Live your own country song, whether it's running down a dirt road or climbing a mountain.

"It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got" – Sheryl Crow

This line from Sheryl's song "Soak Up The Sun" is one of my favorites and is easily forgotten in people's lives.  Life moves so rapidly that the smaller things become the hardest to reflect upon.  This brings me to my focus of this blog, which is to start living your own country song.  What exactly does this mean?  I grew up influenced by country music and having small town origins.  I lived outdoors as much as possible - running on dirt roads to snow shoeing in corn fields.  I enjoyed the smallest things in life and reflect back to them every single day - still living the same way today.   I would like to share some positive motivation around living simple and loving large.

Country music tells stories and are truthful songs about life written by country people.  Country can be defined in many ways no matter where you live.  We have this beautiful land all around us, from fields, mountains, water, air and sky just to name a few.  Take some time to really appreciate everything you have right in front of you and all around you.  Then... reflect back and write your own country song.  You have the ability to live amazing, feel amazing and be amazing!

I admire Patagonia's Founder, Yvon Chouinard for his love of living simple.  "So, there’s a movement for simplifying your life: purchase less stuff, own a few things that are very high quality that last a long time, and that are multifunctional. I drive old cars, all my Patagonia clothes are years and years old. I hardly have anything new. I try to lead a very simple life. I am not a consumer of anything."

Try something new this week that's special to you!  A few ideas to get you excited:

• Eat dinner outdoors by a fire wrapped in a blanket
  
• Run where air is pure and reflect on all of the important people you have in your life
  
• Hike up a mountain; focus on nature's beauty
  
• Canoe or kayak to have a picnic on the water
  
• Eat a whole-food, plant-based diet.  Start crowding out unhealthy, processed foods with nutrient-dense foods such as hemp seeds, root veggies, wild rice, quinoa, raw nuts, spices, healthy fats, etc.

LIVE simply. Dream BIG. BE grateful. Give LOVE. LAUGH lots.

To Succeed in life, you need three things: A wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone – Reba Mcentire