Life Is Messy So Lighten Up

“Life is brighter on the lighter side.”

― L.M. Fields

Yesterday was my birthday and the first thing I did was get on my yoga mat. That is the biggest gift that I can give myself, my family and everyone in my life. Because when you prepare yourself vibrationally on the mat, you can operate in the world as the person you hope and want to be.

So I was on my mat practicing, and the crew pictured above blasted into my room into my room singing, "Happy birthday to you!"

What could be better than that? Priceless.

After they belted out that song they all ran over and gave me big hugs and sort of toppled all over me as little boys will do.

Then they ran off to play tennis, as they do every morning before school.

After they had gone I resumed my practice. I looked down, and smiled, as I noticed donut crumbs all over my mat. Chocolate, vanilla, and pumpkin donut crumbs like confetti all over my aqua mat. It was a beautiful site.

Beautiful because that is a symbol of their love to me and the fact that it didn't annoy me -- which it would have before I started my yoga practice many years ago -- is the real-time evidence that my spirit has taught me what is important.

Life is messy. Lighten up, laugh more, appreciate more, all is well.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

We All Play By The Same Rules

“Once you shift your thoughts for the better, your world begins to shift with them.”― Marcey Shapiro

You think you ain't affected by the law of attraction?  Think a again.

We all are. And it's often immediate.

I was having a "moment" after seeing something on social media that someone had plagiarized from my work, and I went to shake up my protein shake -- before I'd screwed the top on super tight-- and the top flew off and boom!  Protein shake covered my kitchen.

Now I've come a long way, because I didn't swear or even get pissed. I laughed at the accuracy and immediacy of the law of attraction, thanked the Universe for the heads up and reminder of my sloppy thinking and energy, and began again by choosing a better feeling thought.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Are You Living It?

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”― Eleanor Roosevelt

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

It Takes A Lot Of Time and Energy To Build What Can Be Knocked Down In A Heartbeat

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”― J.K. Rowling

Philippe and I walked our kids to school this morning and on our way back noticed that a home on our street had been demoed. In the time that it has taken us to walk to school and back-- or actually, much less. We were told that it took only minutes to down this house.

Amazing.

It took much time, energy, focus, and money to build that house and in just minutes it was torn down.

Same thing can happen with your reputation. You can build it for years and then with one event it can be ruined.

But anything can be rebuilt. Look at Bill Clinton.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

I Noticed This About You

“Childhood, whose very happiness is love.”- Letitia Landon

Yesterday at the pool a Supermom told me she'd been watching my kids, and she noticed that, "They all seem so happy."

*Sigh.*

For me, there's no better music to my ears.

Hey, we're human and we all have our moments, but overall, if there were one thing you would like others to notice about your children, what would it be?

If there were one thing you would like others to notice about you, what would it be?

Notice today whether your words and actions are in line with this wish.  Now you're living harnessing the power of intention.

Wasn't that easy?

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Why I Write Quickly and Easily

“First, become clear what your duty or purpose is in life. Second, learn to love it.”


- Swami Rama

I write quickly, easily, and joyfully while on cardio, for 5 reasons:

1. It makes my heart sing.
2. It's my Dharma.
3. I'm blessed that the Universe gave me this ability.
4. I'm very "vata" and so Sister has a lot of energy and likes to move.
5. My dad was a writer. A good writer. Smart guy. Charismatic. Very good-looking. (People stopped us regularly in public places and asked us if he was either Burt Bacharach or Paul Newman.) Was always the straw that stirred the drink at the party. (And always drank a lot of drinks at the party.)

But he was a perfectionist with a touch of OCD. Well, maybe more than a touch.

He would write and then rewrite and then rewrite and then rewrite again.  It was never good enough. He would agonize over a sentence for days, weeks, months. Wow that was painful to watch.

I am the antithesis of this.  Thank the Universe.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Have You Challenged Yourself Today?

“As we rise to meet the challenges that
are a natural part of living, we awaken
to our many undiscovered gifts, to
our inner power and our purpose.”



- Susan L. Taylor

What does it mean to you to be challenged?  Have you challenged yourself today?

Play your edge.  Challenge.  Yourself.   Now.

For some of you, that means resting.  I'm just sayin'.

Have the BEST DAY EVER!

Namaste!

Taylor plus 5

All Destinations

“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it”― Gautama Buddha

All destinations lead back to your Spirit, and your purpose on this journey.

Hint:  Practicing yoga and Deliberate Creation helps you on this path-- A LOT.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

And My Heart Grew 10 Sizes Bigger

“Children make your life important.”- Erma Bombeck

I'm a huge fan of Mexico. We went there for winter break and it's a great fit for my family and me for many reasons.

