3 meals that can change the way you look and feel

Here's to delicious, healthy-eating!

Your regular workout regime can’t fully serve you if you don’t pair it up with healthy meals. So the question I get from my clients is, can meals be healthy, and tasty? Well, lucky for them (and you), delicious, healthy meals do exist! In fact, they exist in abundance!

If you haven’t been keeping up with all the readily available information out there (reading magazines and books or browsing the internet for ideas) on ways to eat right, perhaps you can start here.

Here are some simple meal ideas to ensure you’re eating deliciously well on your journey to getting super healthy and fit. You can always add your favorite herbs and spices or (non fat or low fat) sauces to jazz things up even more.

The nutritional benefits of the foods mentioned below are immense, but there’s not enough room here to go on about them, so I’ll just give you a quick brief instead. ☺

Control your portions.
Don't overeat!
Just because something
is good for you doesn't
mean you should overeat.

Scrambled eggs with chopped tomatoes and minced chicken breast (or turkey)

Eggs are a great source of protein with numerous vitamins, including vitamin A, potassium and many B vitamins like folic acid, choline and biotin. Many of these are specifically needed for the health of the nerves and the brain. I much prefer free-range, cage-free eggs, which tend to be higher in good omega-3 fats.

Four ounces of skinless, boneless chicken breast, for example, contains almost 35 grams of high-quality protein as well as small amounts of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, heart-healthy potassium, and 75 percent of the recommended dietary intake for niacin, a B vitamin that's important in energy metabolism.

As for tomatoes, they’re a rich source of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins; recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. The antioxidants present in tomatoes are also found to be protective against many cancers.

Grilled or baked salmon, spinach and sweet potato

Always read "Nutritional Facts"

carefully. Just because something

is low in fat doesn't mean it's "good"

if it's too high in sodium; or offers

protein, but too high in sugar.

Here's the ideal balanced meal. Wild salmon for protein, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins, making it one of the best protein foods you can eat.

Salmon, as well as other "oily" or "fatty" fish such as tuna, mackerel, trout, sardines and herring, are loaded with polyunsaturated fats also known as Omega-3 fatty acids.

Add spinach for the cornucopia of vitamins and minerals, especially iron, including the superstar of eye nutrition, lutein.

Have some sweet potatoes for slow-burning carbohydrates, an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron.

Tuna, brown rice and broccoli (or mixed vegetables)

Enjoy your food, eat slowly,
eat mindfully. I mean,
really savor and appreciate
every bite. 

A single can of light tuna (canned in water and drained) provides an astonishing 42 grams of high-quality protein and more than 100 percent of the daily value for niacin, 29 percent of the daily value for vitamin B6 and 82 percent of the daily value for vitamin B12.

And tuna is a superb source of the vitally important cancer-protective trace mineral, selenium. Add some brown rice for fiber and carbs, load up with vegetables and you're good to go.

I love broccoli. It contains twice the vitamin C of an orange – among other vitamins including vitamin A and alpha-tocopherol vitamin E, has almost as much calcium as whole milk, and contains selenium, as mentioned earlier, a mineral that has been found to have anti-cancer and anti-viral properties.

You can't go wrong with these three, or variations thereof.

They'll load up your body with the energy needed to refuel and the protein needed to rebuild and repair muscles. Couple them with intense and regular workouts, and you'll be on your way to a body that will look and feel good.

Chew your food
thoroughly as this
can help your body
digest the food
properly.

By the way, get creative with your food! You could roll your dishes into a healthy wrap, turn it into some kind of sushi or soup; or get a thin-crusted whole wheat flatbread and make it into a pizza! Eating really can be fun, healthy, leaning and delicious!

Remember: You are what you eat. What you put into your body will cause a chain reaction to occur, affecting the shape of your body and the way you feel. And how you feel will show through in everything you say and do, therefore, affecting the quality of the life you live.

So eat well and stay well!

Recommended links:
Check out Canada’s Food Guide for fast and easy meal ideas.
Check out Dr. Oz’s website for tons of guilt-free, delicious, healthy recipes.

