Do you want to feel better in your body this time next year? It's so simple... stretch a little everyday! It's important to learn proper stretching techniques... ask me if you don't know :)
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30 Things to stop doing to yourself!
As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
  2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
  3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
  4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
  5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
  6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
  7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
  8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
  9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
  10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
  11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
  12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
  13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
  14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
  15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
  16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
  17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
  18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
  19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
  20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
  21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
  22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
  23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  Read Getting Things Done.
  24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
  25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
  26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
  27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
  28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
  29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
  30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

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Hey Everyone! 
Here's a great article on how to live....


Do you want to be more productive? Maybe you do, but I’m sure you don’t want to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or unhappy – which happens to many super-productive people. But there is good news:

You can be insanely productive – and still smell the freesias, savor a Pinot Noir, or enjoy a languid hug.

A few weeks ago Leo Babauta said to me, “Mary – you’re one of the most productive people I know. And you still keep smiling and seem so relaxed. How do you do it?”

Most stuff I’ve read about productivity is about doing things differently. Like getting up at 4 a.m. each morning, or drinking eight liters of water a day, or keeping a notebook under the pillow. Sorry, folks – I don’t do any of those things.

High productivity isn’t about doing, it’s about being.

If you want to be highly productive – and still enjoy life – you need to look at how you live, and how you use your mind. Check out the following five suggestions:

  1. Make peace within.
    Most people live in a constant state of inner conflict and suffer from a barrage of negative thoughts that sabotage productivity.

    Here’s a scenario: Imagine that your car has landed in a ditch. A group of helpers gather, attach ropes and start to pull the car out. Unfortunately, they’re not all pulling in the same direction. Some try to pull the car toward the road, whereas others try to pull it deeper into the ditch. It’s absurd.

    That’s exactly what happens when we’re divided within: everything is a struggle, nothing much happens, and it’s frustrating. But what if your mind, body, and soul are all aligned?

    When our energy is aligned, we are in a state of flow.

    When we’re at peace within, and immersed in the task at hand – without negative thoughts sabotaging our productivity – action becomes effortless. We’re able to achieve much more in less time. And with more enjoyment.

    Tip: Wear an elastic wristband. Whenever you notice negative thoughts, change your wristband to the other arm. This will help you to create and maintain peace within.

  2. Go to your edge. Regularly.
    Most people use only a fraction of their capacity and try to save personal energy. For example, we’re tempted to rest when we feel tired in order to recover our zest for life. Wrong move!     The more energy you spend, the more you have.

    Tiredness can signal many things. If you’re healthy, it may mean that you are bored, frustrated, lack movement, or need more oxygen. Or maybe conflict within has sapped your energy. It’s important to go to your limits regularly. Take up running, martial arts, swimming, or other activities – there are many way to exercise vigorously.

    Tip: If you feel exhausted or lethargic, go for a brisk walk in order to rev up your energy and restore your spirit.

  3. Take action.
    Most people aren’t productive because they don’t take action. They have dreams and even plans – but they don’t follow through. Negative thoughts can derail action. It may be that you have doubts about your ability, or that you listen to others who doubt you.

    Tip: Look at what you would like to achieve and ask yourself, “What is the smallest step in the direction of my dreams that I can take right now?” Then take that baby step. Now.

  4. Do what you love.
    Think about how you spend your time. Do you enjoy your work, or is it a grind? I’ve changed my life, and what I’m passionate about has now become my work: I teach my Zen students, and also work together with Leo to mentor bloggers in the     A-list Blogger Club .

    A few days ago my partner David knocked at the door of the little cabin in the garden where I work:

    “Mary,” he said, “ do you realize it’s 10 o’clock at night – and you’re still working?”
    “I’m not working!” I shot back. “I’m     enjoying myself!”

    Yes, when the boundary between work and play gets blurred, you may actually work more – but it feels like you’re just having fun.

    Tip: Follow your dreams – even if it’s only for ten minutes a day.

  5. Love what you do.
    We can’t always do what we love. But     we are free to love what we do. From a Zen perspective, there is a way to turn even the dullest chore into pleasurable activity through mindfulness.When we pay tender regard to our present experience – letting go of all thoughts and judgments – even the most mundane action can become pleasurable. Mindfulness doesn’t mean watching yourself, it means being fully present, moment by moment.

