Getting Back to the Chispa (spark)

Have you ever just felt off-kilter? Like you're going through the motions of your life but you don't feel entirely like yourself?

Perhaps it is just the reaction I've had lately. I've been living in Chile for a year and a half now. Lately, it's been hard. The whole thing has been hard, but this is a different kind of a difficulty. I've lost my spark.

I've been making up jokes in Spanish to push my mind toward funny things. I also recently went back to a Bikram Yoga class. It helped tremendously. If you're ever feeling down or confused, I highly recommend this type of yoga. It is so engaging that you really can't think about anything else except the present moment. It's hot yoga so be warned--you'll sweat a lot! You might not resolve your problem right away but you'll feel at least calmer about not knowing the solution.

New realization; New Year

Just yesterday, after an hour workout, I was stretching and thinking about how exercise continues to change my world. I could be in the worst mood, and after an hour of sweating, I feel fantastic. What was bothering me before doesn't bother me after.

And so I thought, if working out changes my perspective to a happy one, why would I not want to be happy as early as possible each day. With this in mind, waking up to go for a run was surprisingly easy today. Before I was working out to relieve stress. But lately my life has very little stress.

What better motivation to workout than one's own happiness?

Each day, when I feel tired or lazy, I'm going to ask myself a simple question. How early do I want to be happy? If the answer is now, then I'm going to exercise.

For a long time now, I've understood that in some way I'm like a child. With a good night's sleep, good food, and movement every day, I'm a happy camper. It's so simple and yet, sometimes, I have trouble fulfilling even these three requirements. If one has the secret to one's own happiness, why, oh, why, don't they do what it takes to be happy?

If there's any New Year's resolution I have for this year, it is to fulfill the three simple things on my list to be happy. Every day. Wish me luck!