3 healthy lifestyle choices you can adopt right now to treat your body right

Our body has an amazing ability to
heal itself. Our job is to cooperate

This body you have been given is a gift. Doing little things to honor yourself will actually make you feel you have accomplished something. This will make you feel good.

When you feel good, you tend to make better choices in your food, how you treat others and how you speak, which all translates into your overall health – mentally, physically and spiritually.

With today’s information technology and major awakening in the human race to be healthier and to help one another, you can always find the support to help you shift towards a healthier lifestyle, anytime. As a matter of fact, you can even start right here, right now.

Adopt these 3 healthy lifestyle choices to treat your body right and you can bet that other areas in your life will slowly (in some cases, quickly) follow in this same healthy direction.

When it comes to exercise, at the
very least, you should take walks

1.) Take a Walk

When it comes to exercise, at the very least, you should take walks. Don’t underestimate the power of taking a walk. A daily walk can transform your life. Not only is walking an easy way to get exercise into your daily routine, but it also has a positive impact on your mental health.

Walking does more than just give you a little cardiovascular exercise — walking gives you a boost in feeling, and the feeling is what effects the rest of your day.

I’ve seen, time and time again, the health benefits my clients and friends have gained simply by taking more walks. Even my father who hasn’t exercised in the past 40 years managed to improve his health by going for morning walks.

2.) Eat More Raw or Whole Foods

Eating healthy doesn't only mean cutting back on fat and reducing the amount of sugar you eat, it also means eating more wholesome, non-processed and non-overcooked foods.

To feel alive, you must eat
live foods

This means eating foods that are as close to their natural or original state as possible; foods that have not been processed, refined or modified. It also means they are free of additives, such as colourings and preservatives.

Eat a minimum of 50 percent raw or whole foods. For example: fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, seaweed and so on.

They are usually low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals. These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Also, keep in mind, heating food above 47 degrees C (116 degrees F) can destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food, diminishing the nutritional value and "life force" of the food.

3.) Reduce Stress

Calming your mind through
meditation introduces a whole other
world of health and healing

Stress is related to 99 percent of all illness. You can lower your blood pressure and reduce emotional and physical pain by lowering your stress.

Listen to music that calms you and makes you feel peaceful. Practice slow, deep breathing and learn to meditate, even if it's only for 5-10 minutes a day.

I must admit, I doubted the thought of meditation at one point in my life. I thought it was silly and would achieve nothing but a waste of time. But I couldn’t be more wrong. Once I gave it a chance and learned to do it properly, with proper breathing technique, it introduced me to a whole other world of health and healing I never even knew existed.

Now, as I observe others react the same way I used to react to meditation and breathing exercises, I only have this advice to share: Don’t take too long to finally realize the abundance that resides in this particular practice. Be open to trying new things even if they sound odd to you because you never know what can actually work for you until you try it. And in doing so, you may actually realize every aspect of your life can be healthier a lot sooner than later.

To your wellness!
Penny

Understanding Love's many ways...

Love is one thing that never

goes out of style

Though love is only a four-letter word, its depth and beauty makes our language seem so limiting when we try to define it in its entirety. Because it shows itself through many faces, styles and forms, to truly appreciate it is to learn to appreciate all of its many ways...

Read: In order to experience Love to the fullest degree, you need to understand this…

To your wellness!

Penny

What is real.. what is not?

What you see is somewhat
an illusion, but what you
"choose"... the ultimate reality

When you were born into this life, you probably learned that what you see in front of you is “reality.” But were you told that this is only partly true because reality is all about perception?

How we perceive something or someone becomes our “reality” – the factor that either motivates or discourages us. And the interpretation of reality we choose to believe will inevitably affect the quality of the life we live. 

Read: How you perceive "reality" and "illusion" will change the quality of your life

To your wellness!

Penny

“Perfection” exists only to tell you this truth…

"Perfection" is a journey, not a
destination

I am most proud of one of my clients today (you know who you are). This person worked hard, and pushed through to achieving wellness and fitness no matter how challenging it has been for her. Not only did she achieve her goals, she exceeded them!

