Spring is the time of new beginnings as everything starts to pop. The grass is green, flowers are in bloom, and leaves are opening up on the trees. The sun is shining and the world seems full of possibilities.

With all the change in the air, now is a great time to take charge of your life’s choices and make a commitment to be healthy. You don’t have to empty your entire pantry and join a new gym though. Instead…

Here are 5 simple steps that you can follow to adopt a healthy lifestyle:

Get Moving

Everyone knows how important it is to stay active. Thirty minutes of moderate activity, at least five days a week can make all of the difference in maintaining a healthy weight, a strong cardiovascular system, and strength. Those who keep moving and grooving every day will be flexible and mobile as the years roll by. For many, a morning workout is helpful. Pop a DVD in, get on the treadmill, take a jog, or walk around the block. Finding a partner in fitness can provide extra motivation. If mornings don’t work, try after work for a stress reliever.

Enjoy being active and your body (and your mind and spirit) will thank you!

Eat Well

Give your body the right fuel! Protein from a variety of sources, including yogurt, tree nuts, and beans, builds muscle. Cut back on sugars, fats, and processed foods and swap them for fresh produce like strawberries and peppers. Instead of soda drink eight to ten glasses of water every day to keep your body well hydrated.

Focusing on fueling your body, rather than your emotions, can help you stay focused on a healthy diet.

Reduce Stress

Stress takes a major toll on the body, but thankfully there are many simple and easy ways to relieve anxiety. Try meditation and yoga. Deep breathing techniques. Listen to soothing music. Find time for enjoyable hobbies. Go for a massage once a month or do self-massage at home; in fact, here are some tips to help with self-massage:

Self-Massage Tools

Frozen Water Bottle: Most athletes are familiar with the concept of rest, ice, compression and elevation. A frozen water bottle is an affordable way to ice the feet and massage them at the same time. The ice will reduce the swelling and soothe your extremities as you roll your feet over the water bottles.

Tennis Ball: If you don’t need the ice, try a tennis ball to massage sore muscles. Tennis balls can be used on feet, legs and your back. This method is effective for working out the knots in the foot. You can roll the feet over the tennis ball from toe to heel for the most effective results. Also try rolling the tennis ball along your back as you press it into a wall.

Soup Cans: Soup cans are also used to massage the feet and legs. Consider rolling your feet over cans or rolling the cans over your legs to relieve tension and pain.

Be Gentle with Your Body

If you’re an athlete, you know the toll that a big workout can take on the body, especially if you are stepping up your workout schedule as the warm weather approaches. The pain can be immense especially if there is a lack of muscle memory and muscles are tight. Golfers especially – you’re stepping out on the course for the first time in many months and you’ll probably be sore after the first round because you’re muscles are not used to that motion.

To help avoid this incorporate stretching and some gentle movements to help your body warm-up. Also take it easy the first week or two back on the course – you don’t want to over do it on the first day. Also, a sports massage can help loosen up tight muscles; consider these tips and methods of sports massage inspired by experts of NY golf club, Atunyote®.

A healthy lifestyle is easy to adopt with a few simple changes. Take baby steps. Remember that moderation is key in all things and it’s okay to indulge from time to time, but treat the body as the precious temple that it is.

Michelle Pino has provided these tips in hopes to educate others on how to lead a more motivating and less stressful life. Michelle believes that a more focused approach put on health will result in more balanced life. Her hobbies include cooking, reading and learning about healthy lifestyles. Michelle is thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Erin and together share their ideas on ­­­­­­­­­Creative Soul in Motion.

** Please note: The opinions expressed on Creative Soul in Motion are based on my own thoughts, knowledge, and experiences (or those of my guest writers). Please keep in mind that I am not a Doctor or other health professional so please consult the appropriate professional before making any changes to your diet, health, or other applicable areas. You should always do what is right for your own personal mind, body and life.

