Category: Z Featured

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Instagram Quick Tip: Creating Inspirational Posts

When I first joined Instagram, I found myself taking lots of screenshots of inspirational posts— amazing quotes, yoga photos, running trails, exotic locations, and fitness routines. As I scrolled back through these captured images on my phone’s camera roll, I realized that most of these posts had one thing in common: they all had some sort of caption or inspirational quote right on the image itself. I assumed that these images were all professionally produced until I came across the Over app. Over will help you create your own inspirational image by quickly adding a quote or your own motivational words to a photo.

There are many typography apps on the market, but this app is my favorite because of the variety of professional looking fonts that are offered, and the ease of use. Even if you have very little experience with apps or photo editing, you will find this program to be intuitive and simple to use. The app gives you complete control over the size, alignment and color of the font, so each photo can be customized to your liking. If you are looking for a free version of this app, download Overgram instead. The functionality is the same, but each image will be branded with an Overgram watermark unless you upgrade.

Go ahead and give the free version of this app a try to see if you like it. Think of your favorite quotes. Look through your photos to find your most inspirational images. Combine the two to create your own inspirational posts for others to enjoy and share on Instagram. It’s fun, it’s easy, and you never know whose life you may touch with the right words and the right image at the right time. Enjoy.

May 27, 2014
White Bean Dip with Seasoned Pita Chips

This white bean dip recipe that I’m sharing with you is a modified version of a dip that I found in a Giada DeLaurentiis cookbook (Everyday Italian) years ago. It’s become our hummus alternative. In fact, it’s a family favorite and frequently graces our events (right alongside my husband’s famous guacamole!). And, it very may well be on the menu this Memorial Day weekend!

It’s really a cinch to make. With only a few ingredients, and a food processor on hand, you will have a delicious homemade white bean dip in no time!

I serve my dip with seasoned pita chips — a homemade take on a store-bought favorite. This too requires very little effort and, I bet you have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your pantry. Once you make homemade pita chips, you will turn your nose up at the store-bought kind! The pita chip recipe follows as well.

As with most of our recipes, this one can be modified and adapted to suit your needs and tastes. You will also notice that we generally “season to taste” which allows you to control the amount of spices, specifically salt.

Enjoy!

White Bean Dip

Yields approximately 2 cups of dip.

2, 15 ounce cans of white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of parsley
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Add beans, olive oil, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and juice of one lemon to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined and creamy.

Serve with homemade pita chips (recipe follows) or fresh veggies.

Homemade Seasoned Pita Chips

four large, whole wheat pita rounds, cut into eighths
olive oil
oregano
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange pita on an oiled sheet pan (you might need two depending on the size of your pan). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until toasted and lightly browned.

Pita will harden as it sits.

May 23, 2014
Daily Practice: Heart & Shoulders

Getting into King Dancer, Forearm Hollowback or any Wheel variation depends on opening your heart and shoulders. For the longest time, I was convinced that I couldn’t do overhand grip poses because my back just wasn’t naturally bendy. In reality, it was my chest and shoulders that were too tight to reach back. So, now, heart openers and shoulder openers are a part of my daily practice. In fact, you might want to consider incorporating them into yours! I tend to rely on blocks and a strap for these exercises, so make sure to have them handy!

Here are the top 5 heart and shoulder openers that I practice daily.

#1: Relaxing Heart Opener

Blocks are a great way to open up your chest and relax at the beginning of your practice. Depending on your level of flexibility, you can play with the height of the blocks and also the number of blocks that you use. Whatever level you choose, place one block between your shoulder blades as you lie down onto your mat. Use a second block under your head or, if it’s comfortable, your head can rest on your mat. Let your arms fall open to your sides or you can place them overhead. I usually stay here a minimum of two minutes and up to five minutes. Also, feel free to deepen the stretch as your heart opens up.

#2: Clasp Your Hands

Clasping your hands behind your back is a great way to open up your upper body! And the great news is…you can add this to almost any standing posture! As you move through your flow, incorporate this into your Standing Forward Folds, Warrior Poses, Lunges and even Cobras. Try to keep your palms squeezing together as you straighten your arms and do not forget to change your grip as well!

