2018 REBOOT | amysullivanyoga

2018

18 Ways in 18 Days to...??

Bridging the Gap Between Possibility and Joy

18 Day Cleanse and Mindfulness Practice

We are going to reboot all of our "layers" of our being.

Focus is on 7 major things.

1. Intention Setting/Goal/ Maintenance

2. Body
3. Mind/Breath/Meditation
4. Rituals/Habits
5. Heart Happiness
6. Relationship to Nature
7. Relationship to Technology

Day 9 of 18

18 ways in 18 days to...

A reboot using the super full moon and the motivation of the New Year to create new, healthy and conscious patterns.

Today's Inspiration: Marshmallows, Emotions on decision-making and behavior and the NY times Article below.

So if you read the full article below it proves why willpower, reason and knowedge don't work when it comes to keeping our new years resolutions or keeping our word around a commitment. Psychologist Walter Mischel conducted a series of studies on delayed gratification in the late 1960s and early 1970s called The Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. In these studies, a child was offered a choice between a marshmallow provided immediately or two marshmallow if they waited for a short period, approximately 15 minutes. In the follow-up studies, Mischel found unexpeted correlations between the results of the marshmallow test and the success of the children many years later who tended to have better life outcomes, as measured by SAT scores, educational attainment, body mass index and other life measures.

There is more research on self-control that shows that reason, knowledge and willpower, for all its benefits, wanes over time and that is actually our emotions on decision-making and behavior that naturally incline us to be patient and persevere.

That even people feeling neutral or happy were pretty impatient yet those who were feeling gratitude showed nearly double the self-control. The research also shows that when we make people feel GRATEFUL, they’ll spend more time helping anyone who asks for assistance.

When people feel PROUD of the skills they have, it makes them more willing to take on leadership roles in groups and work longer and harder to help a team solve a difficult problem.

Likewise, when we make people feel COMPASSION, they’ll take on the burdens of others, spending more time and effort to help get others out of jams and ease their distress.

It’s our emotions — specifically, gratitude, compassion and an authentic sense of pride that inspire us to behave in ways that show self-control.

So let's stop beating yourselves up for all the things we don't do and start looking at our already fabulous life with new eyes. Let's be proud of the lives that we have cultivated so far. And it is within that energy that will help charge a new path and allow new opportunities to come in with the energy of momentum and support because of gratitude and compassion and not from trying to fix or change it.

Can I get a #amenamen ??

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/opinion/sunday/the-only-way-to-keep-your-resolutions.html

Day 8 of 18

18 ways in 18 days...

A reboot using the super full moon and the motivation of the New Year to create new healthy conscious patterns.

From here on out - it's inspiration only!

Today's Inspiration: OPRAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! And you have to say it like her like she's giving away cars. How about that speech? Chills. Tears. And F*Ck yeahs! "What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have."

amen amen.

What an inspirational night?! Hollywood always knows how to step it up and speak for us as a collective. I can't help but to wonder if #45 wasn't elected. Would this all be possible if Bernie was in office or Hilary?? Would we have had the fire to come together? Would have all of this come out in the open?? Would the undercover racists still be hiding? Would it still be acceptable to grope women or speak to them disrespectfully? I guess we'll never know.

amen amen.

And how ironic that we can change and elevate the level of respect and the way we regard women in the workplace except for at the highest level of office in our government. He admitted to sexual assaulting multiple women, some of those women have come forward and yet, he's still in office. Inconceivable.

Although we still have some work to do but we celebrate today the battles we have won and the level of commitment and the coming together of community to set the new standard in the way we treat women, these beautiful, complex, creative, strong, emotional, powerful, embodied goddess women!

Amen amen.

#Day80f18

#18Waysin18daysto

#dalaimamaadventures

#newyearintentions

#newyearsamefabulousyou

#newyearnewenlightenedyou

#dalaimamaadventuresintotheheart

#metooneveragain

#amenamen

#oprah

#timesup

Day 7 of 18

18 ways in 18 days...

A reboot using the super full moon and the motivation of the New Year to create new healthy conscious patterns.

This is our next phase of the process - even though you can jump in at any time! Each phase will be less and less "work" because you'll have already started to integrate some of these things in your life, the next phase is solidifying some as your daily habits.