As soon as we returned we were dreamin' and schemin' (I credit my BFF from Brown with that kick a** term. She was a Deliberate Creator way back when in the 80's, man. And still is.) about how we could manifest goin' back -- and soon!

So Philippe worked his travel magic, and as we were all eating cheeseburgers hot off the grill one night he asked the kids and me if we'd rather go for 8 days -- or 9.

Duh?!

"Nine!" I blurted out, and then Phoenix, age 7, said confidently, "Actually Mommy, I think eight."

I was more than mildly confused, but got interrupted by Dakota, age three, before I could inquire further.

Later that night after tubbie and ice cream sundaes and brushing teeth, the kids and I were reading a book and Phoenix said (seemingly out of the blue), "Mommy, the reason I said eight days instead of nine, is so you wouldn't have to teach more."

And my heart grew ten sizes bigger.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

I Am Love

“I believe that every single event in life that happens is an opportunity to choose love over fear.”- Oprah Winfrey 

I am love.

Who are you?

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Sugar Cookie Pop Tarts

“Give freely to the world these gifts of love and compassion. Do not concern yourself with how much you receive in return, just know in your heart it will be returned.” ― Steve Maraboli

My 7 year old, Phoenix, wanted me to get sugar cookie pop tarts because they have pictures on the pop tarts. But then when I gave them to him for breakfast he would not eat them because he liked the pictures.

This happened a few times until I told him he had to eat them or I wouldn't buy them again. The purpose of them was to eat them. I told him that it's a metaphor for life because the Universe wants the energy to move.

For example, love in, love out. Energy in, energy out. Money in, money out.

A lot of people misunderstand this, and horde. When you horde love, time, money and food, it will not come back to you.  If you give, enjoy, use and eat it freely with an open heart and clear intention it will come back to you multiplied.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

I Am Airing Out the Recesses of My Mind and Clearing Away Stuck Negative Energy From My Body, Mind, and Spirit

“Your thoughts, words and deeds are painting the world around you.”Jewel Diamond Taylor

Say this the next time you open the windows wide in your house on a beautiful day.

And watch what happens.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

I Can't Complain But Sometimes I Still Do

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”― Meister Eckhart

When I lived with Nick Bollettieri in Sarasota, Florida training to go pro in tennis at age 13 we weren't allowed to watch TV or go to the movies or mall or eat "junk food" (Nick's words, so relax haters).

So we played a lot of back gammon and listened to a lot of music.

The pro who drove us around loved Joe Walsh, so we listened to a lot of Joe Walsh. "Life's Been Good" was my favorite.

My two favorite lines in the song:

"It's tough to handle this fortune and fame, everybody's so different -- I haven't changed."

- AND -

"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do."

When people tell me they love what I teach about the law of attraction, but  sometimes they forget and have to remind themselves and/or begin again, I laugh and say WE ALL DO. Because we are spiritual beings having a human experience.  So we need to remind ourselves daily.*

And it's all good.

* My book and Inspiration card deck are good tools with which to do this. As is yoga.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

The Blister

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ― Lao Tzu

I got new running shoes. Ordered 'em on Amazon by just clicking reorder on my past orders, which rocks I must say.

So since they are the exact same shoes I had last year and the year before (within about a year plus I wear 'em out), it makes no sense to me that they're giving me a blister. Big time. A two bandaid and bacitracin blister.

So this morning as I was donning new bacitracin and bandaids before lacing up to go on my early morning walk, it occurred to me that this is a metaphor for life.

Everything is always changing. This we know. So even if you are "staying the same," you ain't. You be changin'.

Sometimes change is painful. But you have the tools (bandaids and bacitracin/ Deliberate Creation and law of attraction) to ease that pain, assure that it's short lived, learn the lesson, and move on -- all sparkly and bright and transformed.

And, as always, I'm rootin' for ya.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

I Move Through My Day with Grace, Joy and Ease

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”— Maria Robinson

Today is your day. This is it. This is the only moment that matters. The past is over and you did your best. Rock on for that. They did their best, too. Forgive them.

Create this day exactly as you want it to be. Stop with the excuses and the drama.

Say out loud right now, "I move through my day with Grace, joy, and ease."

And now you will, in fact, have the BEST DAY EVER!

Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Be Kind

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

- Aesop

I get a lot of requests from people and/or their publicists to write about them/their product/their book, etc. I explain that I write only from inspiration, because I walk my talk and wish for everyone to operate only from inspiration -- from an open heart.  This is step one in creating your BEST LIFE EVER. At times it requires discipline to listen to your heart and ignore the naysayers, critics and, ah, yes, the haters. Back in the day they were only called "critics," because the weapons of criticism they wielded were far less accessible and pervasive. Only so many people can write for the New York Times, after all. But now any douche bag with a computer or phone can spout out about anyone and anything and blast it out to the world.

