In order to live a peaceful life, one must learn to find harmony in one’s daily routine. A good way to find harmony is to try and work three important factors into your daily life: meditation, yoga, and a healthy diet. By combining these things, and incorporating them into your life, you are adding a form of balance to your life that will make you feel at ease. There are many benefits that come along with all three of these elements, including relaxation, energy, and good health, so adding them to your schedule each day should be a pleasure, rather than a burden!

It’s officially berry season, which is why right now is the perfect time to make jam. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients equals a flavorful jam that you can eat right now or store for winter when berries are, well, not so fresh.

This activity is not only fun for the culinary adventurous, but also for the child in all of us that loves running through a field of berries and picking until our hands simply can’t anymore. Growing up in Kansas, I spent many summer days visiting berry-picking farms. And if you’re lucky enough to grow your own berries, then this activity is a no brainer.

It wouldn’t be summer without that quintessential summer fruit, watermelon!  But it turns out, watermelon is good for more than just seed-spitting contests!

Probiotics are live microorganisms that serve as beneficial bacteria. They have been known to help enhance as well as protect your health. There are many different ways to eat probiotics, with yogurt being among the most popular of choices. But not everyone can, nor desires to eat yogurt all the time, and we could always use more plants in our diet! So, for those of you who want to know about a few plant-based foods that contain powerful probiotics, here are seven!

Our natural world is receding from human experience, but the physical and mental benefits associated with communing with nature remain as important as ever. Declining interest in the outdoors has been described as “nature deficit disorder by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods. Children especially are experiencing a nature deficit disorder.

The amount of time children and young adults spend outside is in sharp decline, and demographic trends indicate the great outdoors is becoming less relevant for more people, statistically speaking.

Is not the aim of most people to become happy, however one might define contentedness? A solid relationship, a meaningful vocation when possible, achievable goals, a healthy lifestyle? Perhaps loves for nature, reading, the arts, or sincere spirituality?

This elusive quest of attaining happiness can be undertaken in a variety of manners. Often, we do not allow ourselves to permanently indulge in happiness’ healthy pursuit for our well-being. Yet, happiness is a deserved aim that yearns to graft itself onto our heart of hearts.

They’re creepy, they’re crawly, and they are featured a lot on Halloween for a reason. I have despised spiders since childhood. I remember refusing to leave my bed as a child because I saw a massive Daddy Long Legs rudely prancing around in my room. My sister was terrified of spiders and so was I, and I had no real desire to change that whatsoever.

Admit it—you have a favorite cardio machine at the gym. Maybe you love that particular machine so much that you’ve invested in your own at-home version. Whether you’re a treadmill enthusiast, stationary bike lover, or loyal to your elliptical machine, you’re not doing yourself any favors with your faithfulness. Muscle memory is a very real thing, and the worst part is that many people don’t switch up the variety even within their beloved machines.

One of my favorite quotes is by Marianne Williamson who says, “Romantic relationships are like getting a PhD in spirituality.” Preach sister. However, for me, every relationship is like getting a PhD in spirituality. There is not one relationship that doesn’t teach me something, even if it’s a relationship with an animal. Why is that, though?

Understanding and appreciating your own value in life is of utmost importance on the journey of life.  But, what makes some people able to see their own value, and others almost blind to theirs? I heard once that lack of self-esteem is a form of arrogance, false humility;  as believing you are the worst person in the world is just as arrogant as believing you are the best. Both of these understandings of the self give you a place that you cannot possibly earn. But what does that mean? How can self-loathing translate into arrogance?