Today's Inspiration: "Pain pushes until vision pulls" (Inspiration from Katherine Woodward Thomas)

Holding a vision/intention on a daily basis requires that we have to change and shift our normal habits in some way to accomodate for that new vision. It's the way that our minds work that keep us thinking that who we are is our past experiences or by what's happening right now. To hold that vision and still live our lives takes some time and an adjustment period. "Once we master living inside of a vision, we are no longer confined to suffering as our main vehicle for growth."

I know that first hand. When I left Boston to move to Northern California. Everything then and since then has been so f-in hard! I had gone through so much emotional pain from a breakup, being away from family and my home and yoga community and then physical pain from a car accident. Even smiling was hard. And "smiling's my favorite!" LOL! When you're moving through something, transitioning, mending a broken heart, healing an injury, grieving a loss... over time your body, your mind, your energy get used to a certain way of being. It becomes chronic and seeps into your cells, like you are always going to feel this way! I stopped practicing yoga in a class setting because everything hurt when I moved. In my mind when I move, it's like "Does that hurt? Yup. How about now? Yup. Are you gone yet? Nope. still there huh? Really?" What am I letting go of is that it doesn't have to be hard or painful. I am remembering how much I love to laugh, have fun and be goofy. We are embodied beings. We are body and mind and energy. We will be more successful if we integrate it on all levels.

So a person who is committed to a loving partnership will behave differently than a person who looks at themselves as a slew of failed relationships. A person who is committed to health and wellness will behave differently than someone who looks at themselves as a slew of failed diets or struggles with their sense of body image. So feel the "push" of the pain and then choose differently and then allow yourself to get pulled magnetically to that new vision.

So what are you calling in? Who do you have to be in order to manifest this vision? What will you embody in all the layers of your being to call this into your new being?

The Work:
1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
2. BODY
3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION
4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS
5. HEART HAPPINESS
6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY

5. HEART HAPPINESS HYGIENE:

How did the PRAISE exercise go? Did you make someone's day? How did it feel to give unconditionally?
From Shawn Achor: For the next couple of days, we are going to practice the technique of POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.
On a scaled from 1-10, 1 being the best and 10 being the worst, measure and rate how you feel in this moment, just an overall....

Now think of something that happened last year that was a fun and postive experience. Take 2 minutes to write it down in your journal. Who was there? What did you do? What happened? Write down all the details that you remember. After the 2 minutes - take your energetic pulse again. Has it improved or changed? When you train the mind to be able to go to a postive place in thsi technique, in visualizations the mind doesn't know that you're not there anymore so your mind is sending messages to the body, energy, heart... you are reliving all over again!

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE:
Continue your version of your cleanse, start to clear some inflammatory foods in your body...

7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY:
After your account of the last 7 days of how many times you check your phone.... is that acceptable to you? How will you decrease your time on social media? Does a certain # of times feel do-able? Does scheduling it in certain times of the day and not checking it in between feel doable? Does limiting your time and setting a time work so that you don't get lost in Facebook land??

My post alone will take up that time.... I'm such a loooooong story. lol! oh well :)

Here to support you... go get em.

#Day70f18
#18Waysin18daysto
#dalaimamaadventures
#newyearintentions
#newyearsamefabulousyou
#newyearnewenlightenedyou
#dalaimamaadventuresintotheheart
#painpushesuntilvisionpulls

Day 6 of 18

18 ways in 18 days...

A reboot using the super full moon and the motivation of the New Year to create new healthy conscious patterns.

Jump right in!

Today's Inspiration: Kia Miller "Discipline turns into devotion"

Commitment is a funny thing. People have different definitions around it. It's important to dedicate some time defining it for yourself.

I was given a super strong work ethic by my father and in my upbringing. I was an athlete and loved the challenge so I could say that I was a disciplined person. But changing habits/patterns is a whole different ball game. 7 years ago, I and for about 7 years, I was living in South Boston, drinking a glass of wine and eating nachos made from the toaster every night. My daily meditation and yoga practice looked like me creating sequences on my mat. It took leaving my city, living on a farm, being in nature, getting diverticulitis, getting into a car accident that left with post concussion syndrome that created a flare-up every time I had an inflammatory foods like alcohol, sugar, dairy and gluten, to create healthier and more conscious patterns. So cleansing for me is fairly easy because I kind of eat like this all the time. I have also lived in 8 different places in the past 4 months yet I have done my daily breathing + meditation practice everyday. Because my when it comes to connecting with myself and recalibrating my energy - that is not negotiable. I committed to it and now I am devoted to it.

