Every month you continue to inspire us with your #BestLifeProject stories. See how these seizers of opportunity, love, happiness, and adventure, pursued their best lives in October.
Run Your Way to Inner Harmony
Ray Harmony turned to running to help him live his best life. “I’m a 37-year-old British-African musician who ended up on a tiny Canadian island in a misguided attempt to hide from my situational depression.
“I found that running gave me some temporary relief, so I started running 5K three times a week. This quickly became four times, which swiftly got kicked up to five. My five runs a week inevitably turned into six, but surprisingly this actually made my one day-off even worse. Finally I gave in, and began running 5K every single day. Weeks turned into months, and with every passing month I felt better and better!
“Eventually the months turned into a year, and as I’d outrun my depression a few hundred kilometers back, I decided to stop and write a song and a short book about my experience. This run streak changed my life in the most unbelievable ways, literally! Not only do I feel better, and not only do I now have a 5K personal record of 18:41, but I also met my dream music/life partner along the way who I now run a successful music business with, we’re living back in the city and making a couple new songs together every month, I am the happiest I’ve even been, and, I’m celebrating my 10-year vegan anniversary this month too. Yay!” Find Ray at RunningHarmony.com and hear a sample of Ray’s music here:
Listen to Your Body
Nadege Cormier listened to her body’s signals to refocus on her health and pursue her best life. “I remember when I realized my best life was slipping away from me. I was walking up a steep hill in a local park and had to stop two or three times to catch my breath. That day, I realized that somewhere along the way, I had stopped focusing on my health. I didn’t know how to turn it around after years of small incremental weight gain. But I knew I wanted to.
“I started with nutrition because that seemed less daunting to me. Switching up my diet was easy for me because I had always wanted to be vegan. Now today (and 70 pounds later) I live by a motto near and dear to my heart. I created my own life mantra: My body will never be the limitation to accomplishing what my mind dreams up. That is my #BestLifeProject! I strive to thrive!
“Since then, I have been on more hikes, bike rides, road trips, and mountain tops than I had been in my whole life before! I am also a vegan bikini competitor in fitness (IFBB National Level). I want every 4 year old little girl (or her parents) to know that plants CAN make you strong! Instead of saying it, I’m simply showing it!
“All in all, life is short. Make every day an adventure.” Find Nadege on Instagram @nadedgecorcoran.
Cultivate Your Best Life Through Culinary Practices
For Jjanet Barnes, her best life starts with what she feeds herself and her family. “My best life can only be fruitful if I have a healthy relationship with myself. If I cultivate that relationship, then every relationship that I have is stronger, deeper and more meaningful. This whole process begins with what I choose to put into my body.
“You can’t even begin to start living your best life until you can change the way you eat. By no means am I a culinary expert, but I love experimenting in the kitchen and find deep joy in feeding my family whole nutritious foods. I purchase as much of our food locally and in season. It tastes so much better, and it aligns with the natural rhythm of how we should eat. When I am unable to source out local produce during the winter months, I use our local organic delivery service for good quality organic produce. We need to start a food revolution and begin by taking these valuable concepts of health and wellness into our schools and teach our children the importance of food and health. Our children are our best teachers and if they are going to lead, then they need the tools!” Find Jjanet on Instagram @theconstantyogi
Persevere to Pursue Your Passions
Sally Martin found patience with herself through practicing yoga. “Not even three years ago I decided to go to a yoga class with my sister. I actually thought I would hate it. Instead, I found it challenging and beautiful. Though I could barely hold a headstand and struggled to lay in savasana, I persevered and practiced daily. I have grown so much just by being patient in myself and being okay with the present moment.
“Yoga is more than an exercise. It is more than a practice. Yoga is an idea and a way of life that represents something more beautiful and more meaningful than a simple stretch or a complicated pose. It is an art of love, kindness, self-discipline and humility. I am stronger than I have ever been and, not only can I do a headstand, but I am able to view the world from two feet high and upside down! I have become so much more appreciative of and patient with myself, others, and my environment. I have learned, simply by living life, that anything is possible. If the passion, the faith, and the dedication is there, we can do anything!” Find Sally on Instagram @sallyfromthealphaquadrant
How do you live your best life? Share your story by tagging your post with #BestLifeProject.
