What's the difference? Why do I FEEL...

...SO much better in Kauai than Vancouver? 

I've been back (notice I don't write "home") for a few days now and I have been thinking a lot about that question. The word "feel" can be broken down to how I feel physically vs. how I feel emotionally.

Physically here in Canada I'm a bit of a mess! I rarely go to sleep before midnight, staying up surfing the late night talk shows. I have decided this is due to a lack of stimulus - I am not tired at the end of a day here, more drained. In the morning, I wake up seriously dehydrated with nose bleeds, chapped lips and dry skin. I sit up only to feel crunchy... my bones ache. I feel like a pretzel and require coffee to get a jump start, because quite frankly I could stay in bed ALL day - I'm cold and I crave sleep. Sleep and hot oatmeal under the covers... with lots of Maple Syrup and Heavy Cream of course! When I do get up I begin the layering process... moisturizer, leggings, socks, jeans, turtle necks, hoodies, puffy vests, gloves and hats. Now I realize it's December but I had the exact same experience being here last Spring! 

In Kauai, I fall asleep - often before 9pm exhausted, with windows open to the sound of crickets (even in December) and ceiling fans circling the smell of night jasmine throughout my room. In the morning I wake up at sunrise with the distant crowing of roosters and I can't wait to get out of bed! I have my first of a dozen glasses of water that day (straight from the tap) and head out for a run, walk, bike or swim whatever inspires me that morning. I come home and either have a tropical fruit salad with mangos, papayas and guava or granola with macadamia nuts on top of Haupia (Coconut) Yogurt and local apple-bananas. I thank God for the day and the senses to experience it! I put on a bikini instead of underwear which reminds me of my childhood, not only is this comfortable, I am prepared at any given moment to jump into the ocean - LOVE that!

I don't know about you but the differences between these two realities completely affects me emotionally... I find that in Kauai I spend hours looking at the planet - here in Canada, I spend hours looking at my skin! 

So... What am I going to do about this? Complain, count the days until leave, spreading my dissatisfaction? I am here till the New Year, so rather than give into my old bad habits, which I now take responsibility for, rather than blaming my environment, I CHOOSE to eat light and exercise daily, which makes me crave healthy food like salads, vegetables and fish. Get back into Bikram's Yoga to sweat out my toxins, keeping my immune system from crashing! Oh and I should probably up my vitamin intake - especially vitamin D to supplement the lack of natural sunlight I was experiencing daily so I don't suffer from the ever popular Pacific North West - Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) or "winter blues". 

Here's to FEELING good, great even, where ever I am! xo P.

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