When you commit to something and it has energy behind it... sometimes what will show up is anything but.... like a bomb cyclone (EEk!) or getting sick, then you choose powerfully like f*ck it I'm going to go sledding and sip bailey's and Hot Chocolate and start tomorrow or you sip on broth and hunker down. But you negotiate, you be fluid around what you are choosing and then you recommit.

Do the work, you'll feel the shift and it will recharge you for the next step.

The Work:
1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
2. BODY
3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION
4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS
5. HEART HAPPINESS
6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
Get clear on your intentions and the energy that you are cultivating. What are some habits that you are creating that are non-negotiable. What are your preferences and what are some negotiables??

2. BODY
15 min mindful,cardio exercise, 30 min sweat or yoga class.
Bust out a plank 40 seconds

3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION:
2 MIN: Seated on the floor, chair or even lying down: Put your hands on your low belly. Breathe into your hands on the inhale, breathe out as the hands comes down into the belly, into the spine. BELLY BEATHING 3 MIN

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS:
What's working in this cleanse/rejuvenation jump start ?? What is challenging? Is it time? discipline? motivation? Follow through? What are creative ways to make this work IF something is not working...

5. HEART HAPPINESS HYGIENE:
From Shawn Achor: For the next couple of days, we are going to practice the technique of PRAISE.
Take 2 minutes to tell someone, text someone, email someone something that you admire about them, how much you love them and lastly how much they mean to you. Speak in "you" statements so that you don't make it about you.
You are such a..., you give ...., you always... , I admire you for your ...., thank you for being my......
You changed your heart frequency and theirs and then maybe they'll do the same and you'll start a postive chain reaction. Anyone want to share their experience?

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE:
Continue your version of your cleanse, start to clear some inflammatory foods in yuor body...

7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY:
Still counting.... still paying attention. Count and log how many times you check your phone and you check social media. At the end of the day, write how many minutes you were away from your phone.

Here to support you... go get em.

#Day60f18
#18Waysin18daysto
#dalaimamaadventures
#newyearintentions
#newyearsamefabulousyou
#newyearnewenlightenedyou
#dalaimamaadventuresintotheheart
#disciplineturnsintodevotion

Day 5 of 18

18 Ways in 18 Days to...

Today's inspiration is about intention setting. When you set out on a new path, you have an idea of where you are going, you bring tools with you in case you get lost, you trust that the path is going to bring you new insights and also opportunities to clear some of the things that might have held you back in the past. If you have never walked this path before, your eyes are wide open, alert, you have a direct presence. You don't know where the quicksand is, you don't know there's a rainbow coming, you don't know the boulder to avoid on the second turn... Use this fresh new start to create a tool box for your adventure that is your life!

INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE

Visoka va jyotismati

Or, the light within which is free from all suffering and sorrow.

—Yoga Sutra I.36

Patterns repeat themselves. Distractions increase and other people’s needs become greater than our own. We operate from a survival state and an unconscious state.

Moving through the darkness, some sorrow, and doing the work of processing the past…. We may begin to see that there is a light within which is always free from suffering which you can access at any time.

The most effective way to shape our visions and energy is stay as close to it as possible and as often as possible. Tony Robbins says that if you don’t have 10 minutes a day – you are a slave to your life!

Setting Intentions is a practice in and of itself.

It’s a delicate balance of:

-Motivating to achieve our goal

-Following through with action terms of how to get there.

-Staying open to what’s possible in what we want

-Balancing our energy so that we don’t repeat old patterns that sabotage our new goals

-Staying connecting to divine energy to remember that we are always supported.

If the DOOR at the end of the path is the GOAL, the KEY that you carry with you, is your INTENTION.

Example: Money

It starts with what we don’t want or something abstract in the future:

Ex “I don’t want this debt and I will be so happy when I pay off this debt and I can't wait to have money to do what I want”

Then moves into what we don’t want to feel. It’s framed in the negative or in response to the past:

“I will have money to do what I want” “I won’t let my money dictate my life” “I’m done stressing about money”

Then we try to control or figure it out based on past belief system and trying to put it forward to the future. But this is an important part of the process to help create a concrete, positive and attainable focus. These are our Action Steps.

