Learning to Live

This July is the fifth year anniversary of my heart attack. As I reflect on the past five years, I am proud of the things that I’ve accomplished and am re-energized to continue to move towards a simpler lifestyle that includes following my passion for teaching and supporting others on their own path to health.

Some of the changes I’ve made for the better were to take control of my work-life balance and get a grip on stress and how I manage it. I educated myself on heart disease, nutrition, and creating healthy habits, and started sharing what I have learned with others – there is still a lot of room for me to expand on this. I found yoga, a practice that has not only toned my body and brought more physical balance and flexibility, but has centered my mind and given me a spiritual component to my life that I never expected to find. I have explored the world with travels to the Caribbean, Europe, South America, Central America, and India. I went below the surface to uncover a whole other world underwater with scuba diving.

Most importantly, I opened my eyes to the world in which we live; the lies that we are sold on a daily basis; the ignorance we have as a society about what we eat, the impact we have on the Earth, and the ways in which we are killing ourselves in the never-ending battle to make everything faster, cheaper and easier. As my friend, Sarah, puts it “we chase the paper,” with the delusion that more money will bring us happiness. And when it doesn’t, we reach for more.

I have consciously decided to push the pause button, and explore the ways in which I can bring true happiness into my life. I am grateful to have met some fantastic people in the past few years, and for the community of friends and family who bring positive energy into my life. I have struggled to let go of some people and past hurts that have drained my energy, but I get better at re-focusing myself on the positive each and every day.

I still have a long journey ahead of me, but am ok with the fact that life is a series of steps and missteps, and am confident that I am on the right path for me. While it seems daunting, I know that I can be the change that I want to see in the world. I am filled with light and love, and will continue to find ways to shine my light in the hope to guide others. There are many things that I didn’t know five years ago that I know today, and I am a stronger, healthier, happier person for that wake-up call that made me face my mortality so that I could live more fully.

“I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health.” - Voltaire