Before going into today's Mindfulness challenge I want to take a moment to reflect on yesterday's challenge.

Reflections from Day 6:

I've an avid sun saluter... I tend to do a modified variation first thing every morning before getting ready for the day as a jump start. But typically once I'm at the dance studio, before class begins, I add sun A and B into my pre-class warm to get the juices flowing and my heart rate ready to work... I have found since this challenge began, that the days I don't start with this (especially before class/rehearsal) I don't perform at my highest. Sometimes I don't approach it with the thought of gratitude so much as a I do moving and honoring my body - then again everyday I do it, I'm different. Its a fresh start every time I do it. (Fitting since that is part of our focus at Prana this month).

I find that days I make the time to match my breath to movement and move through the poses slow first then with more speed, I reap different benefits. Core, strength, overall warming and initiation, and getting the kinks out come from a slower flow, then quicker - the heart rate increases, I'm more in tune with my own breathing, tension, but taking the warming factor to a higher more effective level allowing oxygen to get to my brain and ready to work through sequencing, steps/poses, dance or whatever my day expects of me.

DAY 7: Dream Big, No Buts.

What would you do if you had zero obstacles in your way? What have you always dreamed of doing? What’s stopping you? Now eliminate that and what would you have to do to make it happen? Have there been dreams fulfilled you didn’t know you had?

As we prepare to jump into the New Year, a large majority of people make resolutions - New Year... New Me. New Year New Fitness... New Year..... BLAH. Okay none of these are a bad thing, but it obviously all depends on the language you use and how you approach these resolutions. "New Year New Me" could be a positive spin, but lately its been a phrase to criticize ... I say let your resolution be personal, for betterment of yourself leaving all judgement, criticism of who you are now aside. Allowing who you are to determine who, what, and where you want to be.... THAT is a resolution in my mind.

But another thing we start doing without admitting, is dreaming. But why are we ashamed to dream big? If society, money, and all people thought the sun shines out your ass - what would you be dreaming about? Traveling? Starting a new career? Becoming something? Doing something? Being someone?

Now take a moment to visualize a few dreams... write them down (whether publicly or not) and then instead of writing what is stopping you, I'm challenging you to write down tricks, habits, or thoughts that will put you on the right path to getting there.

"I want to travel" --- instead of saying I can't because time and money.... write down instead,

- Here is where I want to go ________________ For how long? ____________________

WHY? _________________________________

- Cost of Airfare _______________

- Cost of Hostel/Food _______________

- Cost of Museum/Activities:___________

THEN MAKE A PLAN.

- If I save _____________ amt of money per paycheck I will have saved enough to go by ______________________.

- I am going to go do these things ___________________________________

- Stay at these places ________________________________

- Save money by doing _______________________________________ while traveling.

There are plenty of ways to view your dreams. I want to fall in love, I want to take chances, I want to move, I want to get my dream job, I want to____________________. Regardless of how silly it is, write it down somewhere. Pick and choose your goals and dreams with an open, positive mind, and make the moves to make it happen.

Remember,

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Your first day on a new job will always feel overwhelming regardless of how qualified you are.

It won't happen over night but over time with consistency and intentional action moving in that direction.