“I will get another job” “I will save this much per month” “I will look into consolidating my debt” “I will pay off my debt in 9 months”

All great so far but now we have to address underlying issue and relationship with money and our worth.

“I will identify my triggers and places where I lose my power when it comes to my money and supporting myself."

Then we let go and remember that we can access our light/divine energy and we learn to trust.

“I am open to financial security, abundance and freedom.”

Intention, Affirmation and Daily Meditation supports us and can be accessed in the present moment:

"I am living in abundance and freedom or I am so thankful for this gift of abundance and freedom."

So...

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE

2. BODY

3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS

5. HEART HAPPINESS

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE

7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE

Using one of your goals, go through the above stages to creating an intention and affirmation that supports your goal. i will help you if you getstuck. Just ask.

2. BODY

I guess my east coasters get a pass on yesterday ?!?! On a account of the bomb cyclone and all. Hope my Winthrop peeps are safe and not under water and Ice!

Bust out a plank - 40 seconds

3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION:

2 MIN: Seated on the floor, chair or even lying down: Put your hands on your low belly. Breathe into your hands on the inhale, breathe out as the hands comes down into the belly, into the spine. BELLY BEATHING INCREASES TO 3 MIN

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS:

What's working in this cleanse/rejuvenation jump start ?? What is challening? Is it time? discipline? motivation? Follow through?

5. HEART HAPPINESS HYGIENE:

From Shawn Achor: For the next couple of days, we are going to practice the technique of PRAISE.

You are such a..., you give ...., you always... , I admire you for your ...., thank you for being my......

You changed your heart frequency and theirs and then maybe they'll do the same and you'll start a postive chain reaction. Anyone want to share their experience?

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE:

Are you cleansing? Are you getting cranky yet? Heachach-y? It's probably going to happen. It's your body's way of detoxing - it's a good thing even though you feel like crap. It will pass. You can help by Dry Brushing, Loofah, epsom salt bath, extra water, especially lemon and hot water, coconut water. if it's crazy unbearable - drink a little green tea. it won't kill ya and it'll take the edge off. I have been eating and drinking honey - even though it's sugar. Technically, it's not good to cleanse when you're sick. Your body is already cleansing so for the most part I have been drinking broth, eating oranges + clementines, eating soup, grains like quinoa and brown rice, roasted veggies with olive oil... drinking honey, lemon turmeric, ginger AND I made this concoction that I stole from Kreation that's lemon juice, garlic, ginger, oregano oil ... it's disgusting but i feel like it's working... after 7 days now not so sure... anyway... if cleansing is too challenging. Take one thing that you know is hard for you and stop eating that for a couple of says and see how you feel?

7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY:

Still counting.... still paying attention. Count and log how many times you check your phone and you check social media. At the end of the day, write how many minutes you were away from your phone.

Here to support you... go get em.

#Day50f18

#18Waysin18daysto

#dalaimamaadventures

#newyearintentions

#newyearsamefabulousyou

#newyearnewenlightenedyou

#dalaimamaadventuresintotheheart

#whatsmymotivation

Day 3 of 18
18 Ways in 18 Days...

Still sick so short and sweet and much of the same today...

Remember as you build some momentum that you are already perfect, whole and complete. There is nothing wrong, you're not trying to fix yourself or improve this or that. You are simply experimenting to create new healthy patterns for your body, mind and energy so that you can see and feel joy and connection in your life everyday.

So...
1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
2. BODY
3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION
4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS
5. HEART HAPPINESS
6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE

The goal is the "what" and the intention is the "why" and the "how."
Pick another goal; a realistic, attainable and positive goal.
Write down 3 actions steps for that goal and when you will achieve those actions steps.
What kind of energy you will need to put these things in real time... that's your intention. A goal is something we work for towards the future, an intention is something we are and can be at any moment.

2. BODY
15 min mindful,cardio exercise, 30 min sweat or yoga class.
Bust out a plank - 30 seconds

3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION:
2 MIN: Seated on the floor, chair or even lying down: Put your hands on your low belly. Breathe into your hands on the inhale, breathe out as the hands comes down into the belly, into the spine. 2 MIN

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS:What's working in this cleanse/rejuvenation jump start ?? What is challenging? Is it time? discipline? motivation? Follow through? What are creative ways t omake this work IF something is not working...

