Hi everyone! I am still collecting people’s words for 2013. I asked my good friend Kelli Lene to share her word with you-

Everyday Mindfulness

Like many of you I am contemplating what lessons I learned in 2012 and what my priorities are for 2013. This leads to the major challenge of identifying the one word that sums up my focus, both personal and professional, for the year. After much introspection and herbal tea, I have finally recognized the perfect word ( drum roll…..) 2013 is now officially the year of “Mindfulness”.

Mindfulness was originally associated with Zen Buddhism, now it’s intrical with all types of meditation used in psych, Yoga and other wellness practices. However, if you are anything like me, the idea of practicing meditation translates to a daytime nap. And I feel the same way about naps that I did at 5 – at my core I know I need it, but Maaaaaaaaaaama all the other kids are up and I’ve got things to do.

As you can imagine, my 20 year journey from corporate suit to a neuromuscular therapist has led me to become much more in touch with the components of mindfulness in my treatment room. My beloved yet spotty yoga practice has upgraded my awareness even more and brought those components into by personal arena. Now life has exposed to me some amazing women who walk the talk and (despite my best efforts) have been a good influence on me. So this is the year I am going to up the ante.

A semi official description of mindfulness comes from John Kabat-Zinn : “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally ” Mindfulness, like a lot of concepts, can be incredibly complicated and interpreted in a wide variety of ways. For me it means to spend a lot less time on auto-pilot. The trick is how to make it happen simply, consistently and meaningfully.

I approached this venture the same as I do any large project: research, determine goals, and plan specific steps. My plan is to focus on one facet a month, committing to making it a part of my everyday life. The twelve features are:

January: Breath work

February: Body Scanning

March: Meditation

April : Connection to Nature

May: Non- attachment

June: Openness to Experiences

July: Being Present

August: Connection to Myself

September: Acceptance

October: Non- judgment

November: Compassion

December: Connection to Others

Practicing these components will help bring me to the beauty of the present moment. And can’t we all do with a little more beauty in our lives? My wish for you and me is a year full of beautiful moments that we are mindful enough to recognize.

Here is Kelli’s bio-I love her story, she is a true Happy First Chick, she left the corporate world to pursue her passion-

Kelli Lene’ is the owner of Time Well Spent, a consulting and professional development company primarily serving the wellness industry. She has been involved in professional education since 1981 when she began her career as an adult educator specializing in customer service and client relations for the retail/ hospitality industries. Based on a need for personal fulfillment, she embarked on a new direction – as a massage therapist and spa technician. Eventually, due to her corporate background, she had the opportunity to merge the her two worlds – as a spa owner, consultant and eventually as a massage/spa program director.

Time Well Spent is a culmination of all these experiences. The company offers neuromuscular services, corporate wellness programs, special events, professional education and consultation. Since 1994 Time Well Spent has worked with schools, manufacturers, spas, and therapy centers. As an acknowledged industry expert she has participated in all aspects of professional development including publishing, curriculum development, trade shows, and workshops.

As a business owner, Kelli understands firsthand the difficulty of keeping so many balls in the air and still maintaining balance. Her main strategy has always been to have every branch of her business balance the others thru a shared vision –“That every moment invested with her…. is time well spent”

Kelli has a passion for her chosen career and is devoted to combining her experience in education with her love of wellness in order to contribute to her community. That is why she is currently working towards her next project – a personal and professional retreat called Spa Kamp.

(Kelli is also the ultimate Pinterest Chick (think I need to do a Pinterest Chick tee or cap?) -check it out- Kelli Lene Spa Kamp-she has incredible boards and ideas!))