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10 Words Everyone Should Live By

BY DR. LAWRENCE ROSEN

JULY 10, 2013 6:00 AM EDT

Ive noticed a trend in wellness circles. Whether in my work with patients or in my yoga

classes, I k eep coming acro ss the same words. On a given day, one might be the theme

of a dharma talk or a TED Talk video someone mentioned to me. (Or, as was the case

one strange morning, the same word was featured in both.) I am sure the universe is

sending me messages, and the more I mention these to friends and colleagues, it seems

like they're hearing the same words.

Which of these words resonates with you? My guess is some will at different times, but

they're all good words to live by.

1. Prese nce: To be fully engaged in what you are doing right now. And right now. And

right now. Mindfulness of the present moment is something we never fully attain 100%

of the time, but it shouldnt stop us from trying. Whatever tools you use to cultivate

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presence, make time to hone them. That is why we practice (not perfect) yoga and

meditation.

2. Vulnerability: The willingness to be let others see you as you are. Vulnerability is to

admit, I am human. I am not perfect. I struggle, just like you. No one has described

vulnerability more effectively than Brene Brown . She

teaches us that vulnerability is NOT weakness; in fact, being vulnerable is the most

courageous thing we can be. Only when we are vulnerable can we truly connect and be

open to intimacy.

3. Clarity: Transparency and lucidity of vision and thought. Not just an uber popular,

kinda creepy song by Zedd. Clarity is that aha moment when everything is crystal clear

and it all just makes sense. I find it comes to me when Im not trying to achieve it, but

allowing my mind to relax and focus. Its one of those things that the harder you try to

achieve it, the further away it may feel.

4. Equanimity: The evenness of mind to stand steady in the face of stress or challenge. I

didnt really get equanimity until last weekend, when a very wise friend told me it could

best be explained by the phrase, Its all good. The next day, I was meditating on this

phrase at the beginning of a particularly challenging beach yoga session. (I know, boo-

hoo, poor me.) Still, it was hot, with no wind, black flies biting. The teacher began by

saying, I was reading something this morning about equanimity Aha.

5. Gratitude: An intentional appreciation of what and who you have. An acceptance and

explicit acknowledgment of what life brings you. Not taking anything for granted. As

psychologist Robert Emmons

notes,

Gratitude allows us to celebrate the present.

6. Creativ ity: The use of your imagination to produce somethinga thought, an object,

really anything. Creativity implies a childlike playfulness, having the courage to make

mistakes and keep pushing on. We desperately need more creativity in education and in

the workplace. Never forget: you were once a child and some part of you always should

be.

7. Authenticity: Walking the walk. The real you. The most honest way of being. To be

authentic is to accept your self as is and offer that self to the world. The challenge is to

learn to be OK with who you are and then just be.

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8. Passion: An incredibly intense and compelling desire for something (or someone) that

is barely containable. And I think thats the key. Your passion should be so palpable that

its going to burst out of your eyeballs but it just quite doesnt. Thats what separates a

crime of passion from the kind that makes you invest your whole being in the pursuit of

your dreams and inspires others to follow you.

9. Compassion: Love and acceptance for another as if they were you. To treat them as

you would want to be treated. To walk a mile in their shoes. To see through their eyes as

if they are your own. Compassion for yourself is the first step in having compassion for

others.

10. Love : Do I really have to explain this one? OK, just one quote: We accept the love

we think we deserve. - Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

Dr. Lawrence Rosen

Lawrence Rosen, MD is an integrative pediatrician and co-authorof Treatment Al ternatives for Children .He is the founder of the Whole Child Center , one of the countrys firstgreen and integrative pediatric practices, and he serves as MedicalAdvisor to the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center . Dr. Rosens academic credentialsinclude positions as past Chair of the AAP Section on IntegrativeMedicine, Clinical Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at UMDNJ, and

author of numerous articles and book chapters on integrative pediatrics. He is also the pediatriccolumnist for Kiwi Magazine and blogs for the Huffington Post .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-rosen-mdhttp://www.kiwimagonline.com/category/healthy/the-green-pediatricianhttp://www.dienviro.org/http://www.wholechildcenter.org/http://www.lawrencerosenmd.com/treatment-alternativeshttp://www.mindbodygreen.com/wc/dr-lawrence-rosenhttp://www.mindbodygreen.com/wc/dr-lawrence-rosenhttp://www.shutterstock.com/http://www.mindbodygreen.com/tag/compassion.html

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