do not truly appreciate what we have until it is gone. Whether it is a relationship, a particular experience, or a material thing, we very rarely truly appreciate it until we no longer have it. Why is that? We should be appreciating everything we have access to right now because once it is gone, we only have access to the memories of the experience, of the relationship, and of the material thing. Instead of only accessing memories, why not make the most of the moments? Don’t wait to truly appreciate that we had it at all until it is gone. Celebrate what we have right now, and we celebrate everything. We take the time to be grateful for what we have now so that we can recreate and tap into that same level of enthusiasm even when it’s gone. We do not focus only on the fact that we no longer have it, but we are grateful for having it at all, and we can recreate that feeling of enthusiasm every time we think back about how much we enjoyed it in that moment. Enjoying everything in the moment of now is what makes for an exceptional life. Don't wait until it is over to appreciate the fact that we had it at all. Use this moment to celebrate because as we maximize our moments, we also maximize our memories. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 339. When We Slow Down We can all agree that time seems to be moving really fast. A year ends, and the next year begins. Before we know it, another year has passed us by. What are we doing in our moments? How are we maximizing them? How are we making the most of the time that we have here? The fact that time feels to be moving so fast means that we need to make more effort to be present in this moment. The faster we move, the more disconnected we feel. When we slow down, our mind can focus and feel what is happening in the moment. We can feel that our intention is driving our thoughts and actions, but when we move too fast, we lose a lot of that awareness. Each day, I try to set specific intentions for how I want to feel, what I want to create that day, and how I want to make others feel. When I am moving slowly, I am deeply rooted in that intention; but when I move too fast, I easily lose it. I think that happens with most of us, too. We go so very fast in life that we just try to pack as much into every moment as possible, moving too fast to really appreciate it. To be very aware of the intentions we set for our lives, try to do less. Slow down and take a little time to truly absorb the energy in this breath and moment. Those intentions are infused in everything that we create, and everything we put our energy towards is infused with the intention that we set. Be mindful in our moments, in our thoughts, and in our words and actions because that mindfulness makes us more appreciative of every moment. It allows us to live in the moment with awareness