As she thanks me today (for the tenth time lol), she is packing to leave to England tomorrow to further her studies, to teach others what she has learned, and to move toward a path in helping others achieve wellness. I am so proud of her.

As I recall how hard she can be on herself (as we all can be on ourselves), I want to once again remind her, and you, about the truth on “perfection”:

You and I know life will always have ups and downs no matter who you are or what you do. This part won’t change. The only thing that can change is you getting better at dealing with those ups and downs. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

Perfection is more a journey than a destination. And so is life – it, too, is a journey, not a destination. And so you see, finding ways to enjoy the journey is perfection!

Living each moment doing your best is perfection in itself. And your best will not always be the same. And that’s perfect, too. It will be different when you're happy as oppose to sad. It will be different when you're sick as oppose to healthy.

Doing your best is
"perfection" in itself

But doing your best, given the circumstances you’re in… well, that’s perfection!

So though some moments may feel better than others, it doesn't make them right, wrong, good or bad. It just is. Period.

Living without judgment of what’s right, wrong, good, or bad, or what should or shouldn’t be, is a clear path to self-healing and acceptance; to wisdom, inner peace and inevitably, genuine success.

A lifetime is meant to be a journey of experiences to constantly challenge you. The more challenges you overcome, the more expanded your spirit will be... this means, the more you will know how to stay balanced and at peace, no matter what goes on around you. This, in itself, is perfection!

It is in this place of deep understanding and acceptance of life that feels “perfect.” It is this state of “being” that will draw to you more events and people that will benefit your wellbeing – to take your spirit places you never even knew existed.

So next time you see someone (including yourself) doing their best, just thank them for displaying perfection. Tell them, “You’re perfect!”

After all, is there anything more perfect than a person doing their best?

To your wellness!
Penny

Eating meals that offer you health and vitality: Have you made this a priority?

Treat your body the way you
want it to treat you

I often give clients suggestions on how to eat healthier, more balanced meals, and share how delicious it can be to eat well. Eating properly not only maximizes the benefits of any workout you perform – giving you fitness results much sooner – it also positively alters your state of mind, and therefore, your overall health.

I know this kind of chain effect that food can cause in your body may sound obvious to some of you, but I’ve come to learn that it isn’t so obvious to most.

Regardless, I think it would be highly benefiting to all of you that I introduce a website that will leave you with no excuses not to eat healthy, delicious, balanced meals.

You can no longer say you have no time, or it’s too hard, it’s too expensive, it doesn’t taste good, or that you don’t even know where to begin. This website has covered all bases. Just take some time to browse around or sign up for the weekly newsletter.

What you eat can change the way

you feel, therefore, the way you live!

Whatever you want to know about food pertaining to your wellbeing, you can find it there: from healing foods; making healthy, delicious meals; to organic foods; how digestion really works and how to improve it, and so on.

The website is called The World's Healthiest Foods. This site is a leading source of information and expert on the Healthiest Way of Eating. It's one of the most visited website on the internet when it comes to "Healthiest Foods" and "Healthiest Recipes" and comes up #1 on a Google search for these phrases.

You can also find a list of some of the world’s healthiest foods here on one of their pages. Click on the names of each food to see complete detail on their nutritional facts. Are your favorites on the list?

Just in case you’re still not convinced on getting a move on eating well, here are 5 simple reasons that could give you one more shove! ;)

1. Have More Energy. When you eat the right foods, you'll enjoy a day filled with energy instead of the constant highs and lows that sugar gives you. Healthy foods are typically high in fiber and complex carbohydrates.

There is no genuine substitute for the 

feeling of total health and vitality

Unlike sugar, these compounds are digested slowly and will give you a constant energy release. You won't get the sugar highs and lows and your body will be able to better utilize the calories you give it. That means a lower body fat percentage.

2. Feel Good. Eating properly will make you feel better. Constantly eating foods that are high in fat and sugar such as candy and fast food can leave you with an upset stomach, headaches and other gastrointestinal disturbances.