    Tip: In order to become mindful, notice sensations of the moment. What sounds can you hear? How are your feet connected with the ground? What does your skin feel like?

Finally, a key question you need to ask …

If you want to be productive and still enjoy life, there is a key question you need to answer: why be productive?

I mean, why not just chill out on the couch, eat potato crisps, and watch TV reruns? That might be fine. But what about the oblong box we’re all going to end up in?

I remind myself every morning that life is short and mine may be over by nightfall. That gives me the the desire to taste and enjoy each moment. It also adds a measure of calm urgency because I want to leave a mark upon the world. Do you?

If so, mindful productivity will help you create a life that offers both pleasure and productivity. You’ll achieve more, and you’ll still keep smiling. That smile will light up not only your own life, but also the lives of those around you.

You don’t have to be a super-hero. Simply make peace within and live each moment fully. That’s all.

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ANA FORREST Day19 Intent: Notice the ways in which u limit yrself in the pose through negative thought. Formula for change; 1.Stop the negative thought/action 2.Congratulate yourself for being aware enough to notice, 3.Choose to move, even just slightly, towards empowerment, 4. Congratulate yrself again (works for any ......addiction). Going to use it to get through my cleanse! What are you going to use it for?

ANA FORREST Day 18 - Intent: Do what it takes to revitalize yrself in the pose. Ana gave us a "restorative class"...lol. Sharing circle: what I've learned about myself so far...i'm stiff in the morning, I hate being on someone else's schedule and following rules, i'm hardest on the ones that I love, i need to do a cleanse when i get back - colon, gallbladder, liver then cell...and i've lived an amazing life so far!

ANA FORREST Day 17 - Intent: Be struggle free. 17 days of 5am wake, 4 hrs of yoga and, i'm sorry but, I'm struggling to stay awake in Savasana! Loved today's intention.. essentially Law of Attraction. U don't need to struggle through life to live with honour. Ana's program is so thoughtfully designed and her desire for......all of us to find our own truth is so strong once you see past her "my way or the highway" front.

ANA FORREST Day 16: Intention: call Spirit in and feel it in the body. Yesterday's heaviness has lifted and I taught my second piece today. Ana - "Even though some people may feel threatened by ur astounding presence, stop folding ur energy in! u have the ability to be absolutely incredible! This is what u do when some......one has a problem with how much u shine... (looks me in the eye and sticks up her middle finger)"

ANA FORREST Day 15- Intention: connect with what is meaningful in life and give it a home in my body, then breathing life into that place in every moment of life. The past few days my mojo has been low, resistance at it's highest since i've been here. Trying to be curious about it and not let it get in the way of my gr......owth. My pattern has always been to start strong and become unmotivated. Not this time!

ANA FORREST Day 11-15: Anatomy! Caroline Myss, Bruce Lipton, Candice Pert, Alexander Lowen... this anatomy course brings it all together! The pain/issues in our body are the result of far more then we realize and can be linked to many aspects involving "The Rule of Four": Biochemistry, Biomechanics, Scar Tissue, and Em......otions. When these four are in balance it's impossible to be sick.

ANA FORREST Day10 - more inversions! I chose my intention to be connecting with my spirit and letting it guide me every day of my life. Ana told me to never let my students put me on a pedestal, cuz there's no room to dance up there! She said the teachers that need that attention have very little power. She told me to ......be uncontrollable! She is also adamant about pregnant women not doing ab work at all.
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ANA FORREST Day 9- am practice included lots of inversions. Ana uses inversions to turn herself upside down to dump any negative energy out of her body. She loves handstands because they are energizing and help to ground her and nourish her brain. This morning's intention was to find a needy spot in the body and use your practice to; feed if hungry, fill if empty, warm if cold, partner if lonely... I chose my heart. We used our own practice to care for ourselves, in particular, this needy spot. This is important because then you will stop attracting people that perpetuate your neediness. Students may put their teacher on a pedestal and if the teacher believes the, they fall into a big trap. The teacher then thinks they're special & don't have normal human needs, this perpetuates their own neediness even more.