365 Positive Intentions and be present in this space of now. All we have to do is slow down, take time in stillness and silence, and just be aware that the awareness is giving us a little more access to life. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 340. Close the Door on Doubt Set the intention today to close the door on negative thoughts and open it to the infinite possibilities. When we shut down the thoughts that debilitate us and leave us in a space of doubt and feeling discouraged, all we are left with are infinite possibilities. Shut the door on doubt and do not allow ourselves to be discouraged. Open the door for infinite possibilities, for hope, for our passion and start to lead the way in life. When one door closes, another door opens. The best strategy is to keep looking through the open door in order to not get stuck focused on the closed one. When we concentrate on the open door, the closed door no longer exists. There is an opening in our life, and everything—every interaction, every circumstance, and every situation—is an open door that is inviting us into new possibilities. Close the door on the negative thoughts. Close the door on doubt. Open the door that leads us to our dreams. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 341. Distracted by Details Do not get distracted by the details. Make a decision. The details can leave us questioning, rationalizing, and eventually delaying a decision. When we spend too much time getting bogged down in the details, we get distracted by asking too many different people for advice, waiting for too many different opinions to weigh in before we make a decision. Delaying the decision delays progress, so don't get distracted by the details. Follow our heart and our instinct and make a decision now. When we are waiting to make a decision, we are also postponing life because we are spending more time distracted by the details. Be decisive today and realize that all that time we spend contemplating, deliberating, analyzing, and examining is delaying our dreams. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 342. Our Past Can Haunt Us If our past can come back to haunt us, then we should be more careful about what we are creating in the present. If our past actions have consequences and ramifications that can creep into our present moment, we must be even more mindful about what we are creating right now especially since the present is quickly becoming our past. The karmic reward will benefit us in the now if we live in the right action; but if our actions take us away from that righteous path, the karmic repercussions can affect everything that we are creating in the moment. If the consequences and repercussions can trickle into our present moment, the past can certainly come back to haunt us. What we can do to protect ourselves is to do the right action and conduct ourselves in a way that benefits everyone concerned. We can take care of ourselves in the present to make certain that our past will not come back to haunt us. Be careful in creating the present so that we will be okay even when the same thing repeats itself once in a while in our life. Indeed, the past supports our present, and our present prepares us for the future, so even when there is something from the past that can come back to haunt us, just remember that the past lesson is preparing us for something better in the present. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 343. Someone We Do Not Like Set the intention today to love someone that we do not like very much. Love the unlovable, someone whose words and actions are rooted in hate, someone who we don't believe will love us back. That is the test of our ability to love unconditionally. It is easy to love the people who love us, the people we enjoy spending time with, and definitely the people who have inspired and encouraged us; but the test of our love is in our ability to love someone we do not like very much. That makes it easier to love strangers, our neighbors, people across the globe we have never met, people who have different beliefs than we do, and even people who live differently than we do. The test of our ability to love is also the proof of our ability to feel love, to be open, to love, and to receive love. If we give love conditionally, chances are we receive it conditionally as well. However, if we give love generously and unconditionally, then our hearts and our minds are open to live in the love that we offer generously to others. The test is to love someone we do not like very much. Love someone who we do not believe will love us back. Love unconditionally and generously because the more love we offer to others, the more love we surround ourselves with every day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 344. Look Around and Within I am constantly amazed and impressed about how the universe gives us affirmations. Maybe it's synchronicity, divine order, divine intervention. However we want to interpret it, we are being supported in our vision, our intentions, and our truth. Usually, all we need to do is pay attention. There is magic in everything that exists. The magic of nature, the earth, and the energy that is around us is propelling us towards greatness. The people in our lives are our teachers who are here to encourage and inspire us. There is an energy that is supporting our vision and our dreams. We just have to open up our awareness to it. When we allow the affirmations to encourage us, we allow the synchronicity of the universe to confirm that we are on the right path. We realize that all we have to do is focus within, and as we focus on this positive energy inside, we are automatically repelling any negativity that might come in from the outside. The universe is always supporting us. The people around us are perfect guides to help us along the journey. Usually, all we need to do is look around to know that everything that we intend for our lives is possible if we continue to focus on the destination and if we allow the synchronicity that surrounds us to encourage and propel us towards greatness. Look around, look within, and tap into everything that is supporting us along our journey to our dreams. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 345. Never Drown in Defeat When times are tough, it is easy to feel defeated and discouraged. It is also easy to lose the motivation to push forward towards our dreams when we feel like everything is working against us. But inevitably, things are working with us. It is just a matter of shifting our perception to a bigger frame of reference without the struggle. Very rarely do we build the strength needed to create what we want our lives to be. It is too easy to feel defeated, but it takes effort to build confidence and self-awareness, to inspire, and to empower ourselves towards greatness. It certainly helps to have someone in our circle who will encourage and motivate us, but even without someone else is inspiring and encouraging us, we must find that voice inside and do it for ourselves. There are many instances in life where our struggle is preparing us for something greater, something more profound than just the obstacle that seems apparent now. We just need to push through, stay motivated, live in our purpose, and know that with every intention and every action, we have the ability to make change in the lives of the people we touch. When we feel discouraged or defeated, try to encourage and inspire someone else. Know that the words we speak to someone else are in fact words that we are saying. Usually, the advice we give to others is the advice we need to hear. We just need someone else to inspire us to change our thinking and our focus.