3. Look Good. Most people’s favorite reason to eat healthy is to look great. Avoiding excessive calories and fattening foods will help you eliminate body fat and increase muscle mass. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meat and whole wheat bread can taste great and help you achieve a fit and healthy body.

Eating healthy is delicious
and fun! Try it!!

4. Avoid Diseases. Eating healthy can help prevent diseases such as cardiovascular disease, strokes and diabetes. Saturated and trans fat has been shown to be detrimental to your cholesterol profile. And continuously eating foods high in sugar will put an enormous stress on your pancreas, which can lead to type 2 diabetes (formally known as adult onset diabetes).

5. Be Healthy. The most obvious reasons to eat healthy is so that you can be healthy. Eating healthy will mean less visits to the doctor and less sick days. This also means, you can live life with less stress and have more time to do the things you enjoy! 

To your wellness!
Penny

Welcome to Wellness With Penny.com

Life is not merely to be alive,
but to be well in mind, body and soul.

This year, I wanted to create something I can give to all of you – clients, friends, family, followers and ALL. And so I thought a birthday would be a great time to launch this website as my gift to you – to thank you for inspiring me to share Wellness With Penny.com.

I’ve learned so much in the process of healing my own mind, body and spirit that I've been fortunate to help others do the same. And so I created this website to share what I know, as well as, anything else I discover as we move forward on this journey together.

My goal here is to inspire you and share valuable information that can benefit your wellbeing so that you can continually move towards a healthier place in mind, body and spirit.

Welcome to Wellness With Penny.com.
Click here to read: What your mind thinks, your body follows

Love,
Penny

What your mind thinks, your body follows

Don't wish it were easier,
wish you were better.

The human body has an incredible ability to heal itself through the kind of thoughts that it holds in the mind.

Those thoughts are either healthy, therefore, vibrate at a higher frequency causing the cells of the body to work together; or they are thoughts that are toxic, therefore, vibrate at a much lower frequency and presents a challenge for the body to feel good.

The body also has an amazing ability to maintain and repair itself given sufficient amount of oxygen, movement and nutrients.

Most all of our ills and need for medications can be eliminated if the three areas of human health – mental, physical and spiritual – are cared for and balanced. Daily attention to diet, exercise and proper thinking is key!

The old adage “you are what you think” is exactly true. And so is "you are what you eat." What you put into your system are the materials with which you are built.

If you build a house with cardboard it would not last in a storm. It is the same with the body. If you build your body with doughnuts you will have a soft, spongy body that will not last when faced with adverse conditions.

I didn’t realize the passion and respect I have for the human body until I did some major homework on myself – until I made the decision to turn all the pain and hurt I used to feel in my entire body into a type of fuel that drives me to do better, to be better.

I learned that if I made myself better for me, then I could be of better service to others.

It is the mind that creates what

becomes known as reality

So rather than feel weak and defeated, I took control one little step at a time. I researched and studied the different ways I can heal my mind, body and spirit. Then, I put what I learned to the test. I thought if I am to share what I know, I want to make sure firsthand that it works.

It took me a long time to clean up the unhealthy thoughts about myself. But little by little, I began to transform; I was evolving into a better place – mind, body and spirit. And I could feel it! I knew it was working when no matter what was happening, I was able to bring my thoughts into a place of peace.

This feeling of peace and balance then accelerated my process of evolution. As my thoughts straightened up, my emotions and actions followed suit.

Today, I’ve had the greatest pleasure of helping my clients attain their goals. Whether it be achieving healthier attitudes or feeling more empowered in their bodies, I’ve been able to work with them to make it happen.

I’ve had the opportunity to share with my clients the things I’ve learned, to coach them in their thinking, train them in their fitness and share ways in which they can take care of their wellbeing. And this has now become my “happy drug.” J

It gives me a high just seeing my clients (and people in general) do their best or feel more empowered. I feel blessed to know that I can be a part of their journey to wellness.


