BACK TO THE ASHRAM

Are you curious about my blog title? What I'm referring to is not an actual ashram, but my home environment. I was away visiting my family in central New York for the past few days and now I'm back home and back to the grind (I hate that phrase, but it's true in a sense, I have A LOT of clients to catch up with, calls to return from organizations who would like to book me to speak at various functions, and many writing/editing deadlines to complete).

But the most important factor is that I feel RELAXED and FOCUSED. Some may say that it was my time away that rejuvenated me, but no, that's not it. My home soothes me. I'm burning Nag Champa incense. Brent made me a tasty omlette with fresh farmer's market tomatoes, asparagus, potatoes, basil, and olives. I'm eating the omlette over greens that I picked up when I was visiting my family. Finger Lakes lettuces are incomparable--I swear they're tastier than lettuces I've had in France, Italy, and Switzerland!

I'm drinking a big glass of water with sliced lemon. I'm playing ultra cheesy lifestyle music (thanks to satellite radio, which I'll thank even more when I change the channel---ahhh, even nicer, Celtic harp music). My shutters are open and a nice breeze is soothing me yet not blowing my papers all over the place. The flourishing house plants make me smile, and I'll feel even happier when we welcome a new doggie into our home.

How is your home environment? My clients sometimes look at me funny when I ask them such questions. "Aren't you supposed to be my nutritionist?" they may think. But I address nutrition holistically, which goes way beyond the food you eat. Healthy food is critical and is a BIG PART of achieving balance. Trust me, I wouldn't feel so relaxed and simultaneously focused right now if I were slurping down a diet coke and chomping on a cheeseburger!!! But beyond food, you want to feed yourself things that uplift you! A healthy home environment is KEY! How do you feel in your home? People are a part of your home too - make sure you nurture those relationships. If you are in a shaky roommate situation - get out! If you are living with a "former" significant other b/c you can't afford rent on your own, trust me, you'll feel a million times better if you get out and prioritze your health and sanity. Make your home your ashram; it feels amazing!