Don't allow ourselves to drown in defeat. Don't get discouraged. Tap into the power we hold inside. Inspire. Empower. Know that by offering that energy to others, we create a little more of it for ourselves. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 346. Power Pose Body Language Stand in a powerful pose today—not just on your yoga mat, but in everything in life. The power pose is our ability to use our body language to communicate our power and to stand in it—stand in our confidence and our belief in ourselves. All we have to do is look at anyone, and we can already see how they feel about themselves. If their head is held high, their shoulders are drawn back, and their heart is open, they are obviously happy. We have never seen anyone happy who is slouched over with their head down and looking at the floor. It is always obvious how people feel about themselves just by looking at them. That should remind us to notice how our posture or body language is communicating how we feel. When we walk into a room, do we exude confidence? Security? A feeling that we can accomplish anything? Or do we walk into a room appearing as though we are already defeated, discouraged, and with no confidence in our ability to make an impact on the people in that room? When we notice how people carry themselves, their body language, and their facial expressions, the energy and the feelings that they hold inside become obvious. The same thing works with us. When people see us, they immediately notice how we feel about ourselves. It is written all over our faces. Walk into the room with confidence that our energy and power can positively impact everyone in that room. Move through life with a powerful posture and communicate the belief that we have in

ourselves to change the world. It all starts with the belief we have about ourselves. Eventually, we do not have to spend much energy convincing everyone else of how amazing we really are because it is written all over our face. It is in every movement and communicated in our body language. All anyone has to do is look at us to know exactly how we feel about ourselves. Stand powerfully today. Stand with confidence, security, and stability and prepare to change the world. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 347. Original Identity Most of us have identification cards to prove who we are, but if somebody were to ask us to describe our identity, where would we start? What is our original identity? Is it who we were when we came into this world? Are we defined by the lessons we have learned in the growing pains through childhood and early adulthood? How do we define ourselves? We are certainly much more than the notations on our identification cards. We are much more than our physical persona that some might use to identify us, but without these external and physical identifications, who are we? It seems that who we are is rooted in a feeling and energy. If that is the case, there is really no difference between us. We are all energies that are interacting, evolving, shifting, and moving. We are an interplay of energy swirling through the universe. The significance is that in changing our minds about ourselves and the world, we can change everything. By shifting our focus from external to internal, we change how we define ourselves. Instead of using a picture to identify who we are, instead of trying to describe our job occupation, our relationship status, or the roles we play in this life to define who we are, think deeper. Think about it on a deeper level and try to define our original identity. Define ourselves beyond the confines of the physical body and the external world. Identify who we really are, not to describe ourselves to someone else, but to identify ourselves from within.

We don't need to describe ourselves to anyone else, but we should know who we are when we sit alone in silence with ourselves. Enjoy the day. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 348. Too Insane to Explain Someone asked me how I am able to be consistently happy in the face of all the craziness going on in the world. I tried to explain that I create my own reality. I am very careful about what I allow into my internal space, and that requires me to sensor what I permit in my external space. I am careful about the people I surround myself with as well as the energies I exposed myself to. I try to create a reality that is centered on the love, the joy, and the passion that I have for life. I try not to get distracted by the temporary comings and goings of things in the world and instead, I make the effort to contribute the best of myself every day under every circumstance. Maybe it seems that I am a little delusional. That by not acknowledging the negativity in the world, I keep myself isolated and protected in my happy space. When people do not understand why we are delusionally happy, maybe the best response is that we are too delusional to explain. And maybe, they are too normal to understand. Make a point today of being too delusionally happy to explain our happiness because the person who is negative is probably too negative to understand. Regardless of how others receive it, we still offer the best of ourselves. Enjoy the day and be so delusionally happy that there is no need for explanation. Those who live in negativity are too negative to understand it anyway. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 349. Body Dysmorphia It seems that most of us have a case of body dysmorphia. We view ourselves and see ourselves differently from the way others see us. We look at ourselves in the mirror. We nitpick about weight gain or wrinkles or body changes, and we fixate on these changes in our body as though somehow, those changes define us. Our bodies are evolving and changing depending on what we eat, drink, and are exposed to. Our body is changing, fluctuating with the cycles of the moon, in the same way that the tides are changing. The irony is that people see our energy more clearly than they see our physical body. We think all they are looking at is the definition of our body, our clothing, or the way we present ourselves physically, but I believe that people are really looking at the way we present ourselves energetically, emotionally, and spiritually. How we show up in the lives of the people we touch is much more important than what we show on the outside. The time we spend critiquing and criticizing our bodies is energy that is taking away from our development and from the investment of energy in our relationships. Instead of being so critical and critiquing the way we look, it is more beneficial to invest energy into how we feel. Close our eyes. Look away from the mirror and look within. Instead of spending so much energy focusing on the physical appearance, invest more energy focusing on the feeling, the energy,

