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Tips For Living A Radiant, Joyful Life in 2010

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

My Pink Mommy, Trish Rankin, got a New Years email that inspired her to compile this list of rules to live by in 2010. Take it away, Mommy!

Hi Pinkies! I’m not a big believer in telling people how to live. Even with my children, I always believed that you raise your children by leading with a good example. But sometimes we lose our mojo, fall off our path, and need a little help guiding our way back to health, happiness, and peace. So here are a few tips to live by in 2010:

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner
like a beggar.
3. Consciously buy food grown locally.
4. Live with the 3 E’s – Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Live in the moment.
6. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Be kind to our Earth. She will reward you with clean water, clean air and pure food.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in meditation or prayer for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep no less than 7 hours each night.
10. Exercise – move your body in walking, stretching or resistance movement for 30 minutes every day.
Your reward is a stronger body, more energy and a more alert mind.

Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what
their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts about things you cannot control.
Instead invest your energy asking God or the Universe to help.
13. Make a new friend, you can never have too many.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with
mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Try love instead, it works.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present. It is the journey that counts not the end result.
21. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are a part of the curriculum that appear and fade- but unlike calculus,
the lessons you learn will last a lifetime..
22. Smile and laugh more, belly laugh-it will make you healthier.
23. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:
24. Call your family often.
25. Each day give something good to others. Be the bright spot in someone’s day, especially a stranger.
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. Spend time with children and the elderly. They will remind you how to live.
28. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will.

Life:
31. Do the right thing!
32. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
33. GOD heals everything, either physically or spiritually and sometimes both.
34. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. The best is yet to come.
37. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for your life!
38. Burn no bridges- you may need one to cross the rough river of life!
39. Be kind to you, You are the best friend you will ever have.
40. Live in gratitude for all of the blessings in your life.

There you go, Pinkies. I’m sure there are more, but these are the guidelines I post on my wall to remind me how to live. I hope they will help you too!

Happy New Year! May all your dreams come true in 2010.
With lots of love,
Trish

Tags: joy, joyful life, mojo, tips for living, Trish Rankin
Posted in Finding Mojo, Guest Pinkies, Owning Health, Owning Joy | 6 Comments »

Keeping Our Mojo Intact at Christmas (and beyond)

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Hey Pinkies,

Joy here. Merry Christmas- one day late. I enjoyed a mellow one this year. Since I’ve moved to California from the east coast, Chritmas has been a relatively low-key affair. Flights are expensive, traveling is hectic, friends have other plans … plus the end of the year generally finds me sleepy, reflective, quiet, and not particularly motivated to do much at all. One friend recently pointed out how ironic it is that we are expected to DO so much during the holidays – attending dinners, parties, exchanges, and cocktail hours; shopping; baking; visiting – during a time when our bodies seem to be telling us to lay low.

Owning What Feels Right

I must be honest, though, laying low bummed me out the first couple of years. It didn’t feel chosen so much as having ended up this way. As chaotic as everything feels in general at this time of year, there had been a strange comfort in the rushing, the traffic, the overdoing, the conflict, and the weariness brought on by the holidays. But during this year, a year when everything has shifted for me, I find myself OWNING so many aspects of my life that I’d previously resisted – in this case, the very real fulfillment found in spending my Christmas holiday with my boyfriend, dog, and cat, couch-lounging, hiking, eating out, and taking some sacred time out of “regular” life.

Tips on Maintaining Your Holiday Mojo

So that’s one way I’m keeping my Mojo for the duration of the holiday season – quite simply, Owning Me. Here are a few more tips to keep these next several days magical and enchanted – the way (at least I think) they were intended.

Do what you want, and listen to your body. Really. Feel like whooping it up and celebrating? Go for it. But if your energy feels low, it’s for good reason. Nobody’s going to be offended if you don’t make it to that second party of the night, or if you don’t feel like driving nine hours to the family reunion at Aunt Penelope’s. And even if you are met with resentment – remember, that’s that person’s experience, and their choice. Own what you feel, and know that’s always in your best interest.
Reflect in gratitude. It ain’t just for Thanksgiving anymore. Think back on the year. Anticipate the one ahead. What went right this year? What are you hoping for the next one? Tell your loved ones how much you appreciate them – whether you’re with them or not.
Give because it feels good. I don’t mean buying presents or baking for your neighbors. Be led by your heart and see where your highest self is needed. Generosity is an aspect of our truest essence as beings. Today, walking by a homeless man, I felt an inexplicable wave of love and connection that pulled me into a cafe to buy him lunch. Maybe that’s what they mean by “holiday spirit.” Whatever it was, it grabbed me and woke up my heart to the undercurrent of kindness that connects us all. It just felt deepy right and true.
Get Crafty. And not just because you’re “supposed” to bake cookies or decorate the house. Spend a cozy day at home building a gingerbread house or making ornaments. Roast some vegetables or make soup. Projects don’t have to be seasonally themed either. Paint the mailbox. Make a collage. Welcome in the New Year with your creative mojo flowing (there’s actually a great Mojo Monday exercise awaiting you on this front … stay tuned!).
Surround yourself with light. Part of what makes Christmas so magical – at least in theory – are the short days illuminated in twinkly candlelight. Nothing evokes feelings of wonder like turning off all the lights and dining (playing, reading, meditating, reflecting) in the peaceful dim of candles or Christmas lights. This never fails to instill awe and help me connect with spirit.
Engage fully. No matter what you are doing – baking cookies, driving to Grandma’s, singing carols, writing a letter to Santa or toasting the new year, bring your whole self to the activity. There is no suffering in the present moment, say the Buddhists, and putting your full attention on what you’re doing – even if it’s the same thing you’ve done for countless years on end – may just re-infuse it with the joy it originally brought you.

