F R E E YOGA

YOGA TEACHES US TO CURE WHAT NEED NOT BE ENDURED & ENDURE WHAT CANNOT BE CURED. 

- B.K.S. IYENGAR

Even yoga teachers find it hard to make it to class some days! Just like you, we are busy, get stressed and find ourselves wanting to fit something in our schedule just for us. On days like this I like to have go-tos right in my home to help keep me on track, centered and moving in a direction I want to go in.

One of my favorite go-tos is a site called Fightmaster Yoga. It's an entire website of F R E E yoga classes for students of every level. There are endless options to explore and every video is quality with a capital Q. In fact, The Huffington Post named Fightmaster Yoga as one of 9 great yoga YouTube channels and NYmag.com named it as one of the BEST free yoga classes online.  Click below to explore the Fightmaster Yoga website:

Now, I realize how strange it may seem for me, a yoga teacher, to be suggesting to you to use this free, online yoga resource when I should really be using my site to be 'selling' myself, right? Well, what can I say? I just can't help myself.  When you find something great you want to support and share it!  And, that's my goal here.

No experience, no worries! The link below is for a class made especially for beginners.

With that, give yourself and maybe even yoga a shot this year. I know it has and continues to improve my life more ways than I ever thought imaginable.

Start exploring with this F R E E site, or if you know of another great resource share it in the comments below. Whatever you do, just find something to help you move and feel good so you feel better in your body, mind and spirit. That's really what yoga is about after all.

Here's to moving, feeling good, enjoying your life & All Good Things my friends!

Xoxo,

Mary

P.S. - What they say is true! Yoga helps you off the mat too. More on that next week!

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Better Than Coffee!

Pain pushes you until vision pulls you. - Michael Bernard Beckwith

Years ago I was told the pain of Fibromyalgia would never leave my body and that I would have to take medication for the rest of my life. Though I respected my doctors, this was not something I truly believed and I decided I could do something about it. That something began with changing my diet.

Along this path of self-healing and more conscious eating I've discovered recipes that have helped me not only feel good, but taste great. Even my husband likes them and has felt the positive effects of this nutrition in his body!

With that I share the first All Good Things - Food Edition! Today's recipe: Morning Mint Chip Green Smoothie. We both LOVE it and it fuels us better than coffee! Coming from two coffee lovers that says a lot!

Here's how to make it:

• Add 6 large ice cubes to blender
• Cover ice with milk, about 1 cup. ( I prefer almond :)
• Add 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder (this has the same effects of coffee, but way better!)
• Add one teaspoon honey
• Add 3 heaping tablespoons of yogurt ( I use Fage 2% Greek yogurt)
• 20 fresh mint leaves (or 1 drop of mint essential oil)
• 2 squares of dark chocolate bar (65% cacao or more)
• 1 banana
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup baby kale

Blend all this goodness together and voila! You're set to have an awesome day!

This makes 2 large servings. :) Perfect for sharing with a friend you're meeting at the gym or anywhere else early in the morning!

Added bonus - It tastes like dessert!

So, whaddya think? Could a morning mint chip green smoothie be the way you start your day tomorrow? Or, do you already have a delicious, energizing go-to for the a.m.? If so, let me know! Share it in an email or the comments below! I'd love to hear from you and try out some new recipes!

Cheers to good food, good eating and great health!

Here's to enjoying your life & ALL GOOD THINGS my friends!

Xoxo,

Mary

P.S. - Next week's ALL GOOD THINGS includes F R E E yoga! Yep! Stay tuned.

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Journey to Joy

"Close your eyes and imagine the BEST version of you possible. THAT'S who you really are. Let go of any part of you that doesn't believe it." - Chris Assad

 

If you’re like me, you’ve got some big plans for the new year! Or, you wish you did. At least that’s how I felt last year. It took me a while to figure out what I really wanted to do. I wanted something more than just creating another goal to accomplish. Something different than adding to the never ending to-do list. I wanted something that would continually inspire me. I wanted to make a real change that would connect to my heart and shift my life into greater fulfillment. I can proudly say I’ve accomplished that. . . and you can too!
Here’s how I did it:

#1 Decorate a journal.

Allow yourself to make something beautiful. Something, that when you look at it empowers you. I found the words I AM to be very helpful. Since my drawing skills are limited, I stuck with words. They are very powerful after all. Like Dr. Maya Angelou said,
“I believe that words are things. . . They stick on the walls. They go into the upholstery, they go into your clothes, and finally in to you.”
This is the same power behind vision boards and other manifesting tools. It’s great stuff and it really works, so I encourage you to give it a try.  
A helpful tip: You're more likely to use your journal if you love it. So take your time and make this what you want.  I added words slowly for about two weeks 'cuz life is busy and I wanted to pick words that were just right for me. Words that remind me of what I wanted to feel and become. You can see a picture of mine below.

