Coming to you live from Ireland

Sitting in this gorgeous flat in downtown Dublin, I admire hues of purple, silver, and gold cascading down the mirror frame, the luxurious sofa, and the intricate chandelier. I feel like royalty! How many times have I vacationed in such a beautiful space? I can count on one hand missing four fingers. This holiday in Europe with my family is a breath of fresh air.

A breath of fresh air.

Despite the time being 12:04am, I am in such a state of euphoria, after touring Ireland, that I couldn’t possibly close my eyes and expect them to stay shut. My eyes are open. I feel woke. The rest of my party is either asleep or out exploring the pubs. However, I want to sit up with you and share something life changing. It has changed my life for the better. It has set me on the path of success, and I never plan on looking back.

In this video interview of Ben Pakulski, the secrets of being a successful person are explained effectively. These are not secrets so much as practices because you have to do them again and again, day in, and day out, in order to unlock your true potential as an athlete, business person, mother, father, etc. I have broken down much of what he said into 5 pillars of practice that you should be doing every day.

Number 1: Train Your Mind

When we begin to train our minds, what happens? We’re doing great, but then a week later, everything falls apart. A story pops up in our head of why we can’t. “If you can’t, then you must,” is one of Ben’s favorite phrases. So many of my students tell me that they can’t journal because they can’t stick with it. Now, I will tell them, “Then you must.” You MUST journal everyday! Write your energy level (I like to draw a little gas gauge inspired by Mel Robbins), your top priorities, your accomplishments, and your intentions. Everyday routines like chugging coffee, scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, and rage driving around all the old farts of Kerrville to get to your job are doing diddly squat for your brain. Take a minute each morning to account for how you’re feeling, what you’ve accomplished, and what you want to accomplish.

Number 2: Train Your Body

Practice yoga!

“Yoga is not for me.”

Alright, Susan, whatever. Then what is for you? Walking? Running? Dancing? Get out and do it! Go lift heavy things, run a mile, Cha-Cha, real smooth! There are so many options for you to move. You know I’m all about that yoga life. Therefore, I preach the yoga gospel! While you may have an issue with yoga, you don’t have an issue with every form of exercise, do you? Find what feels good! And according to this article from Harvard Health, yoga is for everybody, even if they don’t realize it. Yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system; rest and digest. We all need to digest, and we all need rest, which brings me to pillar number three.

Number 3: Sleep

Okay, I’m totally guilty of cracking this pillar off of its foundation, hurling it down the steps of my sanity, and laughing maniacally as the flying monkeys take control of my brain. But at least I’m aware of it, right? Sleep can be a tricky one to keep up with. No two days are ever the same, and sometimes life demands we stay awake longer than we planned. We can’t let the flying monkeys win. Train them to guard your pillar of sleep by giving your body a job before you go to bed. Your body’s job: just relax. Scan your whole body for any areas of pain or discomfort. Really tune into the frequency of your body language before going to bed and you will have a much easier time falling asleep after you have addressed its needs. While insomnia does exist, it doesn’t have to take control of your life. Get into a regular sleep schedule and maybe the flying monkeys won’t need to guard your sleep patterns at all.

Number 4: Meditate

I make meditation time a non-negotiable part of my week. My goal is to practice it everyday, but that doesn’t always happen. So, I set a one hour block every week to meditate alone, no matter how I feel or what I have to do. What happens when I don’t live with integrity for my meditation? Everything feels uncomfortable. I want to jump out of my own skin. Little things irritate me in a way that can ruin my whole day. I fail to see the bigger picture through thankful eyes when I don’t meditate. Sitting with yourself may sound uncomfortable, and it is, but you know what’s even more uncomfortable? Not meditating! Focus on one thing. It’s not hard, you just have to practice. Read some scripture. Meditate on a Mantra. Meditation doesn’t have to be a big, arduous task. Try five minutes of breathing. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Can you count your breaths? What does that feel like?

Number 5: Start Small

I encourage you to start with those five minutes of breathing everyday. Sit. Breathe. You can do that! I believe in you! Have a healthy snack afterwards. Go for a short walk with your dog. She will thank you for it. Try yoga at home! There are many videos out there, my favorite short yoga videos are by Yoga with Adriene. Once you take the small steps of walking, breathing, fueling your body with healthy snacks like fruits and veggies, you will be able to focus on the hard core objectives of your day, week, and life’s purpose.

A Breath of Fresh Air - 5 Things You Can Do to Feel Your Best