Grace Van Berkum, R.H.N.
Take care of yourself and your body with the foods you eat, with movement, and with relaxation, by using breathing to reduce stress, and by placing yourself among positive people and situations. When you take care of your body you have more power to release, prevent, and walk away from life’s stresses. You have a choice in every moment of your life to accept negativity or not. You have the power to choose how you want to 
behave. Work with life, not against it. When you can relax and go with the flow, you open yourself up to opportunities and miracles. We can change the world one person at a time, just start with you. When you are more peaceful, you affect all those around you in a peaceful way.
1) Surround yourself with positive people who energize and inspire you, rather than people who drain you. You become like the people you hang out with most often.
2) Eat foods that energize your body. Stay away from foods that exacerbate life’s stresses by putting a strain on your nervous system. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and Sunwarrior foods help to support nervous system health, helping the body to work in a harmonious, efficient way so that the body isn’t expending extra energy to digest and eliminate foods.
3) Live your truth. Pay attention, trust, and act on your heart’s messages. The universe always provides for and supports you in your journey. Have courage. Do things that you are passionate about. Aligning with your truth leads to an empowered and peaceful life.
4) Connect to others. Give to others. Help others. Research has also shown that being generous and helpful without expecting anything in return triggers endorphin release. Giving is one way of making meaningful connections.
5) Make time for stillness in the body and mind every day. (This doesn’t include sleep, although sleep is good, too.) Start with a 10 minute meditation every day for 30 days, and notice the changes. It will become easier and easier to sit still, and you will begin to sit for longer periods of time. The act of sitting still does wonders for the nervous system.
6) Stretch the body every day and combine that with deep breathing. Consistently taking the time to stretch the body every day while harnessing the power of deep, diaphragmatic breathing will create ease and peace in your movements and posture throughout your day-to-day life. This is one of the benefits of a consistent yoga practice. It creates peace in the body and the mind.
7) Know that happiness and health are your birthright—because they are. You deserve a life of happiness, health, and love. When we remember this daily, we make choices that reflect self-nourishment and contribute to a more peaceful way of being.