Don’t you love the first day of a new month? I know I love the beginning of a month. I love flipping the calendar and seeing a whole new month waiting for me to explore, learn, grow. I love the freshness that comes with 30 days and how it creates a feeling of possibility that anything is possible. I love the blank slate I’m given and the fact that the past month is just a memory.

I know I’m not alone in my love for a new month. Or a new week. And while it’s understandable {it is the beginning of a new period of time according to society} really everyday is a new beginning.

Everyday is a fresh start full of possibility.

Everyday is a chance to change your direction, to change your life, to let go, to move forward, to feel differently, to understand more, to see clearer…

If you think about it a bit more… really every moment is a new beginning.

Yes, it might not feel like that but it’s true ::: we all have the chance to make decisions, to respond to inner/outer stimuli differently, to change the way we think, talk, act. Every single moment is ripe with newness, each breath is free of imperfections and is an opportunity to do better. to be better.

While most people start new habits and adopt new changes on a Monday or the first day of the month it’s not the day that you start that matters.

It’s every day, every moment after that which you remain aligned with and dedicated to your new belief, your new mindset, your new habit, your new lifestyle that makes a difference.

What does this really mean?

It means that you don’t have to wait for a special day to try something new.

It means that you don’t have to hold off on your dreams and your goals.

It means that every moment of your life you have the ability to change. to grow. to learn.

It means that every single moment is a new opportunity to embrace your inner strength, your humanity, your purpose, your passion, your light, your love, your true beliefs.

It means that every moment is possibility.

While writing can be therapeutic, insightful, motivating, inspiring, relaxing… it can also be too much. Sometimes it’s nice, refreshing, to just LIVE life rather than over analyzing it. Rather than rehashing every day, every situation, every thing over and over again, it’s nice to dive into live whole heartedly.

I’m still being mindful but rather than writing about my journey here… I’m feeling it in my heart, finding balance in my steps, creating space in my heart, grounding myself in my breath, and embracing every moment.

Instead of writing about my life I’m living it.

Instead of sharing my life I’m simply being present.

Instead of worry about the future or past I’m appreciating now.

Partly because I need a break. Partly because the words aren’t coming to me easily. Partly because I am too close to this exact moment to see the big picture. Partly because transitions are difficult to describe. Partly because I just don’t have the time or the desire.

While there is a lot of benefit from sharing ones life, speaking ones truth, there are times where silence, internal reflection, stillness and mindfulness is a better fit. Writing, blogging, journaling – these are all tools to help us understand our lives, express our feelings, embrace our ideas, share our creativity. But not every tool is good for every situation.

Actually living. Being totally present. Embracing the now. Living in the moment. Isn’t that what we’re all going after? Isn’t that what we want? To be so totally present that the past is simply a memory and the future simply a dream? So why do we feel so guilty for living life? Why does every blogger apologize for not writing more often? Why do we feel like we should be sharing more and more and more?

Maybe it’s because sharing is a hard habit to break. Maybe it’s because we feel like we need to reflect with others to give our own lives and experiences perspective and value. Maybe it’s because we desire connection. Maybe it’s because living totally in the present can be lonely. Whatever it is, the flip-side is that living life, engrossing yourself in the present, using up all your energy in your day to day interactions can be good for you too.

Sometimes you need to get out of your head and live life. No apologies or explanations necessary.

So I challenge you to totally live for a day, an hour, a month, a year.

I challenge you to let go of the past and the future and step into the now.

I challenge you to immerse yourself in your own life with passion and openness.

I challenge you to be so totally present that you’re exhausted at the end of the day.

Sometimes you just need to live life.

Honestly I tried to focus, to let go of the negativity swarming through my heart but I just couldn’t.

Instead of giving up though I kept going. Kept trying. Kept letting go of each thought regardless of how powerful my anger was. The thoughts kept coming, I couldn’t stop them, but I could choose how to respond to them and rather than letting it ruin my night I incorporated the fire in my belly into my dance.

Moving with my anger, my frustration provided relief.

Finding rhythm in the swaying of my hips helped me create space to feel.

Laughing at my many missteps helped me open up my heart.

