For me, the New Year always offers a sense of hope and excitement. Some say it’s just another day, and that it is, but whether it is just a mental state, or an energetic vibration from collective consciousness, there’s something unique about this time of year. I’m tempted to offer some inspirational advice about resolutions/motivations, but instead let me share a situation that my new year has brought and why it makes me chuckle… and feel strangely hopeful! : Poop on my new book (literally).

Life Purpose. What’s mine? What is yours? It’s the question that we all face at some point in our lives, if not daily. What is the purpose of anything, and does everything have a purpose?

I remember thinking that some life purposes were better than others. It’s easy to judge a life purpose when you look at people like Gandhi and compare them to someone playing sports, like Michael Jordan. Doesn’t Gandhi’s purpose seem better? What about the life purpose of the gas station attendant versus that of the brain surgeon? We judge the hell out of life purposes and put “respectable” people on a pedestal.

But what if what you DO has nothing to do with your purpose? Remember that old adage, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it.” I believe that to be true in every single miniscule instance. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter how much you make, where you work or how many letters are behind your name…those things provide no purpose. A physician could have 14 initials and dots and still have a heart of stone, or be doing the job for all the wrong reasons.

When I was a kid, I used to LOVE to be in front of people and have the tape machine rolling. I wanted to be an anchor, then a meteorologist, and then a talk show host. As I matured, I explored healing, health and spirituality – only to come to my own awakening that I could put all of my instinctual desires together and make it work. Does that give it purpose? It’s great to share information, entertain people and try to add a bit of positive energy to the world, but I will admit that on any given day (when my mood is bad and I’m stressed out… that given day!) I ask myself, “What am I doing? I don’t feel enthused about this. I’m not doing a bit of good for anyone here.” I guess that’s natural, but it’s scary.

Here’s how I know I’m following my own life purpose…I “ZING” inside. I feel right. Peaceful. Happy. Calm. Then, and only then, do I know that my heart is in the right place and that I am making a difference. It’s an inner knowing that makes me wish that I could stay in that moment forever. The best feeling in the world is to do something that enriches someone’s life – and to do that with loving intention. When that happens, it doesn’t matter if you are at the gas station, on television, giving a manicure or the Executive at Deepak Chopra’s wellness center. Live on purpose, and your purpose will become alive!

The power of foods is an amazing thing. Finding a diet that works is also an amazing thing! As I learned about nutrition and food groupings, I must have gone through 20 different ways to eat until I landed on one that worked. And still today, as my body changes, my diet needs change, so it is an on-going learning curve.

When I was a pre-teen I felt arthritic conditions in my toes and fingers constantly. At the time I just thought it was something I inherited or it was due to my activity level. Around the age of 14, I adopted a vegetarian diet and within months, the arthritic feeling went away. After 16 years of being a vegetarian, my naturopath doctor recommended some animal protein in my diet. I was having menstrual problems, anxiety attacks, and other symptoms. So, I began including the meat back in, and voila! No more anxiety attacks and better menstrual health. As the last few years have gone on, I’ve stayed on this diet of lots of veggies, fruits and clean proteins and have been happy with my health and figure. Recently, however, I got a reminder of just how powerful food can be…

Traveling so much for the show and taking some time away this summer, I have been on the road, in a car and just going. Usually I’m pretty good about packing organic foods and snacks. This time, there was no time, so I was winging it. In between cities, with little healthy options, I indulged in some of our country’s finest food offerings. Foods from gas stations, drive-thru’s, and convenience stores. More grease than I’ve even seen in 20 years. And guess what – my toes and fingers started KILLING me!!! It was like I had a knife in them! Being back for a couple of weeks now, and getting into the swing of my normal eating pattern, the pain is dissipating. I know it was due to grease, unclean meats and junk.

There are a million diets out there. I encourage you to start with the basics…. veggies, fruits, some grains and high quality protein of your choice. If you eat well, your body will feel better and your mind will too!

When I do yoga, I feel free, open and wonderful. When I don’t sleep, I feel confused, irritated and fat. I don’t do yoga everyday, (although I want to!) and it’s not like I never sleep. I feel imbalanced, though, over time with just a little too much of this, and not enough of that, and before you know it, I’m a mess! What to do? Educate myself, try to balance my time and keep striving to make tomorrow a little better.

I’ve known since I was young that I am a “highly sensitive” person. I even bought the book. I know that what I put in my body affects me. I know that how I take care of my body, good or bad, affects all aspects of my life. Being “highly sensitive”, I feel things and I react (sometimes like a child) to the simplest of changes.

Like most people, through my teens and twenties, I tried a variety of diets, sleeping patterns, exercises, and different levels of alcohol consumption. Now approaching middle age, I certainly don’t have it all figured out, but I know what feels good, what doesn’t and how to choose between the two. I know that when I stay up fighting with my boyfriend until 2 a.m., I probably won’t feel too good in the morning. If I choose to stay up ‘til 2 a.m. dancing with my boyfriend, I will feel a bit tired, but happy. Stress is the killer. I also know that if I choose to eat greasy food for lunch everyday because it’s cheap and convenient, I’m going to feel negative about my body, and probably will be constipated for a week. The extra effort of thinking ahead, pre-planning my meals and taking them with me can be a hassle, but worth it for my mind and body.

Feeling good is important. No one can eat perfectly and be stress-free 100% of the time, but the effort is worth it. Just knowing that you are doing your best can build a confidence that laziness doesn’t offer. Just do what your grandmother said…eat your veggies, get out and play and get to bed at bedtime. Oh, and read ModernSage.