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ANA FORREST Day 8- Intent: find a spot in body needing healing once and for all, may be associated with an emotional/mental block, so u've been avoiding it. if u think u don't have a spot like this, u're lying to urself. Others may feel like they have 150 spots! The practice was dedicated to releasing the block. As a teacher u must learn how to look after urself, it begins with taking a deep inhale before you talk.

ANA FORREST Day 7- inversions & lunges. Intention: Stop self mutilating (nail biting, self-depreciating thoughts, over/under eating, hurting yr body in poses...) & start asking yrSelf what it is u need. When u neglect to acknowledge yrself for how far u've come, u perpetuate yr neediness. Practice teaching was boring so i decided to teach everyone to open their anus like a blossoming flower in down dog.

ANA FORREST Day 6-back bending. Everything was swirling around, just about to loose it, Ana assures me i'm exactly where i need to be, deepen breath and allow the shift to happen. intention: pick a spot (painful or not) in body and get fascinated with it. Give it your quality attention, although most of the time your attention is out the window. "Always use your practice for something that is important to YOU!"

ANA FORREST Day 5- am practice intention:"feel where chronic emotional issue hides in body and work with it in every breath, every pose". Funny moment: Ana was demo-ing an adjustment and person in her hands said "you could go deeper", to which Ana instantly affirmed "I'll go deeper when you breathe deeper!" Moral: take responsibility for your own damn healing! Feedback for me today "Sparkle! You can become great!"

ANA FORREST Day 4- am practice intention:"play on the ecstatic spectrum: contentment to ecstasy, in every pose, even floor bow on a rolled up mat when constipated. "You feed your spirit when you see the beauty in something". Ana whispered to me as I taught the other trainees "Know this first: I would hire you in a heartbeat at my studio... you're too mellow, teach like you're on cocaine!"

Ana Forrest Day3- Morn practice always lots of arm balance also lunged our asses off. class intention- heal an area of the body. Legs were shaking and burning BIG TIME as Ana said "stay here, use the burn to heal your spot". Ana said "most of the time we lie to ourselves and others, make a pledge to speak truth from your heart every time you open your mouth. Don't waste your life! it is the most precious thing".

 Ana Forrest Day 2 - Morning Back bend practice then teaching all afternoon. I've got to let go of my way of doing things and adopt Ana's way... almost think it might be easier if I wasn't already an established teacher :) Ooooh the resistance is beginning already... I love it! Ana has a huge heart... I can feel it so strongly.

Day 1 with Ana Forrest... sweat, laughter, healing and awe! So grateful to my support team, who helped make it happen... Tara Cartland, Laurie Howe, Mike Block, Izzy Williams, Lucy Tuplin, Basia Going, Katherine Rankin, Christina and Richard Hastings, Lisa Sattler, Rachel Kiar and my best friend in the world, Mark Laham. So grateful to my amazing students, my best teachers.
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I want to tell you about the new app that was released last week by my brainchild, Capital Yoga Publishing, but I'm also feeling a bit poetic so I'll see if I can use my words differently. If you feel moved, snap your fingers. (I think this might be the first poem about an app...)

A new yoga app was released last night
pictures, sound, stretches will delight
your arms, legs, torso, organs
spine, skin, what rhymes with organs?

A portable, mobile, current invention
to take with you to your next convention
in Toronto, or Russia, or even online
these poses will go with you every time
on your floor, your carpet, your hallway, your lawn
plug in your speakers and press play to go on.

The app is not free it is something that costs
just the price of one class or less it is thought.
Please "Like" your yoga teacher by buying her app
even if you only play the end to take a nap.

----Jamine Ackert Tuesday, 10:05

This was inspired by the new release of Louise's Hot Yoga late last week and I hope you like it.
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Michael attaends Louises classes regularly and here's what he has to say about how yoga has helped counter the physical strain of his althletic pursuits.

