Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
(William Feather)

It can be awkward or downright scary to break free from comfort zones, but it can also be energizing to try something new. Making sweeping changes or small alterations to our lives lifts us out of ruts. New experiences have the potential to reveal pieces of ourselves that would otherwise go unnoticed. This how I feel about my experience with Whole Living’s 2012 Action Plan.

It was disorienting and difficult at times, but what I gained in return was worth every ounce of sacrifice. Eliminating processed food and drinks, added sugar, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol from my diet for 4 weeks was eye-opening. I discovered juicing, learned a bunch of new recipes, and started working out regularly.

Week #4 Highlights:

• Making it! I proved that I can achieve an ambitious goal I set for myself.
• Five workouts strong. That’s two weeks in a row and I’m excited to keep it up.
• Spa day celebration. On Sunday I indulged in a massage + mani pedi. Bliss!

Favorite Meals:

• Spinach with Garlic and Scrambled Eggs - the recipe calls for watercress, but the store was all out. Spinach is a healthy & delicious substitute.
• Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds - great to make ahead for several easy workday luches. Spicy, fresh and a little crunch from the almonds.
• Stir-Fry with Flavored Tofu and Vegetables – I made this after a long run on Saturday, using quinoa instead of rice. This one is full of tasty flavors.

They say it takes 21 days to establish a new habit. Over the next three weeks I hope to incorporate what I’ve learned into sustainable, healthy habits for my everyday life. Specifically, I’m planning to maintain a diet that is 90% vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low in processed foods and added sugar.

Thanks to all of you who have shared your wisdom and support through these past few weeks. It definitely helped keep me motivated!

Whole Living Action Plan Recap Posts:
Week #1 / Week #2 / Week #3

Image Credit: 316/365 – Third World Baby via Helga Weber

Each moment of our life, we either invoke or destroy our dreams.
(Stuart Wilde)

Hello, sweet friends. I hope this finds you happy, healthy and enjoying the last full week in January. 2012 is off to a delightful start — a perfect blend of focus and downtime, with lots of new discoveries. With just a week left, I’m working diligently on my goals for January. This iPhone wallpaper is a constant reminder of my focus for the month.

My biggest challenge has been the reallocation of time. With the Whole Living Action Plan, I’m spending more time planning meals, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning dishes than ever before. It was a little tedious and foreign at first, but I’m getting the hang of things. And more importantly, I’m having a blast!

I’ve noticed an important shift this past week — a connection between healthy eating and wanting to workout. This is a new development I’m trying to cultivate. Eating clean reinforces my desire to get fit, and finishing a hard workout cements my hunger for nutritious food. I’m doing my best to recognize the tiny victory.

Week #3 Highlights:

• Keeping my cool. I craved coffee, chocolate and red wine this week, but reisted. My resolve was not this strong a few months ago.
• Working out 5 times. I also signed up for the Run Raleigh Half Marathon in April!
• Poaching an egg. I can’t believe I have lived 26 years without poaching an egg! Using Smitten Kitchen’s instructions, I hatched a delicious poached egg on my first try.
• Date night. On Saturday night, my Mister and I went to PF Chang’s for dinner. I order the steamed salmon off their gluten-free menu and it was delicious! Afterwards, we watched Ides of March and snuggled in bed. It was definitely a highlight of my week.

Favorite Meals:

• Avocado-Vanilla Smoothie – Try it with mango nectar for a tropical treat.
• Dried Fruit and Nut Bites – Salty, crunchy, and sweet.
• Chickpea-Brown Rice Veggie Burger - Wrapped in lettuce = delicious.
• Shiitakes and Brown Rice en Papillote - Perfect as simple dinner after work.
• Quinoa with Poached Egg, Spinach, and Cucumber - One of my new favorites.
• Halibut with Sweet Potato Fries and Lime – Quick, easy & yummy.

There’s just one more week left in the #WLActionPlan and I have a massage scheduled on Sunday to celebrate. Next month will present a new set of challenges when I return to my social ways, but overall I’m looking forward to incorporating these changes into my everyday routine.