May the Christmas holiday find you content, grateful, whole, grounded, at ease, and surrounded by love. I will surely be spending much of the next two days reflecting in gratitude at all you Pinkies have brought to my life.

Be well, and still.

Much love,

Joy

Join The Pink Community and Feel the Love.

Tags: baking, christmas, christmas eve, decorating, energy, gratitude, holiday parties, light, mojo, traffic, travel
Posted in Finding Mojo, Owning Balance, Owning Joy, Owning Love | No Comments »

Owning Change: This Too Shall Pass

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Hold on to your hats, Pinkies – our Lovemuffin Extraordinaire, Megan Monique is back for yet another round of helping us embrace our unpleasant emotions and transition them into a healthy expression of progression and acceptance. Enjoy indulging in the wisdom of a Lovemuffin.

Embracing Uncertainty

I sat down this evening to get some writing done. Uncertain about what would spill out onto my blank canvas, I decided to look through some old pictures on my computer and reorganize them. As I went through each folder of old boyfriends, friends and familiar but distant places, it became clear to me that the transition stage I am in right now is no different than where I was at just a couple of years ago.

Yes I am in a new city, have new friends, a different boyfriend, and my outlook on life and its events has been tweaked and matured a bit. But the emotions I am experiencing – the uncertainty, and being scared to move forward into the unknown – are just the same. This really got me thinking.

Moving out of the space I am in, detaching myself from what is comfortable and familiar, is difficult. Questions arise in my mind: am I leaving something that I will never find again? Am I making the wrong choice? Will I be happy in the new circumstances? And of course the familiar phrase, “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side” is stuck in my head as well, swirling around me like a black hole waiting to suck me in.

On the other hand, what will it cost me to stay where I am cozy and push aside this strong inner craving for more than I have right now? Am I selfish for wanting more, when I already have it so good? When I am old and grey, will I look back on this moment and wish that I had just taken the chance to discover a new world of adventure?

To Each Our Own

Every step we take – every thought, every action, every word – is a new beginning for us. There is no wrong choice, just different ones. We have but one chance to live in this space and in this time, how selfish would we be if we didn’t make the most of it and push ourselves to our limits, if only to find out what they are?

I can remember leaving my previous situations. Trying to explain why I was leaving and endeavoring to make other people understand was perhaps the worst part of the experience. This is a battle I refuse to fight again. The truth is that we each walk our own paths and live in our own shoes. Only we can comprehend what it is that we are going through, and where our own hearts are leading us.

Gratefully accept support from those who offer it, and for those who don’t, well, just remember that while it may hurt not have the support of our loved ones, it is not necessary to move forward. You might consider asking why it is so important that you have their approval, how is it serving you (it might not be at all).

So What Now?

What matters most is that you are comfortable with you choices, with your path and with your actions. There are no other Pinkies that are in your body on a daily, moment-to-moment basis. Our inner Pink Gods/Goddesses whisper into our ears for only us to hear. We just have to listen and choose to act.

As I embark on this next journey, I will remember that I am following my heart each step of the way. The adventure is worth the physical and emotional challenges. I will come out stronger on the other side, and this too shall pass.

What Action Will You Take?

Embracing change and uncertainty can be a scary, uncomfortable process. It is important that we move forward with our goals and desires before they fade away and move out of our reach. The Universe does indeed conspire in our favor, but it can only send us the life raft – we must be the ones to reach for it. Moving forward does not mean that you have to justify your actions to anyone or yourself – in fact, I discourage it. Often when we are explaining to others and ourselves we end up belittling our current stage of life. This is unnecessary. There is nothing wrong with where you are – in fact, it is key in moving you toward to where you are going. Love where you are, and focus on where you want to go.

Where are you stuck Pinkies? Is there something your inner God or Goddess has been whispering in your ear, luring you to dive in and explore the unknown? Why have you not taken that leap? What is stopping you? Are you conditioning your goals and dreams to the critics around you? Embrace the life you love and go with it- in reality, this is just a game.

Ever-changing, ever-loving,
Megan

Tags: creativity, female empowerment, gratitude, healing, inspiration, intuition, intuitive, Love, mojo, motivation, Owning Pink, Personal Empowerment, spirituality, surrender, universe, women's health
Posted in Finding Mojo, Guest Pinkies, Owning Balance, Owning Creativity, Owning Health, Owning Joy, Owning Love, Owning Spirituality, Owning Success, Owning Surrender, Owning You, Owning Your Emotions, Owning Your Intuition, Personal Empowerment | 6 Comments »

Owning Parenthood: Finding Peace Amidst the Chaos

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Hey Pinkies, please welcome back Pink Parenting Guru Jason Stein, here with a bit of zen wisdom on keeping our center and maintaining our mojo when our kids start to wear us down (not that that ever happens, especially not around the holidays!) … Jason, we bow in deep gratitude to you. Take it away!