#3: Bow Pose

I love doing about three rounds of Bow Pose at the end of my practice. Each round I hold for about five deep breaths. The trick here is to let your feet do most of the work! After you grab onto the outside edges of your ankles, kick them into your hands. The strength of your legs will lift up your heart. Don’t fight it, let your arms extend back, let your heart open.

#4: Overhead Strap Extensions

Time to grab your trusty yoga strap or belt! Start out by holding it out in front of you. Grip the strap much wider than your shoulders to begin and pull it straight. From here, slowly extend it up and over your head…the entire time, keeping the strap taut. Repeat a few times and then move your hands slightly closer and repeat.

#5: Overhand Grip Prep

If you are working on your overhand grip, this is the perfect exercise to explore what it feels like. Stand on one end of your strap or belt and step the other foot forward for support. Grab the other end of the strap with one hand and bring it up overhead so you can comfortably grab the strap with the other hand. With your arms squeezing in, bend your elbows and slowly start to walk your hands down the strap towards the ground. Stop when you feel the stretch and take five to eight breaths. Release, shake it out, and then repeat this two more times.

Remember to move slowly and mindfully, especially with any shoulder exercises.

XOXO

May 22, 2014
10 Reasons I Do Instagram Yoga Challenges

Over the past year, Laura and I have been very active in the Instagram yoga community. We’ve hosted some of the very first yoga challenges offered on Instagram, and we continue to remain active in hosting and participating in challenges today.

Since our early days of posting very detailed step-by-step picture tutorials, we’ve watched thousands of people connect and grow a virtual Instagram yoga community just by attempting the daily pose of the day and posting a photo of their attempt to a designated hashtag. What an overwhelmingly positive experience to watch Instagram yogis grow, inspire, and BE inspired!

If you have not yet given a challenge a try, I suggest that you pick one and get involved today. Here are my top reasons for participating each month.

It Creates a Daily Habit
A daily yoga challenge makes you commit to a daily practice. Let’s be honest—it’s hard to commit to a daily hour-long yoga session. We are all tired and busy, but, I assure you that it feels much less overwhelming if we believe that we just need to stretch and warm up for one yoga pose. This is a great way to take baby steps toward a longer more meaningful daily practice. Get in the habit of rolling out your mat daily by participating in a challenge.

It’s Fun
Everyone loves a good challenge. I still remember the first time I saw a photo of an arm balance pose on Instagram. It looked incredible. How was it even possible to balance in that way?!!! I was fascinated and excited to get on my mat and try. Perfecting the pose was not the goal. The goal was to try, and practice, grow and play. As adults, we rarely play. Practicing new yoga poses each day awakens our inner child, and it’s just downright FUN.

It’s Free
Do I have to say more? It’s free. Free instruction, free participation, free fun, and often, you can even score a free prize! Not everyone has the money to take a yoga class in a studio. By participating in an Instagram yoga challenge, you can get your yoga fix without shelling out the big bucks.

It’s Inspiring
It’s incredibly inspiring to look through a yoga challenge hashtag and see thousands of yogis from all walks of life doing the same pose. These yogis are different ages, races, sizes and nationalities, but they have all come together to participate and grow in their practice. Seeing a yogi that is twice your age is inspiring. Seeing a parent and child together attempting a pose is inspiring. Seeing yogis that are overcoming sickness and pain by using yoga as a healing tool is inspiring. All of this inspiration will make you want to come back day after day and practice with the Instagram community.

It Can Be Done from Home
Some people don’t have the money to take a yoga class, and others don’t have the time to take a class. As a mother of young children, it takes a village for me to be able to leave my house to do basic things—like shop for groceries or get a haircut. Traveling to a yoga studio does not happen often, and it doesn’t happen without planning in advance for babysitters. By getting involved with Instagram challenges, I can practice at home whenever it’s convenient—even if that means taking photos of poses at midnight.