Have you successfully transitioned from a strict program to a more realistic daily routine? I’d love to know about your experience and any tips or recommendations you have!

Image Credit: Blueberries via Chris Nixon / S u l a v a k a s via Pörrö

Belief in yourself and in the possibility of success
is the most important requirement for living an extraordinary life.
Believe in belief.
Believe in yourself and the best of the world will come to you,
and you will be prepared to receive it. Don’t sell yourself short.
You do not require permission to be extraordinary.
(Richard Quick)

Hello, lovelies! I hope you’ve had a delightful weekend. Thanks so much to those of you who left helpful and supportive comments on my last few posts. It’s great to know that I’m not the only one craving solitude in January.

Since starting the Whole Living Action Plan last week, I’ve noticed how seldom I acknowledge daily victories. Small, quiet steps go ignored while I look towards the finish line and hold off on uncorking the metaphoric bubbly. Do you struggle with the same? Tiny triumphs are critical building blocks—each one a glittering, golden brick worth celebrating.

“You can do this. You are doing this,” I remind myself over and over. Changing patterns, adjusting priorities, and establishing new habits can be disorienting. Until we are practiced and comfortable in our new way of doing things, the old way just feels best. Maybe that’s one reason why so many people drop the ball on their resolutions.

I’ve held onto my intentions and stuck with the #WLActionPlan through this week, but not without sacrifice. I’m laying low and spending a lot of time in the kitchen. And even though the alarm goes off at 5 am, I’m not relying on 3 cups of coffee and 2 shots of espresso to get me through the day. When my energy dips around 3 pm, I am no longer leaning on a bag of mini M&Ms to revive me.

Instead, I’m drinking tons of water and herbal DAVIDsTEA (which I love!) and snacking on kale chips or pomegranate seeds. A change is unfolding. I feel vibrant, happy and connected. This week I got back to working out, with 4 days of Barre3′s DVD in the mornings before work and 3.5 miles run/walk on Saturday. This morning, I went to the lululemon store in Raleigh for a goal-setting session followed by a complimentary yoga class.

Changing my priorities has meant less time with my Mister—and certainly less time for flipping through magazines, painting my nails, and general lounging around. The upside is that I’m in a much better mood and am excited (instead of feeling guilty) when I do find some time to chill.

Week #2 Highlights:

• Listening to my body. This process has brought me a new level of awareness when it comes to hunger and mood. I’m learning to cope with the ups and downs of the day without sugary snacks or surges of caffeine.
• Getting a new package from DAVIDsTEA in the mail! So far my favorites are Forever Nuts, Licorice Twist, Jessie’s Tea and Organic Peppermint Amour.
• Losing a little weight. The number on the scale has dropped some and my clothes are starting to feel a bit too big… I can see a shopping trip for new jeans in my future.
• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). I bought Mindy Kaling’s audiobook to listen to on my commute (she reads it herself—so cool!). It’s funny, inspiring and down-to-earth.

Favorite Meals:

• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus
• Raw Kale Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Walnuts
• Watercress Salad with Sardines, Oranges, and Pepitas
• Grilled Salmon and Bok Choy with Orange-Avocado Salsa

I’m grateful to be in a place (emotionally, financially and otherwise) that allows me to pursue these dietary and fitness changes. Just a few months ago, this would have been too much to take on. It’s as if the stage was set and ready for me to step up. It’s an incredible feeling. Even though I think I could do this on my own, my Mister has been a huge help. He even got up with me this morning to hit up Whole Foods at 7 am so I could get all my grocery shopping done before yoga (I’m a slow shopper and he helps me stay on task).

I’m looking forward to seeing where week #3 will take me. I hope you find yourself happy, healthy and fulfilled this week. If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, I recommend doing something that lights you up. Go to a local tea shop, buy an inspiring magazine, get a manicure, or do some yoga. I’ll be working to do the same!