#2 Create a to-do list to keep life fun

Allow yourself to write anything you want down. Anything at all. Don’t worry about the practicality of it or about accomplishing all of the to do list. Remember, this one is different. It’s okay to pick and choose the ones that make you feel good and let the rest go even after you've written them down. The point is they’ll still be there if you ever want to work on them. They'll still be there to cross off too if that's what you determine you want to do with them. You’re the boss here. Again, you can see a picture of my list below.
Funny fact: I haven’t accomplished the practical items on my list yet like learning to speak another language or play a musical instrument.  And, I'm not sure when I will. Life has been happy and full working on the other items on my list. It's about enjoying the journey.

#3 Schedule it.

Get at least one item from your fun list on your calendar & keep that appointment with yourself. No. Matter. What. Give the pleasure in your life the same amount of respect & attention that you give your work. You may not have the same amount of time to give it. After all, we all have busy lives and need to make a living, take care of our homes, etc.. But, changing the quality of attention you bring to your pleasure can change the experience you have with your pleasure itself and your overall satisfaction of life. So make it & yourself a priority and watch your joy rise!

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One final rule with all this: BE FIRM & GENTLE WITH YOURSELF
Keep this journal in a place where you can see it everyday. Write, draw, paste whatever you want in it. Promise yourself to pick it up daily, or at least once a week. Get yourself into a routine. This is a place to keep what makes you YOU alive.

So, whaddya say? Will join the journey to unleashing your joy this year?
If so, share your pics & stories of your journals in the comments below or email me. I’d love to see them and cheer you on!

Here’s to enjoying your life & ALL GOOD THINGS my friends!

Xoxo,
Mary

P.S. - You'll probably need some extra energy to keep you going on your dreams this year. Check back next week for All Good Things very first food addition - "Better Than Coffee!"

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New Year Inspiration

"Your playing it small does not serve the world." - Marianne Williamson

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Ending the year with a renewed sense of belief is powerful. Not just any kind of belief, but the kind of free, faithful belief a child has.

In an effort to maintain the childlike belief of Christmas & progress into 2017 with that amazing energy, I look back at a post I wrote at the beginning of 2016. It was one of the best pieces of writing I did and something that refueled me over and over throughout this year. A line from it also inspired the name and focus of this blog: ALL GOOD THINGS. With that, I share with you again my New Year’s Dare and nudge you to tap into your dreams with childlike abandon and ask. . .

What will you dare to do in 2017?

2017- I DARE YOU.

I dare you to make a change, or not. I dare you to take a step, or not. I dare you to do exactly what is right for you. Whether you move or stand still does not matter. I dare you to not be burdened by what you "should" do, but instead live in the space of what you are meant to do. I dare you to get quiet enough each day to listen to what your heart is whispering and bravely obey that. I dare you to trust so much in yourself and have so much belief that you say thank you before you can even sense blessings are coming. I dare you to completely accept yourself for who and what you truly are & honor your deepest desires - one small step or maybe one huge leap at a time. I dare you to do this without concern for the results or attachment to the outcome. I dare you to be fully immersed in the joy of just dreaming your dreams and trusting all will work out just as it should because it always does. I dare you to find fulfillment in new & surprising ways. I dare you to allow yourself to explore & enjoy each moment of life. I dare you to stay open, be soft & flexible & trust so that when outcomes do not look the way you expect them to you can still see the beauty in them & learn, grow & be thankful. I dare you to believe that everything will be okay, maybe even be better than okay. I dare you to believe that life might even get so fabulous it completely blows you away. I dare you to believe all good things are coming your way. Yes, all good things. I dare you to believe each and every moment of your life is beautiful. As U2 sings: "It's a beautiful day! What you don't have, you don't need it now. What you don't know you can feel it somehow." I dare you to trust that feeling. Cheers to each beautiful day of 2017!

Here's to enjoying your life & All Good Things my friends!

❤️Mary

P.S. - Creating change begins with taking action. Take the first small step towards the life you want to have in 2017. Begin writing down what you dare or maybe just what you dream to do this year. Get really brave and even share it in the comments below. I'd love to know what your dreams are and cheer you on! No ideas yet, no worries! I'll be back next week with tips to help you get started in small, manageable, invigorating ways. Believe me, the world wants to see what's in your heart come out into reality!

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