Happy Soul: Be the Light
It is officially spring and at the beginning of each month I enjoy spending some time in reflection. I find it very beneficial to reflect back on the past month and take a look on the progress that I made and set new intentions for the upcoming month. During this time I love to ask myself, are you making progress? Are you a better person today than you were yesterday, a month ago, or a year ago? Are you more joyful? More fulfilled? A better spouse? A better parent? A better friend? Are you healthier? Is your occupation becoming more and more satisfying? How about your spirituality and connection with God? Is God a friend that you talk to daily or just when you're in need?
For the month of March in yoga we really focused on being the "best-version-of-yourself" and "being the light" and what that looks and feels like for each of us. Can you look back on a moment in time when you truly felt your best inside and out? Our goal is to find more of these moments, and to pin point what it was in that moment that made you the best-version-of-yourself radiating pure love and joy. Maybe there are a few areas in our life that we can slightly improve, or give attention to, to find more of these moments. Or, maybe we simply just need to slow down a bit and pay more attention to each moment instead of going through life in auto pilot. Do we radiate and spread our light leaving others feeling uplifted and inspired? Baby steps are the secret.
"Are you celebrating your true self, or are you still trying to be the person you think other people want you to be -- or the person you think other people will like?" - Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly
"How would your life be different if you really understood your true value? How would you live differently if you saw yourself as God saw you? Jesus offers an astoundingly different view of us than we have of ourselves. He said we are infinitely valuable. "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:13). "You are the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:14). You are so valuable that God keeps track of every hair on your head. (cf. Luke 12:7)." - Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly
"Character is at the very core of our happiness. Patient people are more likely to experience enduring happiness than impatient people. Generous and grateful people are more likely to create sustainable happiness in their lives than those who are ungrateful and greedy. I have never met people with unforgiveness in their heart who were truly and deeply happy. People who can forgive are happier than those who hold grudges and harbor unforgiveness. The gentle seem more likely to experience happiness than the rough and angry. Moderation is a more likely path to enduring happiness than gluttony and lust. Kindness will bring us a happiness that will outshine the pleasure of self-indulgence every time." - Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly
I am currently reading Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly, I have personally picked up so much from this book and have quoted it a lot this past month in my yoga classes, I highly recommend this self betterment book.
I hope this message leaves you feeling gracious and inspired. Remember that each minute, day, week, month, season is a new opportunity for a fresh start to be the light and the best-version-of-you. Have a beautiful month!
Join me this month for Happy Soul Yoga classes at the Boone County Fitness Center every Wednesday at 11AM and Thursday at NOON!
Namaste,
Steph