Image Credit: 164 / 365 – I’ve got the brightest star you’ll ever find via Noukka Signe

If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track
that has been there all the while, waiting for you,
and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.
When you can see that, you begin to meet people
who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you.
I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and
doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.
(Joseph Campbell)

This fall, I will be celebrating my blog’s 3-year anniversary. Three years of showing up, sharing inspiration and connecting with more creative souls than I ever imagined possible.

The keys to a happy blogger? Make a plan, set realistic expectations, write as often as you can, and believe in a little magic. Then wait to see what happens next.

My intentions for this year and KaileenElise.com are one in the same. I plan to focus my energy on living a healthy, active life. I want to blog regularly, but without the pressure and pace of posting daily. I have a content map, plus a long-term strategy and short-term goals. I’m giddy about what’s next—eager to curate links, quotes and images that will inspire you.

I’m quite fond of outlines, lists and game plans. Knowing this, I identified 12 intentions for 2012. Guideposts for this journey, touchstones threaded through each month. Overall, this year is about focus and heart…with a touch of sparkle!

Hat tip to Lifestylista Monica McCarthy for the wonderful idea of compiling a vision board of sorts for 2012 intentions. I love how mine turned out. It’s going straight to my desktop—and I plan to create mini versions for my iPhone each month.

Have you done something like this for your blog? I’ve never sat down and thought an entire year through like this, so I’d love to know more about your experience!

Image Credits: My Work Desk via DeaPeaJay
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

Never forget that once upon a time, in an
unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend.
(Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love)

When I first moved to Raleigh four years ago, I knew no one. I arrived with little more than a big suitcase and new Ikea furniture. On most nights, I went home and got cozy. I journaled, read books, watched TV and took a lot of baths. I frequented a Starbucks downtown (that’s still my favorite!) and took myself to the movies. After college, a few breakups and moving from San Francisco, I needed a breather. I savored the time alone.

Soon enough I made friends, met my Mister and got busy being social. I’m a naturally chatty person who most would call outgoing. I talk with strangers in the grocery store. I interview people for a living. I explore new places and spend time with friends. That said, this extrovert craves her space—and revels in the clarity that comes from stillness.

The past few months were busy, with many days spent running from one place to another. It’s fun to make new friends, go out to dinners and have lots going on. I enjoyed all of it—sushi dinners, book club, happy hours, bunco nights and craft dates. It was a sparkly, happy time that was a bit exhausting. There were many nights when I didn’t get home (or eat dinner) until after 10 pm, only to wake up at 6 am and do it all again.

When I started the Whole Living Action Plan last week, I committed to giving up one more thing in addition to processed food and drinks, added sugar, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol—I decided to take a social sabbatical. A month of kindly declining invites. Nothing against my friends and their fab soirees, but I need some time to hibernate.

The following playlist is to listen to while relaxing at home, cutting up magazines, drinking tea, baking kale chips and laying a fantastic foundation for the year. The links below lead to iTunes, so head over and have a listen. I hope you enjoy!

Who You Are / Jessie J
Los Angeles / Peter Bradley Adams
I Am A Wanderer / Steve Earle
Moonshiner / Redbird
A Change Is Gonna Come / Allison Moorer
Go / The Civil Wars
We Mapped the World / Joy Williams
Mexico / The Staves
What the Water Gave Me / Florence + The Machine
Daylight / Matt & Kim
Good Feeling / Flo Rida
Coming Home / Diddy – Dirty Money & Skylar Grey
New York / Snow Patrol
This Years Love / David Gray
Tonight / Lykke Li
Walking On a Dream / Empire of the Sun

Would you like to join me in celebrating a whole new year of inspiration? Sign up today to receive Inbox Inspiration and Muse Memos!

Image Credit: From this day in April via Noukka Signe

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
and next year’s words await another voice.
(T.S. Eliot)

The new year is a perfect time to implement new eating habits. There’s momentum from New Year’s resolutions, plus the inevitable post-holiday hangover. When parties, festivities and visits with family are in full-swing, we eat more holiday comfort food than any other time. Have enough peppermint martinis, pieces of pie and Christmas cookies—and your body will practically beg for healthier foods!

