Click here to download the tunes!

Click here to download this mix!

Click here to download this playlist!

“Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being.” – Mahatma Gandhi

I’ve always believed that if you want something done, you’ve got to do it yourself. Pull yourself up by the boot straps. Put your nose to the grindstone. Buck up and buckle down. I’ve prided myself on this type of self-sufficiency over the years and it has served me well.

Lately, though, I’ve needed some help.

My first child is due in about three weeks and, as the due date draws nearer, I find myself relying more and more upon the support of friends and family. People have offered to help me in ways I could never imagine – giving me furniture, gifts, baby essentials, bodywork, even offering to bring me meals once the baby arrives.

I was hesitant to accept all of this help at first. Surely, I thought, I could manage everything on my own. But, as I approach the monumental life change of becoming a parent, I realize how much help I truly need. And, most importantly, I’m learning to accept it.

Slowly, I’m learning to navigate the gentle balance between independence and assistance. No doubt, self-sufficiency is important. We have to take charge of our own lives, steer ourselves through life’s challenges, and launch ourselves toward our goals. We can’t expect anyone to do the hard work for us. But, once we’ve done everything we can to help ourselves, then it’s time to ask for help.

And here’s the amazing thing: when we combine our self-determination with the power of a helping hand, a whole new world of possibility opens. Achievements that were once out of grasp become attainable. New hope emerges. We become more capable than ever of making a difference – not only in our own lives, but in the lives of others. Self-sufficiency, combined with a little support, has the power to effect radical, important change in this world.

So, the next time you find yourself struggling, ask yourself two questions:

Have I done everything I can?

Is it time to ask for help?

Answer yourself honestly. And, when the time is right, rely on yourself to ask for help. Then watch the doors of possibility open wide.

Do you struggle with asking for help? When has a helping hand made a big difference in your life? Leave a comment below!

Want this mix? Download it here!

What’s your favorite song on this playlist? Leave a comment and tell me!

It’s been a long day. You come home, plop down on the couch, and you rattle off a litany of complaints: you woke up late and tired; the meeting went horribly; lunch was disappointing; your neck and shoulders were killing you all day; the commute was unbearable; you’re exhausted. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. I know I have.

In fact, I recently admitted to myself just how often this pattern repeated itself in my evenings. When the day didn’t shape up quite the way I hoped, I found myself bemoaning the bummers of my day. My husband and I would sit down to dinner and whine through an account of our days. Something had to change.

So, we started a new tradition. Now, every night, the first thing we do is tell each other three good things that happened to us that day. No matter how tough the day was, no matter how frustrating, we each have to share three good things. They could be as simple as “I had a nice cup of tea in the afternoon,” or as big as “I won the lottery!” But, no matter what, we’ve got to share three.

This simple exercise has dramatic effects on my perspective. Listing the Three Good Things helps me cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Amazingly, the more gratitude I express, the more good things arrive! The universe seems to perk its ears towards my thankfulness and respond in kind. Lately, my life seems to be brimful with goodness, all because I made the simplest change.

So, today, when you arrive home, ask yourself: 

What three good things happened today?

Commit to listing at least three good things. Feeling ambitious? List ten!

Experiment with incorporating this simple practice into your life for the next 30 days. Then, just watch the magic unfold. I guarantee you that your days will feel richer. A plethora of blessings weave through our days. We just have to look for them.

How do you cultivate an attitude of gratitude in your life? Share your tips!

Want these tunes? Download the playlist here!

Did you find a favorite song in there? Tell me which one in the comments.

Carried on the Tides of Trust

February has been a month of worrying.

In late April, my first child is due. And as the due date nears, my worries have mounted. You name it, I’ve worried about it: How will we change all those diapers? Will we have time to eat? Do we have enough money? What about childcare? Will we be good parents? How will we choose the right books, schools and nasal aspirators? How will we pay for college? What if I’m worrying too much? You get the point.

I’ve always been a worrier and, in the past, whenever I worried, I made a plan (or five). I targeted the source of my worry and did everything in my power to remove the unknowns and proactively address my concerns. I took action and then took a sigh of relief, knowing I had done everything I could to prepare.

This time, though, I have no clue what I’m doing. I’m in uncharted waters. I’ve done what I can to get ready: I’ve stocked the boat, I’ve studied the forecast, and I’ve brought the right gear. But, ultimately, as a new parent, I’m sailing into the unknown with a shaky compass and no map…

Read the full post here.

Gold’s album is a pleasure to listen to and a fresh new sound in the yoga music scene. Steve’s music blends the spirit of kirtan with the soul of blues. With lots of earthy acoustic guitar and resonant vocals, the album has a unique warmth and depth. “Stoned on Shiva”, my favorite track, carries a devotional Shiva chant on the waves of blues guitar. In tracks like this, you hear Gold bring his full heart and soul into the creation of his music. When a musician brings so much of himself to his art, you can’t help but open your heart to the sound.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the album, visit Steve Gold’s website and savor the tunes.

These past few weeks, I’ve been in a slump. I’ve been grumpy, dreary, and just generally ho-hum. Eventually, I realized just what I needed to pick myself back up again.

I realized that what I needed was a healthy dose of ego. 

Yep, you heard me. Ego: one of the most criticized concepts in the yoga world.

In yoga, ego gets a pretty bad wrap. In fact, some practitioners believe that destroying the ego is one of the central goals of practice and the key to a lasting connecting with the divine. Sri Sathya Sai Baba once said, “Banish the ego and develop the spirit of surrender. You will then experience Bliss.”

It’s true: the ego has a dark side. It has the power to kindle narcissism, greed, selfishness, and a whole host of other gnarly characteristics. But, it’s also has its benefits. Ego grounds us; it nourishes self-esteem; it drives us to achieve our goals. In many ways, ego is crucial to our daily lives and to our connection with something higher.

These past few weeks, I’ve struggled to nourish my sense of self. This struggle stems largely from the physical and emotional shifts inherent in pregnancy and approaching motherhood. More than ever before, my personal desires seem unimportant and my focus centers around the life inside me. My body is literally not my own anymore. It’s also someone else’s home! When I feel the baby kick, I’m immediately reminded that my body encompasses two souls. Personal identity and ego are bound to go into a tailspin under the weight of that realization! With my ego challenged, I felt a bit muddled and ambivalent.

I realized that the key to re-kindling my inner spark was to reconnect with my ego, my “me”-ness. So, I took time to care for me: I took a walk; I got a massage; I took a bath. I made a conscious effort to nourish myself. And, you know what? It worked.

Ironically, the ego – often thought to pull us away from the divine – was the exact thing I needed to re-connect to a higher sense of Self. A little self-care left me feeling brighter, more alive and more attuned to the beauty of the world around me. Having tended to my own needs, I feel more ready to serve others – as a friend, a yoga teacher, a partner and an expecting mother.

So, take some time to ask yourself: What have I done to nurture my self today?

Do something that nourishes you. Ultimately, when you serve yourself a healthy dose of ego, you’ll be all the more prepared to step out into the world with eyes wide open and make a difference.

How do you give yourself a healthy dose of ego? Leave a comment below!