The 5 Books that Inspired my Positive and Healthy Lifestyle

1) Crazy, Sexy, Diet by: Kris Carr

I think it's important that I just put out there how much I adore Kris Carr.  I adore her so much that I'm constantly forcing my friends to check out her website, purchase her cookbook, and watch her hilarious videos online.

Crazy, Sexy, Diet is honestly the book that changed the way I think about what it is I'm putting into my body.  It was first food and health-focused book I was able to get through in no time because I honestly enjoyed reading it.

This book might be for you if: You're interested in a plant-based or vegan diet, you're interested in learning more about the link between nutrition and disease, you like to laugh, you're interested in wellness as a whole.

2) Find Your Happy by: Shannon Kaiser

A good friend gave me this book for Christmas, and it's awesome!  I've enjoyed reading it from start to finish and got through it in no time at all.  The book focuses a lot on the Law of Attraction and encourages to reader to put their faith and their thoughts into the universe, to do what makes you happy on a daily basis, and how to really, Find Your Happy.  My favorite section of this book focused on money, and why it's important to spend as well as save, how to view your bank account, and how you mindset impacts your spending.

This book might be for you if: You feel like you're in a rut, you need a happiness makeover, you feel like you're at a crossroads, you're interested in the law of attraction.

3) In Defense of Food by: Michael Pollan

Need a reason to clean up your diet?  Read this book.  This book encourages the reader to look at food in a whole different way.  It provides an overview and history of Western diet and how it contributes to our decreasing health.  This book isn't as "fun" to read as some of the others on this list, but I enjoyed it, and learned a lot for reading it.

This book might be for you if: You're interested in food, nutrition, the correlation between food and disease, or you're just interested in finding out where your "food" comes from.

4) The Law of Attraction by: Jerry Hicks

About three years ago everyone I knew was pressuring me into read The Secret.  They all swore up and down that this was the kind of book that changed your life.  After several conversations like this I finally gave in.  I bought the book, sat down, and read the thing in one sitting.  After I finished I felt frustrated and confused.  I loved the concept of the book, but I found myself left with more questions that answers.   After expressing my frustrations to my fiance and loaned me his copy of The Law of Attraction by Jerry Hicks.  This it the book that actually changed my life.  It encouraged me to be aware of the thoughts I was putting out into the universe, give gratitude on a daily basis, and for the first time in many years I really truly felt like I had a sense of control over the direction of my life.

This book might be for you if: Your interested in learning more about the Law of Attraction, You're feeling overwhelmed or like your life is getting a little out of control, you feel you might benefit from an attitude makeover, you want to bring more joy into your life but you're not sure where to start.

5) Anything Written by Paulo Coelho

Okay, so this isn't really a book, it's an author, but in my defense it's my most favorite author EVER.  Whenever I feel lost, down, confused, I'm traveling, or I just want to read something that will make me feel instantly better I pick up a Paulo Coelho book.  Each book takes place in a different location, results in a new lesson learned.  His books have been published into a number of different languages, are adored by millions, and I swear will change your life.

This book might be for you if: You love to finish a book and feel inspired!

4 Steps For Dealing with Uncomfortable Emotions

There are moments in all our lives where we feel anxious, terrified, confused, stressed, etc...  Just last weekend I had a near melt down over driving through the narrow, winding, Colorado mountain roads.  I make this same drive every fall with my friends, fiance, or parents to check out the beautiful changing colors and to enjoy the lovely crisp, clean air.  Usually a passenger along for the ride, this year I found myself behind the wheel, and it terrified me.  In this moment of terror I had a choice to make, I could either recognize how I was feeling and take control, or I could remain frightened and let this uncomfortable emotion control me. Like it or not there are moments in our life, both big and small, where we're going to experience uncomfortable emotions and like it or not we're going to have to deal with these emotions in one way or another.  The good news is, with a little prep work we can better equip ourselves with the tools we need to take control of our uncomfortable emotions.

1) Write down what works, what doesn't work, and what might work for you:  How do you normally react when faced with uncomfortable emotions? Do you take a couple of deep breaths, go for a walk, cry (not that I ever do this one or anything...), grab the first candy bar in sight, lash out at the first person you see?  We all have tools for dealing with our feelings and some are healthier than other.  Spend sometime making a list of the tools you currently use, once that's done, spend sometime identifying the tools you want to continue to use and the ones you might be better off without.  This is also a good time to identify three or four new tools you'd like to add to your toolbox, meditation anyone?

2) Give it A-Go: Once you've established which tools you feel best fit you, give em a go.  It's going to take a little bit of time to figure out which tool fits best which each situation.  Maybe try out going for a walk and deep breathing when feeling overwhelmed at work, or try out doing yoga and chatting with a friend after a fight with your significant other.  The idea is to try out different tools in different situations to help you identify what works best for you.  It's not one size fits all so feel free to be creative and experiment.   

3) Articulate what you need from those around you: Sometimes the best thing to do is to reach out to those around us for support and guidance.  It can be incredibly valuable to express out loud how we are feeling and what we need.  While I was making my scary drive back down the mountain I expressed to my friends how I was feeling, they simply reassured me that we would be fine and that I could drive as quickly as I felt comfortable, there was no rush.  Knowing that there are people in our corner can make all the difference in the world.

4) Practice, Practice, Practice: Just like with anything else in order to get into the habit of using your new tools, practice is key.  The more you practice implementing your new tools, the easier it will become and before you know it you'll be controlling your uncomfortable emotions instead of letting them control you.