I've have had quite a few yoga students confide in me lately. This isn't always the greatest time of year for everyone.

I have likely posted this in the past, but I just came across it again in my documents and thought I'd repost. There are some real words of wisdom written here. Keep your chin (s) up and don't lose hope! You know who you are...

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and the Divine. It was never between you and them anyway. -Mother Teresa

Amy Purdy talks about imagination. What a hero.

Amy Purdy talks about the power of imagination. She explains how our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by the choices we make. Imagination allows us to break down borders, to move beyond our circumstances, to create and constantly progress.

Amy Purdy has been through hardships that most of us will never face -- or can even fathom. But what makes her story so incredible is not that fact that she lived a "normal" childhood and spent her high school years as a passionate artist and snowboarder, then traumatically lost both her legs at age 19, but how she has persevered, taking implausible challenges and rising above them.

Today, Amy is an athlete; currently the top ranked adaptive female snowboarder in the world. Amy also spends a good amount of time helping others; specifically those with physical challenges get involved with snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding and other action sports through the organization she co-founded Adaptive Action Sports. Challenging herself while making a positive impact on the world is a true testament to Amy's spirit.

Defining moments in life

You may have seen this, or other clips of this rare hero's work circulating around the internet, Facebook and CNN. His name is Narayan Krishnan. He has been at this for a quite a while now (since 2002), and has fed, cared for, and freely given of himself to the needy in his community every single day since then..

He was 20 years old with everything going for him. He had even passed up a lucrative job in Switzerland as a chef when he had an experience that he calls his "defining moment"..

As he puts it:

In June 2002, Krishnan witnessed his life-changing event -

He saw an old man suffering from acute hunger and eating his own human waste.

As the old man ate the food given to him, he held Krishnan's hand, giving the very real sensation of a powerful energy. This triggered an experience of inner happiness and fulfillment Krishnan had never felt before.

Since then he has worked tirelessly and without a break, serving 1.5 million meals to the hungry, destitute, uncared for, mentally ill, elderly, sick, and helpless folks in his community. And not only food, but love. Clothing. Hair cuts and shaves. And dignity.

Anyways, his videos are out in full force again this holiday season as they always are this time of year.

This man is a true hero if ever there was one. One line he says that gets me everytime is;

"Just give". "Feel the joy of giving"..it's so simple and yet so true.

Should you want to learn more about what this incredible man and his team do or wish to donate his website is http://www.akshayatrust.org/

Namaste.