I had been practicing yoga sporadically until I became injured from a series of crashes (mostly on my right hip) while mountain biking in the fall a few years ago. My right hip experienced reduced mobility as well as stiffness and low grade pain while sitting. After I started attending hatha yoga classes regularly (2-3 a week) the stiffness and pain was greatly reduced within a few weeks. I found the concept of breath to achieve muscle relaxation (and thus reduced muscle pain) to be a bit incredulous. Yet to my utter surprise it was quite evident that it was working. Over the last 6-7 years I have trained for and run a number of marathons and other long distance races. Being an older runner, I have needed to train smarter. Cross training has become an integral part of that process. Yoga is a key component of my cross training. Yoga not only gives my legs a break from running while improving my fitness, but it restores the flexibility and strength (in my legs and hips) that the impact of running erodes. Thus I can train longer injury-free...which is critical for runners of all distances. In addition there are invaluable “supplementary” benefits as well like relaxation, meditation, stress release, etc. I maintain that I came because of the injuries, but I continue to stay for the peace of mind.

-Michael
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Excerpt from Canadian Horse Journal – "Interview with Yoga for Riders Specialist Louise Sattler"

 "What makes the needs of a rider different?"

 “Riders tend to get tight in the hips. Most people have imbalance in core muscles. Then, when they get on a horse, the instability of the horse causes their body to want to create stability. Without proper core tone, they often get tight in the hips and tension in their spine, neck, and shoulders instead.

Yoga helps a lot with posture. For most of our day, we are folded somewhat forward. A good yoga class will take the spine through all directions of motion to help correct that and open the chest up.

A lot of riders round their shoulders. Rounded shoulders disconnect your arms from the core and destabilize your lower spine. Yoga exercises can help correct the poor posture of rounded shoulders and allow a rider to stabilize their spine. The result is less tension in the shoulders and better posture alignment.

 For more information Check out Canadian Horse Journal  May-June 2010 issue.
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When it comes to riding horses we always seem to be looking for ways to develop a better connection... to become "one" with the horse. What does this actually mean? Well, it could be many things... anything you want it to mean, really... anything you put your focus into developing or creating. You and your horse are co-creators. You've both come together to create... some horses and humans come together to create beautiful artwork in the form of a painting, some create a fun sleigh ride through the snow, and some create a gold medal at the Olympics, as Eric did with Hickstead. It's important to ask your self from time to time, what it is that you want to create with your horse? You might want to create a better physical connection by finding a balance between effort and ease in the saddle, or to create a better mental or emotional connection whereby you begin to sense what your horse is thinking or feeling, or to create a stronger spiritual connection with your horse... looking for a deeper understanding of why you and your horse, having both originated from the same divine source energy, have come together in the process of creation or evolution. I love to explore all of the four aspects; physical, emotional, mental and spiritual... and I find that they are all intertwined. At various times in my life, one or two aspects were of more interest to me then the others and I know that this inner desire to focus on, for example just the physical aspect, was a good thing because it allowed me to develop excellent equitation skills that I still use everyday. So to focus on one of these four aspects over the others is neither good nor bad... it just is. In fact, it doesn't matter what you choose to do... what matters is how you do it!
You may find some challenges as you co-create with your horse because horses approach the process of creating differently then humans. In the process of creation there are three steps...


The PROCESS of CREATION:


1. ASK - When we find ourselves in a situation that we don't want to be in, we are better able to ask for what it is we want! This is the purpose of contrast. 


2. ANSWER - Often, the answers elude us so we think that they just aren't there. This is never the case. The answers are always and immediately there, we just need to learn to become receptive to them. Receptive to the notion that the answer may not be in the place that we are struggling so hard to look. In fact, it's safe to say that if you're struggling to find the answer, it's not where you're looking!


3. ALLOW - When you are willing to shift your perspective of the situation and let go of the resistance you will find the answer. 


Horses and humans approach any situation with different intentions. The challenge lies in the fact that humans are more naturally involved in step 1 and horses are more naturally involved with step 3. Humans are always wanting to improve life experience whereas horses are more willing to just allow whatever is to be. What an amazing combination! Humans are the creative influence and horses are allowing the beautiful expression of this creative desire. Since it is natural for horses to be in a state of allowing, they are always connected to a broader perspective (understanding of the way the Universe works) and less involved with the contrast and formal details as we humans are. Thus, when horses (animals) and humans come together, there is a wonderful balancing of energy. 

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    Louise Sattler

    Louise lives a life of passion... sharing and combining her insight and love for horses and yoga with the world. Every day is an adventure, filled with unique discoveries of how the practice of yoga and the magic of horses provide limitless opportunity to evolve Consciousness. 

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