Believe in positive living.

One of the things I tried not to expect with my move—but is one of the reasons I chose California—is the difference in perspective on making a career focused on benefitting others through health & lifestyle advice. When I talked about it around Boston, I mostly had the response, “So, what do you do for work though?” The most positive reactions I received when sharing my purpose in life were at an event to benefit a non-profit my dad is hugely involved in. I’m not sure if that was just because I was the daughter of the guy who has been so beneficial to the program, or if it was because I was surrounded by a community of people who also strive to utilize their resources to help others who need it. I was hopeful that because so many more people here in California dedicate their lives to health & lifestyle offerings, I would get more encouragement when sharing what I do and aim to do moving forward! 


So far when I’ve met someone who asks what I do, I have gotten high fives, even hugs in response! People have asked specific questions and want to know how they can help or be a part of the difference. People have been going out of their way to offer advice on how to get started here and how they would help. I’ve had people suggest quieter beaches to run my upcoming class on positive thinking and activity. I even met an Emmy winner who said he would love to help with video footage if I decided to incorporate that somehow! 


It seemed to be the case that when I encountered someone who wasn’t quite understanding the value of what I do, if I took the time to explain further, that person would come around and sometimes even admit they wrote me off at first. The impact that an open mind has on understanding others is huge. It takes mindfulness to listen to someone openly without judgement. Mindfulness takes a whole lot of practice, but the less judgement you carry and the more understanding you can offer, the more peaceful living on a planet surrounded by so many different types of people and views becomes. The people and perspectives we come across are out of our control, but imagine how empowering it can be to substitute curiosity and hopefulness for feeling upset, offended or confused. It is never too late to start believing in a positive lifestyle for yourself and others around you.