CELEBRATIONS

Dear Zest Seekers,

As I’m getting ready to leave for Germany for Christmas I wanted to check in with you all to hear how you’re celebrating the end of this year and the beginning of another. What’s there to celebrate you may ask, “I’m not into all the holiday cheer, it’s all humbug anyway”. Or you’re one of those who’s just going through the motions: what else are you going to do when everybody around you is merry you just have to put on a smiling face and go along with it, have some eggnog and ham while you’re at it, secretly counting the days ‘til New Year’s Eve has come and gone and things go back to ‘normal’.

No matter what your religious/personal believes are and no matter if those believes make it easier or harder for you to get into ‘the spirit - how about looking at it differently this year?! My zesty and provoking suggestion to you is: How about making this year end a very personal celebration of YOUR LIFE and what YOU have done with these past 12 months that you were given on this planet. Follow my invitation and celebrate everything this year has brought you – good and bad. Here is how…

Make a list of at least 10 great things that have come your way in 2007. Sit with it until you have at least 10 or more no matter how bad the year seems to have been. Then look at the not so good things and sort them in two categories: First category being “things that were beyond my control”, second category being “things that could have turned out differently had I made a different choice”.

Look at category one and for each bad experience find at least one good consequence that’s occurred as a result of the initial misfortune. Sit with it for as long as it’s necessary.

On to category two. Examine what where YOUR choices that led to each individual situation and notice if you recognize any patterns. Ask yourself what/who was driving you to act in this way? How could you have acted differently and who would you have to become in order to make a different choice the next time this situation occurs. Then complete this category the same way as category one; for each bad experience that occurred because you made a bad choice find at least one good consequence that’s occurred as a result. Sit with it for as long as it’s necessary.

Final step: Let it all go and C E L E B R A T E !!!

Need some inspiration of just HOW TO celebrate? Here are some of my favorite celebration rituals that I regularly and with sweet gratitude indulge in:

- Get together with a group of friends and spend the whole day preparing a meal together, baking cookies, (if you drink, include lots of booze), and crown your day by indulging in all the prepared goodies at a festively decorated table.

- Bundle up and go for a long hike, by yourself or with a friend. Go to an area that you’ve always wanted to explore and have never made the time/effort to escape to. Work up an appetite, get your blood going and then return home for a steaming hot cup of soup, tea or hot cocoa.

- Dig out all your old magazines, greetings cards you received, other recyclables and crafty fun stuff and spend an afternoon making your very own holiday greeting cards. Play classical music, light candles and drink some mulled wine.

- Treat yourself to a massage.

- Volunteer your time for a good cause (prepare a meal, do yard work, adopt a family, opportunities are endless!).

- Clean out your closet and get rid of stuck energy and mothy outdated wardrobe. Make room for the new.

- Take a hot bath by candle light.

- Do the GRATITUDE DANCE AROUND THE WORLD! )) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NeMC1Fl3J0

I hope these suggestions trigger your imagination and tickle your senses. Feel free to chime in and add your own celebration favorites!

Calling all Abundant Zest Seekers…

Dear Zest Seekers,
So here I am composing the first blog musing for you with the intention of becoming a regular read for you on your journey through this life. Given the name of my business ‘ABUNDANT ZEST FOR LIFE’ it’s supposed to be uplifting, encouraging and inspiring. At least, that’s what most of the self-help products offered these days are geared towards and you’ll get your share of ‘warm and fuzzy’ because I am ‘warm and fuzzy’ most of the times. On the other hand I do like to call things as I see them and since this blog is called ‘Michelle’s Musings on Life’ I get to write about anything and everything as long as it’s true to who I am! As Zest Seekers you are, of course, free to choose and may unsubscribe from my musings at any time. But, before I go any further, let me tell you about who I am, where I come from and what I believe in:

I’m a German woman who moved to California in September of 2000. I’m passionate about life, people and our planet. I love traveling the world and experiencing life in all of it’s beautiful facets and colors. While I like going places often, I also take a lot of pride in caring for my home and garden. My garden is a little piece of paradise and a reflection of my inner world. As long as I make enough time to tend to my garden, my outer world is in balance, too. Since I was a teenager I’ve been intrigued with and motivated to promote my own and other people’s wellbeing. Sort of like some of us seem to be born with the conviction that they’re going to heaven one day, it’s always been my firm belief that if we all just practice enough self-inquiry and continuously seek to make the best out of a situation (call it abundant optimism) all would be well and the world would be a happy, healthy and safe place. Some of you may consider this as naïve, but I am convinced, from the core of my being, that this world is indeed a loving, kind and good world and it’s us humans who regularly screw the pooch by letting our ego and our insecurities take over and wreck havoc. With that comes way too much unnecessary suffering and pain. My monthly musings about how to cultivate our Abundant Zest for Life are intended to create a counter balance to some of the suffering and confusion that’s raging among us. Tune into my musings often (I’ll send you a monthly reminder unless you decide to unsubscribe) and let this be your soft spot to land. A place to get helpful information and insights about a life with more zest. Like I tell my yoga students: “As your teacher I’m only here to make suggestions on how to move in and with your body. Ultimately your body’s wisdom is your own best teacher, so listen carefully and practice accordingly.”This month’s insight on adding more zest to your life is all about taking better care of yourself. My recent visits with the Holistic Mom’s Network chapter in our area (www.holisticmoms.org) seriously stirred the pot as to what I put on and in my body by way of beauty products and food. Given the new organic revolution currently taking place in the U.S., I won’t bore you with redundant information on healthy eating. But I do want to point out a few things in regards to cosmetic products (direct contact) as well as common household products (indirect contact). Becoming an educated consumer can be daunting in these times of information technology overwhelm so please bear with me! What I’m suggesting here is not meant to be a one and only way of choosing healthy products, nor am I endorsing any particular brand or claim that by following below advice you’ll completely eliminate all toxins from your personal space. My wish for you is to live a healthier life that’s less contaminated with unnecessary toxic by-products and for you to become/stay educated consumers who put their dollars where your values are. The following link will help you to educate yourself about the toxicity of your current cosmetic products - http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ and for some green house cleaning, check out this link - http://www.thegreenguide.com/ or http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=585

Additionally, here’s an overview of related links that you may find helpful:

- National Institute of Environmental Health Services: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm- My Ecological Footprint Quiz. How big is your ecological footprint? This quiz will help you grow your eco-literacy leadership skills. Take this quiz and learn more about the choices you make day by day in your lifestyle :

http://www.rprogress.org/ecological_footprint/about_ecological_footprint.htm- Environmental Working Group, EWG: http://www.ewg.org/

SO MY DEAR ZEST SEEKERS, WHAT’S YOUR ACTION STEP TODAY TOWARDS MORE ZEST AND LESS TOXINS IN YOUR BODY AND LIFE?