Transitional Foods

CORN: Corn often gets a bad rap, but the truth is that it can do wonders for your digestion. Corn is high in insoluble fiber, which bulks up stool (poop) and prevents constipation. It’s rich in Vitamin C, and yellow corn in particular contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health.

You can also start looking for gourds, increasing varieties of peppers and maybe even a few pomegranates in their earliest iteration. Explore all that both seasons have to offer and enjoy them for as long as nature allows them to last.

RESOLUTIONS vs. GOALS

The end of the year may often conjure feelings of panic about how much time is left, and how much we still haven’t done despite our best laid hopes and dreams. From both a personal and a professional standpoint, it can be tough to take a look at how much you have, or haven’t done in the last 11 months.

The typical remedy for this feeling is to ‘self soothe’ with the proverbial list of New Year’s resolutions. But even as we make that wish list, we know in our heart of hearts that there’s little chance that we’ll make the time or an actual plan to cross those things off that list. Millions of people perpetuate this cycle of paralysis and indecision year after year. If you’re one of the people who’s interested in breaking that cycle, keep reading.

RESOLUTION vs GOALS

The reason most resolutions don’t work is because they are often confused with goals. Resolutions are wishes… typically listed to make us feel like we’re doing something good for ourselves. Goals are wishes that come with a plan… and most importantly, a timeline. In order for a goal to be viable, it has to be realistic and relevant to who we are and what we wish to accomplish.

The first thing a goal has to be is specific. Goals also differ from resolutions in this way. Resolutions tend to be vague, and full of passive phrases like ‘try’ and ‘do what I can.’ Goals should also align with your passions. On the most basic level, you have to believe that you are worthy of setting and going after your goals (because of course you are). If you lack the desire to take the steps to achieve a certain result, then you are less likely to achieve that goal. Your goals should reflect what you want, and realistically align with what you’re willing to do to get it.

The journey to reach your goal should be segmented into measurable milestones. This helps you keep track of your progress, and can also motivate you to keep going.

Your goal should be realistic and attainable. So if your goal is to grow wings and fly to the moon… well, we love that dream for you.

Your goal should be time-bound. And the time should be relative to the goal. Setting a long timeline for a simple goal is just as imbalanced as setting a short timeline for a complicated goal. Set your deadlines in realistic accordance to your goal, and you’ll be more likely to achieve them.

We outline 10 major steps on how to set and achieve your goals in the season 1 finale (Episode 12) of the HABIBI LIFE Podcast. You can can find it (and a full transcript if you were so inclined to take notes), on the home page of this site, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Here’s to a prosperous and productive future in 2023… and beyond!

You, Me & Boundaries

Understanding boundaries means opening to the idea that boundaries don’t just protect us from others… it sometimes protects others from us. Taking a dispassionate look at boundaries, including how to establish and enforce them, can help each of us grow into our highest and healthiest potential.

Check out episode 10 from the podcast, and find out if some… or maybe all of it… applies in some way.

Here’s to a happy and HEALTHY Holiday Season… with beauty and boundaries to boot!

FROM THE MAT: Charlotte Munn

“My body is a tool to remember I am more than a body. I am a spirit manifesting as a body.”

Here’s the official rundown on Charlotte Munn (from LinkedIn):

Charlotte is a Yoga Educator of body, brain and spirit solutions for human beings. She has been a full-time teacher since 2009. Awakening the Truth through Yoga is her greatest joy! Charlotte is a master facilitator of both the heart and science of Yoga, and is skilled at simplifying complex concepts for the modern practitioner with depth and playfulness. She facilitates;

– Yoga Alliance Teacher Trainings
– Continued Education Workshops
– Private and Public Classes
– The Thinking Body Feeling Mind Movement Modality
– Power, Yin, Vinyasa, Yoga Sculpt, and Hot Yoga
– Coaching and Personal Development
– Tools for peace and joy

Here’s the unofficial:

The first thing you notice about Charlotte is her smile. It occupies her entire body. When she smiles it comes from her heart, and when she tells you that she loves you, you believe it. Charlotte is as excited about making sure you are loved as she is about human anatomy… and that’s saying something. Because she LOVES anatomy… like, LOVES IT. When I first got the opportunity to learn from her (she who studied with Paul Grilley), she bounced around the room with that smile, in a skeleton tank top and muscle tights, and excitedly shared her knowledge of bones and fascia and muscles like it was the best thing ever… because it was.