It Documents Your Journey
For better or for worse, if you participate in a daily Instagram yoga challenge, you will have a visual record of each pose that you attempt. In the beginning, seeing your poor form or lack of flexibility may be discouraging, but as time passes, you will be grateful for these photos. It amazes me to look back at my old yoga photos and see how far I’ve come in my practice. My posture, flexibility, strength and form have improved dramatically, and I am aware of the progress that I’ve made over weeks or months.

It’s a Great Way to Meet Yoga Friends
The Instagram yoga community is an amazingly supportive group. Everyone is encouraging and supportive, and that is a great kind of environment to learn and grow in your practice. When you join an Instagram yoga challenge, you get the feeling that you are a part of something greater than yourself. As soon as you join a challenge, you are no longer alone. You have joined a movement, and it feels amazing to get caught up in the positive energy and practice (virtually) alongside your new Instagram yogi friends.

It Creates a Well-Rounded Practice
We all have our strengths. We all also have our weaknesses. I’ve found that when I practice yoga on my own, I have a tendency to work on poses that come easily to me, and I avoid working on the poses that target my weaker/less flexible body parts. The wonderful thing about Instagram yoga challenges is that the pose of the day forces you to work on body parts that you might otherwise completely avoid. If the challenge pose is a backbend, you will work on backbends, even if you dislike them. If the challenge pose is a deep hamstring stretch, you will spend time stretching the backs of your legs. I’ve found this aspect of the challenges to be very beneficial. Rather than focusing on just the poses that I enjoy, I also work diligently on the poses that I don’t enjoy so much. By doing this, I’ve become much more well-rounded in my practice than I otherwise would be.

It Exposes You to Different Types of Yoga
I used to think that there was one type of yoga—the kind where you sit with your hands in prayer and maybe do a warrior 1 pose from time to time. The idea of doing yoga used to bore me to tears. I had no idea that yoga could be a challenging, sweat-inducing workout. There is a type of yoga for everyone, and the world of Instagram yoga has opened my eyes to it all. Who knew that yoga could include inversions like headstands and handstands or arm balances that tested your strength, balance and flexibility? Take a look through all of the available challenges this month and you will see how much variety yoga has to offer.

Enjoy the Non-Physical Benefits of Yoga
If you join an Instagram yoga challenge and you’ve never tried yoga before, you might start out just enjoying the physical benefits of the poses. That’s definitely the experience I had. I would stretch, strengthen, sweat, take a photo of the pose of the day, and move on with my life. Over time, however, I’ve noticed that my body has loosened up to the point where my practice has truly become a moving meditation. I can find peace in each pose, as the poses become more accessible. I am now able to focus on the present moment as I’m living it, and THIS is an invaluable skill on and off the mat.

May 21, 2014
Building a Healthy Pantry

A well-stocked pantry can help you stay on track with your healthy eating plan. With the right ingredients on hand, meal planning can become an intuitive and simple part of your life. Quick meals will come together with just a few fresh ingredients from the supermarket, and healthy snacks will always be available. As with any endeavor, preparation is key. Stock your pantry with healthy staples, and you are bound to make healthy choices in the kitchen.

Because the pantry is home to all of your long-shelf-life items, it has the potential to hold lots of unhealthy food choices that are chock full of preservatives and processed with unrecognizable ingredients. This week, start out by making room for healthy pantry staples.

Get rid of the junk food, the highly processed canned goods, the refined flour and sugar, anything with artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, artificial dyes, or ingredients that you can’t pronounce. Once you purge all of the obvious items that will not serve you in your wellness journey, move on to re-stocking.

Be economical. Build your pantry slowly.
Before you get started, keep in mind that re-stocking a pantry takes time and money. Rather than spending a small fortune on your first trip to the market, plan on buying a few new items each time you shop. Don’t try to buy every type of organic bean that you find. Pick one or two varieties for now. Likewise, pick one or two grains to purchase. You can always add to your pantry staples over time.

Here are my suggestions to build a solid, healthy foundation for your pantry.

Whole grains
I like to keep several different types of whole grains in my pantry, but steel-cut oats and brown rice are two examples to get you started. Oats are a great way to start the day, and brown rice provides a great base for a quick vegetable stir fry.