Even though it wasn’t the best class of my life, and even though I was distracted and frustrated through the majority of it, moving my body through my pain helped me realign with my center, find my inner strength, and let go little by little.

Moving my body helped me move through my emotions.

When disaster strikes it’s easier to hide under the blankets, but giving your grief, heartache, pain or anger room to breathe can help you breathe deeper too.

Spring is quite simply the perfect time to re-energize your life, your home, your routine, your mindset.

Spring cleaning usually consists of wiping down the walls, changing the air filters, and other household tasks that are often overlooked. But there are other parts of your life that could use the same tender-love-and-care. During the winter months it’s easy to rely on heavy foods so Kendall’s 5 tips for lightening up your diet can help you revitalize how you fuel your body. Spring is also the perfect opportunity to let go of limiting thoughts, bad habits, grudges and guilt that hold you down so Erin’s 5 tips on cleaning out your home and your mindset is a great starting point to clarity and new beginnings.

With these 10 tips and an open heart and an open mind anything is possible this season…

Kendall’s 5 Tips on Spring Cleaning Your Diet

1. Less or no dairy

Did you know that most of us cannot digest dairy fully? When this happens, we tend to get bloated and hold extra weight in our midsection. Dairy also produces mucus which builds up and again causes us to carry extra weight. A great way to feel more energized and to lighten up is decreasing and eliminating dairy from our diets. A few suggestions on what to add in; almond milk, vegan “cheese”, nutritional yeast and hummus.

2. Add water

We all know that water is good for us but I don’t think we realize how great it is! First off, a lot of times when we are hungry or have cravings, it can be cured with more water since hunger is often a sign of being dehydrated. Water flushes everything out including toxins in our body and helps everything move. Think about it rinsing and hydrating your insides. A lot of times people ask me how much they should be drinking. I would start to increase your water intake and remove any artificial drinks. Bring a water bottle with you all the time and sip on it! My all time favorite water bottle is the CamelBak Grove with filter. With my clients we always start with how much water are you drinking and vegetable intake. Which leads me to…

3. Add leafy green veggies

Leafy greens are light, high in fiber rich in nutrients and are full of water. Did you know that a serving of kale has more calcium than a serving of milk? So if you were wondering “where do I get my calcium from!!” from tip #1, now you know!

4. Get active outdoors

Now that the weather is getting nicer and there is more daylight, head out doors with your workout. Get some natural vitamin d to go with your calcium from kale and move your body. Walk, run, hike, bike ride, or take an outdoor class such as bootcamp or yoga. Switching up your workout will also keep activity interesting and remind your body to stop hibernating.

5. Set realistic goals

There is no way that I would promote and number weight loss goal or a number of calories you need everyday. We are all unique and we need to remember that. Often when my clients first start working with me they ask if going to the gym 6 days a week is good. Usually, the gym is a foreign place to begin with so we work with 3-4 workouts a week. Its important to set goals that are not too big so we can reach them and then build off of success. Just like anything else!

Erin’s 5 Tips on Spring Cleaning Your Mindset

1. Let Go of the What If’s + Live Freely

It’s easy to throw money at problems. It’s also easy to bury problems and “bad” feelings underneath tons of stuff.

What’s also easy though is going through your home and giving away those items and things that no longer serve you, that no longer have a purpose or a place in your heart or your life. The waffle maker that you never use. The books you’ll never read. The games and toys long forgotten. These hold energy by simply being in your home. They’re a reminder of the things that you wish you did or the things you always forget to do. By relinquishing these items that provide you no value, you can find freedom, energy, and more room for new memories, passions and adventures.

2. Clean Out Your Schedule + Make Time for You

“Yes” is probably one of your most used words as it’s easy for women to over-book, over-schedule and overwhelm ourselves by always saying yes. Yes to everyone else but never to ourselves.