I am happy, honored and humbled by Charlotte’s participation in this campaign. May we all work to uplift, encourage and love each other. We are not alone… not now… not ever. Smile.

FROM THE MAT: Lonni Hawkins Rivera

“I show up to my mat because the ancient practice has always held me accountable.”

“Yoga has made me a better human being. Life is always richer and sweeter after yoga. I love the challenge of bringing my mind, body and spirit in alignment. Everyday is different and new. I show up to my mat each day open to growth and discovery.”

Although Lonni is in love with all the movement associated with yoga, she leans into inversions the most.

“I love inversions because I used to be afraid of them. I love the physical rush, because the circulation wakes me up.”

“I love twisty poses because they help to detox the body. Obviously, I love hitting my mat outdoors because I feel connected to nature. It calms me.”

In addition to working as a television journalist and entertainment host, Lonni also teaches yoga. With studios closed around the country, she’s taken her practice online. You can find out all about it on her Instagram, where she shares video and pictures of poses, and tips to help make the most of your practice.

FROM THE MAT: Karla Perez

“I come to my MAT to honor my body for its patience and resiliency. After breaking my foot 3 months ago, I’ve waited for this moment patiently. Knowing that when I returned to my MAT everything would be as it was before my accident. “

Karla is a creative soul who continues to find new and amazing ways to express herself. When COVID-19 forced us inside, Karla lost the opportunity to venture out an explore new things.

Karla recently started expressing her creativity with wearable art in the form of embroidered t-shirts. She is also linked to the non-profit No Us Without You LA – which provides food security for undocumented hospitality workers.

FROM THE MAT: Katelyn Hollenbeck

“Crow pose is my favorite because it is the most challenging for me. I have done yoga on and off for many years now and I’m still trying to perfect this position. I still need a block to balance but getting my feet off the ground is a huge victory. It is something I can work on during each practice and improve every time.”

“I come to my mat because I have noticed how yoga has affected my every day life. Learning how to breathe, focus, keep calm, and build strength has helped me grow into the woman I am today. I am always surprised at what my body can do and yoga has taught me self love and acceptance.”

*Katelyn is a post-production supervisor for Warner Bros. Entertainment, and proof that yoga is for EVERY BODY. So often we get caught up in what we think a pose should ‘look’ like, that we reject the very valuable use of props like blocks. This picture is a great reminder to lean into what a pose ‘feels’ like in your body. No one is like you, and THAT is your superpower.*

FROM THE MAT: Cambree Doll

King pigeon is my favorite pose because it stretches so many areas of the body at once and is such a great heart opener.”

“I come to my mat daily so I can check in with myself on all levels…mind, body and spirit.  So many things I learn about myself on the mat transfer directly to my life off the mat. I am forever grateful for my practice.

*Cambree Ty Doll is a dancer, makeup artist, stylist and entrepreneur. She is the founder and designer of Doll+GoPaul: a unique collection of body jewelry designed to embrace and enhance any body.*

FROM THE MAT: Jennifer Oliver O’Connell

“My favorite go-to these days is called Gate Pose, or Parighasana in the Sanskrit. Between age (I’m 54), menopause, and a more sedentary life, I feel the need to stretch, as well as strengthen, and Gate Pose is a wonderful way to do both.”

Now, because Jennifer is a bonafied anatomical BOSS, of course there is more to this pose than simply putting your parts in a certain place. Observe the breakdown:

“Gate Pose concentrates the frontal plane (side bodies) and taps into all those forgotten muscles from the tip of your heel to the top of your head. Seriously, it opens up the entire spine, and strengthens shoulders, hips, and quads, especially when you uplevel this variation by lifting the top leg, or go into full Gate Pose by lifting the torso laterally. If you hold this for 30 seconds or longer, you definitely feel it all.”

“Thanks to this crazy pandemic, I am not on my mat as much as I used to be, and my practice has definitely changed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of practicing in order to “teach” to others (which was a lot of my practice), I now practice for me. It’s a slower and shorter practice that is more focused on breath and living in the postures rather than trying to do fancy things with them. It is a commitment to stay strong, healthy, and to take care of the body that exists now, not the one I had 10 months ago, or the one that I will have in the future.”

Jennifer is a highly skilled and experienced yoga teacher (ERYT-500), writer, and Reinvention Coach. You can find out more about Jennifer and her journey on As the Girl Turns Inc. asthegirlturns.com