Nice.

There's one dude who writes me hate mail several times a week -- sometimes 7 times a day. So sad and pathetic. He is "an 'accomlished' yoga teacher" (his words-- and spelling -- there are always several typos and misspellings in his hate mail, as he tells me what a terrible writer I am) who as far as I can tell from the hundreds of emails I've received from him over a few years under several names, hates everything I do, write, am, and stand for.

Nice.

Do his redundant and relentless emails upset me?  Eh ... no. Amuse me?  Sometimes, a little. Sometimes my husband and kids and I get a good laugh. I'm always teaching my kids, and teaching them to ignore and even better laugh about the haters ain't no different.  I also teach them to send light to the haters (rascals as I call them in my book in a chapter entitled "Send Light to the Rascals").  By sending them light, you shift the(ir) dark energy to light.  Remember, the light always wins.

Always.

Mostly though the haters and this one dude in particular (who as far as I can tell ain't too "accomlished," or he wouldn't have the time, energy and/or desire to cut others down -- and make a full time career out if it) make me more determined in spreading my message of hope, love, joy, and resiliency.

My childhood was a shit show at best so I'm a Jedi Master at focus (my kids love the Jedi metaphor). Nothing can distract me from my divine purpose on this planet and those who try only make me stronger, happier, and more focused.  Best ever!

I love love love these words from Pharrell Williams' song, "Happy":

"It might seem crazy what I'm about to say Sunshine she's here, you can take a break I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space With the air, like I don't care baby by the way

Uh

Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth Because I'm happy Clap along if you know what happiness is to you Because I'm happy Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do

Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah, Well give me all you got, and don't hold it back, yeah, Well, I should probably warn you I'll be just fine, yeah, No offense to you, don't waste your time Here's why Happy Bring me down Can't nothing Bring me down My level's too high . . . ."

Soon you will be the same way. You will be so love and heart focused that any criticism -- and I mean any -- will not touch you. And then with a little more time, it will make you even stronger and happier. Best ever!

I started writing this with the intention to write about KIND bars because my kids and I tried the samples they sent and loved 'em, but the blog turned out very differently. Since I know everything unfolds as it should, I'll leave it as we liked the bars laced with chocolate best, and you should try KIND bars for yo'self -- if it feels fun and makes you HAPPY.  Because it's all about FUN and HAPPINESS.   I was open to KIND sending me samples because my BFF from Brown loves 'em and, well, the name of the company just drew me right in.

Have the best day ever! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Yoga Ain't an Exclusive Club

“Yoga accepts. Yoga gives.”- Terri Guillemets

Two adjectives students and readers use to describe me are: inspiring and accessible.

My intention all day every day is to make yoga and living the BEST LIFE EVER accessible to all. Because it is.

Anyone and everyone can practice yoga. Anyone and everyone can create their BEST LIFE EVER.  Starting NOW.

There are some people out there who try to make yoga an exclusive club you can't belong to. They say you gotta do this and wear that and chant this and (not) eat that. They want you to burn incense and not want for anything.  And once you jump through all these hoops it still ain't enough, they say. Maybe just maybe if you practice for twenty more years you can "belong." You can join the club -- yippee!  (Maybe.)

None of this is true. Yoga is for everyone. Yoga means union and it meets you where you are. Every day. And every day will be different. Thank the Universe.

So just show up to yo' mat and breath and believe. Just do your best with breath.

I'm rootin' for ya, and you can be, do and have anything that you want.  If anyone tells you otherwise, smile, send them light and walk away.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Pushing Boundaries

“So often time it happens, we all live our life in chains, and we never even know we have the key.”- The Eagles

A dear friend of mine from college has been and continues to do some amazing spiritual work.  And I am so proud of her.

She did a presentation at work about this journey, and entitled it "Pushing Boundaries."

It was an amazing and heartfelt presentation and she was admired by all.

Since I am a teacher at heart, I am always teaching myself and others how to fine-tune in order to create and continue to create their BEST LIFE EVER.  And your and my definition of this dreamy life changes on a daily basis.  Not in ginormous ways, mind you, just fine-tuning. And your spirit loves this. This is the "work" of the Spirit.  I put the word work in quotations because there is no work, just joy and exhilaration, when you're operating from your Spirit. But a lot of people – almost everyone I meet – needs to hear this word and do this "thing" ("work") in order to feel worthwhile. So I build a bridge. The best teachers always do, by the way. If a teacher can't meet you where you are, find another.

