Kelly's Chocolate Energy Bar

2 cups almond butter or any nut butter
-I like to vary the nut/seed butters. I use a mixture of almond, cashew, walnut, pistaccio, pumpkin seed, etc. Play with it and see what you like best.
-I sometimes lightly ground up nuts and seeds and throw them in too for more texture.
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp agave nectar
-You can also add dates and figs for additional sweetness and variety.
-You can add other fruit for more nutrients such as gogi berries.
1 heaping tbsp coconut butter
-I also like to throw in a few tbsps of coconut flakes for texture and coconut meat for richness.
2 tbsps vanilla extract
-Or you can use fresh vanilla bean.
1 tbsp himalayan sea salt

Mix all the above ingredients together and roll into small balls or place in pan to cut into squares later. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and enjoy!!! You can also freeze them turning them into a delicious fudge-like treat. Before I refrigerate mine I like to roll them in coconut flakes and ground nuts and seeds. You can also drizzle them with additional chocolate.


Have Fun!!!

Living Your Yoga II

Yoga is a discipline of the mind and body. Yoga can be practiced both on the mat and in everyday life. You can learn to Live Your Yoga. What is “Living Your Yoga”. When you live your yoga you learn to bring the mindfulness of your yoga practice to everyday life. You learn to practice yoga in every event and activity of every day. For example, as we go through daily life we have thoughts about the way things should be. When you go to the market you “should” be able to buy your favorite meal. Well what if one day your favorite meal is not there. This will cause you to react. It is your choice how you react. You may get very frustrated and therefore, not enjoy whatever you had to purchase and eat. Getting caught up in the attachment of your favorite meal, in this case, interfered with the ability to experience things as they are. Even when things do not go the way that you want them to go it is important to experience them as they occur. Recognize the attachment or the “should be” thought and then experience things for what they are. You never know, you may find another fabulous food to enjoy.

Another example of living your yoga is the concept of “control”. We tend to want to control everything in our lives. To control things people often act in manipulative or demanding manners. This actually makes life even more complex and difficult and still does not give us the balance that we are looking for. We need to realize that the only thing we have control over is our own words and actions. The best thing you can do is use the power of your words and actions. Be as clear and truthful in your words and actions and allow everything else to unfold. We cannot control the behavior of others. We can only control our own behavior and actions. Attempts to control other people’s behavior often backfires, creating more stress and disharmony. A mantra to say to yourself on a daily basis is, “The only real control I have is the choice of my own thoughts, my own words, and my own actions.”

A powerful book on this topic that everyone should read is, “Living Your Yoga,” by Judith Lasater, PhD, PT. She provides life experiences, daily exercises and mantras for daily living. Topics that she covers includes: spiritual seeking, discipline, letting go, self-judgement, faith, perspective, courage, compassion, control, fear, patience, attachment and aversion, suffering, impermanence, greed, service, connection, truth, success, nonviolence and love. This is one of my favorite books. I have read it numerous times and will read it many more times. Each time I read it I incorporate more things into my daily life. It makes me reflect on choices I have made in my life and helps me make better choices in the future.

Another wonderful book is, “Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga,” by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison. They provide 365 meditations that offer a way to integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into everyday life.

Check out the website, www.dailyom.com. It provides you with daily inspirations for life. I love reading these every morning. They give me positive words and thoughts to reflect on each day.

There are many ways that you can live your yoga. The important thing for you to do is start being mindful about how you live your life and how your actions and thoughts create your life. Start creating the life you want to live by Living Your Yoga.

Get out in Nature

Spend as much time as you can in nature. Yesterday, I took my son for a two and a half hour hike on a nature trail and then spent the afternoon at the park. I was reminded of the many benefits of being surrounded by nature's beauty. Walking on the trail allowed me to slow down and just think. During this time I was able to make a decision that I had been struggling over. Nature provides you with an abundance of oxygen which we are all in more need of. Most people do not take full deep breaths when they breathe leaving them deficient in oxygen. We need oxygen to fuel the body's cells. We need at least 30 minutes of sun exposure per day to get our required amount of vitamin D. Notice the changes from season to season. Slowing down to appreciate nature can motivate you to live a more simple lifestyle. You don't have to go to a trail or park to simplify life and appreciate nature. Step outside and just look up at the sky. Take a few deep inhales and exhales and allow the sun to cover your body.

Live Your Yoga

Yoga is more than just what you do on the mat. There are many life lessons that go along with the practice of yoga. Every class I take reminds me of ways to live my yoga. My Sunday yoga class reminded me to not anticipate what was going to happen. To experience what was happening and respond in whatever way is necessary. We often get caught up in the same old same old and forget that everyday and every experience is new. If you continue to react in the same way you will get the same results. On the mat an example of this is when you are going through a flow series you may rush through it knowing what move comes next but you really don't experience each pose seperately. You do not allow the body and mind to repond to that pose that day. Off the mat challenge yourself to not anticipate what is going to happen next. Go to lunch with a friend today and just experience each moment and allow the events of the day to unfold naturally. You never know what the day will bring.

Don't Take Life So Seriously

Yesterday in yoga class my instructor had me smiling and laughing through my whole practice. This experience reminded me to not take my yoga practice too seriously. That it is "just yoga". To have fun with it. To allow the body and mind to go where they want to go. This lesson transferred to the rest of my day as I played with my ten month old son Mason. We laughed, played and experienced the moment. Life is not the destination but the moments leading up to the destination. The lesson here for you is to have fun and laugh in whatever you are doing. Live in the moment. Don't take life so seriously.

Welcome to Daily Wellness

The world is getting more complex everyday. People are eating more processed foods, moving less and are stressed. I will teach you simple ways to live well in the modern world. I will guide you in making small gradual changes that in the long-term result in big changes. I provide a variety of services that will optimize your health and change your life forever. I will get you one step closer to a happier and healthier life.

My philosophy is one of holistic health. I believe that the body has an innate ability to heal itself and therefore, be healthy when it is given the correct ingredients. The correct ingredients include proper exercise and movement, proper nutrition, elimination of toxins, adequate rest and rejuvenation and mental and emotional balance. The exposure to and accumulation of toxins, such as unnatural substances and stress, in the body compromises health and the natural healing process. I address the underlying causes of the imbalances of the body and use natural means, including exercise, movement, physical therapy, bodywork, nutrition, daily rituals and more to restore and maintain health. I promote health and encourage you to renew, re-energize and take control of your health.

*Kelly Bradley, Founder and Executive Director of Bradley Wellness, LLC