365 Positive Intentions and the emotions that we hold inside. Don't let body dysmorphia distort the image we have of ourselves, because what everyone else is really looking at is the image on the inside. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 350. More Valuable Than Wealth Health is much more valuable than wealth could ever be. What would be the point of being the wealthiest person in a hospital bed? Material wealth does not enhance our existence, but physical health gives us access to everything else in life. Physical health is our vitality and energy. There are people who are wealthy but are very unhappy. They live life in stress, anxiety, and depression. There are also people who are healthy and are living life in happiness every moment. Health is much more valuable than wealth, so we do not want to sacrifice our health just to accumulate wealth. We do not want to work too much for too long or work too hard and bypass the opportunities to celebrate life. No one looks back on life and wishes they had worked more. No one wishes they were busier. Everybody wishes they had spent more time with friends and loved ones. They wish they had enjoyed their moments and had lived and fulfilled their passions. When considering where to invest time, energy, and effort today, remember that health is more valuable than wealth. Invest in a good meal, a good night's sleep, in something that is contributing to our health instead of wealth. Be healthy today. Remember that being wealthy is temporary but being healthy gives us access to life. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 351. Explore the Options It is all about the options that we give ourselves—the option to explore, to reinvent ourselves, the option to be something completely different today than we were yesterday. Options are everything. They give us the freedom to explore, expand, and evolve. It is in the options that we become available to life, especially when we embrace the fact that the options are endless. They are infinite. It is only when we stop giving ourselves options that we feel stuck. Enjoy the options today. The option to do it or not; the option to create something brand new or even to repeat something we have already done; the option to explore the unknown or to travel the same route again. Options are infinite, but the option to explore the unknown can give us the option to make a new choice and to have a brand new perspective. Explore the options today and know that in the infinite options, we will find everything we have ever wanted. Allow the options to give us access to ourselves. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

Day 352. What And When We Want People frequently make demands on us. They ask us for something, and they want it done in a timely manner. When we ask the universe for our dreams, we should make certain it is also done in a timely manner so that we are not waiting for some distant point in the future for our dreams to manifest as reality. Instead, we ask for what we want and when we want it to happen. The universe is supporting us in our intentions, but we have to actively work for them. We must be consistent and persistent in the pursuit of our dreams in order to make them happen. The intentions that we set each day should be asking the universe for what and when we want it. What we are doing right now should also be contributing to that intention and should be leading us towards the dream. If we are actively working on our dream right now, it is already becoming reality. The work is to ask for what we want and when we want it. Have a goal that we can set our sights on and do not let that goal be too far off in the distance in the future. Start to realize that goal now and start to manifest it now. Think it, speak it, and become it so that when we ask for what we want, we are already creating it. Blessings, Blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio

365 Positive Intentions Day 353. Enjoy the Energy Offered Now Enjoy everyone in our life for what they have to offer in this moment. It is easy for us to impose expectations on what we want someone to bring into the relationship, but there is no reason to expect something from someone when they might not be capable of offering it to us right then in that moment. Instead, enjoy the time that we spend with people. Enjoy what they have to offer us in that moment and offer the best of ourselves at the same time. Each of us has different experiences and frames of reference, so it isn’t entirely reasonable to expect that someone will show up exactly as we want them to every time. We just have to appreciate the way they show up in the moment. Be open to accepting people as they are right now. Compliment them on what they are doing right and try not to criticize when they are wrong. Be easy on ourselves and on others today so that expectations will not block us from a quality exchange. Appreciate people for what they have to offer right now without imposing too many expectations. Just appreciate them for everything they are in this moment. Stay in the moment, be in the space, enjoy the experience, and allow the exchange to come from a pure place where we simply enjoy the experience and the energy in the now. Blessings, blessings, blessings, Spoken Word Yoga. Namaste! Click to play audio