Each year I want to feel better, work out more, and lose weight. Despite these intentions, I settle into my routine of mildly nutritious habits by mid-March. Even though I’m grateful for where I am today, 2011 was a rough year in many regards. I put my health and wellness on the back-burner, knowing that I would need a major overhaul at some point.

I’ve reached that point.

Growing up, I was a serious athlete. I competed on a national level and earned a scholarship to swim in college. That experience armed me with a certain kind of knowledge, a self-awareness and understanding of what it means to care for one’s body. I got plenty of sleep, stayed hydrated, lifted weights, and avoided junk food, alcohol, coffee and soda. I pushed myself—and appreciated what my mind & body were able to achieve.

Fast-forward to today. I’m a sedentary office-dweller with a commute. I leave for work at 7 in the morning and arrive back home at 7 in the evening. My level of exercise is moderate under the best circumstances. Even with a 95% vegetarian diet, there are plenty of gaps in my attempt at healthy-living. After a long day at the office, my favorite dinner has become chips & salsa, 2 glasses of red wine and dark chocolate.

I’m not lacking the knowledge to live a healthier, more fulfilling life, I’ve just been missing the direction and focus that’s required. Something clicked when I stumbled across Whole Living Magazine’s 2012 Action Plan a few weeks ago. An entire month dedicated to clean eating, new recipes and wellness? I wanted to start immediately!

If you’re intrigued and looking for a way to jump-start your new year, I recommend reviewing the entire plan. It’s an amazing resource for recipes and motivation.

It resonates deeply and I couldn’t be more excited. There’s an established flow from one week to the next, with plenty of options along the way. The meals are colorful and tasty. It takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. I’m more dedicated to this than anything I’ve attempted in a long time. This is me living, breathing, and practicing wellness in 2012.

#WLActionPlan Week #1 Highlights:

• Giving up processed food and drinks, added sugar, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol.
• Sleeping between 7-9 hours each night!
• Journaling more regularly, including my first entry of 2012.

Favorite Meals:

• Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes
• Grapefruit, Carrot, and Ginger Juice
• Steamed Broccoli and Squash with Tahini Sauce
• Roasted Peppers, Cauliflower, and Almonds

This week I’ve realized how important it is to be ready.

Things happen that we’re not expecting. We sometimes drop the ball. Even with the best of intentions, we don’t care or give our best effort to everything—and that is 100% ok. That’s just called life. Maybe I had to go through the past few years of ups, downs and failed resolutions to appreciate where I am and to know that I’ve finally reached that point.

Image Credit: Simply Breakfast via Jen Causey

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day,
a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps
a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.
(J. B. Priestley)

Hello lovelies, I’ve missed you dearly! It’s hard to believe that I took almost a whole month away from blogging. I hope the past few weeks have been kind to you.

Although my break from blogging was unscheduled, it was exactly what I needed. The Mister and I had a chilly, but very fun trip to Ohio for Christmas, and a quiet party of two at home for New Year’s. It was truly the perfect ending to 2011.

Despite a few bumps and unscheduled breaks along the way, this past year was an excellent time for KaileenElise.com. My heart is filled with love and gratitude for those of you who show up daily, drop in regularly, or stop by once to participate in my story. Thank you for being such a wonderful source of inspiration, accountability and friendship.

Top 5 Posts in 2011:
A Creative Weekend To-Do List
Half Marathon Playlist
Let’s Reverb
Welcoming Summer
Blogger’s To-Do List

Also, the site traffic and pageviews are up 70% from last year!

Speaking of highlights, I wanted to share my deep gratitude to those of you who participated in #reverb11. The project took many forms as individuals and smaller groups adapted it to their liking. For me, reflecting in my journal turned out being the best way to examine my year and establish intentions for 2012.

My focus for this is year simple: healthy living in mind, body and spirit.

Through the next few weeks, I will reveal my goals, reading list, and words of the year. I’ll also share my intentions for January, with weekly recaps on my main focus for the month: Whole Living Magazine’s 2012 Action Plan.