By prioritizing your own needs, desires and dreams you can find a balance between giving to others and nourishing yourself. Ten minute walks, five minutes of stretching, one minute meditation. These small habits can add up to a more grounded and centered YOU. Which can then make tackling the rest of your schedule and to do list easier. When you’re over-worked it’s hard to be patient, mindful and effective, but through self-care and self-love you can reconnect with your inner compass and find that inner resolve and compassion that is always there but hidden beneath too many layers of “yes”.

3.  Find Forgiveness + Move Forward

There is so much stuff that we hold onto month after month, year after year. Rude comments, dirty looks, bad behavior, disappointing situations… the list goes on and on and can hold you back from living a life full of love and hope. The past will always be there, and some scars can never be erased, but we have the ability to let go of the stories, memories, and grievances that are wrapped around our hearts and forgive. Through forgiveness, of ourselves and others, we can embrace hope and trust once again and move on lighter and happier then before. Forgiveness can come through opening up to those that hurt you, or even just being honest with ourselves. Whatever way you can find forgiveness, you can also find freedom.

4. Empty Your Closet + Release Your Negative Body Image

We all have clothing that doesn’t fit us right. That doesn’t look right. That just isn’t right for us. BUT we continue to wear it anyways because it’s simply there. Patterns like this are what can encourage low self-esteem and low confidence.

By literally emptying your closet and trying on every single piece in front of the mirror you can see and feel what clothing really fits your body and who you truly are. And since we are all strong, gorgeous goddesses deep down it’s important to have clothing that helps you feel that way and helps you show the world your true spirit.

5. Dust Off Old Keepsakes + Remember the Good Times

Sometimes it’s easier to remember the hard times, the challenges, the road-bumps. The bruises and scars they leave in our hearts don’t mend very quickly, while good memories seem to flitter away in the wind. Taking time to go through old cards, letters, keepsakes and treasures we can re-live those good times and hold onto them even stronger.

Over hauling your life all at once doesn’t usually lead to lasting changes. But taking one basic theme, one new habit, one fresh idea and sprinkling it throughout your life can not only lead to great changes and opportunities, but can cause a ripple effect throughout your life.

Kendall and I don’t suggest you throw out your diet, lifestyle and belongings, but with these 10 tips we hope to inspire and empower you to see your life with clarity and have the courage and the focus to change one thing for the better. Because with one step the next will come easier and the one after that, and the one after that. And soon you’ll be on a new healthy and joyful path that serves you.

Regardless of what’s your first step, remember: the compass to your life is inside you, and the direction of your path is always able to be changed.

By entering our raffle below you’ll be entered to win lots of great prizes that will further inspire and empower you + you’ll be donating to a great cause! Thank you for all of your support! Good luck on your spring cleaning.

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Guest Post by: Anna

Taking responsibility for your own financial situation is one of the most important parts of being an adult (as much as we might be loathe to call ourselves that). There are lots of ways to do this.

First, make sure that you’ve got the best bank accounts and credit cards. See how the ones you’ve got measure up against  high standards like Nerdwallet (and think about making changes if you find that you have access to better accounts with your current location and credit score).

Second, start putting together a savings and investing plan for your future. The future will be here eventually and you need to be prepared for it (unless you really do want to work through your retirement).

Third, work to live more financially responsibly in your daily life. For example, there are lots of things that you’re probably used to spending lots of money on that could be obtained for a lower price.

Let’s use skincare as an example.

You want to have beautiful skin. That’s obvious and understandable. Nobody actively works to have bad skin. Still, even if you suffer from terrible acne, you do not actually need to spend hundreds of dollars on skincare products every month.

So where are the savings and how can you get your hands on them?

If you’re a brand loyalist, spend some time seeking out coupons for your favorite products. For example, before you make your next purchase, do a Google search for DermStore.com promo codes that you can use to apply to your total. It’s also worth checking for actual printable coupons that you could use if you prefer to buy your products in actual stores.

No matter what you might have heard, there’s no shame in using a coupon to save some money. Why pay full price if you don’t have to?