Quinoa
It cooks like a whole grain, it looks like a whole grain, but technically speaking, it’s a seed. I always have quinoa on hand. It is packed with nutrition, and it cooks very quickly (15 minutes or less) in comparison to other whole grains like brown rice, which can take nearly an hour.

Beans
Beans are the perfect addition for soups, stews or salads. You can also puree beans to create hummus or a tasty spread for sandwiches. Keep a variety on hand—canned chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans are my favorites. Also, make sure to buy some dried beans, too. Dried lentils or split-peas have a long shelf life and are quick to cook.

Cold pressed oil
When shopping for oil, look for cold pressed oils like olive oil, or if you prefer oil without a distinctive flavor, try safflower oil. The goal is to avoid oils (such as canola) that are refined through solvent extraction, neutralization and bleaching.

Nut butter
Almond butter, cashew butter or peanut butter…take your pick! Nut butters are a great addition to smoothies (see our Apple Pie Smoothie recipe), and they make a quick snack or lunch for you and the kids. This is one pantry staple that you will not regret buying!

Vinegar
If you love making salads of any kind—vegetable salad, noodle salad, potato salad, rice salad, etc, you will want to have a variety of vinegars on hand. Vinegar adds lots of flavor, and it is a picnic-safe alternative to mayonnaise.

Liquid for your smoothies
Keep your pantry stocked with organic non-GMO soy milk, almond milk, rice milk or coconut water so that you have liquid to blend your smoothies. Smoothies make a great breakfast or snack. Yes, you can buy soy milk in the refrigerated section of your supermarket, but if you don’t use it regularly, pick up a box of shelf-stable soy milk, and leave it in your pantry until the urge for a smoothie arises.

Nuts
I know that I already listed nut butter on the pantry essentials list here, but nuts are also great to have on hand. This is a great portable snack to keep in your bag or desk drawer at work. Throw a handful of crushed nuts onto your oatmeal in the morning or into a salad for lunch to make your meal heartier.

Vegetable broth
In an ideal world, we would all have time to simmer our own big pot of vegetable stock. Fortunately for us, there are a few excellent, organic vegetable broth options right on the shelves of your supermarket. I like to always keep a minimum of two cartons of broth in my pantry. Use vegetable broth instead of water to cook couscous or to make soup, simmer vegetables, add flavor to sauces or stews, etc. The possibilities for vegetable broth are endless.

Canned tomatoes
Canned tomatoes can be used in soups, stews, bean salads, or marinara sauce. I like to keep a variety of tomatoes in my pantry: crushed, diced, pureed and whole. For a quick meal idea using canned tomatoes, see this week’s recipe for Weeknight Marinara.

May 16, 2014
Daily Practice: 5 Reasons to Do a Headstand Every Day!

Headstand, or Sirsasana, is often referred to as the “King of all asanas”… and rightfully so. It requires both physical and mental preparation to practice this inversion. Getting upside down can be a scary experience! The fear of falling, the fear of failing, the fear of the unknown, all come into play. Once you get over the initial fear though, the practice of inverting will offer new perspective and many benefits. Here are my top five reasons why I love to flip upside down every day.

If you’re a newbie to headstands, no worries! Check out the beginner’s guide to getting into a headstand here.

#1: Increases Blood Flow to the Head

Getting upside down reverses the flow of blood from the heart, giving your heart a much needed break. Blood is able to flow more easily to your brain including the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. These two glands play a vital role in your mental and physical well-being, and regulate all other glands in your body. They also regulate sex hormones, so daily headstands can improve your sex life!

#2: Fountain of Youth

Added blood flow to your head also means added blood flow to your scalp and face. These added nutrients can possibly delay the onset of gray hairs and also give you an instant face lift by reversing gravity. Who needs botox and hair dye when you can just invert every day!

#3: Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

The pituitary gland located at the base of your brain controls the release of endorphins. Endorphins trigger a positive, happy feeling in your body. The extra blood flow to this gland, helps to release more endorphins, thus making you a happier person. It also helps to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. You cannot help but smile while upside down!

#4: Tones and Strengthens

Headstands are a FULL BODY exercise. You use every single muscle in your body in order to get into a headstand! Doing a headstand every day will strengthen every muscle in your neck, arms, shoulders, back, abdominals and legs.