Thank you again for being such a sparkly part of my 2011. Here’s to great things to come!

Hello friends. Thank you the sweet welcome yesterday. It feels good to be back!

Do you set goals for each new month?

It’s something I like to do — and it seems to be very popular across the blogosphere. However, my personal goals have been nothing more than good intentions recently.

My aim for November is to truly dedicate myself to the goals I’ve set. They are a bit ambitious, but I know I can achieve them with some extra focus and enthusiasm.

• Blog 5 times a week
• Try 2 new recipes
• Workout 5 times each week
• Run 2 races: 5K next weekend & 8K on Thanksgiving
• Finish reading A Place of Yes and Loving Frank
• Finish Christmas cards
• Plan gifts for family & friends

And you? I would love to know more about your goals for November, and if you have any tips for goal-setting success!

Image Credit: [101] there is a river made of light. via Stephen Brace

One more thing! Would you like to join me in celebrating a new season of inspiration?
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There’s a difference between interest and commitment.
When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit.
When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.
(Unknown)

Hello my dear friends! I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Are you looking forward to anything special this weekend? I’m continuing my blogging comeback with another Creative Weekend To-Do List, plus shopping with a girlfriend & hanging out with the Mister.

I’m really looking forward to sharing today’s guest post from Sneha. Her ideas and suggestions on committing to what matters are especially helpful as we move into a new season. I am excited to implement her tips and hope you find the post inspiring too.

When she’s not at work in the 9 to 5 world, Sneha is a writer, amateur photographer, traveler, and fanatic of coffee and chocolate. She blogs about work, health, money, self development and a hodgepodge of other favorite topics over at limitfreelifestyle.wordpress.com. Sneha is always is open to your thoughts, questions, positive comments and guest posting opportunities. Contact her at limitfreelifestyle@gmail.com and follower her on Twitter, @twiterrific84.

✳ ✳ ✳

This is a post about commitment. To yourself. To your goals.
To the parts of your life that matter to you.

How many of the things you said you would do this year, the habits you said you would form, and the goals you said you would work on, have you actually started on? Okay, so you’ve started on them, but have you been consistent? Have you really committed to them?

Here are a few ways to be committed to those interests:

• Plan it out. Heard of that saying “fail to plan, plan to fail”? I’m a big fan of setting small realistic goals (so I know they are achievable) that lead up to the big picture. Have your goals in mind and then follow through and execute the steps you want to take towards reaching your goal. Are you running in a race? Set aside time each day to work on this goal. Eat well. Decide on the distances you want to run each day.

• Visualize it. Giving up a certain vice (mine is chocolate) for a while? Write it down. Put it on a calendar or in a place where you remind yourself of the goal each day and you can see how far you’ve come along. Maybe you’ll accomplish your goal time and have the energy to push it even further.

• Use positive affirmation. Let yourself know that you will accomplish your goal no matter how long it takes or how difficult it will be. Allow yourself to stay in the present. Don’t worry about how you did yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Just look at how you’re doing right now. Surround yourself with positivity and it will help you stay motivated.

• Join a team/find a support group. This will make it easier and even more enjoyable to do what you want. Don’t be afraid to ask for help here. Maybe you’re training for a race. Maybe you’re trying to raise money for a cause. Whatever it is , it might be easier if you’re not in it alone. After all you’re in a place where you share a common goal. You can encourage each other, find out what works for each individual and incorporate those actions to get what you want.

• Be persistent. I know. We live in a world that goes so fast that when we want something, it means we want it quick. Sometimes the results won’t come as fast as we’d like. But no worries, keep at it and the results will show through, even if at a slow pace. Instead of being disappointed that you’re not at your final result, take notice of the small changes that are getting you there.

• Enjoy the ride. Isn’t that what they always say–it isn’t about the final destination, but rather about the journey taken to get there. Don’t beat yourself up over not accomplishing the goal as fast as you thought you might.

• Take some time off. You’ve been working so hard at your goals– which is great! But don’t hesitate to give yourself some down time to rest and regenerate your energy.