Find cheaper (but good) alternatives. Believe it or not, one of the best face scrubs on the market right now is the Madame Helene Oatmeal and Honey face scrub. You can buy it for around five bucks at Whole Foods and one package will last for around a month. Why would you spend dozens of dollars when you can get a superior product for less?

Now, not all cheaper alternatives are automatically better. Take some time to read reviews and consult your dermatologist if you are worried about quality and the effects a cheaper product might have on your skin. Learn what ingredients to look for before making a purchase.

Make your own! There are so many skin care creams and masks and scrubs that you can make using ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. It sounds complicated but most of these products can be made by simply stirring together a few ingredients. Every once in a while you might need to put something through a blender or food processor but that’s it!

Making your own skin care products gives you complete control over what, exactly, you are putting on and massaging into your skin. You don’t have to worry about any artificial and potentially harmful ingredients getting snuck in there.

What are some of your own frugalista-friendly skincare products (or recipes for products)?

Suffering in agony, in confusion, in anger.

My heart reaches out to all those broken

Suffering with injuries, with heartache, with grief and fear.

My soul whispers of love and peace

To all those in the world

My heart sings of compassion

To all those in the world

My spirit radiates energy

To all those in the world

My entire being offers all that it can

To all those in the world

The tragedy of Boston reaches out across the world

Touches each and every one of us

Overpowers our differences

Brings us together

Makes us one.

As we always are and always will be. One.

One in power, in resilence, in strength.

One in possibility, in hope, in faith.

One in compassion, in peace, in love.

One in humanity.

Moving forward.

Into the light.

Dedicated to Boston and all it’s children.

With diet, I don’t believe it’s a one size fits all. It’s a process but finding a way to Keep It Clean is a great place to start.

One of the most important places to start is to re-evaluate winter goals or intentions. This helps tackle any emotional eating and creating a healthy mindset around food. Healthy outside means you have to have a healthy inside and that includes your mind.

Notice What’s Weighing You Down

By cleaning out your gut, adding in new fresh foods and taking the time to evaluate the past few months, you are creating a mental and physical fresh start.

During the winter it is the time we naturally want to “bulk up”. We celebrate holidays, find the time to cook and bake, and are more sedentary in the cold weather. Or maybe you stuck to green smoothies all winter and hit the gym like normal.

Either way Spring is a great time to notice what you’ve been doing, what’s working for you, and what you can leave behind.

Lighten up Emotional Eating

One component that leads to emotional eating is judgment and perfectionism.

Throughout your day notice if negative thoughts pass through your mind before, during and especially after your meals which is a time where we often find guilt.

If you are trying to figure out if this is happening, ask yourself if you would say your thought to a friend. If not, then you are most likely experiencing negative self-talk and that can easily lead to emotional eating.

Take the time to notice what you are thinking and then replace the thought with something positive and move on. Lighten up in your mindset and it will help you spring-clean your mind and your body.

To learn more about Spring-Cleaning Your Life…

Join Kendall and Erin on April 22, 2013 at 7 PM for a special hour-long Twitter chat using #YROraffle that will provide advice on:

5 ways to Lighten Your Diet &

5 ways to Spring-Clean Your Life & Mindset

Kendall Covitz helps women embrace a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and movement so that they can find balance for the rest of their life.

She is active on her blog, facebook, twitter and all of social media.

Make sure you say hi!

We hope to see you on 4/22 and appreciate every single donation!!

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The raffle begins 4/12 at 9 AM and ends ten days later on 4/22 at 1 PM. Each entry will help them get closer to their goal of $550 and best part – you’ll be entered to win some amazing goodies! There are eBooks to help you find your creativity and jumpstart your goals, eCourses to inspire, and coaching sessions to get you on track to living a healthy and happy life.

Every donation will enter you into the raffle and the funds will go straight from Paypal to Yoga Reaches Out and benefit the Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Tumor Foundation and a healing program through yoga for the community in Newtown, CT.

Along with an entry into the amazing raffle below you’ll have access to a special Spring Clean Your Life & Diet webinar Kendall and Erin are hosting on April 22nd – the night the raffle ends! On 4/22 from 7 – 8 PM Kendall will share five tips to lighten up your diet and Erin will give listeners five ways to clean up their schedule, priorities and to do list.

