When you think about heart health, do you consider taking care of your heart emotionally as well as physically?
One of the things that I most frequently message to my yoga classes about is creating a life that 1) feels good on the inside and 2) you are excited to wake up and live (on most days). Of course we all have less than stellar days, but in general you shouldn’t feel like a robot or dread your day-to-day activities. I often think of this quote from Steve Jobs.
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In our 200-hour yoga teacher training we spend a lot of time around discovering and nurturing passions. We go through a lot of guided exercises to dig down to the root of what lights your fire and makes you feel most alive. When you live life rooted in passion, you are more fulfilled, challenged, happy, present and confident.
I think that where people get stuck is in thinking that their passion has to be their all day, every day. I feel lucky to have crafted a career out of what I feel passionate about but it’s not the only way to live a passion-filled life. In Danielle LaPorte’s book The Fire Starter Sessions she talks about learning to love and appreciate your day job if it offers you the security and means to explore your passions outside of work. I also talked about this in yesterday’s post when I shared Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic and her advice to not put pressure on your art or passions to be your livelihood.
So whether your passion is training for marathons or getting creative in the kitchen or spending time with family or traveling or teaching group fitness or volunteering in your community or golden retrievers or any other host of things…the importance is having the passion! Life is so much more wonderful and rewarding to live when you’re putting energy, enthusiasm and heart into what you do.
I’m excited to partner with CocoaVia® daily cocoa extract supplement to spread their new “Live Your Life with Heart” mission that brings together living with passion and promoting a healthy heart. CocoaVia® daily cocoa extract supplement delivers all the health benefits from cocoa flavanols into one capsule or powdered stick packs. Taken daily, studies indicate that cocoa flavanols promote a healthy heart by supporting healthy blood flow†.
I have been adding the CocoaVia® supplement powder into my smoothies and chia pudding for a chocolatey kick of cocoa flavanols. It’s important to clarify that the health benefits of chocolate come from cocoa flavanols, not from the percent cacao or darkness of the chocolate. So as much as I’d like to think that my nightly square of dark chocolate is really doing something good for me, the CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement is much more effective and hard-hitting when it comes to promoting healthy blood flow.
I stirred a powdered stick pack of CocoaVia® cocoa extract supplement into my favorite overnight banana chia pudding recipe and topped it with chopped cherries and almond butter. It’s officially my new favorite breakfast! When can you ever go wrong with something chocolate-flavored at breakfast?
Look out for more info on the health benefits of cocoa flavanols coming soon along with a CocoaVia® giveaway. 🙂
What are your passions and how do you nurture them?
Any favorite ways to include something chocolate-flavored into a healthy breakfast?
Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the CocoaVia® Live Your Life with Heart campaign. I was compensated for my time.
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
This is so informative and eye opening. I try to keep my heart healthy physically by eating well and exercising. I still suffer from stress and anxiety which can’t be good on my heart. I really need to take more care of it emotionally!
Amanda – the toll that anxiety and stress can take on our hearts and bodies is high. I recommend looking into yoga and meditation. It can be so wonderful for helping deal with these types of feelings and emotions.
I am loving your posts lately!! They are bringing up lots of emotions for me and providing encouragement for me to feel vulnerable and have the courage to be true to me 🙂 So just wanted to write a note of gratitude 🙂
Mollie, I agree! Jen, thank you for taking the time to publish these beautifully written, thought-provoking posts. I think sometimes I try to do too much-balance work, kids, family, friendships, exercise. I feel passionate about them all….in different ways, of course. Lately though, I have just felt burned out with it all. I think I need to embrace something new and carve out time to be passionate about being by myself a little bit….whether it be hitting the beach up for a half hour by myself to read or snuggling up with a book for 20 minutes with a cup of coffee or tea. Thank you:)
Lauren – I really appreciate the kind words from you and Molly. I really love to talk about this kind of stuff with my yoga students on the regular but I find that I don’t do as much of it as I’d like in this space. I’m glad that when I do that others are getting something from it.
I totally get in that hamster wheel state of being from time to time as well. It’s important just to give yourself permission to pause and take care of yourself and to do something that makes you feel like you or excited and alive.
xx
Jen
Thank you so much Molly. It means a lot to me that you took a moment to leave a comment. Keep doing you! <3
Such a good reminder! Healthy and active living and being out in nature exploring new things are my passions. Blogging has really helped nurture that, along with marathon training, and surrounding myself with people who love to do the same!
I eat cocoa powder in some form and/or dark chocolate on a pretty regular basis!
Thank you Danielle! I love your point about surrounding yourself with like-minded people. I find that brings me so much inspiration and support!