Growing starts with introspection. Start with the -ities

Bookstores are my downfall. Whenever I walk into a bookstore, you can almost guarantee I won't walk out empty handed. At a very young age, I watched my mom hustle over to the magazine section of any store, looking for inspiration in pictures atop lifestyle and party magazines. It's been a tradition that whenever we waltz into Barnes and Noble, we head straight for the magazines.

Last week, I did not falter in this ritual. The lights shone bright overhead as I scanned the Stampington magazines (my favorite) for a new issue. I had all of them. But I kept scanning and as my eyes trailed the shelf, I saw an ornate pink pattern framing a woman doing anjali mudra (yoga term for what looks like prayer hands). The cover said "follow your heart" and "do you know what makes you happy?" with the slogan of "positive, wise, & loving life." So many things spoke to me on the cover that I had to open the pages and take a peek.

Glancing through, it brought positivity and the yogi spirit to life through beautiful pictures of nature, Buddhist temples, art, and words. There was an article on the importance of intentional breath, the influence of singing bowls, and one of my favorite articles talked about becoming introspective on blessings we have and exploring them through the 18 ities.

What are "ities," you ask? Words that end in -ity. Words like serenity, regularity, absence of vanity, sincerity, simplicity, veracity, equanimity, fixity, non-irritability, adaptability, humility, tenacity, integrity, nobility, magnanimity, charity, generosity, and purity. And those are the 18 highlighted by spiritual leader and yoga master Sri Swami Sivananda.

"Eighteen virtues. Think of them as words written on notes hanging in a forest along the path we travel - life's path," the article reads. "They are reminders of what we should look out for along the way, what we should investigate, what is important and what we can learn."

The intention is that you explore the -ity for a week and it will give you deeper insight into life and yourself. Always seeking ways to find more connection with myself and the encompassment of life, I decided to challenge myself to this journey. I encourage you to also take a deeper look at these words and try to decipher how they position in your life. If you're hesitant, you can always follow along on my 18-week voyage.

Stop back tomorrow for the first jump -- SERENITY.