• Read pieces of encouragement. Whether it’s with books or quotes or anything else, this will help you stay in a positive frame of mind and will help you work to your goal. Not to mention it will add a smile to your face.

• Keep learning. What are some mistakes you’ve made on this journey? What are ways to improve your process? Challenge yourself to think about this as you work.

Image Credit: Run:Swiftly via lululemon athletica

Yoga is to attain what was previously unattainable.
(TKV Desikachar)

Happy Friday, lovelies! I hope your week is wrapping up nicely. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I’m breathing new life into my Creative Weekend To-Do Lists. Come back tomorrow to check it out.

When I called for guest bloggers awhile back, I receive a response from @SuburbanYogini. Rachel is a punk rock yogini, teacher, writer, massage therapist, sprinkler of fairy dust + lover of all things glitter, cake, kitties, pugs and Dave Grohl. She lives in Cambridge UK in a falling down house with her IT Geek/Photographer boyfriend and two insane felines. She is the owner of Fusion Massage + Movement and blogs at Suburban Yogini. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, Rachel!

✳ ✳ ✳

The quote above is from TKV Desikachar, son of Krishnamacharya and author of yoga must-read The Heart of Yoga, is one that has resonated with me for years, and one which I have come back to again and again.

When I first read it, way back before I had even thought about training to teach yoga, I automatically associated it with yoga asana (poses). There were so many asana that seemed unattainable to me and I thought if I practice, practice, practice I could do anything.

This turned out to be true, just not in the way I originally thought.

Many years and many teacher trainings later, there are still asana that are unattainable to me. But what yoga has helped me attain is a greater sense of acceptance. Acceptance of my own limitations as well as my strengths and areas of improvement.

I genuinely believe that a regular yoga practice (and by regular I mean whatever is right for you – it could be a weekly class, or 10 minutes of mindful breathing each day, some stretches when you get out of bed, or just lying with your legs up the wall after a day at work) can help to bring acceptance into all areas of your life.

Let’s look at your creative life.

So many people say to me, “Oh but I am not creative at all, I’m just not that type of person.”

I have news for you! We are ALL that type of person. We are all creative, whether we paint or draw, write in a journal regularly, bake cakes or make curry. Whether we knit or sew, blog, help our kids with school projects or take photographs. We are creating, creating, creating all the time and sometimes it takes unrolling a yoga mat and getting your stretch on to help us see that.

When I work with one-to-one clients or with workshops looking to unleash their creative sides I use three very simple techniques. All of these are powerful in their own right, whenever you have the time or space but I believe that they work on an even deeper level after a yoga practice. So next time you unroll your mat, why not see if you can wake that creative spark with one of these ideas?

1. Make a Dream Board
Dream Boards, Vision Boards and Collages are all over the internet these days – and for good reason. Not only are they an easily attainable creative tool, but they work! After your practice, set yourself up on your mat with some old magazines and tear out any pictures that speak to you or make your heart sing. Paste your pictures to a large piece of card or pin them to a pinboard somewhere you will see them regularly and be inspired by your own creativity and the images that ring true. You might want to keep your Dream Board with your yoga mat for practice time or have it on the wall near your practice space.

2. Write in  a Journal
After your yoga practice why not write about it? Just take a few minutes to jot down thoughts and feelings, how the practice made you feel, what you found challenging, what you found felt good. After a while you might find that you are able to write more and more, tracking your emotions and their effects on your practice. You can even combine a Dream Board idea into this by pasting inspiring quotes and pictures into the pages or onto the cover of your journal. It is from the pages of such a journal that my blog Suburban Yogini was born!

3. Bake a Cake
Yes really! If in doubt, bake a cake. Get off your mat and into the kitchen and apply the same mindful concentration to the preparation of ingredients that you did to your practice. And when it comes time to eat the cake eat it slowly and mindfully as well. Savour it. Enjoy it. Know that you created this! I have some simple cake recipes up on my website. Go check them out if you like!

How do you unleash your creative side? I’d love to hear from you!

Image Credit: Ambassador Meghan Currie via lululemon athletica