Going into 2014 with balance in mind

There are a few big themes that run throughout my blog: Eating clean and organic. Being active. Finding balance. The belief that your body will never be healthy if your mind or spirit is sick.

I never really had balance before. I never really pursued balance before.

I won't say I am completely balanced NOW, but the pursuit of it has shown me that it is possible to be satiated, mind, body and spirit all at the same time.

This year has been so full of filling those three aspects of myself - 

Mind: I read a LOT. I created two classes and wrote all the lectures (which meant a lot of research). Worked on my dissertation. Traveled, learned, asked. Surrounded myself with thoughtful, intelligent and curious humans.

Spirit: I became interested in Buddhism and even went to a Buddhist retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh. We went to Japan with the main goal of learning about Buddhism and Shintoism, seeing the temples and shrines. I realized I just don't fit into any organized religion, but want to fill my spirit with a power greater than me. I do believe in something. And I believe that that something wants me to be kind and gentle.

Body: I didn't gain weight this year, after the death of my father, like I did after the death of my mother. I reached and maintained the lowest weight I've seen as an adult. I began strength training and yoga regularly again, to get back the muscle tone I had worked so hard for before my father's death. I am the smallest and the strongest I've ever been.

I go into 2014 as balanced as I've ever been, with the aim of learning more about how to gain and maintain balance. To find true happiness and be completely content with life. Mind, body, spirit.

I weighed in at exactly 120.0 today. I am very happy with that. I've never come out of the holiday season lighter than I went into it. The OCD part of me actually very much likes that very round and even number, hahaha :) It will be easy to remind myself that I started 2014 at 120 pounds... and if I am not pregnant next year, I aim to end the year the same way!

I will leave you with calligraphy from Thich Nhat Hanh... we have "I have arrived, I am home" by our front door.

He says about this saying: "Our true home is really in the here and in the now. Because only in the here and the now can we touch life. As the Buddha said, life is available only in the here and the now, so going back to the present moment is going home. That is why you take one step or two steps and you awaken to the fact that you have arrived. You have arrived in the present moment."

I hope everyone can stop, breathe, and enjoy the present moment that they are in as we go into this new year. Enjoy where you are and who you are, without worrying what has been done this year or will be done next year.

Be here, find peace, and life will flow much easier....

Namaste <3