The nature of life and relationships: What it means to go with the flow
Please feel free to visit Relationship Advice From Penny.com to read this article if you haven’t already done so. Check back often and go through the Blog Archive. Hey, you never know, you may just find articles there that speak to you. It could be just the thing you need in this moment to move you!


To your wellbeing!
Penny

If relationships affect your health, what kind of partner should you choose?

Be the kind of person you
wish to have in a relationship

It’s no big secret that relationships affect your health. Whom you live with and whether you're single, married, divorced or widowed can offer clues to your health decades later (if not sooner).

Never mind the countless studies that have revealed this time and time again, take a look around – it’s pretty clear that people in unhealthy relationships experience more stress. And stress is associated with chronic health problems.

Moreover, each person’s body reacts differently to stress, thereby expressing different symptoms: muscle pain, weight gain, back pain, migraine, depression and so on. The severity of these symptoms will also depend on the overall condition of your health to begin with.

Even with the most compatible partner, conflicts and challenges in relationships will still exist. This is inevitable. It is life. But the point is that with the right partner, conflicts and challenges will occur much less, and when they do occur, they are not as “difficult” to deal with.

How the two of you work together to neutralize a conflict or overcome a challenge can be the very thing that makes or breaks your relationship. And how you are as a couple will eventually show through in your overall wellbeing.

Conflicts are common, they are even said to be necessary to keep things real, keep things balanced. They provide you an opportunity to learn and grow together and they’re meant to bring you even closer together when all is said and done. Well, this is the healthy version, anyway.

The unhealthy version would be not working together to resolve the issue, hanging on to grievances and by that, creating more pain. The unhealthy version is the “let’s just shove it under the mat for now” or “I don’t want to talk about it, case close” attitude.

This kind of attitude is like putting a band-aid over a wound just to cover it from view. The cut isn’t nurtured and therefore never really heals. It will resurface at another time over even the smallest issue. By then, the cut will feel deeper, hurt more and become harder to repair. And your overall wellbeing is somewhat compromised.

So how do you avoid all this pain, all these challenges?

Let’s just say: you can’t avoid them, but you can make the experience worthwhile. You start by making better choices with whom you have a relationship with. You can choose someone who adds to your life, not take away from it. So, how do you choose? Where do you start?

Many of you have shared your confusion when trying to clearly define what you’re looking for in a partner. Some of you say “I don’t yet know exactly what I want, but I know what I do not want.” Or, “I thought I knew what I wanted but now that I have it, it’s not what I thought it would be.”

Simply put: it’s not about being with a perfect person (because there is no such thing as a perfect person), but rather about being with the right person for you. Here are some guidelines you can follow that can help you make happier, healthier decisions.

In choosing the right partner, it’s not so much about the specific details of what they do and/or don’t do, but rather how your overall being feels when in a relationship with them. Overall, do you feel good inside?

What is this overall good feeling inside, you ask? Well, it is a number of things: it’s that sense of even when things aren’t right, you still feel peace in your heart that you’re together; they bring out the best in you; you feel you are a better person having them in your life; you love yourself even more when you’re with them. Something about them makes you want to do more good.

The people you surround yourself
with can affect your health

With all the challenges that a relationship can bring, it’s just more fulfilling to go through it with someone you’re most compatible with; perhaps someone who holds you up high and never looks down on you; someone who is ready to talk to you and not talk at you – or equally as unnurturing – not talk at all.

Even sad moments feel better just having them as your partner. When you’re faced with a challenging situation, no matter what conflicts you may have with one another, at the end of the day, you find a way to be on the same team, you want to have each other’s back. You agree on working and growing together.

Most people will tell you that a relationship is hard work – and this may be true. There is no short cut around the work. But what I can tell you is that the hard work does not feel like hard work when you’re with the right person. It can feel exciting, even effortless, and more rewarding.

Just knowing relationships can affect your health, wouldn’t it make sense to choose a relationship that predominantly makes you feel good inside – a relationship that promotes your wellbeing?