5. HEART HAPPINESS HYGIENE: 6 Day Practice:
From Shawn Achor: For the next 5 days, we are going to practice the technique of PRAISE.

You are such a..., you give ...., you always... , I admire...., thank you for being my......
You changed your heart frequency and theirs and then maybe they'll do the same and you'll start a postive chain reaction.

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE For those of you that are cleansing - you are halfway there. You might start to feel great at this point if you have gotten over the detox and release part. Take a walk and be outside, it changes your brain. You want proof... read this :) https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/…/how-nature-changes-the-br…/

7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY:
Just counting. Count and log how many times you check your phone and you check social media. At the end of the day, write how many minutes you were away from your phone. That's all.

Day 4 of 18

18 Ways in 18 Days to...

Good Morning Light Workers!!

Thich Nhat Hanh says, "When we stop feeding our cravings, we discover that we already have everything we need to be happy."

Let's talk about PATTERNS! Yay so fffffun! Not. But still ... :)

Patterns are created out of habitual, unconscious or conscious INTENTIONS. If the sun is the intention, then the rays of light would be our conscious patterns eminating from the center and radiating into our lives. They can be created out of crisis, survival and also can shift when there's a willingness to change. Noticing our patterns and making small shifts and changes can be very empowering and for some of us, the key to taking our life back! Some patterns can be effective and healthy and some can be unhealthy. And it doesn't necessarily have to correlate to the why the pattern was created because often - when the pattern is finally realized, it is so far from origin, it's harder to trace back. That's the bad news. The good news is when you consciously recognize the old pattern, come to terms with, find the meaning and replace it with a newer one for 21 days or more, you have a created a new habit or pattern by changing your relationship to it in your mind.

Patterns can show up in all the areas that we are working not just #4.

Body:

+ You can create a routine of how often you go to gym, class, yoga class, pilates, strength building by scheduling it in.

- We can walk a certain way, drive a certain way, do Warrior 2 the same way where some muscles develop and some muscles under-develop.

Breath:

+ Practice conscious breathing every day even playing with the intervals of the breath

- You could breathe the same way... short, shallow, quick breaths where your chest lifts first when you inhale.

Heart Happiness:

+ When you meet someone you can consciously choose to find something you have in common or a beautiful quality they have.

- You could remark about the world in every situation from the negative, from the victim (probably unknowingly).

Relationship to Nature/Food:

+ You can allow yourself to have that one food that makes you happy once a week - a cheat day!

- You could continue eating foods that alhtough you may enjoy eating, you don't digest well and continue to

Relationship to technology:

+ Time yourself to only spend a certain amount of time on social media

- You could unconsciously pick up the phone when you are bored, apathetic, need approval or haven't learned how to sit with your discomfort.

The longer a pattern in place, the harder it is to change BUT add a dose of consciousness, discipline, support and consistency for 21 days and you got yourself some space to choose a new pattern.

This 18 ways to 18 days Program is all about how you work. What feels easy and good?? What's hard and challenging? Why do you give up on something you said you wanted? Did you overcommit? Why does it have to be all or nothing?? what happens when you fail? Do you give up? Justify? Blame? Do you make a joke when something is uncomfortable? Do you change the subject? All of this excavating has to be done with a compassionate and open heart... isn't that interesting .. look what I just did? You have made the first step in noticing.... you are paying attention! That's the point. To get you to pay attention! So now you have your own attention. Stop! Wait. Breathe. Don't try to fix yourself - you are not broken. This is just this one little thing you are going to work on with love. And the cherry on the top is.... ask yourself what am I feeling? Wait for the answer. The next question is not why. Why often doesn't matter or change things. Do you know it takes a feeling 90 seconds to get expressed? 1.5 minutes! Think of all the minutes, hours, days, years possibly decades spent avoiding emotions when all it needs it just 90 seconds of your time and then it's gone.

So...
1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
2. BODY
3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION
4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS
5. HEART HAPPINESS
6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE

Pick your realistic, attainable and positive goal. You wrote down 3 actions steps for that goal. Now do one thing towards that goal. A phone call, an email text, 15 minutes of research... ??? Scheduling research time counts. Keep track and start to estimate how many research blocks you'll need. Keep a continuing thread t okeep your goal alive.

