January is the perfect time to think about the things we can change to enhance our health and wellbeing. Ayurveda gently accesses the natural resources to help us achieve this goal through simple practices. Here are my recommendations to start the New Year:

• Breathe to Release the Stress – Under stress, we have an unconscious tendency to breathe shallowly and tighten our solar plexus. The following exercise will help you relax:

1) Sit comfortably in an upright posture.

2) Draw your navel to your spine in a quick motion, forcefully expelling all the air from your lungs.

3) Allow your lungs to fill naturally, with no effort.

4) Perform this cycle 10 times. Allow your breathing to return to normal and observe the sensations in your body. Do three repetitions.

• Let Go of Resistance – If you’ve made a commitment to improve your self-care, the Ayurvedic healing system offers you timeless principles you can use to move beyond resistance into the fulfillment of your goals:

1) Accept the now. When you accept life as it unfolds, offering no resistance, you become aware of the choices available in the moment. This doesn’t imply giving up your desires, but discovering the freedom to respond creatively.

2) Accept the signals of your body. Honor your body’s sensations. Whereas the mind lives in the past and the future, the body resides in the now and never doubts itself. It knows the truth and will guide you toward the best choices.

3) Accept responsibility and commit. With deepened awareness, you can make new choices, let go of habits that no longer serve you, and commit to doing something different.

• Use Aromatherapy – Whenever we smell something, we absorb some of its molecules, making aromatherapy a form of natural medicine. Inhale your favorite essence when you are feeling happy or relaxed. Your body will learn to associate pleasurable feelings with the smell. Soon, just a hint of the fragrance will invoke your inner healing response.