I can just hear some of you saying, “Yes! I like the sound of being with the right partner, but do they really exist?” The short answer: yes, they do exist, but you cannot recognize them for what they are if you don’t first start your search from within. In other words, in order to attract the partner you want, you must first “be” the kind of person you are looking for in a partner.

Even if currently you are already in a relationship, you can still introduce this idea. Regardless of how your partner chooses to act or react, you can consciously remain true to “being” the person you wish in a partner. Then, just observe the shift that will inevitably occur.

Spiritual teachers refer to this “conscious” non-judgemental behavior as being fully present in a relationship. And by “being conscious” and therefore present, you are then introducing light into the relationship:

“A door would have opened up for him/her through which he/she could easily join you in that space. If you are consistently or at least predominantly present in your relationship, this will be the greatest challenge for your partner. They will not be able to tolerate your presence for very long and stay unconscious.

“If they are ready, they will walk through the door that you opened for them, and join you in that state. If they are not, you will separate like oil and water. The light is too painful for someone who wants to remain in darkness.” — Eckhart Tolle, spiritual teacher and New York Times bestselling author of “The Power of Now.”


(Side note: If you have the belief that you don’t deserve the best relationship or that there’s no such thing as the right person for you, then you must have forgotten your birthright to completely love and be loved. Somehow along the way, you’ve adopted an unloving belief that is doing nothing for you but hurting your own chances for happiness. If this is the case, I suggest you revisit my article Could your “beliefs” be affecting the kind of relationship you truly deserve?)

Do you realize that you’re living someone else’s dream?

It’s no secret that your relationships with others are enriched when you learn to appreciate one another for the little things (not just the big stuff). The same goes for feeling enriched in the life you live – regardless of your circumstances. When you learn to continuously appreciate the “little” things in life, only then will you discover an indestructible inner peace within – one that money cannot buy.

This is most evident in people who are less fortunate and yet able to stay in good spirits. They’ve found a way to maintain inner peace regardless of their situation.

I’ve come to know that part of the journey to finding inner peace is to understand life is so much more than what’s happening in front of us. Just because we do not see it does not mean it isn’t there. Just because we do not feel it does not mean it isn’t happening. Your life, whether you believe this or not, is but only a dream for billions of people in this world.

Take thirty bucks for example: what’s thirty bucks to you? How do you spend thirty bucks in a single day?

Now, what if I told you, in most poverty stricken countries, thirty bucks can provide a child three nourishing meals a day, proper education and medical care for one full month?

In 1994, through World Vision, I sponsored a 5-year-old child in Zimbabwe, Africa, for thirty dollars a month. Her name was Lasi Sibanda. We stayed in touch by mail. However, four years ago, she sent me a letter expressing her deepest gratitude for my sponsorship. The funds have raised her well—she completed school and was working.

What I didn’t know was that the funds also helped her family become self-sufficient and in turn, were able to contribute in helping their community. They no longer needed my help. Instead, I was kindly led to sponsor 4-year-old Doreen Komunjumba in Uganda, Africa. It was then that I truly grasp the notion of what thirty dollars can do.

Lives can be empowered… A better future can take shape…

Sadly, many people think of the world as a compartmentalized entity that is made up of various countries. Some of these countries are rich, some poor. Some are over populated, and some under populated. Some are rich with natural resources, others are barren and infertile.

However, where we as individuals fit into this scheme, some may say it’s the luck of the draw and others may say it’s a choice we can make for this particular lifetime.

If you were born in a region of the world that happens to be rich with resources, or economically prosperous, you’re more likely to not worry about where to go for food, what disease you may die of tomorrow, or who will take care of you when you’re sick.

The reality is that we are all inhabitants of this single place called earth, and there is no reason why one person arbitrarily born in one country should live in poverty, while others born in another country live a relatively lavish lifestyle.

Imagine for a moment…if the world was one country. Then imagine that the world president started allocating land to all the citizens. How would you feel if you were randomly given a piece of land which turned out to be a desert barren of life, while your next door neighbor ended up on top of a gold mine? Obviously you would think it was unfair, right?

