New year and new resolutions.  I’ve read that somewhere around 90% of New Year’s Resolutions are abandoned.  I wonder what that means for my goals of becoming fluent in both French and Spanish, visiting Australia,  performing a drum solo for bellydance,  learning how to upholster my own furniture, baking more bread and keeping my closet and bookshelves organized.  I’ll let you know how it goes!

But one of the most common goals is to quit smoking.  No wonder – according to the American Cancer Society, nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the US can be attributed to tobacco.

The good news is smoking is a pretty easy to give up.  I know plenty of people who haven’t quit successfully yet are getting ready to stone me, but hear me out.  Food issues can be complicated because you have to eat.  But you don’t need to smoke.  If you were trapped on a desert island, you would not die from lack of cigarettes.  Heck, even a drug addict might go through serious withdrawal, but you’d be able to function, even if you were grumpy while doing it.

We all know a woman who finds out she’s pregnant and that’s it, she becomes a nonsmoker.  She’s not writhing on the ground, dying. She moves on.  Sure, she may have a craving, but she lets the thought pass and moves on. The reason this works is because she has a compelling reason to be nonsmoker.

Plenty of people quit cold turkey everyday, no patches, pills. Just quit smoking.  Why?  They’ve found their compelling reason.  So what’s yours? Is it your money, your significant other, your family, your self image or your health?

You can let thoughts of smoking pass as you focus on the compelling reason in front of you.

Once a month the NYC center opens it’s doors and provides free demonstrations to the public. We were all split into groups and assigned an Alexander Center instructor.

One of the first things we did was find ways to improve the way we walk.  It’s something most us do day in and day out, without any real care for how we’re doing it. Then our  instructor Anna said something that’s stuck with me and I’ve integrated into my daily life.  Walk as if you have a beam of light shining out of your head. It sounds funny, but I instantly started walking taller, and with more purpose.

It’s amazing that by creating that mental picture, that little adjustment in your thinking, you can automatically change the way you carry yourself.  And what a great mental construct to take with you out into the world.

	Where: American Center for the Alexander Technique, Inc. 39 West 14th Street, Room 507 New York, NY. 10011 Time:     7:00 PM – 8:30 PM For information and to reserve your space Please call (212) 633-2229 ext. 2

This is a technique that has revolutionized my interactions with my family and friends – breathing from your heart. It’s from the Heart Math Institute, an amazing place where researchers work on ways to achieve heart coherence.

To start, imagine someone or something you love in front of you.  Now as you breathe in and out, imagine breathing in and out that love.  AS you breathe it in, let that love fill your body.  You may imagine it filling every cell, every particle of you. It may be a warmth moving through your body. You may picture it as a color that envelops you. Take a moment and allow yourself to feel that energ

I love this technique, and do it all the time.  It’s so useful for changing your mood, your perspective quickly.  How would you be different if you did this for five minutes everyday?  Or if before you walked in the door  after a long day, take a moment and see your spouse, see your children before you and breathe in that love.

Give it a try.You can’t not be affected by this.

This is a place to learn, share and grow. I’ve read that the human body replaces its cells every seven years.  Picture that.  Everyday, old cells die and new ones grow to take their place. We are constantly transforming ourselves.

We’re always growing, always changing. Some people would say that is what we are – change. Well New York is a place to help nourish you along your journey.

This is an incredible experience for me, and I hope it will be for you too.  Tell me what you think of the blog, any tips you want to share, any things you want to see featured – I want to hear from you!

In the meantime, live well.

Francine