2. BODY

Make this part of your routine. That might mean you have to wake up earlier and that might mean you go to bed earlier, that might mean you don't eat your dinner late... and so on...
15 min mindful,cardio exercise, 30 min sweat or yoga class.
Bust out a plank - 30 seconds

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS:

Journal about your patterns that are coming up - see intro.

5. HEART HAPPINESS HYGIENE:
From Shawn Achor: For the next couple of days, we are going to practice the technique of PRAISE.

You are such a..., you give ...., you always... , I admire you for your ...., thank you for being my......
You changed your heart frequency and theirs and then maybe they'll do the same and you'll start a postive chain reaction. Anyone want to share their experience?

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE:

Here to support you... go get em.

#newyearsamefabulousyou

#newyearnewenlightenedyou

#dalaimamaadventuresintotheheart

#patternsofmassdestruction

Day 2 0f 18

18 Ways in 18 days to...

The most important thing to remember about the next 17 days (insert Prince song) is that we are not going for perfection. My friend Stacey Schaedler's motto is Progress Not Perfection. We are using the super full moon and the motivation of the New Year to create new healthy conscious patterns. And what happens during this time is all information about the things, thoughts, emotions, patterns, belief systems that have held you back in the past. So... it's not going to be perfect so let's let that go now.

Let's think of ourselves as gardeners (which is hilarious if you knew me.... i killed my Lucky Bamboo!)

There are many stages to planting the seeds for new healthy patterns:

1. CLEAR LAST YEARS CROPS - Clear out some past experiences that may be taking up our Energy
2. PREPARE NEW SOIL - Schedule time to do these exercises, to work out, to prepare food and snacks so that you're not grabbing on the go. Saying No to some social events so that you can focus on self-care and proper sleep.
3. PLANT SEEDS - creating goals, intentions, growing roots to new patterns of you can introduce them into your daily life
Nurture the seeds with warth and water
4. LEAVES START TO FORM - You might have to go through some detox signs (headache, irritability) but it's your body clearing of "toxins" whatever that means. Just make sure you hydrate, take epsom salt baths and sleep more! After some growing pains, you'll start to feel alive, fresh, clean and open!
Buds starts to form and eventually Bloom!
5. POLLINATION - you're so beautful you are attracting Pollinators! Your skin is shiny, your eyes are bright and you are looking at the world with different eyes and they are looking at you! Shine baby Shine!
6. SPREADING SEEDS- For us it is... we learn what habits, patterns we can commit to our daily lifestyle. This 18 day period is a starting ground for clearing away old energy and integrating the things that keep us healthy, bring us joy, make us present to our lives and the people around us.

So...

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
2. BODY
3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION
4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS
5. HEART HAPPINESS
6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
The goal is the "what" and the intention is the "why" and the "how." Yesterday you picked a goal; a realistic, attainable and positive goal.
Write down 3 actions steps for that goal and when you will achieve those actions steps.
What kind of energy you will need to put these things in real time... that's your intention. A goal is something we work for towards the future, an intention is something we are and can be at any moment.

2. BODY
15 min mindful,cardio exercise, 30 min sweat or yoga class.
I'll share an embarassing secret. it's no secret that I love to dance but every since I was little I would put on music or headphones and just dance in my room. When I went to college, my roommates would make fun of me and think that i just ran in place to Maniac like Flashdance! So don't just stand there, bust a move. And Bust a plank - 20 seconds while you're at it.

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS:
Write down in your journal one experience from last year that was challenging??
Why was it challenging?
Who was involved?
What did you learn? What did it teach you?
What did it remind you of that you had forgotten?
What do you know now moving forward?
Is this a familiar pattern for you? (Patterns: Boundary Issues, Victim mentality, attracting unavailable people,
Can you look at the person as someone who was instrumental in your growth, it doesn't mean what they did or how they did it is right - you are just taking the high road...
Thank them for their participation.
Forgive them for their role - probably unconscious behavior
Forgive yourself for expecting yourself to know everything
Is there some thing that you need to do to clean up your end? Did you act the way you wanted? Did you act out of anger? Did you say or write something you regret? It doesn't mean you have to reach out to that person but if you do this work, you are not charged at all and you call, text or meet with someone or find a way to have some closure around this?? You will free up a lot of emotional energy. Let me know how i can support you.

