What Do You Really Want? A Yes and No List

This idea is from Sara Avant Stover’s book, The Way of the Happy Woman. The book is full of wisdom, healing, yoga, recipes, and beautiful rituals to honor mind, body and spirit.

This idea is to create your Absolute Yes and Absolute No lists.

Absolute Yes List:

1. Sleep at least 8 hours a night.

2. Journal my dreams upon awaking.

3. Get a massage once a month. (Hers is every other week, I am working toward that goal)

4. Go for walks outside at least a few times a week.

5. Meditate a minimum of 15 minutes per day.

6. Dance at least once a week.

7. Write in my journal every day.

8. Go on at least one meditation retreat and one beach vacation a year. (This one is so something I desire and a bit edgy as I don’t always do it.)

9. Totally unplug one day a week.

10. Exercise six days a week, even if it’s just for ten minutes.

11. Eat wholesome foods that agree with me.

12. Eat slowly and breathe deeply, pause while eating.

12. Meet up with friends a couple of times a week.

13. Take a candlelit bath a couple of times a week.

Absolute No Lists:

1. No checking email first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

2. No laptop in bed.

3. No working on Sundays.

4. No strenuous activity on the first day of moon time.

5. No red-eye flights.

6. No letting things slide and not speaking up for what I want or need.

7. No competing with or comparing myself to others.

8. No excuses for not letting my body get outside and move unless I am sick.

9. No eating when I am angry, upset, or having a stressful conversation.

10. No eating past 8 p.m.

11. Spin out time (as I call it) where I can just hang, be, have nowhere to go at least a couple of times a week.

12. No talking to friends, checking, email, surfing the web, during my creative work time.

You don’t have to do these every day, but they are goals for us to have to remind us of our needs and what it takes for us to feel grounded, connected and happy.