In a newsletter this past spring, my dear friend Kelly shared a teaching she heard years ago: A Queen Never Rushes.  Since reading it, this phrase has been my guiding mantra.

Studies have found that imagining your life without something that you love -- as opposed to just feeling grateful for it -- has a greater impact on your emotional well-being.

When I take Pearl for walks (full moon walk in photo at top), I love to listen to podcasts. Usually I listen to business podcasts, but lately I've been enjoying a break and listening to something fun.

Last week I listened to David Whyte on On Being, where he talks, in part, about asking Beautiful Questions.

Attention is closely related to intention, which we are familiar with in yoga practice. We can set an intention at the start of the day or a task, which will guide our attention.

Here’s my question for you… When something’s got to give, what goes first for you?

(For me, it’s social activities. Next it’s making dinner -- I recently found a couple of local vegan meal prep services! And sometimes, yes, it's my self care.)

It's one of the most important questions we can ask when considering any kind of protocol or advice: "For whom and when?"

This is a common adage in Ayurveda and other holistic systems of health. But it need not be relegated to the medical field.

What kind of yoga class is best?

What should I eat?

Should I work out or take it easy today?

It's one of the most important questions we can ask when considering any kind of protocol or advice: "For whom and when?"

This is a common adage in Ayurveda and other holistic systems of health. But it need not be relegated to the medical field.

What kind of yoga class is best?

What should I eat?

Should I work out or take it easy today?

When you are nourished, you can do more...with ease. When you are rested, you make better decisions and are more focused.

Or put conversely, when we "power through" a rough patch, we stress our immune systems, we can be grumpy and impatient, and because it's not sustainable, we will burn out.

Through the filters of my values, I could step through the unexpected and feel guided rather than abandoned.

Social contagion is the well-researched idea that we "catch" emotions and behaviors from other people. We unconsciously start wanting things other people want or normalizing behaviors we previously would not have engaged in.

That's some powerful suggestive influence.

So what can we do to stay aligned with our own deeply held values and not be unconsciously swayed by the actions of other people?