Not that I *do* all of these things all of the time, but in my ideal world, these are the top ten activities that I know help me to thrive. They are “proven” and work for me. Other women will need other things, of course. This is just my list.

1. Eat good food. I really like the guides laid out in the Fat Flush books and the products sold at UNIKEY. Mercola.com has some great products and information too. I try my best to eat whole foods that bring vibrant, raw nutrients into my body. And I’m a stickler for clean water. [p.s. This book will help you shift your relationship with food if it's being used as a substitute for other unmet needs.]

2. Sleep. I need nine hours to process everything that happens to me in a day. And to process all the processing I did in a day. I know. It’s a lot of time but I feel great when I give it to myself.

3. Hot baths and clean sheets. I give myself the joy of a hot bath around 5 times per week. Excessive? I think not.

4. Write. Three pages (8 1/2 x 11) of freewriting every morning (“Morning Pages” in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way). When I wake up, I have all this stuff spinning around in my brain. Get a notebook like this one or this one and write three pages of blah, blah, blah, nothing, whining, happy, blissful, possibilities, shallow-ness. Get it all out. Then you can talk to God with a clear head. And only then you can interact with God’s children. This is different than writing in my journal, which I consider more of a conscious act. These pages are meant to be messy and only I will ever read them. I use them to acknowledge myself and my own experiences and feelings, as they are and not as they “should” be. When it’s time, I will burn them (after taking note of any of the good ideas that might have trickled down in there).

5. Prayer, meditation, slow breathing, peaceful music. Though again, I’m not really in the mood until I’ve written my peace in the Morning Pages. Some people dig yoga for this.

6. Scriptures. Read whatever holy writing you believe represents truth and light. Feed it to yourself. Even just opening the books help. Have them close to you. I read these.

7. Slow walks. Brisk walks. Speed walks. Thoughtful walks. Just walk. At least 20 minutes of every day that I can fit it in. Bike rides are a bonus. Walks are essential. Even better if you break a gentle sweat. This helps the body detox. Also, I recently discovered and am having a blast with T-Tapp!

8. Create and Play. Write a song. Learn how to sing! Paint a picture. Write a thoughtful entry in my journal. Write a book. Write a screenplay. Contemplate something. Draw something. Hang up something. Take a picture. Care for plants. Work in a garden. Doodle something. Clean up something. All activities that help me learn and express myself better.

9. Work with my energy systems. All of the activities on this list actually help clean up your energy without you knowing it, but there are also ways of more directly cleaning up the energy that flows through your physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental bodies. My favorite guides in this respect: Louise Hay (for positive language), Donna Eden (for balancing hormones), therapeutic gemstones (for cleaning up unhealthy patterns), Carol Tuttle (for my spiritual journey, turning on chakras, human experience, and adorning the feminine expression). Regular massages and healthy monogamous sex are excellent for this as well.

10. Explore and learn something new. Go places you haven’t gone before. Watch good movies, talks, or documentaries. Read good books, explore new neighborhoods and parks, countries. Learn about your ancestors. Visit a bookstore or library. Create lots of small adventures for yourself and throw in a big one when you can.

I’d love to hear what my friends and readers would add to this list!