#5: Become the Life of the Party!

Headstands are just plain fun to do and there’s nothing wrong with that! Bust them out at parties or in the park! Your friends and family will be impressed!

As always though…practice mindfully and honor your body! Have fun and laugh lots!

XOXO

May 15, 2014
Weeknight Marinara

Why would you open up a jar of marinara sauce when you can easily whip up a homemade batch? I know, it seems like way too much work, especially on a weeknight when time is limited, but I can guarantee, in just a few simple steps you will have a hearty tomato sauce (a double batch, in fact) that would put any jarred sauce to shame.

The beauty of this marinara, is that it only requires a few ingredients, all of which you likely already have in your pantry: canned tomatoes (I prefer crushed), olive oil, garlic, onion, dried herbs, salt and pepper.

And, you can modify it to your liking. If you have more time and can let the sauce cook for a few hours, throw in a bay leaf. If you like a spicy sauce add some crushed red pepper. If you prefer other herbs, throw in some oregano, parsley – and of course, use fresh herbs when they are available.

This marinara can also serve as the basis for other tomato-based sauces. Add some veggies and create your own primavera, or add some ground turkey, beef or sausage and you have a meat sauce . . . the possibilities are endless.

Weeknight Marinara

Yields enough for a pasta dinner for four with leftovers!

2, 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes (I use San Marzano, but you can use any brand that you like)

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

a few tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of dried basil (or oregano, parley, etc.)

salt and pepper to taste

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and let it cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic until lightly browned (but not burned!). Add the dried basil to the onion and garlic mixture — cooking it at this stage helps draw out its flavor. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. If your sauce is too thick, feel free to add some water (or wine) — I would start with 1/2 cup.

Let the sauce come to a full boil, and then reduce to low heat. Simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes. Serve over a pasta of your choice.

May 14, 2014
20 Ways to a Perfect Mother’s Day

As mothers, we rarely think about ourselves. Taking care of everyone else always seems to come first!

But, there is one day out of the year that should be all about YOU — and that’s Mother’s Day!

Here are our suggestions for making it a perfect day this year!

1. Start your day by setting a daily intention. Declare peace and joy for the day ahead.

2. Exercise. Don’t you feel better fitting this into your day?

3. Make yourself pretty. Get dressed up. Put makeup on.

4. Spend some time by yourself. Go for a walk. Read a book or magazine. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, but do it by yourself.

5. Pamper yourself. Get your nails done, go for a massage.

6. Turn off your phone, step away from the iPad and computer. No working and no social distractions. Devote your attention to yourself and your family.

7. Take a nap.

8. Let your family pamper you and serve you — preferably, breakfast, lunch and dinner!

9. No housework. No cooking, cleaning or worrying about an upside down house.

10. Let your husband and kids fend for themselves. Let the kids pick out their clothes, let your husband do the laundry. They will survive.

11. Enjoy a real meal, sitting down at the table (not at the kitchen counter or with kids hanging off of your body).

12. Indulge in dessert or wine, or both.

13. Take a picture of yourself with your kids — it’s funny how few of these we actually have.

14. Surround yourself with people you love.

15. Celebrate the other moms in your life: your mom, your sister, your best friend . . .

16. Spend time with your children. Read them a book, fit in a trip to the park, go on a bike ride. They are the reason you are being celebrated today!

17. Smile, a lot.

18. Kiss and hug your children.

19. Take a long, hot bath.

20. Recognize you are loved.

Happy Mother’s Day!

xoxo

Laura, Masumi & Kate

May 9, 2014
Daily Practice: Make It a Family Affair!

With Mother’s Day around the corner, spending time with my children is top of mind. And, I can’t think of anything else I’d want to do more than practice yoga with them! Yoga can be so beneficial to your children’s physical and mental well-being. Physically, it can improve flexibility, strength, coordination and body awareness. Mentally, it can alleviate stress and anxiety. You probably remember my post from a few weeks back that offered suggestions on how to get your family involved. This post elaborates, offering five great poses to get you and your family practicing yoga together!

