[Mind] Out of Body Experience

Greetings all,

I hope your Monday's been great! If you didn't get a chance to check out the post on wine and health this morning, click on this.

After finally getting that little ditty up on the internet today (work was on the not-so-fun side last night so I just came home and PASSED out), I munched on this pre-yoga breakfast:

An almond butter, jelly and banana sammich on whole wheat (there's my foot!)

I scooped Mindy up and we headed to our Monday outdoor yoga sesh. I opted to do it in the straight up SUN and it was dazzlingly nice, complete with a cool breeze and chirping birds. The only problem: my mind just could.not.focus. (more on that at the end of this post)

After namaste was said, we headed to Starbucks where I consumed:

And we caught each other up on life happenings.

I dropped Mindy off and headed to one of my favorite shops in LA:

the Samuel French Bookstore on Sunset, where I was to scour the shelves for a scene for my acting class. I was feeling hungry and gross from the sweaty outdoor workout, so I quickly grabbed a book from the shelf that seemed appropriate and headed home.

I made a smoothie and settled into some reading:

Unfortunately, the book was a no go. I'm looking for an on-camera scene for 2 females and while this book contained some meaty scenes from notable plays, I couldn't really envision any of them working as well for the camera.

I took a little green juice break:

And finished the play I didn't start last week, Dead Man's Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl.

I really enjoyed it- most of the comically displayed themes had to do with modern life and thoughts on death (hence the title). Should you check it out? Most definitely. It's a quick read and very relevant, in my humble opinion.

I set to work on pre-acting class dinner (since food is now forbidden in the classroom- whoops):

Quinoa with raw bell pepper, spinach, goat cheese and broccoli. It's delicious.

I was sure to drink LOADS of water today since I was feeling a little dehydrated from the weekend, and it feels GOOD. **Remember to drink your agua, kids- I'd say it's the first step in getting on the clean eatin' track.

Alright, I'm about to get a little deep here so be warned. If you're not in the mood for some rambling on life, you might want to come back another day ;)

Here goes...

I've been REALLY distracted at work lately. It's so odd (or maybe not?): when I'm off work, I'm reveling in the moment- enjoying myself and the amazing people and things around me. When I'm at the restaurant though- POOF!- there goes my mind, drifting off to some unknown distant land.

Last night, mid-shift, a thought struck me: "Life is too short to be unhappy."

I know it seems trite, but think about it. We are on this earth (if we're lucky) for 50-100 years TOPS. Not to get all macabre on you, but if we're in your 40's, 30's or even 20's, a large chunk of that time has already passed. Bad days will always exist- those are what make the good so great!- but none of us have time to waste on long term experiences or situations that bring ongoing distress or suffering into our lives.

Are you discontent in your current job or career? (note: this exercise could work for any situation or relationship) Stop what you're doing and get comfortable. Close your eyes and take a couple deep breaths. Try to clear your mind and imagine:

**If money was no object, what vocation would you be pursuing right now?**

Really let our imagination go and create every facet of your lifestyle in this moneyless world... Where are you living? What sort of working environment are you apart of? What does your home look like? What hobbies are you participating in outside of your job? What kinds of people are in your life? When those images are nice and set, open your eyes and write down what you remember. It doesn't have to be Shakespeare, just get your thoughts out on paper (or word processor if you're so inclined).

If you'd like to take it one step further (as gentle yoga instructors like to say), look at that life you've imagined and realistically think about how you might be able to make that dream your REALITY. As someone so poignantly announced in my acting class last Wednesday, time is not on our side. Make every minute count- whether it's a much needed afternoon of r & r (because those probably count the most!!) or a full day of dropping off and sending out resumes; do what you want (and need) to do, keep positive thoughts in your head and you WILL get what you're aiming for.

I hope you take only happiness and goodness from these ponderings, life is beautiful and precious. Enjoy!

Mads :)