Well then imagine if your rich neighbor started using their wealth and influence to make your life even more difficult by taking what little resources you had, and polluting your environment. That is exactly what happens today between developed and undeveloped countries.

It is a fact that rich nations would not be wealthy if there were not poor nations to support us. We could not possibly afford our products if it wasn’t for people working in factories for

less than a dollar a day, nor could we afford to feed ourselves if it wasn’t for the billions of people farming in developing countries for less than three hundred dollars a year.

We would not be able to buy prawns if it wasn’t for the tens of thousands of prawn farms in south east Asia and south America—as there is no way developed societies would allow this environmentally damaging practice to take place in our own backyard.

Examples like these are endless, but they show that the developed world’s standard of living, for the most part, is supported by the demise of others.

It is not one person that created the divide between the developed world and the developing world, nor can one person fix the issues. Therefore, we as “global citizens” all have a social and moral obligation to help each other to enable a safe and healthy life for all.

Keep this in mind when you’re ready to donate to a charity of your choice. After all, what does thirty bucks mean to you? A cheap sweater? Five Starbucks coffee? For the less fortunate, it means much more; it means a chance for health and education, hope for the future and a great reason to live.

According to UNICEF, 25,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world.

With what is going on in Haiti today, I need not say more. If you’re not in a position to help financially, it’s okay. Helping is not only about providing something tangible. You can give your time, your love, your prayers. Click here to find out how you can help Haiti.

A deeper meaning: What it really means to “be in the right place”

Happy new year! It always brings me great pleasure to share the first article of the new year with you.

As I look at the many years that I’ve had this fortunate opportunity to share my thoughts with you, I can’t help but know that this year is going to be a great year, unlike any other. I say this with confidence because I can now share the depth of the meaning, “be in the right place.” Let me explain.

You know how sometimes things are not what they seem – how something can appear to be going in a certain direction only to unfold in a totally unpredictable way? Or maybe you hear something said one way, but later find out that it holds a much deeper meaning?

At different points in our lives we ask questions such as: How do I find the right job for me, or, How do I find the right partner for me? And the answers we get from people we look up to may in one way or another conclude in different variations of “It’ll just happen when the time is right” or “You just have to be in the right place.”

And with that, we think that “it’s time” and we have to be “somewhere” to find what we’re looking for. So we start searching all over the place. We think we'll find it out there – a place outside of us – and we forget to pay attention to what’s within – the place inside us. This important "place" within us resides our state of mind, our attitude, our belief. This place within must be tended to first before we can find any place else to be truly meaningful.

Many times in our lives we fail to achieve the things we so desire because we begin our journey searching from the outside in, instead of from the inside out.

But it is until you learn to understand that to “be in the right place” begins with you being in the right place from within, then only can you truly experience peace in whatever you do. And it is when you’re in this state of peace that “miracles” or “good luck” can happen. So perhaps it’s time to create your fate by changing your state – your state of mind.

What truly affect your state of mind and attitude at the core level are your beliefs – the thoughts and emotions you’ve learned and chosen as your truth. We call them truths because they are things we feel we “know” based on our own personal experience.

But what we may neglect to understand here is that there are many truths out there, many different beliefs. Some will serve you better than others. So it would be best to let go of a belief that has not been serving you well and instead, choose a belief that will encourage a healthy state of mind.

Remember: Beliefs are nothing more than something you’ve held in your mind long enough that they’ve become “real” to you – they’ve become your “truth.” That’s all a belief really is – nothing more.

The right attitude – a healthy state of mind – is what attracts the right people, events and circumstances to you and puts you in a good place – the right place – a place we so often think is a result of “luck.” And so we say things like, You just so happen to “be in the right place” at the “right time.” But really, all along, the right place and right time could not have happened if you didn’t first take the time to put your mind and your heart in the right place.

My friends, I want this to be a start of a great decade for you, too. So let’s do this together! You know they say two heads are better than one – especially two heads with the same intentions. So let’s join heads! The more the merrier! Write me anytime to share your thoughts. As always, I’ll do my best to guide you well. penny@pennyphang.com