5. HEART HAPPINESS HYGIENE: 6 Day Practice:
From Shawn Achor: For the next 6 days, we are going to practice the technique of PRAISE. We are really quick to notice when something doesn't go well and yet we don't bat an eyelash when things go smoothly. It just means your mind id bored and apathetic. how can we be "woke" if our mind is bored. To get "woke" you gotta see the world with different eyes and remark on the good and postive and not just repeat the negative. (Mother aka Debbie Downer)

Take 2 minutes to tell someone, text someone, email someone something that you admire about them, how much you love them and lastly how much they mean to you. Speak in "you" statements so that you don't make it about you.
You are such a..., you give ...., you always... , I admire...., thank you for being my......
You changed your heart frequency and theirs and then maybe they'll do the same and you'll start a postive chain reaction.

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
Being in nature and being connected the food you are eating brings us to our natural state. All of our negative patterns that are created are created because of unconsciousness. The beautiful thing about bringing awareness to a unconscious pattern is that IN THE MOMENT it doesn't matter how long that unconscious pattern has occurred, it can change instantly. The bad news is is that the longer we have had the pattern, the stronger that pattern is and the more conscious we'll have to be to change it moment to moment, each time it comes up. Bring your self to your natural state. All the answers are within you, Dorothy, said Glenda the good witch.

Create healthy patterns around your eating.
Do your best to:
Eat at the same time every day
Eat while not watching TV, woorking or on your phone!
Take time to enjoy chewing your food, slowing down and enjoying your meal time. Reward your choice of whole grains, vegetables and fruits
Hydrate! You are cleansing so you need to replenish!

IN CONCLUSION...

1. INTENTION SETTING / GOAL / MAINTENENCE
Write down 3 actions steps for that goal and when you will achieve those actions steps. What;s you intetnion behind them?

2. BODY
15 min mindful,cardio exercise, 30 min sweat or yoga class and 20 second or your baseline forearm plank

3. MIND / BREATH / MEDITATION
****2 MIN BELLY Breathing****

4. RITUALS / HABITS / PATTERNS
Write down in your journal one experience from last year that was challenging

5. HEART HAPPINESS
Take 2 minutes to tell someone, text someone, email someone how amazing they are. Use "YOU" statements

6. RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE
Pay attention to your meal times and unconscious patterns around eating, create new ones by clearing distractions and rewarding yuor food choices. YUM!

7. RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY
Jounral and log how many times you check your phone and you check social media. At the end of the day, write how many minutes you were away from your phone.

I'm still sick but in the future like tomorrow ... I am commiting to getting this to you by 9 am PST and 12 noon EST!

#Day20f18
#18Waysin18daysto
#18daycleanse
#dalaimamaadventures
#newyearintentions
#newyearnewenlightenedyou
#dalaimamaadventuresintotheheart

Happy New Year!!

Day 1

Who is ready for a physical, emotional, energetic and heart reboot??? This is a long so get out your journal and let's do this! Reboot to reboost.

Striving towards happiness and making resolutions are fleeting, unattainable and sometimes self-sabotaging. Shawn Achor defines happiness as "The joy we feel when we are striving toward our potential." We are going to use this auspicious super full moon beginning of the 365 day cycle to create more joy, meaning and connection to ourselves and to our lives. We are going to do it across our whole being, with support and small attainable goals while embodying our intentions. Sound good?

Here we go...

For the first 18 days of 2018 I am going to give you different offerings and options and you are going to choose based on your time, availability and needs and choose the best option(s) for you.

Today is a mini and prep day... and I have been sick for 4 days so I need a prep day too! :)

We are going to reboot all of our "layers" of our being. We are going to focus on 7 major things.

1. Intention Setting/Goal/ Maintenance
2. Body.
3. Mind/Breath/Meditation
4. Rituals/Habits
5. Heart Happiness
6. Relationship to Nature
7. Relationship to Technology

1. Intention Setting / Goal / Maintenance

Ok... so it's important to have goals so that we know where to place our energy, which direction we want to move in and also know when we have arrived and we have been successful. It's a self-sabotaging technique to expect ourselves to do everything that we say but never put it into action terms. We live in abstracts but we don't ever commit and yet we beat ourselves up when we are still in the same place. So write down some of your goals that you'd like to realistically do in 2018. Let's start there.

2. Body
Researchers say (according to Shawn Achor) that just 15 minutes a day of fun, mindful cardio exercise is sufficient. It trains your brain that your behavior matters and it creates positivity and optimism that will overflow into the rest of your being.

