adding juice...

Today is day four of my juice fest.

My amazing husband got me an amazing new juicer, replacing Old Faithful, without me even having to ask for it! I love him so.

Ta da!

But back to the juice...

For the past few days, I have been adding one big, huge green juice into my daily diet, usually right after my morning lemon water.

Now don't get me wrong, I still follow it up with a coffee, sometimes even with eggnog (albeit it's organic eggnog) and I've been proudly polishing off every last Christmas truffle I can find in the house (there are a lot!)...

The juice is simply my healthy treat for my cells. No drama. No cleanses. Just pure juice love.

It tasted (and looked!) much better than this sad pic...

Here's this morning's juice:

• Handful of romaine.
• Handful of kale.
• Big handful of parsley.
• Half of a cucumber (peeled as it wasn't organic).
• One apple.
• 1 inch piece of ginger.
• Lemon juice to squeeze on top when it's all done.

To quote one of my favourite ladies, Ms. Kris Carr, "Make juice, not war."

Much love,
mxo

love life...

mxo

wagons...

Here's the thing about wagons: they are notoriously difficult to stay on. Especially when they look like this:

No thank you!

Lord knows I've had a hard time staying on them. My usual strategy is to get on and speed so quickly that I go flying off. My wounded ego (and sometimes broken bones) then take awhile to heal before I get back on.

It's not a good stragedy. So I'm trying something new: go slow/ be kind (I couldn't decide which one to go with, so I'm going with both).

In my many years of yoga-ing and exercising and dieting and cleansing and otherwise being a happy, healthy yogi, I've come to learn this: the secret to success is to start slow, to incorporate your new goal into your life, because when you try to rework your life to meet your new goal, it often doesn't stick (this is why the vast majority of New Year's resolutions flop a couple of weeks later).

So when you're planning your New Years resolutions, I would suggest this: write your resolutions, then write your plan for how to arrive there. Break it down. Be detailed. Think of your resolutions as where you want to be in 12 months, your end goal and not where you must be immediately.

Example:

• I will go to the gym five times per week. Unless you're already going four times every week, I suggest this modification: I will go the gym five times per week by December. In January, I will start with one day a week and I'll find the time that works best for me (i.e. maybe you're a morning gym rat). In February, I'll go two times per week. Etc.

I say all of this to myself first and foremost because I need to hear read it.

I'll post my 2013 goals soon to keep myself accountable. Yikes!

Hope you're all having a Happy Happy Holly-day! And please indulge now. Live a little! That's what the holidays are for. January is for dealing with the aftermath. :)

Much, much love.
mxo

passion muscle...

I've been feeling very introspective lately. Pages and pages of my journal have been filled with random musings.

And it helps that I was able to completely unplug for a whole week, soaking up sunshine, yoga and surf in Nica.  :)

Me, learning to rip it!

Today's musings have to do with passion.

A lot of my friends (myself included at times) are really struggling with this idea of passion - not only living it, but even just finding it.

It's hard.

Many of us aren't born with one clear, driving passion to be a doctor, musician, artist or poet.  Many of us have to figure out what our passions might be (I'm using the plural here intentionally).

We can get lost and quite frustrated by the hunt.

But here's the thing - what if we have it all backwards? What if the point isn't to find passion but to bring passion instead. What if passion is like a muscle that you have to exercise?

I bet a lot of it would feel like fakery BUT some of it wouldn't, and through the exercise, you'd find the thing(s) that really make you tick.

Here are two of my favourite ladies discussing the subject:



Food for thought.
Much love,
mxo

10-year-olds...

Two things are about to happen in the next month or so:

1. I'm going to be an aunt. My very best friend is almost 8 months pregnant with a baby girl.
2. I'm going to Nicaragua to visit my brother-in-law with my hubby and some friends.

Here's why these two things are related:

• On one hand, I want to be such an amazing, positive influence in this soon-to-be kid's life. I want to help grow her into a strong, confident woman. (I'll have to rethink my strategy somewhat if she comes out a boy...)
• On the other, this looming beach vacation has left me suddenly concerned about my "problem" areas. I've been worrying recently about not being "bikini" ready. 

Those two things just don't jive and yet they are completely related.

The kicker is this: if we want to change the world, we must start with ourselves. If I want to be a role model for her, I have to lead by example. I have to practice what I preach.



And I preach this:

• We are all beYOUtiful and unique.
• We are objectified enough by the media, society, etc - let's not do it to ourselves, and let's not do it to each other.
• Let's celebrate our own beauty.
• And admit to girl crushes (my most recent gc's include: Gabby Bernstein, Marie Forleo, and Kris Carr).
• ... oh yes, and let's define beauty holistically - like inside and out. 

So next time you're heading towards negative self-talk or gossiping for that matter, picture a 10-year-old hanging on your every word/ thought. What would you want her to learn?

Much, much love.
mxo

the tough moments...

This week has been difficult. I'm going through something at work that really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but for some reason, it has rocked me to my very core.

I can't help but feel like something bigger is going on, like I'm in the midst of a bigger change, but I can't see it yet. Right now, I'm in muck of it and my chest is tight.

But I've realized this in the past few months:

 life is beautiful because of it ebbs and flows. 

Everyone will always have ups and downs, and that's just part of the process.


The less we fight it, the more we let ourselves just experience this moment as it is, the sooner we will figure out what it's for.

I get that hearing how grateful you really should and how much worse it could be (a.k.a. perspective) isn't always appreciated. Sometimes you don't want to be told to snap out of it. Sometimes you just need to feel the rawness.

So feel it. Like really, truly feel it.


And, dear reader, whoever you might be, I hope you can find comfort in this:

• This too shall pass.
• Everyone you see feels the same way you do. You're not alone.
• One day you'll look back and understand, but for now, just take care of yourself in whatever way you need to.

Love u.
mxo

This is my happy place. That's me, the blondie next to the gorgeous bride. :)

Perspective

Today was a sh*t sandwich kind of a day.

I cried... a lot. I b*tched and moaned. I bailed on one of my best friends. It wasn't pretty.


But then the universe sent me this little nugget of wisdom:

"be thankful for what's right rather than complaining about what's wrong"

And this.

And this.

Trust me, I know it's hard to see the forest for the trees when you're in the muddy thick of it, but I promise you, there is a forest.

The universe has your back. Oh yes, and this: if not this, than something better.

Much love!
mxo