But I digress.

As a friend and teacher, how would I help my friend to fine-tune?

One way is to notice that the words "pushing boundaries" could be, even better. How about "Playing My Edge" or "My Journey of Transformation"?

Why do I like these titles--and focus--even better? Because--and this is fine-tuning mind you--"pushing boundaries" has a subtle, yet palpable, negative connotation.  It reminds me a lot of when I used to say to Philippe, "I just wanna get caught up."  I said this in a totally positive tone, with good energy and excitement, knowing that I would soon be "caught up."  But, and again this is fine-tuning, what do the two words "caught up" imply?

They imply being behind. And that is one strong energy. And not the best energy ever.  (Most people on the planet are operating from this energy.)

When I became aware of this, I immediately began saying and wrote myself an Inspiration card (which will be included in one of my 51Inspiration Card decks coming) that said, "I am always ahead on everything."

Can you feel the difference?

Can you feel the difference between "pushing boundaries" and "playing my edge" or "my transformational journey"?

I say "feel" for a reason. When you are fine-tuning, it's all about how it feels. Any intellectual in the room will argue that this means nothing. But I'm not talking about operating from the mental body, which is what an intellectual does. I am talking about operating from the spiritual body, which is what a true master does.

As I explain in my BEST LIFE EVER Workshops (TaylorWells.me), all of the masters in history – in every field – have operated from the spiritual plane.

Are you operating from your mind or your heart?

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Boats, Cars, Jets and Houses, Oh My!

“A lot of people get so hung up on what they can't have that they don't think for a second about whether they really want it.”― Lionel Shriver

Maryann Williamson said in "A Return To Love":  It's not that material things are bad.  It's that they're nothing (I'm paraphrasing).

Here's my hit on material things -- as always, take what you want and leave the rest (that means you too, haters).

Material things are fun if you think they're fun and if they float your boat.  Maybe you want a boat, for example. I personally don't because I get sea sick and my ex-husband wanted to go out fishing on his dad's boat all the time and I didn't have the best time ever on it -- but went anyway.

There's nothing wrong with material things -- boats, cars, houses, jets, clothes, jewelry, art, shoes, etc.  But the rush you get from them is short-lived.  Then you want more, most likely.  Which again, is cool.  It's the never-ending desire of the Spirit -- more, more, more.  More love, more light, more joy, more connection, more freedom, more exhilaration (and perhaps, more material things).  There's no judgment.  It's all good.  And if you -- or others -- are judging, you ain't operating from your higher self in that moment.  You be showing up as that "lower form" of yourself.  Just sayin'.  But hurray!  The next moment is yo' chance to begin again -- operating from your higher and authentic self.

What's cool to realize is that relationships are eternal, unlike the short-lived rush of acquiring a material thing.  Even the relationships that "end"  don't actually end -- they are forever.  So that relationship is for keeps and continues to give you joy (or whatever) for ever more.

Love that.  Best ever!  Makes me so so happy every time I look at my husband, my five kids, my amazing friends and family, my Prana family, my students, my readers, my community, my neighbors -- and you.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5

Can I Just Say I Love the Internet?

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

- Cynthia Ozick

Can I just say, "I love the internet"?

Ya, sure there are *issues* with it (Hello haters and cyber-bullying) but we are all so super blessed with all we can be, do and have because of the *magic* of the internet.

Once upon a time it was difficult for me to buy running shoes because when I went to a store to buy them a few years after I'd bought the pair that now had holes in 'em, they no longer made that type of shoe . . . so I hadda start from square one -- find a new shoe that fit my feet well, the correct size, etc.  Made me a bit OCD.

Now when my running shoes have holes in 'em, I just go into my Amazon account, search my past orders for running shoes, hit "order again," and bam!  Done.  Without the side order of OCD.

The internet and my magical iPhone allow me to write books, inspiration card decks and blogs and run our 5 yoga studios from Nantucket all summer, so we get to spend precious family time with my kids' grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who live in California during the year.  Best ever!  When we first opened Prana in 2002 we couldn't sneak away to ACK for even a weekend to see Philippe's family.

Nantucket rocks but there are some things you just can't get on the island.  No problem!  Food we miss from the mainland?  Check!  (online)  Homeschooling* stuff we need?  Check!  (online)  A swim shirt (that's reasonably priced) to replace the one Montana left God knows where?  Check!  (online)

And all with free shipping because of Amazon Prime.

Can I just say, "I love the internet"?

*We no longer homeschool officially -- our kids go to public school in Newton, Massachusetts -- but we supplement their learning with Singapore math, etc.

Have the BEST DAY EVER! Namaste! Taylor plus 5