Here they are:

#1: Downward Facing Dog

This is the first pose both of my kids learned from watching me. For both adults and children, it is a pose that works every muscle of your body…your arms, shoulders, core, back, hips and legs! Try to hold this for 10-15 breaths. Your child will probably come out sooner, but that’s OKAY! My minis generally use me as a “tunnel”…making it more fun for me to hold!

#2: Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose was the first backbend my kids learned. Kids are naturally flexible so they most likely will find this pose super fun…especially if you ask them to try to touch their toes to their head! Cobra Pose is a great way to stretch out the entire front body and strengthen the arms. Once your child has learned Downward Facing Dog, you can start to teach them to transition right into Cobra Pose.

#3: Child’s Pose

Who doesn’t love a good Child’s Pose? It releases any tension in the back, shoulders, chest and arms. It also begins to calm the mind and bring the focus back to your breath. If your kids are like mine…they are constantly on the go! This pose can be used as a first step to calm them.

Once your child learns this, you can start to flow these poses together almost like a dance! Downward Facing Dog to Cobra Pose to Child’s Pose…Repeated a few times is a mini-workout!

#4: Seated Forward Fold

Seated Forward Fold is one of the easiest poses to teach children. Having flexible hamstrings is so important and improves everything we do . . . walking, running, bending, even tying your shoes! This is the perfect pose to help your kids remain flexible as they grow.

#5: Easy Pose or Criss-Cross Applesauce with Meditation

At the end of your practice with you family, take a moment to sit and close your eyes. Encourage your children to do the same. Taking a moment to be still and breathe can help relieve stress and relax your mind. For your children, this moment may only last 30 seconds — and that’s OKAY! Eventually, they will learn to sit quietly for longer periods and to use this pose to look within themselves.

Practicing yoga with your kids will not be perfect, but the key is that you are doing it together. And, if you are smiling, you are doing it right!

XOXO

May 8, 2014
Set a Daily Intention

How do you start your morning? What is the first thing you do? Do you groggily open your eyes, roll over in bed to reach for your phone, check your Facebook, Instagram and weather apps, stumble into the bathroom to wash up and then find yourself in the kitchen where you begin to pour yourself a large mug of caffeine?

If this is your typical morning, I am here to tell you that it can be SO much more. You can change the frenetic pace of your day and start off feeling organized and peaceful. Each morning does not have to be a sudden jolt out of Sleepyland into Caffeineville.

I’m going to avoid the word “meditation”, because that word has the tendency to freak people out. No, I’m not asking you to meditate. I’m asking you to take 5 minutes each morning to sit quietly, breathe, give thanks, and set a daily intention.

Start out by finding a peaceful, clean place to sit.
I recommend setting a 5-minute timer (especially if you prefer lying down during this exercise) so you don’t drift off and miss your train to work. You can either sit on the floor on your yoga mat, on a pillow or in a comfortable chair. Just find a place that is away from the daily noise of your life. No catalogs, bills, permission slips for school, chapstick, tissue boxes or other visual clutter. I prefer sitting near a window because I love how I feel when natural light is pouring into my house.

Express gratitude
Next, close your eyes and say a simple prayer of gratitude. Whether or not you believe in a higher power, it is an important exercise to acknowledge and give thanks for everything in your life. Does it really matter if it’s a blessing from above or a matter of good circumstance? No. You are fortunate, and by actively recognizing that each morning, you will start the day on the right foot.

Breathe deeply
Once you’ve expressed gratitude, move on to an easy breathing exercise. Here is my favorite breathing technique that I learned during my yoga teacher training: Inhale deeply through the nose for a count of eight, hold the breath in the lungs for a count of four, and then exhale through the nose for a count of eight. In my mind, I count like this: Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Hold, 2, 3, 4. Exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Repeat this count over and over in your mind until you are breathing in this manner without having to count in your head at all.

When your 5-minute timer buzzes, slowly open your eyes, and set an intention for the day. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate plan—it can be as basic as, “Today, I will welcome each challenge as an opportunity to grow.”

Starting each morning with peace, gratitude and a positive statement can make all the difference in the trajectory of your day. Give it a try, and let us know how it goes.

May 6, 2014