Join our team by donating below!

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Train & Fuel Package: 1 hr online training session with Celeste + 1 hr online nutrition consultation with Kendall. Value: $195

Let Go & Embrace Life: 1 hr session with Erin, Creative Soul in Motion. Value: $60

Be More with Less Package:  Simple Ways to Be More with Less eBook + 60 min consultation with Courtney Carver. Value: $150

Joy Juice Course - a yearlong program of positive writing prompts delivered every 3 days to your inbox through Stratejoy. Value: $32

6 Steps to a Better Blog eBook by Tara Wagner, The Organic Sister. Value: $25

“We Are Multipotentialites” Poster by Emilie Wapnik & the Putty Tribe. Value: $25

Roadmap to Action workbook by Laura Simms, Create as Folk. Value: $27

Adventures in Lady Travel guide book by Sarah of Yes and Yes! Value: $15

Why Overanalyzing Will Get You No Where Fast eBook by Ashley of Dare to Shine. Value: $10

Make a Wave Cards by Taslim Jaffer of Let Me Out Creative! Value: $10

A Whole New You by Brett Blumenthal. Value: $10

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As a 37-year-old, I listen to my authentic voice on a daily basis. We converse, we laugh, we cry, we play—we even disagree every now and then. We have a relationship and we listen to and respect one another. Of course, it wasn’t always this way.

When I was a kid I think I must’ve been best friends with my authentic voice. That’s where we learned to laugh together, play together, cry together, understand one another. I hadn’t learned anyone’s voice but my own yet, so there were no others to get my authentic voice confused with.

Like many, I lost touch with that authentic voice as I grew up. My parents, grandparents, teachers, strangers on TV, radio, and in real life all had voices of their own I thought I should be listening to. After all, they were the grown ups. They ought to know exactly how to live my life, they’d done this whole growing up thing before.

Yeah, not exactly.

As I look back over the last three decades of my life, I try to pinpoint the exact moment I found my authentic voice again, and I come up with more instances than I can count on two hands. If only I’d stayed in touch after I’d found her again that first time.

When I was sixteen my mother died and I began keeping a journal. My journal and I became quite close as I wrote, night after night, week after week, month after month. Eventually I stopped writing, for one reason or another. Maybe I felt I’d gotten what I needed, maybe I’d grown tired of writing, maybe I just got back to living life and didn’t think my journal had anything to do with that.

When I was thirty my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and my journal and I became quite close again. Oh, we’d had flings between my mother’s death and my father’s diagnosis, but in 2005 I realized something about my journal I’d never even considered before then: my journal IS my authentic voice!

Boom. Mind blown.

I’ve learned that I have my authentic voice at my fingertips—whenever I need her. When I need to sort through feelings and guilt and fears, all I have to do is write and my authentic voice chimes right in (okay, maybe after a page or so of brain dump). When she speaks, I know it’s her because she always has my best intentions at heart. I’ve learned to unmask fear parading around my journal as my authentic voice. Fear does a good impression, at times, but she’s no match for my authentic voice.

In my journals I give my authentic voice a place to help me sift through life and make decisions. Decisions that are right for me, healthy for me, and in my own best interest. My authentic voice and I, we laugh, we cry, and more than ever, we play. My journal is where I can always find my authentic voice.

Where do you find your authentic voice?

Dian Reid, CPCC, is a certified professional life coach and author who helps people create thriving, authentic lives. She believes that everyone on earth has a slew of creative genius, and that leaving the past behind and moving forward with strengths is absolutely possible, no matter what’s been endured in that past.

Seven Days is Dian’s first book, a memoir about the last seven days of her father’s life and the authentic conversations and relationships that changed her life and her father’s death. She publishes her blog, Authentic Realities, and promotes living authentically in laid-back Long Beach, California with her domestic partner, two cats, and rescued dog. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.