Dear Readers,

Greetings and prayers for a health and prosperous new year!

CNN reported today that January is the most popular month for deciding to lose those extra pounds. CNN then followed that up with statistics for Jenny Craig's stock prices and the financial outlook for Weight Watchers. What the report did not cover was HOW does one translate that initial BIG decision into all the daily little actions it takes to make that decision yield results. The bottom line is that the "big" decision is really just the first decision. Every day, we must renew those decisions so well intended for those New Year's Resolutions.

I bring up weight loss because of its obvious connection to general physical well-being and health. As CNN reported, two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and aside from the psychological self-image issues, there is a definite link from overweight to longevity, but more importantly to general healthy well-being. Discomfort, stress, frustration, fears and irritations all stem from a lack of well-being. Without well-being or wellness as a foundation in your everyday life, carrying out those "big" decisions at the beginning of every year gets harder and harder, eventually adding up to failure. With simply the weight of discomfort, unhappiness, or disease dragging on us, no wonder following up on our resolutions is so difficult.

Ultimately, weight control is a spiritual issue. To be successful requires defining who we are and who we are not; how we represent ourselves not only to the world, but more importantly to ourselves. We become better persons by looking at ourselves and changing those things about us that no longer serve. What represents the highest and best in ourselves? What divine or spiritual aspect of us can we get to shine through in our everyday lives? These are spiritual issues that require constant attention and intention every day--with the little things--the minute-by-minute and hour-by-hour decisions we make that actually form who we are. How we do anything is how we do everything, and it all starts by BEING the highest and best we can be, and taking action from that space.

Emphasizing the concept of Nuturing ourselves helps to maintain our focus and gives us the crucial daily reward of progress so important in maintaining our resolutions of change. Here are a few "nurturing rituals" as stated by Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Aveda:

• Establishing a well-rounded network of trustworthy coaches, mentors, or personal trainers, who can help you map out and stick to your path.
• Meditating regularly.
• Becoming aware of and controlling your breathing.
• Practicing your faith.
• Tailoring daily diet and eating habits to your specific needs, using the wisdom of the ancient indigenous traditions and the latest scientific discoveries about food chemistry as it relates to body chemistry and blood type.