Ayurveda says we need to sweat for 30 minutes a day. The skin is the largest organ in the body so by sweating we release excess waste through the skin from the body and its organs.

I also got requests to do plank challenge again... so if you have already cultivated a plank practice then just stay with your baseline. Otherwise you are going to start with 20 seconds and go to 3 minutes by Day 18.

Or for my yogis... go to class everyday for the next 18 days.

3. Mind
We are going to learn how our minds work and learn how to change the vibrational frequency when we feel disconnected or a "slave" to the mind.
These are building blocks of how we can create change by creating new patterns in the brain. Meditation - bar starting really low - 2 minutes a day!!

Seated, on a chair or lying down... just watching your breath go in and out ... 2 minutes!

4. Rituals/Habits/Patterns
Tony Robbins says if you want to change your life, you have to change something that you do everyday. This is most people's least favorite topic. We have to get to know that patterns that support us and inspire us and the unconscious habits that keep us stuck. More on this later... because we are going to change out patterns by committing to this new shift for 18 days.

5. Heart Happiness Hygiene
Do you brush your teeth every day? Do you change your clothes everyday? Do you do something with your hair everyday? Then why don't you take care of the inside everyday in the same way we do the outside. Researchers say that we can change our habits, change out patterns and can actually change our genetic makeup by practicing habits of optimism, positivity, gratitude, praise and expression. I will choose 3 different techniques and we will practice them for 6 days each. My heart is exploding just thinking about it!

6. Relationship to Nature
In Yoga Therapy and according to one of my teachers, Robert Birnberg, our relationship to nature means not just connecting with our environment but also our relationship to technology, food, nutrition and meal times.

So 9 days of cleansing...

NOOOOO!!!
alcohol, caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy, processed foods

YESSSSS!!!!
fruits, vegetables, grains, protein shakes, tea (green tea if weening off caffeine)

Double your water intake!

Now doing a 9 day cleanse on your own is a lot of work, time, prep and energy. There are programs out there that map out meals, recipes and online support - this ain't it! lol! this is what i do and you're welcome to come along for the ride with support.

If this is your first time, try 3 days and see how it goes...
If you say hell-to-the-no with no caffeine then drink coffee and do the other things... Make this attainable for you.

Second part of Relationship to nature is try to be outside - I know it's frigid temperatures outside in Boston but layer up and go for a 5-10 minute walk or.... commit to the other things and wait until it warms up a little. Make this work for you! i am committed to walking in nature for the next 18 days because you know I live in LA now :).

7. Relationship to Technology - the opposite of nature - it disconnects us. Researchers say that it's not necessarily bad, it's how we use it, how it affects us and how conscious we are of when we are on it. We are going to be more conscious of our Social Media, Smart phone and computer time. Our phone is never beyond our arms length, We use it as an alarm, it's the first thing we do when we open our eyes, it's instant gratification! The people that create these are bascially studying you in how they can keep you on longer... it's an addiction!!!!! I have it too. So you.....and I... are going to commit to certain times of day of looking at our social media accounts and we are going to grab a hold of this beast! So all you have to do right now is count how many times you check your phone a day... just for now. Just count.

In conclusion.... Whoa.

1. Intention Setting/Goal/ Maintenance _ So write down some of your goals that you'd like to realistically do in 2018

2. Body. Plan your workouts/yoga classes for the week. Sign up in advance and schedule it in.
Forearm Plank for 20 seconds.

3. Mind/Breath/Meditation - Seated, on a chair, lying down... just watching your breath go in and out ... 2 minutes!

4. Rituals/Habits Write down 1 pattern you'd like to change? Write down a ritual or habit that makes you feel good?

5. Heart Happiness - more tomorrow

6. Relationship to Nature - choose how much of the cleanse you are going to do, go food shopping for the things you are going to eat and don't buy the things you don't want to eat - unless you have other people in your house ... you're going to have to ask them for support :) or you are really going to test your willpower!

7. Relationship to Technology - count how many times you check your phone a day. Keep a log.

This is a lot. But so do-able. Choose one, some or none. Just commit for you. I will support you - just reach out with questions amy@amysullivanyoga.com.

All in. You'll get out what you put in.

#allin
#day1of18
#18of2018
#dalaimamaadventures
#newyearintentions
#newyearnewyou