The Best Laid Plans …

I awakened, meditated and was ready for the day.

I went into my kid’s room and noticed my two year old, Jack, had turned every single drawer upside down.

Ughhh! I just wanted to find peace today.

I didn’t get fully triggered, however, until my daughter in her whiniest voice said, “My eggs are cold and I’m not eating this waffle!”

A brief “hang on a second” as I whisked my way outside to scream (literally).

This is not the peaceful day I was planning on.

I come back inside and, happily, Sierra explains how I put the eggs in a bowl and the water from the cooked eggs is soaking into the waffle. I quickly bite off the soggy pieces, give her some empathy, and she, feeling comforted and heard, finishes her eggs and what’s left of her dry waffle.

Learning My Own Lessons

By 10:00 am, I’m co-facilitating a call to twenty Zen Parents on how to use compassionate communication at home. I can see them and they can see me and – more importantly in my mind – they can see my kids.

Insecure thoughts creep in: Sweet Jesus, I hope they don’t notice how rambunctious my kids are. Who am I to teach them; they should be teaching me? I notice how their kids just patiently sit in their laps. Oh, note to self – I’m totally comparing right now. Kids’ jobs are not to be robotic, but to dump drawers upside down and see what happens when they whine. It’s all about exploring cause and effects.

The day’s filled with kids being kids and me wondering why I can’t relax.

Jack wakes up from his nap screaming at the top of his lungs. I encourage him to use his words, but for 45 minutes, I get nothing but high-pitched squeals of pain. I don’t know if he’s bleeding internally, had a nightmare, or just isn’t ready to wake up.

I do know he loves water. So I draw a bath and we both get in.

Surrendering Control

Trying to control my kids and chase the holy grail for peace isn’t working, so I finally take a breath, surrender, and ask for some back up.

My roommate is home and she agrees to make sure the kids don’t impale themselves on anything sharp.

I grab a beer and choose to watch an hour of NFL Live on my computer. Just like that, I decide to take care of my feelings of relief and need for rest.

The kids do what they do best and throw all the pillows and cushions around the house on the floor, launching themselves from the chair to the sofa to the floor.

And with a sip of beer and watching two grown men in helmets tackle each other, I ironically meet my need for peace and reconnect to my body.

After a 30-minute break, I’m back in my heart and feeling re-energized for the rest of the night.

Except for Jack’s bloody nose, but that stopped in like two minutes.

Mindfulness Tips for Finding Peace Amidst the Chaos of Parenting

Don’t do it alone. If you’re single or your partner isn’t available to help, make plans for someone in your community to give you an hour of relief.
Notice your comparison jackals. I’m guessing you are the harshest judge of your parenting. Take a breath and remember what you are doing right.
Mindfulness doesn’t always occur with meditation or yoga. It can happen watching TV, drinking a beer or doing just about anything. Let go of being a perfect parent and be a parent who compassionately loves themselves and their kids.

What has your experience been, Pinkies? Is it possible to Own Parenthood while Owning Surrender? How are some of the ways you have maintained presence of mind and heart while your family spins around you?

Open to it all,

Jason

Tags: free to be, inspiration, jason stein, mojo, motivation, new age parenting, new age thinking, parenting
Posted in Finding Mojo, Guest Pinkies, Owning Parenting, Personal Empowerment | 4 Comments »

Author Phil Bolsta Interviews Owning Pink Founder Dr. Lissa Rankin About Life, Mojo, Health, Pink & Surrender

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Hiya Pinkies! Yesterday, I was interviewed by Phil Bolsta, the author of Sixty Seconds: One Moment Changes Everything, a collection of 45 inspiring, life-changing stories from prominent people he interviewed, including Joan Borysenko, Deepak Chopra, geneticist Dr. Francis Collins, acclaimed sportswriter Frank Deford, Dr. Larry Dossey, Wayne Dyer, Dan Millman, Caroline Myss, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, Dr. Bernie Siegel, James Van Praagh, singer Billy Vera, Doreen Virtue, Neale Donald Walsch, and bassist Victor Wooten.

The story of how Phil and I met is filled with crazy synchronicities (more Signs From the Universe). He posted about the nutty synchronicities that lead him to me on his blog Triumph of the Spirit. In this interview, Phil and I discuss mojo, Owning Pink, holistic wellness, The Woman Inside Project, surrender, synchronicity, breast cancer, love, and a lot more.

If you’re curious, I’ve posted the interview here. Since YouTube won’t let you post more than 10 minutes, the interview is broken into 4 YouTube clips… Thank you Phil for finding me and taking the time to interview me. Thank you Pinkies, for watching and making all of this possible. And thank you Universe, for bringing all of us together!

Lissa Rankin Interview Part 1